Snow Attachments Chains

[sailingsolo]

hello to those that know about this than i. looking at a kubota 2018 l47tlb. it comes with industrial tires, not the agriculture tire. has anyone put chains on the rear tires and, if so, what type of chain? the dealer offers both a snow use chain and an ice use chain. buy both styles or just go with one and hope for the best?

 

[Peter 315]

I believe you need wheel spacers and if you have a paved driveway ice chains will tear it up

 

[RNeumann]

hello to those that know about this than i. looking at a kubota 2018 l47tlb. it comes with industrial tires, not the agriculture tire. has anyone put chains on the rear tires and, if so, what type of chain? the dealer offers both a snow use chain and an ice use chain. buy both styles or just go with one and hope for the best?

I’d need more info- where does the tractor live? What type of road surface? What type of blade and or blower will it have- Front/back etc?

 

[leonz]

Chains can be installed on the rear tires but the snow or ice chains will not grip as well as the chains will not be able to flex much at all-meaning the standard cross link chain cannot move outward and then fall back to grip with either type of chain. The ring chains will have the same issue.

But as Peter315 has said you will need spacers to avoid hitting the fenders AND a pair of snow chain tensioners for the rear wheels.

For all we know all you may need is having the rear tires loaded with rimguard or windshield washer fluid for liquid ballast as they are tubeless tires.

Many folks leave the backhoe on for ballast when plowing snow with the front bucket.


If you exchanged the R-4 Tires and rims for lawn tires-diamond tread or the Nokian all season tires and rims you would have zero issues with mounting snow chains but you would need the spacers in any case.


We know to know more to better help you.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

Why doesn’t the dealership swap out for Ag tires? It’s a free option with all other tractors, no cost diff for R1, R3 or R4 tires.

 

[sailingsolo]

Why doesn稚 the dealership swap out for Ag tires? It痴 a free option with all other tractors, no cost diff for R1, R3 or R4 tires.

thanks to all the many replies. never thought to ask about the ag tires because the dealer said that style of tractor did not come with ag tires. they have what is called a construction tire and that is they way the tractor is sold.

do know about the spacers. was a little surprised to think that kubota sells a heavier style tractor that does not seem to accept chains as well as the lighter versions. and that the tires do not grip as well. would think that the heavier, more rugged tractor would have the best traction tires but, when one is ignorant, very easy to think all the wrong things.

the reason for the chains is because maine gets lots of snow, i live on a hill, 1200 foot dirt driveway, and, i might want to go both down and up the hill with snow on the ground. sometimes the snow bank are too high for me to easily move them with my plow truck. versatility is sometimes the saver of a predicament.

thanks for the tip about leaving the backhoe on for added traction. gave it no thought. don't know if i would be leaving the backhoe on all the time or not. not buying the tractor for anything other than casual use on my property so the need for leaving the backhoe on all the time is not there.

and what i would really like to know is does one style of chain actually perform that much better or would either a snow chain or an ice chain work reasonably well? the ice would never be more than a coating from packed snow but it would still be ice or the occasional freezing rain storm. i sand only when i really need to which is not most of the time. the sun does well except in one short section.

will ponder all the decisions offered. thanks again to all.

 

[BrokenTrack]

Being from Hope, Maine, and buying a Kubota, I assume you are buying from Union Farm. They will swap out the tires free of charge, but due to our type of snow and ice, you want chains on your tractor, and you will want the ice chains. The ground gets too frozen here to cause a problem on hot-topped driveways or even concrete (I clean out my barn every day with chains on and its fine after years of use). You will get so much more traction!!

You do not need 2 types of chains; putting chains on a tractor sucks, and for me at least, is a once a year job in the fall. I hate having them on, but the traction is just plain required.

 

[eddie48]

I have regular ladder-type chains on my NH TC40DA with R-4 tires. They work well to keep me out of trouble. I get small marks on the paved driveway, but they dissapear in a couple of months. Without chains, I was constantly fighting to stay on the sloped part of the driveway. With them... no problem.

 

[Jstpssng]

With all of the ice that we get as well as snow, I wouldn't make it through the winter without chains. I have never used or needed tensioners on either tractor or pickups; if chains are properly sized and adjusted, tensioners aren't really necessary.

 

[Egon]

Keep the industrial tires and do get the ice chains. The dealer will know all the details required for installation. The backhoe is a nice addition on the back when you run out of traction or slip sideways. it lets you move the tractor around to get unstuck.

Ag tires will have no better traction on ice or snow at just around freezing temperatures.