How are tire chains sized?

   / How are tire chains sized? #1  

doctorclean

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Aug 9, 2011
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Hi guys, I was wondering if any of you knew how tractor chains are sized? I ordered chains from the Deere dealer for my tractor, a Deere 4120, with 13:6-28 R-1 rear tires. The dealer called me up and we loaded a set of 16.9-24 17.5-24 chains in the back of my truck. I just tried to fit them over my tires and there is considerable overlap. Should I try to cut the chains to fit or send them back to the dealer and ask for the proper chains. They are duo grip chains
 

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   / How are tire chains sized? #2  
The 4120 came with 24" OR 28" rims and tires.Probably 24" R4 ? Chains are made to fit the tire,you have the wrong set.Look them up at Tire Chains by TireChains.com under tractor chains.
 
   / How are tire chains sized? #3  
Tire chains often fit more than one tire size. In this instance, you have the wrong chains for your tire size according to the chain retailers I checked.
 
   / How are tire chains sized? #4  
The chains Deere gave you for 16.9-24 and 17.5-24 tires have cross chains that are likely too long.

Take a look at Quality Chain's online catalogue and download a LaClede catalogue. They specify different chains for your tires as follows:

Quality Chain: DUO242 chains that have 10 patterns of DUO294 crosslinks which are 11 links long measuring 22"

Laclede: DUO260 chains having 10 patterns of DUO296 crosslinks which are 13 links long measuring 24.95"

The chains Deere sent are likely DUO262 (Quality Chain) or DUO263(Laclede) with 8 patterns of DUO297 crosslinks with 14 links measuring 26.5"

I am not certain of the above specifications. I had a heck of a time getting chains for my 43x16-20 R4's last year. I had to send the first, far too large, set back. Quality Chain changed the specification for my tire in mid-season last year from DUO239 to DUO242. This year, they are back to DUO239 but the DUO239 cross link pattern has changed.

I'm in Canada and found Quality Chain very helpful when I called for information. The same company in the USA may be the same. Quality Chain sells through canadianchains.ca here and they were also very helpful. Likely they sell through TireChains.com in the USA.

I prefer to have more patterns with shorter crosslinks for a smoother (but still very rough) ride and more coverage. But they will ride higher on the tires. I also need that because I have very limited clearance to the fender support with non-adjustable, one piece rims. My chains had a fair gap at the connection and I filled them with 2 straight crosslinks (i.e. non DUO).

I may eventually cut back the DUO crosslinks (from 13 to 11 links) on my chains to get them higher on the tire. I would need to fill them in with one or two more DUO patterns.

I think it is better to have extra patterns and ride a bit higher on the tire and cut them back if necessary. Another option for adjusting the closing gap of the DUO's would be to shift some patterns to eliminate the 2 link gap. i.e. connect two adjacent patterns to the same cross hook similar to H pattern small tractor and mower chains.
 
   / How are tire chains sized?
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Thanks everyone, I took the chains back to my dealer, they ordered another set which ended up being ladder chains. I left those at the dealership and they delivered the proper sized duo chains for my tires. It took a year and a half since I got the first set but, you know what they say, third times the charm.
I appreciate everyone's help!
 
   / How are tire chains sized? #6  
Thanks everyone, I took the chains back to my dealer, they ordered another set which ended up being ladder chains. I left those at the dealership and they delivered the proper sized duo chains for my tires. It took a year and a half since I got the first set but, you know what they say, third times the charm.
I appreciate everyone's help!




I am glad you were able to get satisfaction and replacement chains.
I suffered with the same issue as my JD dealer sold me the wrong
chains and I did not use them until this year and found out that they were
the wrong chains. I finally recieved a refund after thier local shop would not
take them back by calling the home office.They should have been very happy
as I spent more money there when I returned the chains than what the chains
were worth in retail buying supplies.

The Power of the telephone is almost as powerful as the power of the Pen!!!!!
 
   / How are tire chains sized? #7  
Thanks everyone, I took the chains back to my dealer, they ordered another set which ended up being ladder chains. I left those at the dealership and they delivered the proper sized duo chains for my tires. It took a year and a half since I got the first set but, you know what they say, third times the charm.
I appreciate everyone's help!

Good to see your dealer made it right. You will notice a big difference with chains. I see in my previous post I mentioned I was considering modifying my DUO's. I did that as shown in this thread:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/268885-duo-chains-planned-modifications.html

It made a big difference in traction consistency and smoothing out the ride. So, if those DUO's rattle your teeth here's one way to fix it. :)
 
   / How are tire chains sized? #8  
Good to see your dealer made it right. You will notice a big difference with chains. I see in my previous post I mentioned I was considering modifying my DUO's. I did that as shown in this thread:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/268885-duo-chains-planned-modifications.html

It made a big difference in traction consistency and smoothing out the ride. So, if those DUO's rattle your teeth here's one way to fix it. :)

I need tire chains to enable me to move coal and wood during the winter.

I also loaded the rears with 5 gallons of windshield washer fluid and there is very little that the little varmint will not go through.

The snow caster is the other issue as It sags to the left side due to the position of the impeller WHY RAD DID THIS I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND.

I am waiting for the two pnuematic casters I ordered from Caster City to come and I will be installing them this summer as well as a large piece of slick sheet material from Horn Plastics.

I have to buy some angle iron and do some serious drilling on it and the snow casters body to mount them as well as the slick sheet using the flat head bolts used to mount sheeting to walls that I bough t from Farm Tek.

It will be fun project when I get the light mounted on the snow caster as well as the beacon pole (thanks again RAD for putting the impeller where it does the least good and blocks the lights!!!

I probably will buy a fender mounted tractor radio too.
I will be mounting the front chains on the LA115 next year as its almost to late now to do it now unless we get a huge snow storm that freezes the ground(I HOPE).
 
   / How are tire chains sized? #9  
Question: is that duo263 a generic part number or manufacturer specific? I guess my question is if I buy a duo263 from one distributor or another, is that chain I get from the same manufacturer? Quality Chain sells them for almost 2x what I see at TIRECHAINONLINE. COM. Is it a less quality chain from different manufacturer?
 
   / How are tire chains sized? #10  
How sized?
Well I think that as much as possible they'd like to say--''one size fits all', LOL.

Generally with some adjustment a size will cover a fairly wide range.
More important is width than length.
You can always shorten easily but can't add length.
 
 
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