Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Cutting / Groving / Siping R-4 for snow

[pipedin]

Has anyone done both grooving and studs on R4 tires?

I do have chains (H pattern) and wheel spacers (partly for the wider stance, and partly to fit chains) but the ride with chains is very rough - I find it really hard on my back (especially on top of twisting around in the seat to drive backwards with the snowblower) plus it does tend to make the snowblower or FEL (backdragging) dig in and and make a lot of bumps.

I have a fairly steep hill on my driveway so I'm not sure grooving alone would do as we tend to get freezing rain or rain on snow fairly often so ice is a concern. And the hill is up from the road to the house/garage so if I got stuck at the bottom of the hill it would be a real pain to have to drag the chains all the way down the hill and put them on in the rain so I could get the tractor back up the hill. I will say this tractor is a major step up from the 40" snowblower I used to have on the lawn tractor (turfs, weights, and smooth-ish 2-bar chains) and takes less then half the time to do the job but the odd time the lawn tractor got stuck I could just pick up one end and move it over.

I was thinking maybe an interrupted groove with studs in the space between the groove but wondered if anyone had tried something like this?

Peter

 

[TSO]

Just finished grooving my tires... Desperately needed it!

 

[lt190b]

TSO, is that a different pattern than on your LS? If it is, your review will be interesting.

 

[TSO]

I never grooved the LS, but I did do the other Massey. I basically followed the tread shape before, with just one groove in the middle of the lug.

This time I decided to just do horizontal grooves since the tires are basically moving straight anyhow. Plus it allowed me to add additional grooves on the rear

 

[teg]

...with just one groove in the middle of the lug...

This is what I have now (sorry no photos) and plans to add extra straight across grooves, if needed... let us know how this works out.

 

[tcreeley]

Use chains?

 

[avc8130]

Use chains?

Not really the point of this thread, but thanks. :confused3:

 

[avc8130]

Use chains?

Not really the point of this thread, but thanks. :confused3:

 

[PhysAssist]

Not really the point of this thread, but thanks. :confused3:

Speaking to TCreeley:

It's actually the the antipode of this thread.

Some of us need better winter traction, but CAN'T use chains for fear of damaging either our [or maybe more often, our clients'/customers'/family's] -pavement- whether blacktop or concrete.

Do you have any useful suggestions for people with these circumstances?

I really don't think so, and [really speaking only for myself] -those of us having a useful interchange about what does work don't see the point of you coming in here and trolling us.

 

[Boris1]

Ok, been following this thread since its start and have trying to get up the nerve to carve up my expensive tires. After this last storm with its 30" of snow I figured it was time to give it a try before resigning to the occasional chain usage (which I don't want to use on asphalt) I only did one front tire and it took longer than I anticipated but attributed it to the air temp (40) and it being my fist try at it. I put some dots on the tire for reference but did it mostly freehand. 3 more to go