Mounting tire chains

[LouNY]

I put chains on one tractor yesterday, there are lots of ways to mount chains I thought I would share the easiest way I have found to do so.

1) lay the chains out with the outside, the ground contact side facing up
2) tie a short cord to the side chains, the length will depend on your tire size, on mine I end up with a V shape about 3 feet.
3) back up to your chain, take the cord and hang it on the tire treads.
4) drive forward slowly, stopping to spread the chain out on your tire.
5) continue doing this till you have rolled the chain up on the tire and have working room at the rear of the tire
6) your chain should be well centered on your tire and have very little slack.
7) fasten your chains.
8) step back and check out your work







This is the easiest way I have found to do chains, if you are doing this in a shop and can jack up a wheel it works good than also.
On the smaller tires I have jacked them up and chocked the other side to do this, then simply kneel down to do the fastening.
If you find that your rope V is to long when the chain is started up simply stop and leaving your other cord on run a new V and snug it up remove the old and continue. Using this method one person can install heavy chains on large tires. Without straining and hurting themselves. If you take your time after using this method a few times you will find that after your chains are laid out and untangled you can mount them in well under a half hour each with help spreading the chains accross your tire and telling you when to stop it's even easier and you are not fighting with the weight of the chains when fastening the side links.
The shorter the V that works for you the easier to line up and fasten the side links with all the slack taken up by the chains, no fuss no muss.

This is most certainly not the only way, but it is the easiest way I have found.

Lou

I have no idea why these pictures all rotate when I post them.

 

[Jstpssng]

I will have to try that tomorrow, after I shorten them up a bit.
Those are some nice looking chains and wheel weights.

 

[LouNY]

Thanks, those chains work amazingly well, great grip and a smooth ride.
The weights are expensive about a buck a pound but I have had my fill of fluid filled tires hopefully no more.

The first time is the worst, then it becomes second nature and just a pain.

 

[Jstpssng]

I've always put them on the old fashioned way, draping them over the tires and using a lot of 4 letter words to convince them to get lined up. I would have bought a set of ice chains last year but my 'bota came with a set of H-chains which work OK.
Everything Attachments has the best prices on wheel weights that I have found but as you say it still comes in at a buck a pound... and minimum order of 1000 lbs.

 

[RjCorazza]

That is a very interesting technique. I’m a fan of working smarter, not harder but I have always used the brute force chain installation method. If I ever chain up my L4060 (have unused chains) I will definitely try letting the tractor do the heavy work!

 

[cabover4us]

I dont use chains yet on my tractor but I use them on the 4 wheeler for another piece of equipment in my arsenal of snow removal stuff. Jacked up whole machine to put ice chains on, and noticed the chains are the same but missing a link or two on the female side to install the chain clip, also found out the left front wheel bearing is gone. Would you guys suggest I replace both sides? Its a 2002 Honda 500 Ribicon Foreman and plows like crazy.

 

[oldballs]

Thanks LouNY for posting your pics to help us out with a new idea. I'm on my tenth year of mounting chains and have made notes to myself and am getting better at it. I use the jack method now and find it not so difficult or frustrating. My happiest experience is to mount the chains and then never have enough snow that season to get in it.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[Gordon Gould]

I did mine today too. I use the same method. The way my chains hang it works out better for me if I tie the rope close to the center of the chains because if I tie to the side chains as shown it holds them spread wide on the side walls and I get less slack for installing the couplers required for the circumference chains on that type of chain set. Also if you have the type rims I do you can run the rope thru the opening in the rim. A little easier than hooking the tread lugs.



gg

 

[Sheldon Hamblin]

This is a great suggestion. I've used rear chains for 40 years. First a Case VAC, Deere 850, and now a Kioti 2610. I have never installed chains as fast as I did today using your method in the first post. Took me half the time, and much less grunting and skinned knuckles .

Than you

 

[LouNY]

Welcome, it took quite a few years for me to start doing this the directions came with one of my sets of chains 5-6 years ago.
I did one tire my way, then tried the way the directions said to, it surprised me to the first time.

 

[oosik]

When I had a smaller tractor - some years I would mount my big, 'ol, nasty & heavy V- bar tractor chains. I always jacked up the tire and pulled, grunted and swore like a pirate getting them on - getting them straight - getting them reasonably tight.

It was always easier in the warm wx - but then the tractor acted like a ballerina with mukluks on - until we got at least 6" to 8" of snow.

God only knows - am I ever glad I now have a bigger tractor - no longer need chains - sold both sets(front & rear) of those nasty V-bars.

 

[jgayman]

That looks like a very good idea. I just wrestled my chains on the other day. They must weigh 80 lbs. each. I might make one small mod to your approach by attaching two small hooks to the end of the rope you make it easier to attach/detach the chain ends without having to tie/untie. Also, instead of driving I always jack up one wheel and then turn the tire by hand.

I am anxious to try your method. Thank you for sharing.

 

[jgayman]

I've always put them on the old fashioned way, draping them over the tires and using a lot of 4 letter words to convince them to get lined up. I would have bought a set of ice chains last year but my 'bota came with a set of H-chains which work OK.
Everything Attachments has the best prices on wheel weights that I have found but as you say it still comes in at a buck a pound... and minimum order of 1000 lbs.

I used to do that with my old Ford 9N because the tires were completely exposed. But on the newer JD CUT they have the fenders so close to the tire that there really isn't room to simply throw the chains over the tire. Instead you have to feed them on either from the front or back to avoid snagging the fender.

 

[Phil48]

Thanks a million I was getting tired of wrestling my chains with a jack a prybar. I'm almost looking forward to next year!

The first storm left 22 inches, I had an emergency session with the winterizing the Kioti!

Phil

 

[ehb86]

This is the technique I have used a long time as well. It makes installing large chains very easy. I first saw it back in the sixties when my dad did it on his car. But at that time they sold some heavy wire half hoops (not a very good description) that had a hook on each side that you hooked the chains into, then you could kind of spread the half hoop and it would clamp itself to the tire. Then drive forward and Voila your chain climbs around the tire and up the backside to any position you want for the final adjustment.


I've looked and never seen any of those hoops since back then, maybe time for a new/old invention. Thanks for taking photos and posting this helpful technique.

 

[crazyal]

There's a company that sells a bar that mounts to the wheel with hooks on it. As far as I know they only make it for semi trucks, not tractors, but if you watch the video you would wonder why someone doesn't make it for tractors.

 

[Phil48]

There's this interrresting Trygg chainup installation youtube!
Installing Trygg Ice and Forestry Chains on the Tractor - YouTube

Original Trygg:
TRYGG Nosted installing safety 1 - YouTube

last one...
TRYGG U-Grip tire chain installation - YouTube

Phil

 

[Oaktree]

I've always put them on the old fashioned way, draping them over the tires and using a lot of 4 letter words to convince them to get lined up.

Yeah, no kidding.
I don't think there IS an easy way to put chains on a tractor. I usually just lay them out on the ground and back over them so the tire is more or less centered then just work 'em up over the lugs on both sides.
4 letter words? What are they?

 

[millsan1]

Good timing for me on this. Definitely going to try it.

I just tried to put a set of chains on my 2538, jacked p the rear end and had easy access to the wheels. Over an hour into it and more 4 letter words than I can remember and no luck.

 

[LouNY]

Nice videos, I like to pull using the outer side chains I find that more of the slack falls out of them easier that way,
I also tie to the spare link ends of the side chains a couple of links back from my fastening link.
After I fasten my center links with the latches hang free I find it easy to hook up the side chains with the hook end free.
I don't enjoy putting chains on but I can have on and latched in under 15 minutes per chain once I have them laid out,
I don't figure that's to bad for an over weight 67 year old.