Mounting tire chains

[dnw64]

Put my OFA studded chains on today, using the method shown in post 1 (which is what the included instructions call for). Makes it quite easy for a one-man operation, and even easier (as today) with two people.

 

[CADplans]

Your rear blade looks like it would leak live a sieve!

I thought that,, but, tried it anyways,,
It is kinda surprising,,

It sure is easier to plow with what the tractor has on it, rather than switch implements,,

 

[Agvg]

My turn today

 

[frogpond]

?????
from post #1;

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.

Oh. Sorry. Not paying attention.

 

[bdhsfz6]

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

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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.

It's an old thread but appropriate this time of year.

I do it this way:

I cut a sheet of OSB in half and lay the chains out on the two halves. That way, I can get the kinks out and make sure they are oriented correctly. I lift the front of the tractor off the ground with the FEL and slide the OSB plank & chain under the tire. It's easy to get the chain in the right place instead of maneuvering the tractor over the chain. I then clamp the first cross link to a tire lug and "wind" the chain onto the tire. I repeat the process with the rear tires by using the BH stabilizers to lift the rear of the tractor.

I use cleated chains so I leave the OSB planks in place to protect the concrete floor when moving the tractor in and out of the shop.

 

[BackRoad]

What Mr. Lou said!!! Use a loop of rope and pull them on - it works perfectly!

My second year on these chains.

It would be nice to have the European style, but these were $75 bucks on Marketplace - and the exact fit!

 

[CADplans]

My second year on these chains.

It would be nice to have the European style, but these were $75 bucks on Marketplace - and the exact fit!

From what others have said they paid for chains,,
if you got those for $75, I am surprised that you did not hear sirens chasing you!!
LOL!!

I have a brand new set about that size, that were originally for a large road grader,,
BUT, I am too lazy to cut them down to fit one of my machines,,
They have the original black paint, and still in the original wood barrel,,

 

[fishhead]

It's an old thread but appropriate this time of year.

I do it this way:

I cut a sheet of OSB in half and lay the chains out on the two halves. That way, I can get the kinks out and make sure they are oriented correctly. I lift the front of the tractor off the ground with the FEL and slide the OSB plank & chain under the tire. It's easy to get the chain in the right place instead of maneuvering the tractor over the chain. I then clamp the first cross link to a tire lug and "wind" the chain onto the tire. I repeat the process with the rear tires by using the BH stabilizers to lift the rear of the tractor.

I use cleated chains so I leave the OSB planks in place to protect the concrete floor when moving the tractor in and out of the shop.

The method described in post 1 doesn't really require maneuvering the tractor much you just need to end up with the chains near the rear wheels and some what in-line (more in-line is better). this can be done on almost any surface- its really super easy. Plus the action of lifting and pulling the chai as you drive forward really gets it to drape almost perfectly

 

[dnw64]

Plus the action of lifting and pulling the chai as you drive forward really gets it to drape almost perfectly

This year my son was over helping out with getting ready for winter, so he was here when I put the chains on. The second set of hand definitely made the process much more streamlined in the above mentioned regard, but the method is still very valid for a lone operator.

 

[TractorTYMe]

I had something happen to my tractor last night while out plowing, going down my steep driveway in 4wd, tractor suddenly jolted sideways. Discovered right rear tired had locked up skidding me to the left. I'm thinking chains on the front put a bind/tension on the 4wd drivetrain? Have had it happen twice now in the exact same spot. Might have to take off front chains? Hell I'm considering getting studded chains from Trygg or Aqualine for the rears.

 

[LouNY]

I am surprised to here of something like that.
I could see the front chains increasing the felt diameter of the fronts and pulling the rears faster then they wanted to go,
but I would expect that to be slowly and constantly pulling on the tires.

If you go with either the Trygg or Aqualines for the rears you will be amazed at the grip they provide.

I just mounted up my chains on the old IH574 now both tractors are set in that regard so it should hold the snow off for a while.
It did take me almost an hour today for the two chains getting older I guess;

The most time consuming and aggravating part was climbing on and off the tractor 4-5 times,
move it about 3-4 feet get off and check and spread the chains get back on and repeat.
But it should be done this year till spring.

 

[CADplans]

I just mounted up my chains on the old IH574 now both tractors are set in that regard so it should hold the snow off for a while.

Since there is nothing on the tractor, attachment wise, I gotta ask,,
Do you do something with the 5X4, or are you like me, and just take it out joy riding in the snow??





I am SO happy I have 4WD, my IH has NEVER needed chains,,

I admit,, we get "Virginia Snow" ... NOT "New York Snow" ,,,

 

[LouNY]

In the winter I hope it just sits backed up to the generator.
If need be it can handle a good sized back blade or the snow blower.
I prefer to use the Branson as it has a cab.
It has handled quite a bit of snow before I got the Branson.
Last year I lost a water pump on the Branson so took it off the blower and used the 574 on an 8 foot blower.

Got these pics when one of my daughters was still living at home, these are over 15 years old.

 

[fruitcakesa]

In the winter I hope it just sits backed up to the generator.
If need be it can handle a good sized back blade or the snow blower.
I prefer to use the Branson as it has a cab.
It has handled quite a bit of snow before I got the Branson.
Last year I lost a water pump on the Branson so took it off the blower and used the 574 on an 8 foot blower.
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Got these pics when one of my daughters was still living at home, these are over 15 years old.

Ah, the good old days

 

[LHF2019]

I have read this thread with interest as this is not how we put tractor chains on. Growing up we had 2-3 tractors that we would put chains on during the winter and our process was always the same. Throw them over the top of the tires, drive forward, latch them, and done. Run them for couple days to clear the rust tighten them up good for the rest of winter. Double o-ring 16.9x30 and 18.4x34 were the common ones. What I cannot vouch for are the 18.4x38's that were used for chopping corn. I have pictures of all 4 tires chained up with an additional tractor pulling. I suspect they were put on the same way just was with 2 people.

If I get back to using chains not sure what method I will try. The tried and true I grew up with or something new that may or may not take me longer. The above poster mentioning getting off tractor 4-5 times to spread chains doesn't sound all that fun.

 

[LouNY]

Back when I was growing up that was the way we all installed chains.
This method is much easier especially by yourself.
That said a second person to arrange the chains while one person eases the tractor ahead does make it even nicer.
Those chains in the pics are 18.4x30's my back would not be nice to me if I slung them up on top of the tire to hang them,
it is getting fussy about what I do.

 

[TractorTYMe]

Hey! LouNY, I figured out today what cause the right rear tired binding, apparently I forgot to take out enough slack on the tree point. So each time I drove downhill, the boxblade canted to the right catching my chains. Adjust tree point, no more problem.

 

[LouNY]

Good to hear you got it figured out, glad nothing got tore up or damaged catching like that.

 

[TractorTYMe]

Yeah it all happened in 2Mph speed plowing, so I slid max 1-2 feet. Nothing was mangled or tore up as far as I could tell.

 

[joeyd]

Thank you LouNY for posting this. I looked at it last year and my chains went on without any trouble. This year, a year latter, I couldn't quite remember the sequence, (getting older I guess). I looked at it again before installing the chains and boy was it easier than driving over them and muscling them up and over the tires. Thanks again!