Snow chains for plowing with a rear blade

[Runner]

I envy you guys that can get such a tight fit with your chains. As tight as I can get them, I still have to use bungee cords to make sure there is no slack.

 

[LouNY]

I envy you guys that can get such a tight fit with your chains. As tight as I can get them, I still have to use bungee cords to make sure there is no slack.
View attachment 1708860

Mine are not real tight, the Euro patterned chains tend to stay on better with less walking off then 2 link or 4 link conventional chains. It is critical that both side chains are hooked in the same links so the chains fit square.

 

[BackRoad]

All this talk of snow chains...I've had them for 3 or 4 years. I'm in Northern PA, and last year I didn't put them on.

We had one 6" snow event which I plowed naked...the very few others were 1-2" and they melted the next day.

Looking for a repeat!

 

[RjCorazza]

I wish I could just run chains and be done with it! My customer base will not tolerate marking up pavement with chains, so I make do with weight and grooved tires. I also carry a small bucket of cinder type material if I get into trouble.
I do have a set of "H" style chains (not sure what they're called), but I have yet to use them in many years.

 

[leonz]

I envy you guys that can get such a tight fit with your chains. As tight as I can get them, I still have to use bungee cords to make sure there is no slack.
View attachment 1708860

First question for you, is the inner chain as tight as it can be locked to the last useable link?

If not, you can release some air straighten the ladder chains and then reattach the locking link and tighten the outer locking
link to the same tension and then reinflate the tire and you should no longer need the bungee snakes.

 

[JJT]

I have to run my chains tight on the tractor, otherwise they slap the heck out of the fenders.... I use bungee cords. The UTV has lots more clearance but I still run them tight with rubber tensioners.

 

[Runner]

First question for you, is the inner chain as tight as it can be locked to the last useable link?

If not, you can release some air straighten the ladder chains and then reattach the locking link and tighten the outer locking
link to the same tension and then reinflate the tire and you should no longer need the bungee snakes.

Those are excellent suggestions, thanks. Pretty much have them on the last links available outside (first pic) and inside (second pic). Have also tried increasing tire pressure after mounting and it does help somewhat.

Although these chains were recommended for my tire size, I had to adjust by removing one cross link and shortening the sides a little, but this was as small as I could go.

They aren't crazy loose without the bungees, but I am pretty paranoid about having them hit the three-point arms or fenders.

 

[LouNY]

I have to run my chains tight on the tractor, otherwise they slap the heck out of the fenders.... I use bungee cords. The UTV has lots more clearance but I still run them tight with rubber tensioners.

The older style conventional chains have more of an issue with that then the patterned Euro one's do.

To the best of my knowledge no chain manufacture recommends reducing tire pressure to install tire chains and most have cautions against inflating tires to tighten the chains.

 

[fc1]

FWIW I got a full set of OFA EKO chains from Windy Ridge and found them (Windy Ridge) very easy to work with. These Scandinavian chains were not noticably more expensive than the China-made ones.
No review yet; haven't really needed them so far.

 

[oosik]

With the Ford 1700 I never needed chains until half way thru the snow season. So....there I was; out in the freezing cold and snow trying to put on those UBER heavy tractor chains.

I'm just so glad to not need chains with the Kubota M6040.

But it's beyond that. I haven't had to plow the driveway, mailbox area or yard for the last five years. We get a little snow and then it melts in the next day or so. Nothing like the good old day - 30 years ago.

 

[Runner]

The older style conventional chains have more of an issue with that then the patterned Euro one's do.

To the best of my knowledge no chain manufacture recommends reducing tire pressure to install tire chains and most have cautions against inflating tires to tighten the chains.

Interesting, wonder why?

In my case, I run my rears around 5 and the "increase" is to about 10 so....

 

[rScotty]

Those are excellent suggestions, thanks. Pretty much have them on the last links available outside (first pic) and inside (second pic). Have also tried increasing tire pressure after mounting and it does help somewhat.

Although these chains were recommended for my tire size, I had to adjust by removing one cross link and shortening the sides a little, but this was as small as I could go.
View attachment 1708916
View attachment 1708917
They aren't crazy loose without the bungees, but I am pretty paranoid about having them hit the three-point arms or fenders.

I ran my chains with rubber snubbers for several seasons and for the same reasons - I didn't want to take a chance on them hitting anything.

After my rubber snubbers started to age, I decided to try to make the chains reliable iby removing and added links so that just closing the over-center levers would make them fit snugly.
It took awhile, but I'm slow, patient, and enjoy working metal. I still safety wire the over-center lever. Goodby bugees. It is much easier to put the chains on now. As a side bonus, they fit good enough to use anywhere there is poor traction year round.

Looking at your photos, you could strart by removing one or more links from all the cross chains using a vise and leverage to open and close the cross-chain double hooks, and a grinder or hacksaw to remove cross chain links. Keep the cross chains flat. Twisted links like those make that easy. Make changes slowly....

There are places online that sell tire chain parts; wish I'd known that at the time.
Luck,
rScotty

 

[John_Mc]

... I believe that TRYGG is one of the manufactures that doesn't recommend tensioners and I think actually wants a bit of looseness in the chains.

OFA is the same: they do NOT recommend using chain tensioners. It appears Aqualine does recommend them.

 

[BackRoad]

For those that haven't seen it, Mr. Lou started a thread back in 2018 with an easy, low effort method for mounting chains.

It works well for me!

Mounting tire chains

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...

www.tractorbynet.com

 

[LouNY]

For those that haven't seen it, Mr. Lou started a thread back in 2018 with an easy, low effort method for mounting chains.

It works well for me!

Mounting tire chains

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...

www.tractorbynet.com

Good to hear.

 

[Runner]

Here is how I install chains, works quick and easy for me. With tractor in garage and front wheels chocked:
1. Use floor jack under drawbar to jack up back of tractor.
2. Release parking brake.
3. Lay chains on floor next to tire with the outer side DOWN and very carefully work out all the kinks.
4. Slide chain under tire with BACK end of chain lined up with back of tire.
5. Lift BACK end of chain up and hook it on most convenient lugs of tire.
6. Hold end of chain against the tire and rotate wheel so BACK end of chain goes over center of top of wheel and lock parking brake (or just hold onto the wheel so it can't rotate backwards).
7. Slide under tractor and fasten chains
8. Apply safety wires and bungees as necessary/desired.
9. Repeat for other side.

 

[John_Mc]

For those that haven't seen it, Mr. Lou started a thread back in 2018 with an easy, low effort method for mounting chains.

It works well for me!

Mounting tire chains

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...

www.tractorbynet.com

And it’s the method recommended by the manufacturer of my chains.

 

[In.the.Piñons]

Thanks for the suggestions/help guys.

I agree with the poster who said I should get the front chains as well. $1,200 more is nothing compared to the damage that would ensue if I lost control going down that 25 deg slope. Someone suggested a way to make my own chains, which I greatly appreciate, but I don't have the time to deal with that right now.

The rear chains arrived today which was pretty quick! Seems everything else I've ordered for my tractor is taking months to get here. I've been waiting for over a month for my land plane and it still hasn't arrived. It would be great to get the road in better shape before winter arrives.

 

[BackRoad]

You may be glad you don't have your landplane yet!

I find it's better leaving the driveway as is in the fall and not running the landplane. The gravel is generally stable and locked in from traffic.

Working the driveway before winter will typically loosen up gravel creating a great looking drive, but you run a high risk of plowing that beautiful loose gravel into the ditches later as you plow snow.

Also, for the first couple of annual plowing sessions before the ground freezes, many try to raise the plow an inch (or so) above the surface to prevent scraping gravel and pushing it off the drive as they plow. Once the ground is frozen solid, the gravel seems to lock into place and you can plow a little closer to the gravel surface for the rest of the winter.

Mid to late Spring seems to be a great time for using the landplane to rework the drive while there is some winter moisture still left in the ground.

The landplane works the gravel to the top and you can rebuild the crown and clean up your edges from winter plowing. At the same time, you can recapture loose gravel pushed into the edges or ditches with a rock rake.

Pics of the drive when we bought the land, and after some 'road work'.

 

[leonz]

Tire chain mending tools eliminate the fuss and muss of fixing and adjusting side chains and cross chains.

A bolt cutter can be used safely and efficiently to shorten cross chains and side chains.