Best Tire Chain repair tool

[Cord]

Do the bigger tools work well on smaller chain as well as the bigger chain?

I was disappointed to realize the R4s on the front of my 3500lbs Kubota are classified by tire chains.com as lawnmower tires with corresponding chain options. I'd want the beefier tool for rear chains or future machines, but also want to add a couple crossbars to the end of my 2link Vbars on my current chains up front where there is a gap.

Yes, but only to a point. At some point the jaws will be too big and the tool too cumbersome to work on them. I certainly wouldn't try it on 3/16" lawn mower chains. Remember, you can always use a heavier chain if you wanted. Just don't use a lighter one because of breakage issues.

 

[Coyote machine]

Fallon
Quality Chain has a heavier set to fit our front r4 tires. I have a set coming. (see my other thread on chains revisited) Cant help on the tool until mine arrives, then I will have the answer too.

Are you only going to run front chains, or is this an add to existing rear chains too?

 

[powerscol]

Initially just the front, but these folks are making up a diamond pattern V bars set for me that are narrower than stock so I don't need tire spacers. They will be made to ride higher on the sidewall than most stock configurations which are made to fit several tires sizes and run wider. As an example some of the Tygg and Talon chains for my tire size (15x19.5) run between 16" and 23" wide in the cross link dimension. That puts the diameter (ring or side) chain right at my sidewall bulge where I only have 2" of clearance. The set I am having mad up when material arrives will be 13" wide (my tread with is just over 8"). This will put the side chain where I have 3" of clearance at the base of the tread block, 2.5" down.

 

[powerscol]

Tool arrived today along with the chains - very fast service from the Quality Chain folks- looks interesting. Should work on my garden tractor chains too from the looks of it. I got the long handle one to have more leverage.

 

[PILOON]

Do the bigger tools work well on smaller chain as well as the bigger chain?

.

I have the long tool (36" +/-) and works fine on small chains, just a bit clumsy to handle.
I have clamped one arm of the tool in my vice and then it works more like a bench tool.

 

[Fallon]

Are you only going to run front chains, or is this an add to existing rear chains too?

As soon as I put those on, something really strange happened that i never experienced before when I was plowing. I think it was called turning. Those 2 link Vbars made a world of difference. I just want a couple extra cross bars to fill that hole as on a little OCD. Didn't notice that hole causing any problems.

I actually got chains for the rear 2 years ago. Never was motivated to bother trying them until this year. It worked well enough without until this winter. By this year I was mostly aware of what I confirmed during the nasty snow that prompted me to try them... You can't fit chains on a Kubota L3200 or similar if you have R4s on. They are to close to the fenders & can't be offset. Only option is wheel spacers, which I'm not excited about.

After running with just the fronts this year I'm sold that they are probably enough. Increased my plow capacity by at least 30%, not to mention the turning. On some light hills I was able to start bogging the engine down if I didn't let up on the HST go pedal. Plenty of traction there with just front chains.

 

[Fallon]

Oh, and not in the photo, but I had spring tensioners on mine when I was using em.

I don't need additional width for stability, so spacers would just be for chains. After running just the fronts I don't think it would be worth the effort if I had free spacers.

Some people think it might eat up my front end. I don't think so, as i can still spin things up there & generally have less traction than trying to fill up the bucket at a dirt pile.

 

[powerscol]

Fallon - I am over the hill from you and I have probably 3 times the snow you have and more coming down now. If you want some of mine come and get it.

I will get my front chains mounted Saturday and see how things go. Like you It would be nice to be able to turn while pushing.

 

[Fallon]

Over what hill? The little ones 40 miles West? Or somewhere near Parker/Denver?

I got the chains after the gnarly 3-4' drifting we got a few months ago. Haven't bothered with em for the past 2 snows as those haven't been deep, slushy or icy. Nice to have em & the blower when I need em though now. Lack of steering just isn't enough of a problem to warrant the hassle of putting em on (and taking em off before I put it away in the barn on the concrete floor).

Suppose to be a dusting tonight, although I hear it won't even be enough to be worth trying to plow.

 

[powerscol]

I'm down over in the SW corner now ( just a few big hills between us) , but I used to live a bit north in Strasburg where the snow was always sideways.