Calling all winter experts!!!

TerryinMD · Oct 17, 2001

Ok - now that I have your attention. Tire chains!!! As you may have noticed, I'm asking a lot of questions about preparing to use my tractor for winter. I live in Western MD and our winters can be very mild to darn right brutal with usually something in between. Just want to CMA (opposite of CYA) and be prepared. I have a short driveway (200' give or take) with a bit of a grade. My JD4100 has R4s which I expect to work in most situations and I'll be using the FEL and a rear blade. Should I bite the bullet and get a set of chains or play the waiting game? I know that the chains can be slightly expensive and the CFO is making me submit by requests in triplicate/crawling on hands and knees.

Also, some pros and cons.

Terry

MikePA · Oct 17, 2001

To piggyback on Terry's questions...

What's the proper technique for plowing snow with the FEL? I also have a rear blade (plus a 2 stage, tracked, 9 hp snow blower) but it would appear to be easier to clear the snow going forward than backward.

cowboydoc · Oct 17, 2001

Terry,
Very little to say. The R4's are pretty worthless in snow and ice. Get the chains, put them on early before the snow and ice comes and you're out there in sub-zero weather trying to put them on. HMMM now why do I know that? Because I played the waiting game last year thinking that I had 4wd I didn't need chains. The first ice took care of that notion and there I was in a snowstorm and 10 below putting on chains.

cowboydoc · Oct 17, 2001

Mike,
I use both the loader and rear blade. I push way one way with the loader and then go back with the blade. I just keep pushing all of mine to the pastures in big snowpiles.

TerryinMD · Oct 17, 2001

Cowboydoc,

Thanks for the info.

Geez, I forgot to add something to my original post. Oldtimers disease.... Good place to buy chains. I know that more than likely that I'll bypass the JD dealer.

Terry

MikePA · Oct 17, 2001

http://www.tirechains.com

glennmac · Oct 17, 2001

I'd wait and see how it goes.

We had a lot of deep wet snow last winter and I had little problems with my 2910 R4's with fel and 6' rear blade. My rear tires are filled, which I also believe helps a lot in snow.

Ice, of course, is a different story. Didn't have that problem last year, and I'm not so sure chains would be too helpful.

TerryinMD · Oct 17, 2001

Mike,

Thank you for the link. They appear to be located not to far from my in-laws. May have to make a visit to the in-laws to save shipping charges. Doh! Wait - then I have to pay PA taxes. Geez - ya just can't win. /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

Terry

DaveM · Oct 17, 2001

Terry,

I'd suggest you get some if you plan to work in snow. You may want to read this thread for my experience W/O chains, some photos and links. here
Have fun!

Dave

Robert_in_NY · Oct 17, 2001

The hardest part of plowing with the loader is if your on a gravel driveway you have to keep the bucket level or you will take more driveway then you want. Practice makes perfect. I use a box blade and the front loader with no chains as my tractor has plenty of weight on its own to keep the tires to the ground. I would rather add weight to the tractor instead of buying chains as chains make for a rough ride on paved surfaces.

Robert Turk Jr.
Whitetail Splendor Deer Farms
Silver Creek, NY

MikePA · Oct 17, 2001

TerryinMD,

I'm usually in Bedford once a month, so I might just drive up to South Fork and buy a set and save the shipping.

It's a bummer they do not make the duo-grip in the size I need (15 x 19.5). I don't want the chains to drop down into the lugs on my R4s and be useless.

I see you're from Sharpsburg. I've spent many a nice day on the Antietam battlefield.

Boondox · Oct 17, 2001

Never seen R4s do much good in snow with even a slight grade. Tractor weight helps a lot, but around here we need the aggressive Nordic-style ice chains. Pic attached doesn't show the spikes well, but they stick out about an inch. They get me home even after an ice storm. (Don't use these on pavement!)

Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com

TerryinMD · Oct 18, 2001

MikePA,

The in-laws live just out side of Somerset and I was thinking of running up to South Fork myself. How far up 219 from Somerset.

Yep, we live about 2 miles as the crow flies from the battlefield. In fact, there are some watch/encampment spots on a couple of our neighbors lots. Our subdivision borders the C&O canal and has probably seen a lot of history pass through it. If you ever get a chance, you should come down during Sharpsburg Heritage Days. It cooincides with dates of the Battle of Antitem (Or as our Southern Friends say, the Battle of Sharpsburg). It is a great area to live in and has not been ruined like Gettysburg. The locals have not allowed this to happen. Thank goodness. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Terry

MikePA · Oct 18, 2001

Somerset to South Fork is 34 miles.

My sister has been at Heritage Days and said it was fantastic. We've been there in the late fall when there's very few people and since it's not like Gettysburg, it's very easy to imagine what it must have been like at places like Bloody Lane.

TerryinMD · Oct 18, 2001

Mike,

We attended the 135th anniversary reinactment a few years back. The one we attended, similuated the Bloody Lane fight. There were thousands of Union and Confederate soldier in the battle. When the Union forces hit the top of the ridge, the Confederates let loose with their gunfire and cannons. All of the spectators just gasped at the horror of it. It was very chilling. Those poor soldiers back then had more courage than I could ever imagine. These guys died a nearly point blank range. Unimagineable!! The 140th is coming up and a reinactment will be done again.

On another note, they are currently shooting a new movie to be called "Generals and Gods" or "Gods and Generals". Can't remember which. A few friends and neighbors have been called up to be in the movie as they are reinactors and just love to do anything that lets them act as Civil War soldiers.

Terry

MikePA · Oct 18, 2001

I succumbed to the ease of the Internet and ordered a set of ladder chains and tensioners for my TC25D.

BigDan · Oct 18, 2001

I bought my B5200 with back blade last year primarily for snow removal (lawn mowing comes secondarily). I was initially somewhat disappointed until I learned some lessons:

(1) As was mentioned somewhere here yesterday -- plow with the snow. It's much easier to move 6" than 12" (besides of which, it works). Gotta keep up.

(2) I mainly plow going forward, with the rear blade at a sharp angle. The tractor goes over the 6" of snow without a problem and the blade moves it to the side. It helps on gravel to turn the blade around backwards until the gravel is frozen down.

(3) Parking areas and such, I drive backwards and push the snow to the edge. This is after I have swung through it going forwards as much a possible.

(4) Then, comes clean-up. I go through and push backwards the snow piles on the edges as far as I can. With practice on lifting the rear blade, I can get 5-6' piles. But, you got to push it as far as you can, because it piles up faster than you think. (Oh, for a FEL to make the piles better).

This got me through all but the BIG snow last winter -- we got about 36" before I could get out (long story - tempory housing, waiting for them to plow, getting to the house, etc.)

Best of luck -- be patient.

Anonymous Poster · Oct 18, 2001

1) Does anyone have a recommendation on what type of rear tire chains could be used on R4's TC40D? There seems to be little or nearly no room to add the chains between the Wheel well/fender and the tire.
2) If there is a chain that would apply, does anyone know how effective they are since the chain would undoubtedly be rather small?
3) If there is a chain that applies, where would one find that kind of chain to purchase?
Thanks for the help and insight! Personal exprience stories would really be appreciated!

snowman · Oct 18, 2001

I have R4's on my B7500 with a front mount snowblower. I never really had any traction problems with them (on a gravel driveway). Biggest problem was slipping sideways. I went off the side of the driveway once and got stuck.

Part of the problem was that I had no weight on the back. I purchased a back blade over the summer and will stick that on for the winter.

I also purchased rear tire chains about a month ago from tirechains.com - cost was about $113; they fit right out of the box. My father in law has a Yanmar and said that chains would be a great improvement.

I paved the driveway over the summer, so the chains I got were the basic ladder type, instead of any sharp ones that would dig into the pavement.

Going to take my MMM brackets off this weekend and put on my snowblower brackets; then I'll be ready for the snow (I'm in Central New York).

snowman · Oct 18, 2001

Bruce;

tirechains.com had a chart for the chains, so you need to look up your tire size. For each size, they showed the types of chains that were available.

The chains I got are not small at all; they appear to be quite sturdy. I thought I would have a problem with them falling between the tire lugs, but they don't. I also don't have any clearence problems; I put them on when I got them about a month ago to try them out and everything cleared fine (not much room to spare). I used 12" rubber bungee cords to tighten everything up after I put the chains on.