Snow Chains for snow & ice -- what mistake is it most important to avoid?

[CalG]

With Oak at better than 50 pounds per cubic foot , that lift weight adds up quickly!

 

[SmallChange]

Smallchange, I think you will be happy with the MPC chains. I put them on my Max 26xl last winter and they made a huge difference. My driveway and a neighbor's that I plow are rather steep also and they work great and I feel much safer doing it. I did not run any additional tensioners on mine. Just install as instructed, drive on them a little, retighten as needed, and they have not moved around all winter. Definitely a good investment... you'll be wishing you had done it sooner.

Smallchange, I hope that the MPC chains work good for you.
As far as tensioners I know that the Talons are supposed to be left loose,
if there is Aquillia literature when you receive your chains they may mention if tensioners are recommended or if they should be run loose.
If nothing comes with the chains the web site may have information.
On the lower left is a link for a PDF on the installation;
Aquiline Tire Chains

Thank you both! I've been fretting that I should have gone another $250 for their Talons, but also wondering if the larger chains might ever hit fenders (I seem to have about 1 1/4" space at tightest) or other structure. This is my first experience of any kind with chains since I watched drivers deal with them back when they were pretty common on cars.

But the big worry is that stuff, you know, it leaks out of tractors. Green. Sweet smelling. What's the word? It's on the tip of my tongue. No, no, not antifreeze. Yeah! Money! That's the word I was looking for.

I bought the tractor at the end of April, and I needed to modify my pole barn to house it. And I wanted a canopy. And decided I needed help to move implements around and mount and dismount them, being 62 with a bad back, so I put in a tiny beam crane. And got an adapter to be able to mount 3PT implements on the skidder mount on the FEL. And bought a ballast box I filled with scrap steel and concrete. It's been great, everything working out well, but so much money, it's leaking all over the place!

By the way, I measured my driveway, and the steepest area is 14 degrees from horizontal. Some people get stuck on this driveway in the summer when there's zero mud, especially delivery trucks. I hope the chains make it here -- the driver might not be able to carry them up the hill by hand!

So fingers crossed, I hope the MPC chains work well enough!

 

[CobyRupert]

But the big worry is that stuff, you know, it leaks out of tractors. Green. Sweet smelling. What's the word? It's on the tip of my tongue. No, no, not antifreeze. Yeah! Money! That's the word I was looking for.

....It's been great, everything working out well, but so much money, it's leaking all over the place!

:laughing: :laughing:
Ehh, you still have most of the money, it just not green anymore. It's blue (and other colors) and hard as steel, instead of a bunch of digital 0's and 1's in some bank's computer or ink dots on a bank statement. You still have most of it, it's just been "converted".

 

[ruffdog]

So fingers crossed, I hope the MPC chains work well enough!

Any chains is going to be way better than no chains. Have fun this winter!

 

[shooterdon]

Wow, 14 degrees is scary. I doubt many people deal with that degree of slope over much of a distance.

Good luck!!!

 

[ruffdog]

Wow, 14 degrees is scary. I doubt many people deal with that degree of slope over much of a distance.

Good luck!!!

Yeah, I grew up on a farm that had a long drive that was 13 deg. We were experts at backing across the highway to get a run at the drive. It was all about timing and throttle modulation to get to the top.

 

[LouNY]

Thank you both! I've been fretting that I should have gone another $250 for their Talons, but also wondering if the larger chains might ever hit fenders (I seem to have about 1 1/4" space at tightest) or other structure. This is my first experience of any kind with chains since I watched drivers deal with them back when they were pretty common on cars.

But the big worry is that stuff, you know, it leaks out of tractors. Green. Sweet smelling. What's the word? It's on the tip of my tongue. No, no, not antifreeze. Yeah! Money! That's the word I was looking for.

I bought the tractor at the end of April, and I needed to modify my pole barn to house it. And I wanted a canopy. And decided I needed help to move implements around and mount and dismount them, being 62 with a bad back, so I put in a tiny beam crane. And got an adapter to be able to mount 3PT implements on the skidder mount on the FEL. And bought a ballast box I filled with scrap steel and concrete. It's been great, everything working out well, but so much money, it's leaking all over the place!

By the way, I measured my driveway, and the steepest area is 14 degrees from horizontal. Some people get stuck on this driveway in the summer when there's zero mud, especially delivery trucks. I hope the chains make it here -- the driver might not be able to carry them up the hill by hand!

So fingers crossed, I hope the MPC chains work well enough!

Your driveway is almost as steep as mine, mine runs 14 degrees in most places and hits 16 degrees in a couple,
mine is not paved and does require considerable maintenance summer and winter.
I made a video a while back driving done it one warm January day.

 

[ruffdog]

Your driveway is almost as steep as mine, mine runs 14 degrees in most places and hits 16 degrees in a couple,
mine is not paved and does require considerable maintenance summer and winter.
I made a video a while back driving done it one warm January day.

Man,.....at least ours was straight.........I'm sure good tires, skill, 4x4, sand, is implemented from time to time! :laughing:

 

[LouNY]

Man,.....at least ours was straight.........I'm sure good tires, skill, 4x4, sand, is implemented from time to time! :laughing:

Yes, tractors are chained, sander/plow truck is chained, all vehicles are 4wd or awd with studded tires.
Also a good sized covered sand pile.

 

[ruffdog]

Yes, tractors are chained, sander/plow truck is chained, all vehicles are 4wd or awd with studded tires.
Also a good sized covered sand pile.

Did you have that driveway back before radial tires? Boy, those old bias ply tires were horrible compared to what we have now.