Chains on front tires for pushing snow

[oldafretired]

Is it a good idea to use chains on the front tires (with chains on the rear tires) when using a front snow blade? Would it put too much stress on the less robust front drivetrain? When I have the snow blade angled a lot, the tractor gets pushed sideways so would front chains help some with keeping the tractor going straight? Thanks!

 

[ray66v]

The angle of the blade, as you have noticed, is the key.

Angle it less, and you're able to go straight.

I don't believe chains will make much difference.

You need weight, and friction to over come the side forces that turn the tractor.

 

[CalG]

I tried chains up front. Not a big improvement on the side push. great for going forward though. I worried about the drive line stress so pulled the chains,preferring not to deal with them.

I did discover that judicious application of the plow lift cylinder can put a lot of weight onto the front tires and restore much of the steering control. Not hard to do!

I also favor a few rows of those screw in studs. They help on ice in many ways.

 

[George2615]

Welcome to TBN..............................

I use chains front and rear. Rear chains are standard 4 link ladder. Front chains are V bar. They do help steering by biting into the snow and ice. As Ray said, Less angle on the blade helps too. You don't need much angle, just enough to make snow go off the angled side of the blade. Rear tires are also loaded. If at all possible don't use the float mode on the loader and just lower the plow blade so its just off the surface. That keeps the extra weight on the front tires. It all depends on the snowfall we get. Last season was pretty light so I never even used the chains. I don't believe having front chains will cause any extra stress on the drive line because you are still going to have slippage on snow or ice. It may be a problem on blacktop.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I won't run them on the front of my tractors, those front end parts just aren't built heavy enough for me to take that chance!

SR

 

[oldafretired]

Thanks for the great info everyone! So I guess I won't be putting on my front chains this winter. It's enough work putting the back ones on anyway.

So I'll put some ballast on the front of the tractor. Do you think 100 lbs of lead shot would be of any help? I've been using float mode since my gravel driveway isn't that smooth. I just ordered one of those EA land levelers to try and get my gravel driveway as smooth as possible. Would not using float make a big difference?

 

[George2615]

Thanks for the great info everyone! So I guess I won't be putting on my front chains this winter. It's enough work putting the back ones on anyway.

So I'll put some ballast on the front of the tractor. Do you think 100 lbs of lead shot would be of any help? I've been using float mode since my gravel driveway isn't that smooth. I just ordered one of those EA land levelers to try and get my gravel driveway as smooth as possible. Would not using float make a big difference?

Just my opinion, my driveway is gravel too and float mode puts the plow on the ground taking all that weight off the front axle. I found if I drop the blade to the ground then pick it up just a little (maybe an inch or less) the weight stays on the axle and tires for better traction and less gravel gets plowed up that I have to rake back off the grass in the spring. I don't mind driving on an inch of snow in the drive. Later in the snow season when the ground is frozen I can then use float mode and it won't dig up as much gravel..

 

[4570Man]

Thanks for the great info everyone! So I guess I won't be putting on my front chains this winter. It's enough work putting the back ones on anyway. So I'll put some ballast on the front of the tractor. Do you think 100 lbs of lead shot would be of any help? I've been using float mode since my gravel driveway isn't that smooth. I just ordered one of those EA land levelers to try and get my gravel driveway as smooth as possible. Would not using float make a big difference?

Sell that lead shot and buy concrete or something else cheap instead. Shot was as high as $2 a pound, but it's came down to around $1 or a little more.

 

[oldafretired]

Just my opinion, my driveway is gravel too and float mode puts the plow on the ground taking all that weight off the front axle. I found if I drop the blade to the ground then pick it up just a little (maybe an inch or less) the weight stays on the axle and tires for better traction and less gravel gets plowed up that I have to rake back off the grass in the spring. I don't mind driving on an inch of snow in the drive. Later in the snow season when the ground is frozen I can then use float mode and it won't dig up as much gravel..

OK. I'll give that a try.

 

[oldafretired]

Sell that lead shot and buy concrete or something else cheap instead. Shot was as high as $2 a pound, but it's came down to around $1 or a little more.

The lead is ballast for my race car so I need to keep it.

 

[ray66v]

Chains are not ideal, if you want to keep your gravel in place.

I plow 325' of gravel drive, (flat), with a loader mounted plow, turfs, no chains, no problem.

I added pneumatic, catering gauge wheels to my plow, so it stays and inch or two, above the gravel.

I keep the backhoe on, for ballast.

Packing down the first 3-4 inches of snow, is definitely the best way to keep the gravel in place.

In the spring, I have almost no gravel in the lawn.

 

[Fallon]

I have rear chains for my Kubota L3200, but cant put em on without wheel spacers. Got front chains & went from a steering wheel that did little to nothing when plowing with my SSQA plow to it actually changing my direction a bit. Noticable traction increase too.

I agree that it puts more of a load on the weaker front axle. However even with chains my front has less traction in the snow & ice than on solid dry ground. So im not to worried about killing my axle.

 

[moeh1]

I'm in the same boat as Fallon. With a blower on the back, I need front chains to get any steering while plowing a gravel drive. I have a rubber edge on the plow and leave just a little snow, so the fronts wheels could slip if strain built up. I worried at first, but 15 years later, i don't give it much thought.

 

[oosik]

I used chains - front & rear - on my previous tractor, Ford 1700 4WD. It helped a lot when ice formed on my mile long gravel driveway. Had little effect with just snow. I hated using chains - such a PITA to install, especially the rear ones and the tractor rode like a cob with chains.

I don't need chains with my current tractor - Kubota M6040 - its more than heavy enough to stay right in place.

I never had/saw any indication that chains on all four caused any problems. There was always plenty of slippage even with the chains. I used the chains on/off for 25 years with the little Ford 1700 and had no problems.

 

[Egon]

I had chains all around on my Kubota B7100. They made a very noticeable difference in snow, on ice or in mud. No damage to front axle.

The tractor manufacturer may have the best say on front chains. With four wheel drive I don't understand why the front drive should be weaker???

 

[SPYDERLK]

Is it a good idea to use chains on the front tires (with chains on the rear tires) when using a front snow blade? Would it put too much stress on the less robust front drivetrain? When I have the snow blade angled a lot, the tractor gets pushed sideways so would front chains help some with keeping the tractor going straight? Thanks!

Chains do not gain enough traction in snow to be a danger to front end parts. The problem you are seeing with putting chains on the back only is that you essentially make the back tires larger. This change is probably enough that the fronts no longer have lead and are being pushed. If you are able to accomplish the job at all w/o chains you might want to then try front chains only. This will increase front lead and should give great steering response.
... Unfortunately, I suspect you do not have AGs and wont be able to operate effectively w/o the rear chains. Bummer.

You can also improve directional control by using the split brakes. Trouble is, unless you can alternate the angled side, you will use one much more than the other.

 

[oldafretired]

My driveway eventually ends up becoming like a skating rink with sheet ice. I'm going to stick the front chains on this winter to give it a try when it gets icy. Might as well use them since I have them. On thing I noticed is that most of the rear chain links ended up in the grooves of the tires and hardly stick up above the rubber at all.

 

[oosik]

I had R1's on the Ford and they quite rapidly migrate to the valleys. The only real traction was where the chains passed over the ridges. Even at that they did improve traction, noticeably, on ice. I had the very heavy duty "H"style, V-bar tractor chains. I was sure glad to sell them when I traded in the Ford for the Kubota.

I just looked up the old receipt for them - $450. $275 for the rears and $175 for the fronts.

 

[k0ua]

I am certainly no expert, so take this for what it is worth. I ran chains on my B7500 on all four tires year around for the 8 years I had it. Nothing ever broke.

 

[Ford850]

As others have said, keep that blade slightly above the surface and you will see a dramatic improvement. I've tested that quite a bit with mine, and I was surprised at the difference it makes.