Captain Dirty
Platinum Member
Turn your steering wheel from lock to lock and note how close the front tires are from the frame or exhaust. On my L45 the naked, LF tire clears the tailpipe by a fraction of an inch. If I were to mount chains, they would batter the tailpipe (and likely themselves against the frame) when I would inevitably forget and turn the tractor hard. I do not know if front wheel spacers are available and would work to increase clearance.
Too many Kubotas
Veteran Member
Adjust the steering stops accordingly.
SPYDERLK
Super Star Member
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- 12,568
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- VA
- Tractor
- JD2010, Kubota3450,2550, Mahindra 7520 w FEL w Skid Steer QC w/Tilt Tatch, & BH, BX1500
Probably ok - especially on snow. But in more "normal" traction conditions youll have to be carefull that they arent the only wheels working to make you go. Chains can grab a root or rock and pull/jerk hard enough to MAKE you move ... or break - whichever comes first.
Mtsoxfan
Veteran Member
I always wondered that as well. Never had a use for them, as my winter use is almost all flat. Never slid the front end on ice, which if I did, would be a reason for me to investigate chains on front.
Captain Dirty
Platinum Member
In a dozen years of ownership I have not needed chains, front or rear. I use the tractor in the woods, and an unnecessary reduction in maneuverability would probably result in hitting more trees.
arrow
Super Member
Other than clearance for chains, there is little to no problem.
You can mitigate this with either spacers for front wheels or find or fabricate smaller gauge chains that would normally fit on a garden tractor.
rScotty
Super Member
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- Apr 21, 2001
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- Rural mountains - Colorado
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- Kubota M59, JD530, JD310SG. Restoring Yanmar YM165D
I used lightweight front chains in the snow in the mountains for years without problems. They were without studs, and made from cut down radial sports car chains. No reason you cannot do so as well. But there are some things to be careful about.
The turning clearance is one thing. That one should be obvious.
Also keep in mind that the the drive shaft and axles on the front are not nearly so strong as the rears....
That doesn't mean they are weak. The fronts can probably pull the tractor and the mounted hoe anywhere, even uphill. But you do not want to ever get into a situation like pulling a trailier uphill in snow where the fronts are pulling hard in a low gear while the rear tires are not helping at all.
Putting all of that large a pulling load through the front axle alone will stress or break some front drive components - things like axles and driveshafts for example.
And of course you want to be very careful about loads in the front end loader bucket. That applies whether chains or not.
Anytime the tractor is in 4wd, tires need the ability to slip as needed to remove driveline windup. Being careful to always allow one wheel to slip is how compact tractors are able to do limited 4wd work without having a center driveshaft differential.
So bottom line is like anything else. Yes you can do it. Just be smart and careful.
luck,
rScotty
