Chains

SpringHollow · Dec 2, 2010

They logged some virgin forest on my property. The trees were damaged by an ice storm and the forester said they would be dead in a couple of years. Not a lot of trees but they were large. They had never been logged because they were in a ravine area.

They were logging during a drought everywhere else which meant less wet at my place. They decided to take a day off even though it was going to rain the next day. The next day, as predicted, they buried their skidder in my trail. The tires were taller than i am but they just dug down into the mud without moving the skidder. They had to wait a few days and bring in a huge bulldozer. The dozer they had on site would not budge it.

Ken

woodlandfarms · Dec 3, 2010

Does that mean you got a new tractor as soon as it dries out?

catsco · Dec 6, 2010

BobRip said:
Past a certain point all wheeled vehicles should stay home. Even tracked vehicles can be stuck.

Absolutely! I used to be the guy with the tracked vehicle to pull others out of very deep snow and/or mud.

When I got stuck, there was no one to call! If the ground wasn't going to freeze, it usually meant a number of days of waiting since you can never get a tracked vehicle stuck with the winch end facing the direction you want to move unless you plan ahead.

Which I seldom do with my penchant for doing things the hard way.

ponytug · Dec 7, 2010

Winches on both ends?

I once saw a jeep rigged up with a cable going through the chassis, enabling him to pull from either end off the same winch.

Yes, past a certain point, and past a certain need you stay home, but my hat is off to all of you don't! (For work or to rescue others).

All the best,

Peter

catsco said:
Absolutely! I used to be the guy with the tracked vehicle to pull others out of very deep snow and/or mud.

When I got stuck, there was no one to call! If the ground wasn't going to freeze, it usually meant a number of days of waiting since you can never get a tracked vehicle stuck with the winch end facing the direction you want to move unless you plan ahead.

Which I seldom do with my penchant for doing things the hard way.

Clumber · Dec 8, 2010

Chains seem to be expensive when you need 4 of them. I want studded chains for use on the ice storm we seem to get each year. I found these:
Secure Online Shopping for all of your Tire Chain needs
which seem good and cheaper than most -- still very expensive. Any comments?

How does one avoid buying a chain that will rub against the tub of the tractor?

Marks481 · Dec 8, 2010

Here was the last chain recommendation:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/power-trac/163222-snow-removal-lmb-plow-2.html#post1875634

Tracdoc recommended www.tirechains.com out of Johnstown, PA... the GT18-2 --a 2-link Heavy Duty Tractor Chain. And said to avoid ATV tire chains, since they are designed for a more rounded wheel.

23-10.50-12 Tire Chains

SpringHollow · Dec 8, 2010

I also purchased my chains from the same place, Clumber. It is nice to see that their prices have dropped back down.

My chain page on my web site shows how i installed them. It is PT's slope mower tractor but the principle is the same. The studded chains are great, much better on ice than the standard ones.

PT1850 Chains

Ken

woodlandfarms · Dec 9, 2010

Sorry guys, More confused than ever

Ken, you have ATV Chains? Any issues? Tracdoc seems to have had some...

SpringHollow · Dec 9, 2010

My chains work great. I do not think i would use them on concrete or asphalt since they would gouge it up anytime your wheels started to slip.

You can see from my pictures that my chains are tight and do not slip. No issues there at all. Even the really cheap atv chains i have worked well except they do not grip as well on ice as compared to the studded chains. Tractor Supply used to sell individual chains. For my regular CUTs, i used to buy one chain for a huge tire and cut it to length to get two chains out of it, adding new ends to the cut pieces. I saved a huge amount of money doing this relative to buying two smaller chains. However, we do not have enough clearance on the PT's to use a hard core tractor double loop logging chain.

However, i think you do want chain "slap" for mud. If only for mud and i wanted the best solution, i would make custom chains. This is necessary because of your extreme mud needs and the close tolerances on the PT. Thin chain for the side chains and mounted tight. The cross chains i would do a few links of small chain on each end then double loop logging chain. I would evenly space these and make them long so they are loose. Maybe have a total of 3 or 4 cross chains that were small chain each connected in between two of the evenly spaced double loop chains. These would hold the whole chain assembly tight to your tire but allow the cross chains to flop some. That flopping will clear mud but not adversely affect traction at all. Self cleaning chains are messy when the mud is flying but they work much better. You will still get stuck if your tires dig down so far that your tractor pan rests on the mud.

Ken