Chains front chains

[loopyl]

Last winter I got my L4400 with R-4 tires. I use the tractor for everything from mowing to plowing so I felt these tires would be a good compromise. I found that I would get stuck frequently often in shallow ditches and when trying to plow uphill. I got a set of rear chains. I heard many opinions about how rear chains or front chains or chains on all 4 are not good for the tractor. The rear chains helped some and got me through the winter. However I still don't have great traction, quite often the front wheels spin and I slide off the driveway. Would front chains be of any significant help. Is there any problems with using front chains?

 

[lp333]

I have used front and rear chains on my BX22, BX23 and BX24. Here are a couple of photos of chains installed on my previous BX23. The chains help provide unbelievable traction under severe winter conditions and especially on the icy slopes. I am not aware of chains causing problems on these models.

 

[Dirthog]

I have a L48 and have always used front chains never had a set on the back and have had no problems I also had a B21 for 5-6 years and front chains is all I ever ran on it mainly because they are quicker to put on and take off

 

[rbargeron]

I've used chains front and back for years on my L5450 (similar power & weight to an L48 or M6800) - no adverse effects on the tractor from the chains that I'm aware of. As long as they are kept tight enough to stay reasonably centered on the tires, they are fine. If a front one gets loose its best to fix it before it works itself off and gets tangled. But even if it does, the chain gets the worst of it since the tractor is so heavy and strong. Not sure where the advice against running chains originates - maybe its on models where the rears can't be moved out for chain clearance?

 

[Casco1]

This is my first year running chains, so far so good. I'll know more when summer comes. These tractors are pretty tough I don't see front chains doing any damage.

 

[idaguide]

Not to hijack the thread, but I'm curious what you have in the round white container out on the FEL.
grae

 

[acohen100]

I just got my first ever set of chains from tirechains.com - the v-bar with every-other-link spacing. All I can say is MAN were they a biyotch to put on. I followed the instructions and then set out to plow. Within 5 minutes they had come off of two tires. Then there I was, in the middle of a pile of snow on my back trying to unhook them. Eventually I had to take all of the tires off to get them on properly. They still seem a little loose driving even tensioned as tight as I could by hand and using a big screwdriver for some extra torque. Maybe the tensioners they sell might solve the problem but I am tempted to go buy some small turnbuckles to solve the problem. Also on the BX24 the rear chains hit the backhoe, if you leave that on - which I do for some extra rear ballast.

I still have one more tire to take off but my hands were numb and I decided to take a break. Definitely not what I expected. They need a better way of attaching and tensioning these things. I can imagine them coming off of a car at 40 MPH rather than my tractor at 3 mph...

 

[acohen100]

Ah...I just had a great idea. I'm going to buy some cheap tiedowns from Home Depot, cut them short and use them to tension the chains. Should be a lot cheaper and easier than using their proprietary tensioning device. You can buy 4 for about $10 and I think 2-per-tire should be adequate.

 

[themichelob]

Get some of those black rubber tarp tie downs (like bungees) for about a buck apiece for the twelve or fifteen inch sizes. I put two or three on the inside of the wheels and about the same on the outside.They work great, and no big investment. I've lost a couple, but never had a chain slip off, plus no loose chain ends hitting the fenders.
Regards, Mike

 

[acohen100]

Great idea. I'll look into it. Heading down to the HD in a few minutes.

 

[DickS]

This subject has been discussed a number of times before.

First of all, you have to be a contortionist to try to put chains on a BX 24 without taking the wheels off. It is my speculation, and clearly labeled, it may even be impossible. The most important thing in putting on the chains is to make sure the cross links are not put on diagonally. The cross links must be 90* to the side chains. This is rather simple with the R-4's (which I have) but I cannot testify to the other tire styles. I do know that if the chains are properly installed on the rear of a BX-24, there should be no need for snubbers.

As far as chaining the front wheels is concerned, it is my 'understanding' (hear-say, not factually known to the author) there may be a problem with clearance of the steering linkage.

 

[Casco1]

Not to hijack the thread, but I'm curious what you have in the round white container out on the FEL.
grae

It's a piece of 4" PVC that holds some extra chains.

 

[acohen100]

Ok, here's the deal. I went to Home Depot and bought everything that I could possibly think of to help out and here is what I figured out. The simplest, cheapest, and most secure solution was to remove the crappy "fastener" that tirechains.com gives you attached to the chains (that keeps popping off) and replace it with a small (like 5") turnbuckle (about $3). This makes it simple to hook it up and tension the chains without busting your knuckles. Piece of cake. No need for fancy tensioners.

And I agree. No good way to put these on a BX24 without taking off the rears.

 

[638]

Let the air out of the tires. Put on chains as tight as you can. Inflate tires. Problem solved, tight chains.

ron

 

[acohen100]

They specifically caution against doing that in the instructions that come with the chains. Not sure why.

 

[638]

Maybe, but it sure beats having a chain come off in the snow a half mile from the shop. I have never hurt a tire or a chain by this method of installation.

ron

 

[IdahoTractor]

No good way to put these on a BX24 without taking off the rears.

You might want to check out the tread below on TbN. See the first set of photographs on the thread - this is the way I put my chains on my MX5000. Instead of driving over the chain, however, I block the other three tires and jack up the tractor while it's in neutral. I then spin the tire. Quick and easy with minimal lifting. It takes me about 45 minutes to one hour to install the chains on all four tires. By the way, I have found that the spring-ring tensioners (I believe they are available at tirechains.com) work best at keeping the tires tight as they tend to equalize tension around the chain a bit better than rubber tie-downs (which I've used in the past).

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/94114-putting-chains.html?highlight=tire+chains

 

[DickS]

I'm sure this method of installing the chains works well on that tractor model.

My recommendation was directed specifically to the BX-24 which has very little room to work with.

 

[acohen100]

Agreed. That tractor in the pics has a lot of wheel clearance. There is just no room to work with the BX series. You can't really get to the back side of the rear wheels.

Also I found that there is no good way to get front chains on either. They are easier to put on but they can not clear the steering linkages and hang up as the tire turns. Bummer. Wasted $60 on those.

 

[curtisfarmer]

I just bought rear chains for my L48....almost $400 including tensioners. I was told that front only can cause steering joint problems due to the extra stress while turning. I bought the rear after I had set out to buy front only after hearing this advice. The fronts where $250. So far I am very happy, they make a huge difference plowing slick driveways uphill, especially as the L48 is so slow uphill and heavy. I wish I had bought them years ago.