Front Tire Chains

[OrtisEvans]

When I use a rear blade to plow snow with my Kubota B2100HST (hydrostatic, FWD), I use chains on my rear tires, and 100 pounds of front weights. The front tires spin, providing less traction than they could and wearing the tires. There is insufficient clearance, IMHO, for chains on the front. Is there an alternative?

Also, I have read that the front drive is not strong enough to tolerate the additional torque resulting from the improved traction.

I will appreciate both knowledge-based responses and opinions

 

[KubotaSam]

I don't know about clearance on your tractor. However I have run chains on all 4 wheels on my B7100 for years now with no problems.

 

[JB4310]

Don't know how the fronts could spin if you have chains on the back ?

But I have run all combos of chains, back only, front only and all 4.

There is a possibility of the chain contacted the steering cylinder, just barely in extreme turn. so I'm careful.

There are many discussions about whether front chains are no good for front axle, but most of those concerns are when going front only. Which I do myself often, with no sign of problems.

JB.

 

[9973720wb19]

i found on my JD 4720 that without front chains my front end looses traction when turning

 

[OrtisEvans]

Thanks JB. Interesting comment - with hydrostatic drive, are the front and rear drives effectively hard coupled? I hadn't thought of that. I guess that front chains would still provide better steering and more traction.

- I gotta lot to learn...

 

[JB4310]

Thanks JB. Interesting comment - with hydrostatic drive, are the front and rear drives effectively hard coupled? I hadn't thought of that. I guess that front chains would still provide better steering and more traction.

- I gotta lot to learn...

I'm not sure about the hard coupled question, but the front chains definitely help with traction and steering.

That why for me it's so tempting to to run fronts only, even though I'm well aware of the concerns some have.

They provide just enough extra traction that I need some times, and of course they are much easier to install and further more of course they are much cheaper. Though the cost is no concern for me since I got my chains for next to nothing, just had to build/mod them to fit.

I think over-stressing the front axle is a real concern. I guess it would be safe to say if you are just plowing snow, that would be less stress than using the loader to lift and move heavy snow.

I use to use a high volume bucket for snow work, now I have a custom frame mounted plow. Last year I had chains on all 4 cause we had record snow, this year I have no chains yet, since we have no snow.

JB

 

[pat32rf]

I often hear about chains on the front being hard on the axle/drivetrain because of "too much traction", but how can there be any more traction than when I am working in the bush on rocky tails in the summer? Either you have traction or something is spinning....

 

[JB4310]

I often hear about chains on the front being hard on the axle/drivetrain because of "too much traction", but how can there be any more traction than when I am working in the bush on rocky tails in the summer? Either you have traction or something is spinning....

I think the concern is when you only have front chains on, your getting more of your traction from the front, back tires might be slipping but the fronts are hooking up. So more power is going to the ground through the front axle, makes sense that that could put more stress on it's components.

Just looking at the size differences between front and rear axles. You can easily tell which is designed to carry the greater load.
I often think that the front wheels turning with 4x4, are doing so just so they are not plowing dead through mud or snow etc. by them turning under power they climb up on top of what ever you're going thru. Of course they are providing some pulling traction too. If that makes any sense.

JB

 

[Winmac]

Here is something else to consider, 4wd tractors as a rule the front wheels are driven 3 -5% faster than the rear. This might account for some of the spinning you see when backing up. This design makes steering easier and adds traction when pulling implements.

 

[IndyIan]

Here is something else to consider, 4wd tractors as a rule the front wheels are driven 3 -5% faster than the rear. This might account for some of the spinning you see when backing up. This design makes steering easier and adds traction when pulling implements.

Do you have a link for that? I could believe the fronts might be oversped 0.3 to 0.5%. But 5% on pavement is going to leave skid marks and even on dirt that's got to be hard on a drivetrain.