I don't have enough tractor/traction, what now?

Fallon · Nov 17, 2015

My Kubota L3200 has done me great the past 2 years & I haven't regretted my choice in tractor or R4 tires... Until today. We got 6-8" of snow. Doesn't sound to bad until you realize 60% of my driveway didn't have any snow & I had 5' drifts in-front of the garage the shop & several places in between. After struggling for a while & making a bit of progress, I limped back to the shop to try & put on the chains I got 2 years ago. Of course I'd never tried them on before. I'd heard I'd need wheel spacers to get clearance between the inside of the tire & the fender. After trying things it looks like "they" were right. They are 4 link (possibly 2, forgot to check) V-bar ladders. In the past 2 winters traction wasn't great, but not problematic like it was today dealing with some of those dense drifts.

So obviously if I want to get those chains on, I'll need maybe 2" of spacers on each side. I'm not keen on widening things as I like the size & maneuverability I have now, but I think I like not getting stuck while trying to plow more. I hear the wheel spacers make things feel more stable, but my property is relatively flat. I do pucker up a hair when mowing side hill across the couple steep parts, but I've never had any problems or cause to think about widening my track because of that.

I've got a light converted truck plow on the loader & a 3pt blade on the back. Neither was performing better than the other plow wise or in stalling me out with traction issues. Eventually I'm thinking I want to sell the 3pt plow & get a blower, but that might be a ways off.

Will getting some chains for the front tires be worth it?
How much will front chains help on a 32hp 3,500lbs CUT? Enough to mitigate nothing on the rear a bit? Tractor Tire Chain indicates I'll be looking at $200-350 or so. I see no reason not to get some nasty V-bar ones as the only cement or pavement is the shop floor or 15' of apron. I don't think I could even get tires on the 5' apron in-front of our garage if I tried without ramming the door with a plow.

Should I bite the bullet & get wheel spacers?

Forget messing with chains at all & get a blower?

IXLR8 · Nov 17, 2015

Since it is not my money, I would get spacers, chains and a blower. I find with the slightest bit of ice... my DK40 goes nowhere without chains. I have V-bar front and rear, hated to write the check for them, but the tractor goes thru snow like a bulldozer with them. Overall makes moving snow much easier and faster. I am lucky I don't need to put spacers on my wheels for clearance to put the chains on. I suspect you will find spacers and chains will be a bunch cheaper than a blower, and hopefully you will only have to do the spacers once. Are your tires loaded??

Farmer495 · Nov 17, 2015

Can you "dish" your wheels out? Might give you more clearance.

I think you are running into not having enough tractor. 5' high drifts will fetch up the 7500 lb 2wd with studded chains I plow with, let alone a 3500 compact.

GPintheMitten · Nov 17, 2015

I would get the spacers and put the chains on the rear. Also consider loading the rear tires with Rim Guard or wind shield washer fluid, if not already loaded.

I would then try it again without a blower and without the front chains. Then, after trying it with the above, if you still need more traction, get front chains.

Ed of all trades · Nov 17, 2015

I have a sub compact Massey GC2400 with a factory frame mounted blade. I could plow down my hill but could not get back up. It is fairly steep and slopes to the side as well. I tried just rear chains and still had problems. Put a set on the front and have had no problems sense. I got my chains at tirechains.com, good chains at a good price. If you have that kind of snow I would at least have v-bar chains all the way around. Ed

DHD · Nov 17, 2015

Even if you had a snow blower on your L3200 you'd still probably want chains, for when you got icy conditions.

I got a rear mount blower on my kubota B7800 and eventually had to get rear tire chains, for some hilly parts of the driveway, they're 2 link ladder, not ice gripper.
I run 4wd most of the time and even with chains I sometimes have to use the differential lock on the hilly parts, when the driveway gets a little icy.

George2615 · Nov 17, 2015

I agree with the others to get the spacers then put the rear chains on. Front chains will give more traction and help steering but will not be a substitute for no rear ballast. More rear ballast would also help.

4570Man · Nov 17, 2015

I would add about 2,500 pounds of ballast, and see how much that helps.

George2615 · Nov 17, 2015

4570Man said:
I would add about 2,500 pounds of ballast, and see how much that helps.

According to tractordata the L3200 would not be able to lift 2500 lb. on the 3 pt. Maybe if he had the rear tires filled and maxed out the 3 pt he might come close.