Ice chains on a concrete floor.

kcender · Feb 2, 2011

Just wondering if anybody that uses ice chains keeps their tractor in a garage with a finished concrete floor.I have a chance to buy a set of ice chains for a good price but I am thinking they might damage my garage floor.I am talking about the chains that have studs welded to them to give traction on ice.My tractor is an L 3240 with FEL,backhoe and loaded tires that weighs about 7500 pounds.

MikeInEburg · Feb 2, 2011

Sort of depends on the quality of concrete, but I'd say that you'll leave tracks. I'd put down rubber mats or plywood to make the problem go away.
Mike

Chilly807 · Feb 2, 2011

kcender said:
Just wondering if anybody that uses ice chains keeps their tractor in a garage with a finished concrete floor.I have a chance to buy a set of ice chains for a good price but I am thinking they might damage my garage floor.I am talking about the chains that have studs welded to them to give traction on ice.My tractor is an L 3240 with FEL,backhoe and loaded tires that weighs about 7500 pounds.

Mine have left some scratches on the floor, but nothing too serious. I think most of those were from the rear wheels spinning a little when starting away. I use a lower gear now when going in and out and no new damage so far. Your setup weighs a lot more than mine, so that's something else again.

I tried using some strips of 1/2 plywood where the rear wheels travel on the floor, that worked ok too.

If it keeps snowing you might need that backhoe to get out of your garage!

Sean

radair · Feb 2, 2011

You should definitely protect it somehow. I had a few scratches last winter so I threw down a few scraps of plywood this year.

themichelob · Feb 2, 2011

radair said:
You should definitely protect it somehow. I had a few scratches last winter so I threw down a few scraps of plywood this year.

I've definitely got some pitting from my v-bar chains. The chains are priceless on my sloping drive, but floor protection is required. Regards, Mike

Gordon Gould · Feb 2, 2011

I use a piece of 1/2" cdx plywood and lay down a couple strips on the apron when I back out. I have forgotten a couple times and there are a few small chips on the edge of the apron. A piece of old carpet also works good. Available free anywhere they install carpet.

sal64 · Feb 2, 2011

kcender said:
Just wondering if anybody that uses ice chains keeps their tractor in a garage with a finished concrete floor.I have a chance to buy a set of ice chains for a good price but I am thinking they might damage my garage floor.I am talking about the chains that have studs welded to them to give traction on ice.My tractor is an L 3240 with FEL,backhoe and loaded tires that weighs about 7500 pounds.

i drive my tractor in my barn on plywood, yes they will put small marks in concrete.vbar chains.

bitseeker · Feb 2, 2011

kcender said:
Just wondering if anybody that uses ice chains keeps their tractor in a garage with a finished concrete floor.I have a chance to buy a set of ice chains for a good price but I am thinking they might damage my garage floor.I am talking about the chains that have studs welded to them to give traction on ice.My tractor is an L 3240 with FEL,backhoe and loaded tires that weighs about 7500 pounds.

Our garage apron is finished concrete. We have poor quality agrigate here and the concrete has held up fine with the GL5240 and chains on all four. They are not V-bar, which I had on the previous BX23, and the V-bars did no damage to the concrete either. There are temporary marks, but no chips.

DavHank · Feb 2, 2011

kcender said:
Just wondering if anybody that uses ice chains keeps their tractor in a garage with a finished concrete floor.I have a chance to buy a set of ice chains for a good price but I am thinking they might damage my garage floor.I am talking about the chains that have studs welded to them to give traction on ice.My tractor is an L 3240 with FEL,backhoe and loaded tires that weighs about 7500 pounds.

I have a B7510,FEL and loaded R4's and use v bar chains when there is ice on the mountain here in NC. The front chains don't seem to do much damage - the chain pattern is less aggressive or something but the rear chains do make light pock marks. It doesn't bother me much since the concrete is not in that great of shape anyway but, yeah, I'm sure they will mark it. I like the plywood idea.

RoyJackson · Feb 2, 2011

So far, mine haven't left any markings. My chains are 4 link ladder ("road chains" as tirechains.com calls them) and I leave the garage slowly as well as back in slowly. A more aggressive chain might do damage.
This is with a Deere 4400 that weighs about 4000 lbs.

However, if I find a deal on horse mats, I'll pick some up.

crazyal · Feb 2, 2011

I started the winter using plywood and scraps of carpet but now I just park the rear tires of my tractor on plywood but drive across the cement. I just make sure to not spin. My tires aren't filling but I have a 1000lb 55 gallon drum (cement filled) on the 3pt hitch. My cement was just poured last summer, it's 4000 psi. So far no marks at all.

radioman · Feb 2, 2011

in any case, I'd lay down a sheet of osb for thee winter. its 7 bucks a sheet and cheap insurance for the winter.

kday64 · Feb 2, 2011

radioman said:
in any case, I'd lay down a sheet of osb for thee winter. its 7 bucks a sheet and cheap insurance for the winter.

I have an asphalt driveway so I would have to lay down many sheets of OSB to prevent the chains from damaging everything.

~Kevin

bellweather · Feb 3, 2011

Nah, you don't need many sheets...just two sheets and a willing assistant to continuously recycle the free one to the front of the tractor as you slowly make your way down the driveway...Ha!

Lightnsound · Feb 3, 2011

I have a B7610 with V-bar chains on the rears and yes, they definitely chew up the concrete garage floor a bit.

I just studded the front tires last night. I'm curious if they will add to the problem, I suspect that they will. I've been thinking about throwing down some plywood but there's always a big puddle under the machine when all the snow melts off the blower.

Jay4200 · Feb 3, 2011

kcender said:
Just wondering if anybody that uses ice chains keeps their tractor in a garage with a finished concrete floor.I have a chance to buy a set of ice chains for a good price but I am thinking they might damage my garage floor.I am talking about the chains that have studs welded to them to give traction on ice.My tractor is an L 3240 with FEL,backhoe and loaded tires that weighs about 7500 pounds.

My V-bars leave little marks everywhere they hit. I put down some scrap OSB to run on in my garage. Regular ladder chains probably won't mark up concrete too bad. I have 2-link ladders on my lawn tractor and that leaves no marks on concrete or asphalt (although it's about an order of magnitude lighter).

JayC