Rear chains are also needed if you have front chains. Without them the front chains end up not only help steer your tractor but also work in propelling in direction of travel forward/ reverse. The front end is made up of small gears which can develop problem if they are the main propulsion gears without rear chains propelling the tractor with the much larger rear gears. A lot of stress on those front gears that way. What you really want is large chains on the rear for propulsion and smaller chains on the front for steering. Don't believe me,,,, wait you'll find out or if you don't want to do that ask your dealer. Oh and you will need spacers, the Kubota ones are expensive and not that great. I got mine from a fellow selling spacers on ebay, makes the custom himself for your tractor. Sorry I don't seem to have a link to post but if you search you'll find him, he's busy so plan ahead. Or just do a search there are many out there. Check out bro tek.
L3301 snow chains
- Thread starter Wideglide
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JWR
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I use Bora brand (6" each side) rear wheel spacers (on a B2150) and they have been very good, no problems.
I disagree regarding the front/rear chains. My reasoning is:
- I see no excessive stress being put on the front wheel drive by using chains there with none on the rear , especially in snow. There is no way you can put as much stress on that front wheel drive pulling in snow with chains compared to what you would in mud or good traction soil without chains involved.
- It is not like the entire job is offloaded onto the front just because you put chains there. For the most part you are just maintaining steady motion without any of the wheels spinning a whole lot by using the chains. They are primarily an aid to keep things going, not the whole ballgame.
- Almost no one is going to use snow chains hundreds of hours per year (and certainly not a large % of their tractor utilization.)
- None of us intend to mistreat or over stress our good Kubota machines BUT I do not think they are any where near as vulnerable/weak/feeble/fragile as your chain comments suggest.
Of course this is my opinion, no way to prove it either way. Just telling you what my reasoning is on it.
I disagree regarding the front/rear chains. My reasoning is:
- I see no excessive stress being put on the front wheel drive by using chains there with none on the rear , especially in snow. There is no way you can put as much stress on that front wheel drive pulling in snow with chains compared to what you would in mud or good traction soil without chains involved.
- It is not like the entire job is offloaded onto the front just because you put chains there. For the most part you are just maintaining steady motion without any of the wheels spinning a whole lot by using the chains. They are primarily an aid to keep things going, not the whole ballgame.
- Almost no one is going to use snow chains hundreds of hours per year (and certainly not a large % of their tractor utilization.)
- None of us intend to mistreat or over stress our good Kubota machines BUT I do not think they are any where near as vulnerable/weak/feeble/fragile as your chain comments suggest.
Of course this is my opinion, no way to prove it either way. Just telling you what my reasoning is on it.
Fallon
Super Member
I look at it the other way... if you need chains it's because you have no traction. If you have no traction, there isnt a lot of power getting transmitted through that drivetrain.
When I had front only chains on (only put on when needed) my L3200 I had way less traction than on hard ground. Fronts & rears had less regardless of chains or not.
Let me after your front end fails. Because it will !!! It is called the law of physics & mechanical stress...
If you have a floor jack, jack the rear of the tractor up and apply the chains. Most rear tractor tires contain liquid ballast. To get a really tight fit without side wall stretchers, you would need to jack the rear up, place the valve stem at the 12 o'clock position and release some air, install the chain, then re -inflate the tire.
John_Mc
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You really don't want a tight fit with this style of chain.
JWR
Elite Member
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- So MD / WV
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- MF 2660 LP, 3 Kubota B2150, Kubota BX2200, MH Pacer, Gravely 5660, etc.
I see it more like Fallon has stated. I think the Iguide "front end failure" prediction is unjustified hysteria. Any examples to document for us ?
What you are stating as "the law of such and such" is no more than your opinion.
Fallon
Super Member
Unjustified hysteria? Obviously you haven't been around a mechanics shop much, I'm just telling you things I have seen and talked about with my friend at the shop he works at. You want to live in ignorant bliss do so. If you only put chains on the front of a 4x4 tractor it will fail before it would have if you had also had chains on the rear.
This is where I got my Wheel spacers Tractor Wheel Spacers Hub Extensions, Kubota, John Deere, Compact Tractor, Utility Vehicle for my real wheels. This site has information about the dangers of using spacers on the front end Spacers vs Engineered Axles