Mounting tire chains

[ovrszd]

I always want my fasteners at the bottom of the tire. Let gravity pull the slack.

 

[jackpine savage]

I always want my fasteners at the bottom of the tire. Let gravity pull the slack.

If you can easily get at the back side of the tire I agree. With a vehicle I'd rather have it up aways.

 

[Greenland South]

Why is it that every video I've ever seen shows the chains being put on in nice weather. Not very realistic. I don't put mine on till I need them.
The first year I put them on the tractor it did take a couple hours, despite having experience with big triples I used to have to put on a vacuum truck. It gets faster every year. About 15 minutes a side now. I do take and keep notes every year, just because. Just stick the notes in the chain bin so you know where they are next year.

 

[jgayman]

I always want my fasteners at the bottom of the tire. Let gravity pull the slack.

That works fine if you have a smooth tire like a R3 or passenger car tire but with R1 or R4 tires the cross links always get hung up in the lugs and you have to manually keep lifting the chain and making sure it is straight and even.

 

[LouNY]

Letting the tractor pull them up and around there is no slack to fight with.
That's what makes it easy.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Letting the tractor pull them up and around there is no slack to fight with.
That's what makes it easy.

^^^^ This is key to the method Lou uses. I think those who haven't tried it may be missing this point. And like jgayman said it makes chaining up R1's and R4's a breeze.

gg

 

[John_Mc]

Letting the tractor pull them up and around there is no slack to fight with.
That's what makes it easy.

EXACTLY! I just drive them on and clip them together. No need for adjusting or retightening.

 

[CobyRupert]

Two other items regarding chains:

1. To use bungees, cords, springs, etc... across sidewall/rim to take up slack or not?
I don't use these. But thinking about this, don't they really just pull all the slack to one side of the tire, to the limits of how tight you fastened the chain on the inner/tractor side of the tire? I don't know, maybe they stop the chain from banging on the fender at road speeds?

2. Do you use any safety clips, wires, etc... to lock the chain fasteners? Ever have a chain fall off because the fastener went slack (no tension) or it got bumped, etc..?
I always thought the purpose of these connectors is to get some leverage when making the final front side connection or have a more secure way of connecting/locking the chain, but with my bigger tractor chains the leverage I gain is little compared to the weight of the chain or it's ability to slide on the treadbars. And if locking is their purpose, why doesn't the S-hook on the back side come unhooked more often when the tire pulls and tug (slackens and tensions the chain) in real world operation?

 

[Chilly807]

Two other items regarding chains:

1. To use bungees, cords, springs, etc... across sidewall/rim to take up slack or not?
I don't use these. But thinking about this, don't they really just pull all the slack to one side of the tire, to the limits of how tight you fastened the chain on the inner/tractor side of the tire? I don't know, maybe they stop the chain from banging on the fender at road speeds?

2. Do you use any safety clips, wires, etc... to lock the chain fasteners? Ever have a chain fall off because the fastener went slack (no tension) or it got bumped, etc..?
I always thought the purpose of these connectors is to get some leverage when making the final front side connection or have a more secure way of connecting/locking the chain, but with my bigger tractor chains the leverage I gain is little compared to the weight of the chain or it's ability to slide on the treadbars. And if locking is their purpose, why doesn't the S-hook on the back side come unhooked more often when the tire pulls and tug (slackens and tensions the chain) in real world operation?

I don't use tensioners at all, about a fist worth of slack between the sidewall and side chains. I've never had a chain come off in 10 years, both in the woods and on smooth surfaces. Very little wear on the chains and tires, and smooth running on hard surfaces.

I use a small screw shackle to secure the boomers once they're in place, then a short length of stove wire to lock the screw pins in place. Cut that off in the spring.

 

[John_Mc]

I don't use tensioners at all, about a fist worth of slack between the sidewall and side chains. I've never had a chain come off in 10 years, both in the woods and on smooth surfaces. Very little wear on the chains and tires, and smooth running on hard surfaces.

That fist worth of slack is what's recommended for the Euro-style chains (like the Ofa EKO chains). For Ladder-style chains, tensioners are recommended. If I recall correctly, tensioners are recommended for DuoGrip style chains as well.