Skidsteer has no traction in snow uphill

[Henro]

Since it works fine going down the hill, you might try backing up the hill, rather than going up forward.

If it backs up normally this might indicate something. Don’t have a clue what that might be though…

 

[Grandad4]

Don't know much about your particular skid steer, but most of these have one hydraulic motor drive for each side, and the wheels on each side are driven by one motor, but are coupled together by sprockets and chains. If these drive chains have a lot of slop in them, and depending on how the motor is coupled to the drive chain, this could happen. Maybe not so much if the motor drive one wheel directly, and the other thru the chain. But if the motor drives the chain, interesting things might happen.

Wingnut may be on to something here. Since skidsteers differ from standard vehicles by having drive wheels linked front to back instead of side to side, don't you want the same chains mounted front and back on each side? With apologies for the work involved, I'd try that to see what happens. You might have one side with more traction than the other, but if the stuttering problem goes away, you know it was the chains. If it's still doing that, your know it's something else.

 

[thclimer]

Ya I'm thinking timbatrader, Grandad4 and 07wingnut are on to something.

This Youtube video might be explaining what's going on as well:

You just don't experience it when going downhill because your "coasting" going up hill is when everything become "under tension" with your chains digging in for traction.

 

[ruffdog]

Yeah, it sounds like a chain is skipping over a sprocket. Time to lift the cab and take a look.

 

[mcfarmall]

I think the main drive roller chain(s) are stretched and jumping the sprocket teeth.

 

[timbatrader]

I suspect the chains are a little warn but not so warn they are jumping if the wheels are geared to turn the same number of revelations as each other but are different diameters it will move foreword until the slack in the chain is taken up then something has to give if the tires have no grip their is a small jerk while the tire does a semi spin and the it goes forward until the chains tighten up again. When the OP had only chains on the rear tires the front tires could slip easily and you would hardly notice it but with chains on both once the slack in the drive chains is taken up either the drive stalls or one set of wheels slips until the chain is lose again

 

[Tomtint]

I have a CAT 246 that began its life as a tire machine, It was HORRIBLE in the snow. The slightest incline and the second it broke traction ..it ws over. Its so heavy that the tires made the surface under then turn to ice the second they spun. A number of years ago I put a set of Logering tracks on it..Night and day difference. It just never lacks for traction anywhere.

 

[Tony H]

Curious what you find out when putting the old chains back on. Too bad you just bought new basic chains. I bought these Trygg chains for the price of the most basic 2 link chains

Trygg multi flex chains. Buy direct and save big.

 

[Jchonline]

Hi all; my situation: Just got 15” of snow; must plow mile long, steep, dirt driveway. I’ve been plowing this for years in my Bobcat 873 with an 8’ plow chained up. This past summer I had its 1000 mile service and all was well. I decided to splurge on new chains so i got some 2-link and put them on the rear wheels. I left my older 4-link on the front. Plows great downhill but now I can barely return up an incline. (Not plowing uphill). The wheels turn, but stutter, and the only way I can move is by moving the levers back and forth so my tractor moves jerkily side-to-side. Machine doesn’t stall. Dealer has no idea. Since the only thing different is the chains, i’m gonna put the old 2-links back on tomorrow to see what happens.

Any comments? Would different chains front and rear cause this?
Thanks- Stephen

So in previous years it worked just fine with this much snow, same conditions?

Try chains first, if not then sounds like you are loosing power somehow. I wonder if the uphill shifts fluids and that is causing fuel starvation or something else? By that I mean perhaps something is malfunctioning now and when you go uphill it is causing a power issue.

 

[Rustyiron]

I regularly will only chain up the front axle on my SS. Believe me this is not your problem.
Being at 9000' plus, I have a hard time imagining that you ever get "wet" snow, it's probably a nice powdery snow but you're recent 15" snow is close to double your ground clearance and might be a contributing factor. Then there's your technique, Henro above beat me to it, try backing up. You could also try plowing up the hill with the blade about 10" off the ground and possibly avoiding "bellying out". I might not understand the grade of your slope either.
The last thing to remember is in any compromised traction situation (in a SS), very gradual steering adjustments will help you immensely. By keeping all 4 tires driven, albeit at a slightly different speed is miles ahead of completely stopping one side (to turn) essentially at that point your only 2 wd and chances are any momentum you had is gone.
Lastly, if you had any problems with your internal drive chains you'd see problems in the summer or non plowing work, even turning. I think what's
happening is your basically bouncing over the tire chain link, X2 or X4. Do you by chance have the (good) chains that allow the cross links to rotate?
Good luck with your snow, I'd love to see a picture