Snow chains question

[thatguy]

Three of my neighbors chipped in and bought me snow chains for the tractor because their driveways are on slight hills and hard to keep tractions on.

I got a 2 link chain from tirechains.com that needed a little adjustment to get them to fit tight enough - had to drop 2 cross links and then removed about 4 side chains that would otherwise be banging around..

My questions is- Are the chains suppose to be straight across or is it 'ok' for them to be a slight diagonal? you can see in the pic that each side drops down in between the lugs and are just slightly angled.



At 56 lbs. per chains they are not the easiest thing to get on, much less trying to reposition them while getting them tight enough that they run straight across.


thanks

b

 

[thatguy]

Ill will add - IF you have to remove any cross links dont waste your time with a hammer and cold chisel.. I spent 45 minutes last night trying that method and could not get one side of a link wide enough to get them off.. I ended up using a long handled screw driver to pry the links open. it only took a few minutes per side doing it that way..

Brian

 

[Looking4new]

Don't forget to tie the loose ends down with zip ties inside and outside and rock 'n' roll!

 

[HillStreet]

Hey guy,

I installed 4 link chains on my turf tires (12.5 x 33) this winter. I got them nice and tight and pretty straight across. Every now and then after I park it, I notice the cross links are kinda slanted. No big deal, next time out they will shift in the lugs.

I was concerned at first but no longer, they don't affect performance. I have a steep driveway and just paved it last fall. Buying chains was a great decision, I can go up and down the hill with the rear blower and no slipping at all.

 

[dave1949]

I don't see a problem with your chain mounting. You could cut off all but three links of those dangling ends. I would save a couple because sometimes it is easier to cinch up first with the second or third link, then re-cinch using the first link once you get the chain pulled into position.

A 4" angle grinder with a steel cutting wheel is your friend for cutting those chains.

 

[Brant]

Contrary to the popular belief around these parts, tractor tire chains should not be tight. Unless you have serious clearance issues and plow at higher speed, they should be very loose by car/truck standards. You should be able to get your fist between the side chain and the tire. Most tensioners are a waste of time. The goal is to continuously drive over the chains and not have them fall between the lugs.

 

[dave1949]

Contrary to the popular belief around these parts, tractor tire chains should not be tight. Unless you have serious clearance issues and plow at higher speed, they should be very loose by car/truck standards. You should be able to get your fist between the side chain and the tire. Most tensioners are a waste of time. The goal is to continuously drive over the chains and not have them fall between the lugs.

There was a discussion about that a while back. I don't see how "driving over the chains" avoids a lug landing between cross chains? There are more lugs than cross chains. I've seen chain mounting instruction videos that show the fist clearance from Tellefsdal, the company that made my chains. I still don't get it.

I do have side clearance problems on the inside. If I turned my wheels around I would have fender clearance problems on the outside. My chains are not "fist" loose, they are loose enough to creep around the tire if there is slippage.

 

[grsthegreat]

tirechains.com says to get them tight. I dont have any slack in mine, and i kept all extra chain .. i just tied it back with pieces of #12 copper wire. I dont want issues if a replacement tire is slightly difference in size or width or ??.

On mine i went with the spring tighteners cause i had a bungie style break on old tractor and chain came off and nearly wrecked wheel well.

 

[dave1949]

tirechains.com says to get them tight. I dont have any slack in mine, and i kept all extra chain .. i just tied it back with pieces of #12 copper wire. I dont want issues if a replacement tire is slightly difference in size or width or ??.

On mine i went with the spring tighteners cause i had a bungie style break on old tractor and chain came off and nearly wrecked wheel well.View attachment 362547

Yah, I've tying back the extra chain for 5 years now. In reality, your tires--being fairly new looking--are going to get smaller and you will have more extra chain. :laughing:

 

[grsthegreat]

Yah, I've tying back the extra chain for 5 years now. In reality, your tires--being fairly new looking--are going to get smaller and you will have more extra chain. :laughing:

on my old JD870, when i replaced the rear tires with the same make goodyear tires, they were larger than original..even though the numbers were the same. with $600 worth of chains, im not taking any chances

 

[dave1949]

on my old JD870, when i replaced the rear tires with the same make goodyear tires, they were larger than original..even though the numbers were the same. with $600 worth of chains, im not taking any chances

These things are pretty tough I've found. I get mine at TSC , and I get the biggest diameter that will fit through the links. If I needed to lengthen a chain, or reconnect a cut off section of links, I think these would work. Right now, one is holding one side of my chain end links together since I lost one of those twisted c-shaped connectors.

3 Piece 3/16" Quick Links

There are various fittings to connect chain links. You aren't risking much to cut off the extra if you want to.

 

[grsthegreat]

ya well,..nothing beats welded chain

 

[dave1949]

ya well,..nothing beats welded chain

I hear ya. Whatever lets you sleep well at night, that's what you should do. :laughing:

 

[skyhook]

grsthegreat, you have a nice set-up,
that rear tank, is that to power your "hydraulic front blower?

 

[DHD]

Three of my neighbors chipped in and bought me snow chains for the tractor because their driveways are on slight hills and hard to keep tractions on.

I got a 2 link chain from tirechains.com that needed a little adjustment to get them to fit tight enough - had to drop 2 cross links and then removed about 4 side chains that would otherwise be banging around..

My questions is- Are the chains suppose to be straight across or is it 'ok' for them to be a slight diagonal? you can see in the pic that each side drops down in between the lugs and are just slightly angled.

View attachment 362507

At 56 lbs. per chains they are not the easiest thing to get on, much less trying to reposition them while getting them tight enough that they run straight across.


thanks

b

My Two Link Chains look about the same as yours and I have R4 tires also. Some cross links falling between the lugs.
So yes, they are not all straight across. I cut off all the dangling pieces.
I do not have any liquid in my tires, so for installing chains I let all the air out of my tires, then install the chains, then air up the tires. The chains are sufficently tight, and do not move so that I do not require a bungee, like what is shown in the picture of your tires.
I don't ever drive on pavement in the summer, only a 100 yards stretch in the winter to snow blow my neighbors driveway, and then the highway is mostly hardpacked snow anyway. The chains don't harm my lawn or gravel driveway in the summer, so I don't even bother to take the chains off anymore.
The chains and tires still look almost new after about 400 hours on my Kubota B7800, and so far I have never had to touch the chains or tires for any adjustments.

 

[oldballs]

I run mine as tight as I can get them on and then add the tensioners....have always done it that way, be it truck or tractor. The R4 tires work fine that way, but not so good without the chains. The loose ends are wired. BTW, I just took the chains off to work in some dirt excavation, so as to not tear up the shallow frozen surface of the turf. And yes.............there is sleet, freezing rain and snow in the forecast. Darn,.....those things are heavy for this old man.

 

[grsthegreat]

grsthegreat, you have a nice set-up,
that rear tank, is that to power your "hydraulic front blower?

yes. all for the blower

 

[Phil48]

Running your chain with a bit of clearance is especially nice with mud or wet snow (the type that sticks to your tires. Your loose chain will free itself, and your tire wont grow or accumulate snow. Perhaps the size or your fist for the rear, but a little less for smaller front tires otherwise you run into other's problems. If you need two crowbar, and your sweating blood trying to connect them, there are a little tight indeed!

 

[thatguy]

Don't forget to tie the loose ends down with zip ties inside and outside and rock 'n' roll!

Since the pic was taken i have cut 5 links off the side chains.. I wasnt sure how to secure what was left though, so i will try the zip ties..

Brian

 

[8N Ren]

Zip ties will work or bungee cords just tight enough to stop the slop lol.
I have a set, with the old tires I had they fit perfect, with new tires I had to use quick links. They are on there a bit loose after driving on them for awhile but it lets them move around the tire which is nice when you start to slip a bit.