Snow chains

[CK732]

Thanks blueknife

 

[rScotty]

The hooks that are circled in green should be facing the other way, out, away from the tire.

View attachment 2115555

That's correct. Blueknife is showing that one is mounted with the wrong side out. Also looks a bit loose. The cure for too loose is to remove some links. It helps to have a chain tool and link kit, but not essential. The chains should fit loosely until you fasten the over-center latches on each side, then will be just right. It can take some fitting to get a set of chains to fit right, but worth it.
If they do not fit right, you can make up some of the slop by putting rubber stretch banks on the outside to pull the sides tight. Once they fit right you won't need the stretch bands, the over-center latch will set the tension and they go on easily.
I remember we messed with one pair on our Ag tractor - adding links and subtacting links from other old chain sets - for a couple of seasons until we got them right. It's worth the effort.
rScotty

 

[LouNY]

As others have mentioned the chains are on wrong, the open side of the cross chains needs to be facing out from the tire.
Also they are not squared up on the tire. As you try and tighten them up you'll need to keep every thing even and square.
That style of chain will never ride smooth. If you are pulling hard at a slow speed you will see the tire slip/spin each time it rolls around to an open spot on the tire.
As far as mounting the chains, if you are picking them up and draping them over the tire then driveing ahead a bit and trying to fasten them you are just beating yourself up.
Lay the chains out behind your tractor with the traction side up,
get a 5-6 foot long piece of rope or cord,
tie it to the outside chains, often I'll use my latchs,
with the rope forming a V loop it over a couple of tire lugs.
drive ahead with the rope pulling your chains up and around your tire.
Straighten and even your chains as you drive them on ,
once you have made a complete revolution with your tires your hooks are facing up and your connecting links are hanging down.
Fasten your chains. When you finish you need to have the same spacing on the fastening links on both sides so your chains are on square, if not square you will be fighting them constantly.

Here is a link to some pictures showing this method;
Mounting tire chains

 

[CK732]

Thank Lou I pick them and threw them on.
I use to to put them like you did I have to start that again.

 

[CK732]

I have them on but the keeper is pulling the chain to tight.

 

[BlueKnife]

I have them on but the keeper is pulling the chain to tight.

You can't pull chains too tight with rubber tensioners. They'll break before the chain is too tight. You need to take some links out of that chain and probably get bigger tensioners or add length to each arm using screws links and short sections of chain. .

 

[tjandrews]

That chain may have been the correct size for those tires when they were new, but now it looks to me like the tread is about half worn away. Also, it's possible that the chains themselves have worn and stretched a bit, but that is less likely, IMO.

So, for whatever reason, the chains are now too long. As others have said, you need to remove a link from the side chains. And be sure to remove one from each side, so they will still mount squarely. When mounted correctly, each side chain should be approximately the same distance from the center of the wheel, and even all the way around.

It's been several years since we needed chains on a tractor in the wintertime, but back when we did we had to place them as best we could, then go back and readjust them after the chains "settled" from using them for an hour or so, always needing to go tighter.

 

[HammerGrips]

Is this setup just for snow removal work? I had chains for a number of years, but the rears with their deep lugs (and chain weight) made mounting a chalenge and resulted in a really bumpy ride.

I've been using ice screws in the rears for a few seasons. Not as bumpy, but a lot easier to install. I still use chains on the fronts, but they're much more easy to put on.

 

[BlueKnife]

So, for whatever reason, the chains are now too long.

The chains come from the factory intentionally too long in order to accommodate a variety of tire sizes, wear levels and rim widths.

 

[Gord Baker]

Can someone tell me if these chains look right on the back wheels

They look OK to me. May have originally been made for a larger Diameter Tire and shortened. Keep them Tight. They are on 'inside out' as noted by Blueknife. Not a biggie if they are not used much. Evens out the wear!