Snow Snow Removal

[KentT]

Why don't you simply remove the extra link to avoid the noise and damage?

I use Zip-type wire ties to tie any unused links tight to the chain on the inside, and also to hold the "locking handle" down on the outside...

Since there's no real stress on them, other than holding those couple of links, they last all winter with no signs of wear or damage.

YMMV...

 

[catsco]

Why don't you simply remove the extra link to avoid the noise and damage?

An excellent question! Depending on how frozen my hands are, there are not enough links or three too many!

The actual noise and damage before the slightly narrower tires weren't the "extra" link, but the inside chain just barely touching the tub. That self-adjusted pretty quickly. The extra link no longer hits anything as there is about 3/4" clearance now rather than the link size plus 1/2 coat of paint thickness with the new tires.

I tried the zip ties, but that made adjustments harder in our frozen wasteland here.

 

[Bob999]

An excellent question! Depending on how frozen my hands are, there are not enough links or three too many!

The actual noise and damage before the slightly narrower tires weren't the "extra" link, but the inside chain just barely touching the tub. That self-adjusted pretty quickly. The extra link no longer hits anything as there is about 3/4" clearance now rather than the link size plus 1/2 coat of paint thickness with the new tires.

I tried the zip ties, but that made adjustments harder in our frozen wasteland here.

I fit my chains and install them before the weather gets cold--but perhaps you don't have the luxury of being able to install the chains early and leave them on for the season.

 

[KentT]

I fit my chains and install them before the weather gets cold--but perhaps you don't have the luxury of being able to install the chains early and leave them on for the season.

Another tip, if you have an air compressor and floor jack, is to jack up the tractor and let the air out of the tires, install the chains as tight as you can, and then reinflate the tires. That'll usually hold them quite tightly...

Since I've loaded my tires with WW fluid, I don't do that any more -- but before I filled them, that worked well...

 

[busydaddy]

i have seen springs that hook onto outside to tension side chains. i always use bungees to hold on the truck chains.

 

[MossRoad]

Here's a link to a video I took on Valentine's day, 2008. Plowing at night, one handed while video taping. Kinda dark, kinda grainy, kinda fun.

http://www.mossroad.com/PT425Videos/snowplowing3.wmv

 

[cqaigy2]

Nice video.

I was plowing down hill on our lane as fast as i could to help throw the snow as far as possible to cause it to go over the edge so we would no run out of room to put it.

I found the remains of one of those pipe gates they put up in the woods around here. It had been cut off about 2" above ground. Seems everybody but me knew about it. It stopped me pretty quick, kinda like instantly. I'm kinda surprise i hadn't hit it with the brush mower.

 

[KentT]

I've had the chance to use my PT in the snow, for the first time, having brought it back from TN last fall to put in some drain lines from my gutters. Of course, I didn't think to haul back the snow blade, just the LM bucket, grapple bucket and minihoe.

So, I've used the LM bucket a couple times to scrape up 1.5" of sleet and another time to scrape/move about 3" snow that had melted a bit and re-frozen to the ground while I was out of town. Overall, I was pretty impressed with how well it would scrape down to my paved driveway without damaging anything. Wouldn't want to use it to clear a 1/2 acre parking lot, but overall was pretty impressed. Cleans down to pavement better than my snowblower, but quite a bit slower...

I'll just be glad to sell the Simplicity snowblower, snow cab, and move far enough south that you simply "wait out" any snow that falls, and go out after it's melted and gone. So far, it's been a very snowy, icy, winter in Massachusetts --I just came in from snowblowing another 5"-8" -- and I'm quite tired of it already. I don't mind the occasional big snow to dig out of, but this crap of snowing 3 or 4 times a week gets old pretty quick...

 

[MossRoad]

We've had a few inches of snow every day for the last 4 days. Just enough to not plow if is was one day, but if you do plow, there's another 2" in half a day. It piled up about 6 - 10 inches on the lakes, which makes for tough hiking for ice fishing. Then, today, it warmed up, so we have this nice looking layer of snow, but if you step on it, you sink into 2" of water under it, on top of the ice. Just deep enough water to soak the cuffs and bottom 10" of your Carharts. The driveway almost melted clear of snow, the froze the slush. Back and forth temps. We are supposed to get the deep freeze later this week, so I stocked the wood bin with enough wood for 2 weeks so I don't have to go out. The PT is all tucked in with the battery charger on it just waiting.

 

[cqaigy2]

Almost all the snow is gone from here.

I think the 5+ inches of rain had something to do with it.