tire chains... again ?

[GrayBeard]

My question is ; how hard are two link "ladder" chains on asphalt ?
I've got a CC7264 TLB (R4 tires) that I want to buy/build a snow plow for.
The tractor is a 4x4 with a differential lock and backhoe will remain on during plowing.
The drive is 600' (+) with some hills.
I understand that a lot of "spinning" is directly related to the results. I was curious about first hand experience.
Anyone have any comments on "non-steel" chains ?
Maybe more importantly, how are the R4's in snow.( I did drive it some on a "woods" road / 10" of snow and no problem)
Thanks,
GrayBeard

 

[Deerlope]

I would try the plow without the chains. You could always get them later if needed. the weight of the hoe will add a lot of traction.
PS. we can be of more help if we know what area you live in. like northeast, etc.

 

[chim]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Maybe more importantly, how are the R4's in snow.( I did drive it some on a "woods" road / 10" of snow and no problem)
Thanks,
GrayBeard )</font>

Last year was the first I had R4's, and they worked fine. Most of the plowing I do is on blacktop, with a couple hundred feet of packed crushed stone that I need to keep open to our LPG tank. Two driveways I do have hills - mebbe a rise of 8' in a run of 50'. My Kubota B7500 w/ R4's handles a 6' rear blade about the same as my Ford 1210 w/ R1's handles a 5 footer.

Most removal is done using the rear blade, but the FEL comes in handy for pushing back the piles and scraping down to bare blacktop. Any traffic before plowing can pack the snow enough that the rear blade just doesn't remove it all.

The only time I needed chains was with a 2WD tractor (Cub Lowboy w/ front blade) I had years ago. It had turfs, and wouldn't even move, let alone push snow without chains. With chains it was almost as good as 4WD.....................chim

 

[Bobvt]

In the 70's I plowed snow commerically - 2 trucks and 50 hp tractor with 8 foot snow bucket and 3 ph snow blower. I run the tractor with a set of double ring chains. They didn't do any damage to city streets or private driveways.

Bob

 

[lamarbur]

Just came in after 11 hrs of moving 18" of snow at many commercial accounts. I run a JD 710 backhoe, 33,000 lb machine. We always run St. Pierre rollers on the fronts only. 99% of the commercial accounts are asphalt paved and never a problem with the asphalt, tires, chains or other.

 

[GrayBeard]

I live in Central Pa.
Maybe I'm to cautious but I just didn't want to be real out of "shape" on a hill, ready to launch into the trees and decide to get chains... lol
I suppose trial and error would be wise; if I can't stand up on the surface, ice under snow, I'll put the chains on.(better than risking the machine.)
I'll probably go with just the "link", no v-bar.
Thanks.

 

[mgrick]

I have R-4's on my DK35 with a RM blower.I put a set of 2 link chains on the back but I found out today after using it for the first time in snow(about a foot) that with out chains on the front I got in trouble going a little over my driveway down an incline.As I came up the front slid slideways and kept sliding sideways as I tried to go back up.I was stuck and had to pull it up on the high side with my Envoy.I didn't even have ice yet but I can see where I might have to put a set on the front also.I have a pretty nasty driveway.I couldn't even imagine not having chains on where I live.

 

[JDGREEN4ME]

This will be the second winter I have plowed snow with R4s on my tractor. I will admit that I am only plowing on moderate grades but I have not needed to use chains up to this point.

 

[Junkman]

When I had my 1954 Willy's with a plow on it, I always used the chains on the front wheels.... I only had one set of chains and it just worked better that way. I had tried it on the rear and they just didn't work as well...

 

[Corm]

I had the same problem with my CC7260 - I had a hard time keeping it in a straight line while plowing with a 3pt blade canted off at an angle. I run chains on the fronts only. Fixed my steering problem, and the extra traction that comes from chains on those small front tires is incredible.

Corm