tire chains, do they hurt concrete

[john_bud]

When compared to the damage done to sun warmed asphalt - no damage. If you are talking about scuffs and scratches, then yep.

There are some rubber belting products you can use to cover if it's just from parking. If it's a worry about pushing snow across the cement, then you will have to go without a chain.

jb

 

[Shmudda]

Tire chains will most likely scratch, spall or chip your concrete. You have to look at the total load the concrete is seeing from your machine based on its operational weight.

Tires evenly distribute the weight of the machine over a certain area based on their contact area and air pressure. When you introduce chains on the tires, the area of the chain is now almost a point load and you are relying on the weight of the tractor to force that point down into the snow & ice to "grip" thru it and provide you with traction. Thats why chains are so effective. Its easly to calculate the difference of the tire loads vs the point loads if you know your tires contact area with and without chains and total weight of the machine with you on it.

Remember, most concrete is only a 4000 psi mixture, so if your total point load is above that you will certainly chip or spall the top of the driveway.

Craig

 

[keeney]

New concrete = Yes, the chains will of course wreck it.
Old deteriorating concrete or asphalt = won't be visible (or who cares?)

- Rick

 

[LBrown59]

If you spin them yes.


L . B .

 

[Destructo_D]

I fabricate snowchains for a living....Another option is Square link.... It looks more like an Oval... But They give a smooth ride, about as harsh on pavement as the twist link....BUT the plus side is, once the chain starts getting a little wear on it, it sharpens up and "bites" into the ice really well and gives you good traction....However, it is a little more expensive....

SQUARE ALLOY CROSS CHAIN

But instead of the standard chain spacing 3 bare links (single duty) get a set of chains with only 1 bare link between cross rails (double duty).... less chance of spinning and smoother ride....

 

[vsteel]

As mentioned before, it depends on the chain and the weight of the tractor and the strength of the concrete. What we always did for the Oliver 77 when we would put it in the shop at -30, is just lay down a couple of planks so the tires would not be on the concrete in the shop. (gravel just outside so no other concrete to worry about.)

 

[hondo964]

Vsteel,

How thick? I'm wondering if plywood might be easiest....

 

[vsteel]

They were 2X10s but that is what we had from an old fence we took down. Plywood might work. The Oliver is about 6000lbs from what I remember so it needed a little thickness. Since we were just pulling it in and it only had chains on the rear tires, we only needed 5 feet or so of plank and only a strip for the tires. The fronts didn't need it since they didn't have the chains.

You can try the plywood and see if it breaks or not. If it works so much the better, if you need something thicker then you can go with the planks.