Tire Chains for R4 Tires ??????????

[Dirtnut]

Ok guys after spinning on ice recently I have decide to look into chains for my L4200 4x4, I remember how well tire chains worked on my 8N but it had R1's on it. I need to know what you guys recommend?

1. Do I buy chains for the rear or front? I have seen alot of machines that had them on the front only, I am assuming to save $$

2. I have R4 tires and have heard that traditional "ladder" type chains do not work well with R4's because the chains fall in between the treads, I was looking into the ones that are in the attached image.

I also found this great site, and am lucky that it is close to my home so shipping would be 1 day Tire Chains by TireChains.com

Thanks as always,

Mike

I have this type with V bars on R-1s & they work much better than the ladder chains that were on it especialy on side hills.They do ride rough on hard pack make sure you get the ones with the extra cross chain in between.I ended up adding the cross chain to mine and it makes it ride much more like ladder chains now.If you dont i am sure they will ride even worse on your R-4s because they dont fall between the cleats like R-1s.

 

[mfrizzi]

I get all my tire chains from https://www.kenjones.com. Great prices and, I tell you guys, nobody is better at tracking down hard to find tires or chains than these guys. They are absolute pros. Give em a look next time you need some new equipment or, especially, some equipment you can't seem to track down.

 

[JC4HD]

Just got my 2 links in the mail from Tire Chains.com... will install tomorrow on my JD2320 with R4's... Rears only by recommendation of my JD Service dept. If the front end needs help I found Brake Steering really works pretty well.

 

[thatguy]

I get all my tire chains from https://www.kenjones.com. Great prices and, I tell you guys, nobody is better at tracking down hard to find tires or chains than these guys. They are absolute pros. Give em a look next time you need some new equipment or, especially, some equipment you can't seem to track down.

thanks for that link.. they actually have chains to fit my 2320 - 23x8.5-12 at a reasonable price..

Every place else I looked was 2x as expensive, so does anyone know what quality these chains are? Its not like I would use them a lot, but the 12" of snow we got in Dec it would have been nice to have them

brian

 

[tractionguru]

Many chains are available for R4 industrial tires. Selection needs to based upon the application. Square link Alloy, twist link, Tru grip H pattern, and Studded H Pattern chains are available. Best selection I've found is at Buy Tire Chains & Snow Chains from the Traction Specialists©

 

[Chilly807]

I put on Norse "Super Tractor" chains, have had great results. Mine are on R1s, you may need wheel spacers to use chains on R4s.

I'm no expert on this, but I'm thinking a lot of you guys may have them on way too tight. According to the literature that came with my chains, they should move around the tire from 30-50 cm per kilometre driven, or from 1-1.5 feet for every .6 mile you travel. They say the side chains should be loose enough that you can "easily slide a clenched fist between the side chain and the tire". They warn against too tight an installation, which will cause rapid chain wear and possible tire damage.

Mine aren't overly rough on pavement, having them loose allows them to flex with the tire. No hopping or jumping of the tractor as the wheels turn, just a jingling sound and slight vibration caused by the studs.

Most the tractor tires I've seen with chains on over the years are like this, they actually hang away from the tire slightly on the bottom. Mine work great, as I mentioned, there's definitely no slippage on the tire when pushing hard, other than rotating around the tire as you drive over time. What happens is that the tight portions on the top of the tire drop in front of the lugs and pull the rest of the chain set with them. I only have them on the rears, no need so far for anything more.

Pushing snow definitely calls for brake steering in heavy stuff, with that much weight in front of the bucket the front tires don't take enough weight to steer the tractor well.

I'm not trying to say you guys are totally wrong here, just saying there's another school of thought that says something different. The fact that it came from the chain manufacturer was what made me sit up and take notice. I asked the dealer about the bungees, etc in the center of the wheel when I got them. He said they weren't necessary "if the chains were the right size for the tire", and specifically said they should be "fairly loose, not so loose they constantly pound on the fenders, but enough that they could move around a bit". This ties in with what Norse recommends.

They very occasionally touch the fenders, a dull tap noise, I think it's the "boomers" (the tensioning levers) as they swing out as the tire turns. I can't see any sign of damage, the actual studded portions definitely aren't touching.

Chilly

 

[JC4HD]

Just got my 2 links in the mail from Tire Chains.com... will install tomorrow on my JD2320 with R4's... Rears only by recommendation of my JD Service dept. If the front end needs help I found Brake Steering really works pretty well.

Boo can't use them! After fitting to size and Installing them I can't use them because they leave too many marks on the driveway.
Back to the drawing board... anybody want to buy a set of 2 link tire chains fitted to tire size 23x8.5-12?

 

[beenthere]

JC4HD (must have a Harley )

Sorry to hear you can't use them. Have any pics of them installed?

What kind of "marks" on the driveway?

 

[bstrom]

Here's the one's I have been using, they work good on ice, ride smooth and don't tear up concrete or pavement. Made for CUTS. I got them from the dealer but I think you can get them here:

Buy Tire Chains & Snow Chains from the Traction Specialistsｩ

 

[ayelvington]

I have spacers on my R4s, and I wouldn't want to try to put chains on without the spacers.

I do have chains (front and back), and they make a world of difference on ice and in the field.

I have a BX-24, and I got the spacers from Brotek in Canada. They really help with stability...