Tractor newbie needs advice about chains

[onelostdogg]

Hi all,
I posted on Yanmar thread but pretty quiet there... will try to make a long story short.
New Yanmar EX3200 with 7' rear blade and front bucket. Loaded R4's. 900' of gravel driveway with about 300' of about 20 degree slope which gets icy every year without fail.
Have been plowing for last 10 winters with a 4 wheeler and 2-link v-bar chains made a HUGE difference since year 2.
Dealer swears I won't need chains to plow...he has seen my driveway and said he doesn't know anyone who uses chains on an EX3200.

Here's my question...I am almost sure I will need chains but don't want to spend the $$$ if I am wrong. The rear chains from my Polaris will fit the front tires of the tractor almost perfectly. If I get into trouble and find I really do need them, is it worth a try? Any reason not to use front chains only if I find that they make the difference?

Thanks.

John

 

[DK35vince]

My opinion.
If you have been plowing with chains on the 4 wheeler I think you will be disappointed not having chains on the tractor.
I have loaded R-4's on my tractor with a 9' front blade.
Tractor struggled to get out of its own way trying to push snow without chains.
I run 4 link ladder chains on all 4 tires and the difference is HUGE.

 

[gladehound]

20 degree slope + ice = v-bar chains

I don't see why you couldn't use the 4 wheeler chains on the front unless they are lighter duty than truck or tractor chains. I've plowed on ice without chains with grooved R-4s with no problem, but the most I have to deal with is a 5 degree slope. If I had a 20 degree slope I'd run chains to be safe. You don't want that nice new tractor getting away from you!

 

[bigtiller]

MFWA or Mechanical Front Wheel Assist. In my opinion, the key word in that acronym is assist. It isn't as strong as a true 4 wheel drive unit.

Some guys chain just the front and never have a problem but I'm not willing to take the risk.

 

[BAP]

You can run chains on the front, but should only do so if there is chains on the rear. There is too much stress if the front tires are the only ones chained. Spend the money and buy some rear chains. www.tirechains.com is a good place to buy them from. I run chains on all four tires on my Kubota B2920 pushing a loader mounted plow without any problems.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

You can run chains on the front, but should only do so if there is chains on the rear. There is too much stress if the front tires are the only ones chained. Spend the money and buy some rear chains. www.tirechains.com is a good place to buy them from. I run chains on all four tires on my Kubota B2920 pushing a loader mounted plow without any problems.

I disagree. I have ran 2 link v bars on my l3400 for years with 0 issues. It's 4wd not fwa.

Op, try the front tire chains but don't write off chaining the rears to. I have all four corners on my jd chained just for dealing with icy hills and tasks I need to accomplish.

 

[bigtiller]

I disagree. I have ran 2 link v bars on my l3400 for years with 0 issues. It's 4wd not fwa.

Op, try the front tire chains but don't write off chaining the rears to. I have all four corners on my jd chained just for dealing with icy hills and tasks I need to accomplish.

They are all MFWA. Not until you get into the high horse power articulating agriculture power houses do you get true 4 wheel drive.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Pretty sure fwa is hydraulic and 4wd is shaft driven. Def have shaft drive on both of my tractors.

 

[bigtiller]

Pretty sure fwa is hydraulic and 4wd is shaft driven. Def have shaft drive on both of my tractors.

nope, hydraulic or shaft has nothing to do with it.

 

[jgayman]

Pretty sure fwa is hydraulic and 4wd is shaft driven. Def have shaft drive on both of my tractors.

I could be mistaken but I **think** the confusion may be around M4WD vs. AWD.

Some (usually smaller) tractors implement a type of 4x4 that involves driving the front wheels via fluid (hydraulics). I believe this is how the JD X700 series of garden tractors are configured. I believe the front differential is still shaft driven. Most SCUT and CUT tractors implement 4X4 with a shaft driven front differential and gear driven front axle.

 

[bigtiller]

This is 4WD. If yours is smaller it is mfwa.

 

[Coyote machine]

Regardless of what type of drive your have, it's best practice to run rear chains, and definitely not just front chains. This is due to how the differentials are set up and how the fronts turn when making turns, beyond just running in a straight line, like the rears.
I use the Aquiline MPC 'low profile' type chains on just my rear R4 tires. They give awesome traction, where I basically had none previously on my pretty steep 400' plus drive. These chains are a step up from ladder link chains, and a step below studded type chains. They allow for clearance on most CUT size tractors.
If you want to keep your tractor in good shape invest the money in a good set of rear chains and feel confident in the tractor's ability in most snow/ice situations. My 2 cents.

 

[mad_planter]

My opinion.
If you have been plowing with chains on the 4 wheeler I think you will be disappointed not having chains on the tractor.
I have loaded R-4's on my tractor with a 9' front blade.
Tractor struggled to get out of its own way trying to push snow without chains.
I run 4 link ladder chains on all 4 tires and the difference is HUGE.

Everyone talks about traction and chains. I like having chains for the stopping more than the going. Putting gravel down on ice is a lot less exciting with chains on the rear.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Then what is the correct definition of the hydraulic driven front wheels then?

 

[otlski]

Another vote for rear chains. I have a gravel/dirt driveway that approaches 18 degrees. The drop offs at the embankments are bad enough that I want the security of having the chains, and without them I would not be able to move in some storms. That said, on snow the rears work just fine; on ice I wish I had chains in the front too to help turn the nose.

 

[jgayman]

Then what is the correct definition of the hydraulic driven front wheels then?

The X700-series brochure simply refers to it as full-time 4WD.

The advantage of this system in a lawn mower is the front wheels do not scuff the lawn when turning sharp as the speed of the front tires is regulated.

 

[jgayman]

Another vote for rear chains. I have a gravel/dirt driveway that approaches 18 degrees. The drop offs at the embankments are bad enough that I want the security of having the chains, and without them I would not be able to move in some storms. That said, on snow the rears work just fine; on ice I wish I had chains in the front too to help turn the nose.

I run chains on all four tires on my 2720. Like you, the dealer told me I wouldn't need chains with M4WD. Nothing could be farther from the truth. As another poster mentioned, chains help to stop also.

One time years ago I ran an old Ford NAA without chains and we had a couple inches of snow with a layer of ice underneath. Going down our driveway I started to slide and there was no stopping it. With both rear wheels locked up I slid about 30 feet and stopped just short of going out onto a busy road. I ordered chains the next morning.

 

[aeblank]

I run a full set (all 4) of V-bar ladders. At $700+, it wasn't cheap. That said, I can now blow snow while scraping down the base while going up hill and even turn if I need to. Wouldn't be without 'em.

 

[onelostdogg]

Thanks for all your opinions. I decided to order v-bar ladder chains for the rear tires. Looking at it as a safety issue rather than just the inconvenience of getting stuck. On my old Sportsman it simply made it so I could plow uphill as well as down and helped with turning ability. But with a long icy slope on a tractor it seems that not wanting to spend the money for chains makes about as much sense as not wanting to spend money to replace bald tires on a car. I appreciate everyone's help.

 

[4570Man]

Then what is the correct definition of the hydraulic driven front wheels then?

I don't think it matters what power source drives your wheels.