Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Trygg chains installation

[Dave M7040]

I found that without using the special TRYGG jack, the chains are never as tight on the tire as they are intended to be.

I tried other tools but once I bought the special tool (expensive $280 in Canada) it was like having a gorilla helping me.

There are other cheaper styles available and skilled owners could make one up.

Dave M7040

 

[Hilbilly]

The attachments show up fine now and nice job on the fix.:thumbsup: Glad to hear it is more of a wobble than a rough ride. I'm really expecting these chains to ride quite smoothly, especially compared to the ladder chains I had on the front tires last year. Man those things rode rough on ice.

Dave, thanks for the pics of the chain jacks. The screw type look like they should be fairly easy to make. I see a little project in my future.

 

[John_Mc]

I found that without using the special TRYGG jack, the chains are never as tight on the tire as they are intended to be.

I tried other tools but once I bought the special tool (expensive $280 in Canada) it was like having a gorilla helping me.

There are other cheaper styles available and skilled owners could make one up.

Dave M7040

Interesting. It looks as though Trygg wants their chains mounted tightly. The OFA EKO chains specify that they want them mounted loose: you are supposed to be able to fit a fist in under the chain (and in fact they will not do warranty coverage for chains showing premature wear caused by over-tightening). So I've never attempted to use a jack or any sort of tensioning device. I just lay them on the ground behind the tractor, studded side facing up, tie a loop of string near the center of the end cross chain pass through a hole in the rim and back on to the center of that cross chain. (The directions say to just hook the loop over the tread, rather than passing through a hole on the rim, but that tends to come off of my older tires.) Then I just drive the chains on to my tire, stopping to spread and center the chains a couple times on their way around. I stop when the starting end connectors get about half way up the back of the tire, make the connection and I'm done. No significant wrestling with the end to get it tight, no re-tensioning after driving it a bit. It's simple and quick.

 

[Gordon Gould]

I also find it interesting Trygg wants the chains so tight. If you have a very tight circumference chain bridging the deep gap between two lugs on an R1 tire and then run over something like a root or rock so that significant weight is supported by the chain over the gap it will cause tremendous tensile forces to be developed in the chain so that when it flexes, which it must, it is with a grinding action between the links. Like the effect you get stringing a tight clothes line and hanging a small weight on it can produce tension in the rope 100 times greater than the weight. If the chains are loose they can flex and bottom out and there is no tension or grinding action between links as they flex. Two totally different approaches for similarly designed chains..............??????????

EDIT: Even w/o the root or rock any flexing will be abrasive just from the installation tension.

gg

 

[Dave M7040]

I have provided some info regarding TRYGG chains and a tight installation.

TRYGG maintains a loose chain will have much greater wear and damage from pavement impact.

The diamond pattern of studded chain wrapped around the tire circumference is only completed by joining two diamonds using open hooks.
If the chains are not tight the diamonds will come apart.

When my too long chains came apart, the open hooks grabbed unto my tractor's step and locked one back wheel which was scary.

Dave M7040

 

[LouNY]

^^^^^
interesting, none of mine have an open hook they use clevises or the open link that has to be twisted and turned just right to be hooked or unhooked.

 

[ruffdog]

^^^^^
interesting, none of mine have an open hook they use clevises or the open link that has to be twisted and turned just right to be hooked or unhooked.

Yeah, them open hooks are a accident waiting to happen. I always thought chains should be loose enough to walk around the tire a bit while in use.

 

[FrankJG]

We received a little 8 inches of snow yesterday so I did my first snow run with the chains on At first didnt like them at all, sometimes shaky sometimes bouncy. But after couple of driveways it seems like they settle un better and no more weird feeling of bounces and shakes. Except for short random moments.


After my run (7 driveways and 8 km of roading) they hold
good but got loose a bit, so I'm gonna retighten them to see what happen.

Looked at your pics of the chains hooking your tractor's step. That must have been a scary moment, don't want that to happen at road travel speed.

 

[John_Mc]

I have provided some info regarding TRYGG chains and a tight installation.

TRYGG maintains a loose chain will have much greater wear and damage from pavement impact.

The diamond pattern of studded chain wrapped around the tire circumference is only completed by joining two diamonds using open hooks.
If the chains are not tight the diamonds will come apart.

When my too long chains came apart, the open hooks grabbed unto my tractor's step and locked one back wheel which was scary.

I can see how open hooks or S hooks could cause a problem if the chains were loose. OFA EKO chains have a different method for joining the two diamonds when installing the chain. They have a special chain link with a diagonal cut in the side:

Two of these are attached in two places to the trailing edge of the last diamond pattern on one end of the chain, and two more are attached to the leading edge of the diamond on the other end of the chain. Once the chain is wrapped around the tire, the links can be connected together, but only if they are in a specific orientation. Once connected, they act like regular chain links and will not come undone unless they are moved to that same orientation and pulled apart. The overall circumference of the diamond section is adjusted to fit slightly larger or smaller tires by adding or removing extra links (which is why I happen to have spares).

I have never had these come apart in use. In fact it takes a bit of fiddling to get things just right when I do want to take them apart.

 

[LouNY]

I just put mine on one tractor today and they are not tight, I use clevises for most of my fastening.
Also put the chained up tires on the sander truck in preparation for tomorrow and Monday.