Chains What chains to buy for snow?

[Piston]

I may end up doing Talon's on just my fronts, and ladder's on the rear. This way there won't be nearly as much weight on the aggressive chains, as there would be on the filled rears, but in the woods I could still get some good traction when needed, only engaging 4wd when I start slipping. :confused3:

 

[David P]

I use Trygg tire chains, very similar to the Aquiline Talons. I believe they are supposed to be run tight on the tire, not loose. Exceptional traction.

 

[RoyJackson]

Check out Tire Chains by TireChains.com. They're located in west central PA, so shipping wouldn't be too expensive (and chains are heavy!)

With a gravel drive, you can probably go for a more aggressive chain and the folks there can give you advice as far as type of chains, how much clearance is required, etc.

As others wrote, chains can sell out early (especially certain sizes), so don't wait too long.

 

[keony]

Thanks everyone, good advice!

 

[oosik]

When I had my smaller tractor I had "V-bar" chains for all four wheels. Fantastic traction, but exceedingly heavy and not the easiest "implement" in the shed to instal. I only got on asphalt(county road) when I would plow snow on the driveway but they did leave their mark on the asphalt. Had to special order them thru a local tire dealer. They were special heavy duty tractor chains. As I remember, the set of four chains was around $650.

Don't need chains with the new, bigger tractor. I can only imagine how heavy & costly V-bar chains would be for the current tractor.

 

[varmint]

I second (or third?) the Tirechains.com site. I was able to get a set of rear chains for my B8200's turf tires IN THE WINTER when I got desperate for traction on icy snow. Euro style, is what I remember, and they worked great. The guy I spoke with on the phone was very helpful, and seemed to know his product. Reasonable price, but shipping will bite, since they weigh a lot! In fact, I opened the box and took the two chains one by one down to the barn- couldn't use a cart, because of the deep snow and narrow path I had shoveled. Ah, winter.

 

[RoyJackson]

I second (or third?) the Tirechains.com site. I was able to get a set of rear chains for my B8200's turf tires IN THE WINTER

Yep...you don't want to wait until winter to buy 'em...and you don't want to wait until it snows to install them.

 

[Threepoint]

[snip]
Don't need chains with the new, bigger tractor. I can only imagine how heavy & costly V-bar chains would be for the current tractor.

For a bigger tractor like yours, I can tell you: They're heavy! A neighbor bought an a Kubota M6040 with R4s after Snowmageddon, and found he needed chains for good traction in snow. While it can be done alone, it pretty much takes two people to put them on. They go on in November and stay on until April, snow or no snow!

 

[oosik]

Ha, ha - of course, the first time I decided I needed chains, the snow was knee deep and risin'. The "first instal" was VERY unceremonious, time consuming and educational. Thereafter, they went on in warm wx. The chains I got had 2X the number of cross links as normal chains and "V's" were really big. On a frozen driveway the little tractor actually "sat up" on the V's and I really don't think much of the rubber tire touched the ground. To say the tractor rode like a cob would have been a major understatement.
Plowing snow at slow speeds was the order of the day - otherwise, with the seat belt off there was always the fear of being bucked out of the seat or with it on, the belt almost cut me in half. I had the little tractor(Ford 1710 4x4) for 25 years and only used the chains for four winters. I developed some very imaginative ways to plow snow on my mile long driveway - without chains.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Tire chains .com, way cheeper than anywhere else I could find and the v bar chains I put on the rear of my little massey are great. I plowed up hill through 10 or 12 in of snow and then found out I had forgotten to put it in 4x4. Get the ones with the extra cross chains for the smoother ride and more traction. You will love them.