Just added studded chains to the rear, and bought ladder chains for the much smaller front. We will see how they do in snow and ice -- maybe in a few hours, as they are predicted, but not sure there'll be much.
But I learned some things in the process, about chain clearance. The chain instructions say to center the chain on the width of the tire to start, but on the front wheels this does not work. They come down far enough on the inner sidewalls that they hit the power steering cylinder knuckle on the left, and may start hitting the tie rod knuckles on both sides. I set it aside for now but want to try them again by lengthening them and letting them ride high on the sidewalls on the inside, and using aggressive chain tensioners on the outside. Obviously the part of the chain on the treat itself won't care, as these are just ladder chains.
On the rear wheels I seemed OK from the start, but soon started hearing something colliding. The chain clamping mechanism on one wheel was sticking out too far and hitting the ROPS frame near its base. Eventually I figured out this has to do with whether there's an even or odd number of links in the long circumferential chain, because if there's an odd number, the clamping mechanism has to make up a twist, which can either tilt it toward the tire or away from it. Once I identified this and got strategic about the twist direction I never had that collision again. But there sure isn't much room in there.
Then I started having another chain - ROPS collision. There's a diagonal chain attachment, and the maker provides little D shackles. They are superior in the sense that you don't need to pull the chain further, hook it, and lose a centimeter of tension once it's hooked, as is the case with a quick link. However, they do stick out further to the side, and somehow one wound up with the side of the D through the circumferential chain link, rather than the straight bar of the D.
Next time I mount these I am going to use quick links, and I'm going to mark the chain so I know what's a good tension on the inner side and don't do any adjusting any more.
If you can picture it, the ideal would be to have the wheel off the tractor and mounted on a pedestal with the axis vertical and the inner sidewall pointed up. I'd put the chain on like I was putting a tablecloth on a round table, dressing it to get the right amount of consistent drape all around, and then start tensioning the bottom side. Well, no way I'm gonna get to do it that way, but that's the end result we're shooting for as far as chain placement is concerned.
