Winter chains for L4400

kubota4me · Nov 6, 2011

I have industrial type tires on my L4400. Am I better off ordering chains for this tire right from my Kubota dealer rather than aftermarket? Will I need chains for the front with it being 4wd? Thanks

whistlepig · Nov 6, 2011

kubota4me said:
I have industrial type tires on my L4400. Am I better off ordering chains for this tire right from my Kubota dealer rather than aftermarket? Will I need chains for the front with it being 4wd? Thanks

The selection of aftermarket chains online is pretty good but shipping costs can be very expensive. Chains are heavy. There are different opinions for using chains on the front. Some say using the chains on the front are too hard on a 4WD drive line. Some say they use them on the front with no problem. From what I have read I think it's best for me not to use the chains on the front.

crazyal · Nov 6, 2011

I would get a price from your dealer and see how close they are to on-line with shipping. For me a local dealer (another member told me about) had a salesman who came through every week and would deliver them free to the dealer. When you figure that they came in a crate weighing over 200lbs it would have had to be truck shipped. Plus the dealer was with in a few bucks of the on-line price.

quaddin · Feb 25, 2012

I studded my tires and they work awesome. I left the studs out a little more than normal. About just under a quarter inch. I put 5 studs per rib on every rib on the tire. I used a little smaller stud on the front tires than the rear. There is not any place I can't go. I run a 7 foot angle blade on the back and a 6 ft front bucket and plow snow all winter. If you want to stud yours you need a high speed drill. I used a die grinder on the compressor. You are burning and drilling the hole at the same time. Also use a proper stud gun for studding tires.
We put in over a 1000 studs between the front and rear tires. Sure beats chains.

RFB · Feb 25, 2012

H style chains work the best for me, and i use them on all 4, and have for years and thousands of hours without problem.

I am on hard-packed snow and ice (except this year) for most of winter, and without the fronts I have slid close to really steep drop-offs while plowing. Once I went to front chains (as well as rears), I had much better traction and control.

You conditions may not warrant fronts.