Chaining up for the snow

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Doug Iowa

New User

• Dec 21, 2013

• #1

Got the 706 chained up for the coming snow, what a PITA. Bout did me in. I wonder why they've never came up with a better plan. Could a person make individual cross chains and just run them thru the holes in the cast wheel? Put them on one at a time and join the ends with a chain splice. Anyone tried that?

 

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Super Steve

Member

• Dec 21, 2013

• #1

friend of my did that with his loader tractor, it wasn't as good as full chains but was a lot easier to put on and did its purpose

 

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Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Dec 21, 2013

• #1

seen a guy do that on his old pickup. was better than nothing but without many holes to run the chain through, the spacing between the chain was too far apart to be as good as a stock chain. certain tractor wheels would be better though for that idea.

 

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

• Dec 21, 2013

• #1

Doug,
I jack up the one side, roll chain on tire, used sharpie to mark where to connect links, Left and right side. Still a PBI ask. Then I use 3 bungie cords on outside to keep chain in place.

I chain up when I'm done mowing, still warm, put blade on too. Then some winters, it doesn't snow enough to use tractor. Been that way this year too.
George

 

Bob M

Well-known Member

• Dec 21, 2013

• #1

After years of struggling I finally figured out a way to mount chains on 38" tires in just a few minutes without assistance:

- Lay the chains out on the ground directly behind each tire.

- Use a small ratchet strap threaded thru each wheel to cinch up the first cross chain tight to the tire (the connector ends of the side chains must be left free).

- Now slowly drive the tractor forward 3 - 4 feet at a time. Recenter/re-space the cross chains as required as the chains drag toward and wrap around the tire.

- Continue until the chains are fully wrapped - stop with the ratchet strap the at about the 1 o'clock position. If you do it right the chains will now be centered and side chains' hook/connectors will fit together easily.

- Finally undo the ratchet strap, install the tensioners on the outer side chains and you're good to go.

 

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GaryMA

Member

• Dec 21, 2013

• #1

I chain up my Dynahoe 190 with Trygg forestry chains on the rear and Labonville"s on the front. Easy install video...
Trygg forestry chain installation

 

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rick n ohio

Member

• Dec 21, 2013

• #1

i can chain up my mf-35 with 28in tires,i throw the chains over the top then hook them on the bottom.takes me less than fifteen minuets for both sides.
RICK

 

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Eldon (WA)

Well-known Member

• Dec 21, 2013

• #1

(quoted from post at 16:04:41 12/21/13) Got the 706 chained up for the coming snow, what a PITA. Bout did me in. I wonder why they've never came up with a better plan. Could a person make individual cross chains and just run them thru the holes in the cast wheel? Put them on one at a time and join the ends with a chain splice. Anyone tried that?

Click to expand...

People think that chains need to be tight on a tire, but they will work much better if left a little loose. So, don't waste your time trying to get them tight as a drum! If you lay them out on the ground, drive over them, hook one end on a lug and drive forward until chain is wrapped around tire, hook and go. They will be loose enough not to get lodged between the lugs of the tire and will self clean. If they "walk" on the tire, they probably aren't wide enough.

 

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notjustair

Well-known Member

• Dec 21, 2013

• #1

I wonder if you could just use a long log chain and run it around the tire and the rim like sewing. Hmmm. My luck it would slip and tear off the valve stem.

I haven't chained up my blading tractor yet. I'm not sure why, other than the fact that I dread it. I would rather tie down 10 loads of round bales than put those chains on. I think part of it is their weight and the other part is the extra 15 pounds of clothing you have on this time of year.

I keep meaning to load the tires on the blading tractor but I put it off every June. It wouldn't have been enough last winter anyway.

 

6

60 acre hillside

Member

• Dec 21, 2013

• #1

I have done that with trucks to get out of a slick spot. With a tractor caught chain on some part of a tractor and busted a tire on an old Allis Chalmers C

 

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Leroy

Well-known Member

• Dec 21, 2013

• #1

At one time they did make chains for car tires that were individual sections but then they started making the rims fit so tight against the break drums you could not get the belt between to get in hole in wheel. There were 2 cross chains per section so you would have 8 cross chains per tire. But then some wheels did not have the slots for them.

 

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Cliff Nelson

Well-known Member

• Dec 21, 2013

• #1

I have used a log chain on a 1-ton dually when I got stuck on snow one time. It got me out but would probably not work well for long term use. The chain tightened up and distorted the tire as I was driving it. Also, I could not get it unhooked and had to take the pins out of the hooks to get it off after I got out.

 

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Mike in Mn.

Member

• Dec 21, 2013

• #1

I used to use #60 roller chain and do that, bolt the ends, worked good.

 

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old

Well-known Member

Location

Camdenton Missouri

• Dec 21, 2013

• #1

Not sure if it would work on a tractor but many many years ago when I had to ride a motorcycle in the ice and snow I would wrap the rear wheel/tire with a steel wire and that sure as heck helped. I can not see why if you took a long chain and wrapped it around the tire why that would not work as long as it sit above the tread and did not fall down into the tread but probably would not be easy to do either

 

495man

Well-known Member

• Dec 22, 2013

• #1

Easiest way I've found, at least for 14.9-28's, jack tractor up so wheel is just off the ground, throw chains over the tire so connectors are at rear of tire, pull chain under tire, rotate tire to ensure chains laying correct, then connect the binders. I mark the "correct" spot on each side chain with cable ties so no guess work.

Would work for taller tires, just tie the chain and spin the tire to lift it.

 

OP

OP

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Doug Iowa

New User

• Dec 22, 2013

• #1

Thanks for all the tips. I think the best solution is a tractor with MFWD!

 

495man

Well-known Member

• Dec 22, 2013

• #1

Yes, 9/10 FWA is better. Studded ice chains on a 2wd will bite in on ice when a unchained FWA tractor is spinning all 4....

 

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chevytaHOE5674

Well-known Member

• Dec 22, 2013

• #1

Mfwd is nice but I still usually chain the rear of my mine up as it helps bite into the packed snow and ice. Even been known to put chains on the front tires they the snow gets deep and you needs lots of traction.

 

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Tony in Mass.

Well-known Member

• Dec 22, 2013

• #1

I had a set of bear paws so heavy and hard to link up I wished I could have left them on all year. Then, one spring morning, on the Nevada California line... a big sign with red blinking lights. 'no vehicles beyond this point without tire chains while lights are flashing'... I pull over, behind a suburban. A rather nice looking well dressed girl got out, putting on a pair of gloves, opened the tailgate, grabbed a set of chains and a pair of pliers. Squat down and slopped that chain on there in one motion, started to wiggle it in place, so as I thought I should go out and offer to help, the lights went off, she noticed the lights weren't flashing, grabbed that chain and the pliers in one scoop, and tossed them in the back- checked out her black pin stripped business skirt suit, and off she went. From that time on, I figured if this trendy California chick can man handle a set of tire chains in a business suit in a gravel pull off,, in a blizzard, at 6000 or 7000 feet in the Sierras, a stone's throw from the Donner Party site... I will not complain about chaining tires in my driveway again...