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Chains on ice

B

bja105

Member
Will putting tire chains on my two wheel drive tractor let me drive on ice? Will it make a vast improvement? Is it worth $400+ to get them? The ones I am looking at say they are what I need for my ag tire tread.

Is installing chains a one man job? What about one man, in the dark, in the snow?

Or, would it be less trouble to butcher three cows and three horses, and get more in the spring? ;)
 
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

I've chained up many a time at night. Always by myself. After
the first time you will be an exhausted wreck but then you will
have a system. It takes me about 15 minutes to do mine if I
need them and they will help on ice as long as the ladder
pieces don't slip between the Ag bars. $400 sounds VERY
high though. I suppose if you are chaining up an 8430 or
something it isn't bad. There has to be someone around you
who is tired of seeing them sit on the wall in the shed.

Butchering would be much easier. Until they are all laying
there dead, of course. Then chains look really easy.
 
It would be less trouble to butcher all the
critters, but chains will definitely help. What
size do you need? I watched a pair sell yesterday
for $40. Should have bought them, but I was ticked
that the tractor they went on, starting bid was
where I thought the ending bid would be.
 
They will surely make a big difference. I put them on the first of December and take them off in the spring. I jack up one side at a time and put them on. No big deal. Although I don't go far with the tractor, just use it around the farm.

Never felt I needed nor used them on a 4 wheel drive tractor.

Myself, I would keep the cows, get rid of the horses, buy a couple more cows, and get a set of chains.
 
I have chains on my Leland, I put them on in the fall and leave them on until spring, I usually put t5hem on in the garage where I have a flat surface to work on. I recently bought a new pair of TRACTOR chains for $500.00
 
I have lived in the Rock Mountains for Years, and have chains on about everything. If you can not lift the chain onto the tire. make a piece of chain that will hook on both side of the tie chain and go over the tire at least past the top part, hook into a tire tread and drive forward. DO not make the chains tight. let them flop but not enough to hit fenders, or come off.
 
$400 is new price. I was at a sale yesterday that had several sets of worn chains that sold for $75 for all if them. The better chains were near or on the tractors and sold between $75 for 13.6-38 H chains and $275 for 16.9-38 double ring chains.

Ease of mounting depends greatly on size of tire (weight of chains), strength of mounter, and quality of clasps. I can mount my 18.4-38 H chains by myself, but it's a task. Mounting my 13.6-38 H chains on the 60 is super simple. Both have good clasping styles.

All chains help on ice, but more aggressive ones are gonna be better, of course.
 
Its a Ford 4610, with 15.5x38 tires.

If anyone has a set in western PA, let me know.

I had an adventure yesterday. I had a half full ibc tote on the front, a heavy counter weight on the back. When I started sliding backward, I put down the counter weight and the loader, which just took my load off the loader forks. So the load was on the road, on the hill, where I couldn't get to. I wasn't laughing then, but it is kinda funny.

I hope that chains and a three point pallet fork to put the weight on the drive tires will do what I need.

Any thoughts on using my bale spear as pallet forks? I have the style with two short spears low, no center spear. If i limit my load to about the weight of my round bales, it shouldn't hurt the spears. If anything, less weight will extend behind the spears. My only worry is the small round spears haveless contact area than the wide flat forks, and damage the bottom of the tote.
 
Three weeks ago, I had to put chains on my hydro out along the hiway after dark. 18.4x38 tires and those suckers are heavy.

That was when I decided to find a 4x4 tractor.

Not a fun job fer an old feller.

Allan
 
Yes, they will make a big difference. They can be tough to put
on, depending on the size, but once on leave them there until
spring. I usually put them on before the first snowfall, and take
them off about the 1st of May here in MN. Not on this year yet,
as no snow yet! I have a pair of 18.4-28 that are easy to toss
on by myself, 18.4-34 is a real handful for one guy to toss over
the tire, 18.4-38 I cant toss over alone. I either get help, or do
the drive on the chain half way trick, then get off and drape the
back side to the top, then continue driving forward until the
chain is wrapped around the tire.
A hassle to put on, kind of. Make a difference on ice, as
different as night and day.
 
They will help, add weight, loaded tires or something on the back end also makes a big difference in traction. Flat ground makes a difference too, working perpendicular to a slope, in my opinion can be a pain sometimes, a lot more so without chains, weight etc.

If you can jack up a side of the tractor, you can pull up on the end of the chains a bit, get them started on the tire, then roll the wheel til they drop off the other side, then pull together to connect. A small load binder can help cinch them up, I prefer to do it that way myself, but am, not opposed to laying them flat and driving onto them and pulling up each end, either or, they're a bit heavy at times, (double ring) they're usually not too difficult to install, and should not take more than a 1/2 hour once you've done it a few times.

I bought a new set of 13.6x28's, with the tensioners for each side and the silly load binder from tire chains dot com and it was about the same as what you are going to spend. They made quite a difference in snow with ice under it. Eventually they will slip the tires if you try to push a substantial load, ie; snow bank or similar.

If you plan to run strictly on ice, V bar on a set suited for ag tires might be the best choice, but for most, myself included double ring snow chains will work quite well from deep powdery snow to hardpacked and ice conditions.
a181440.jpg

a181441.jpg
 
Can't tell you if chains work on ice. No
experience with ice.

Is putting chains on a one man job? Yes, as long
as you have a floor jack. I jack up one side.
Tractor is in neutral. Put chains on tire and
roll tire pulling chain on. I have the places on
chain marked with a sharpie, inside/outside left
tire and right tire. Getting chains too tight
will be a nightmare getting them off. I use 3
bungie cords on each tire, to hold chains in
place.

I can't go any place in the snow with my Jubilee
without chains.
 
(quoted from post at 15:45:47 02/01/15) Its a Ford 4610, with 15.5x38 tires.

If anyone has a set in western PA, let me know.

I had an adventure yesterday. I had a half full ibc tote on the front, a heavy counter weight on the back. When I started sliding backward, I put down the counter weight and the loader, which just took my load off the loader forks. So the load was on the road, on the hill, where I couldn't get to. I wasn't laughing then, but it is kinda funny.

I hope that chains and a three point pallet fork to put the weight on the drive tires will do what I need.

Any thoughts on using my bale spear as pallet forks? I have the style with two short spears low, no center spear. If i limit my load to about the weight of my round bales, it shouldn't hurt the spears. If anything, less weight will extend behind the spears. My only worry is the small round spears haveless contact area than the wide flat forks, and damage the bottom of the tote.
Click to expand...

I just ordered a set from a company in PA.. Below is the link to their site.

http://www.tirechain.com/15.5-38.htm
 

Billy, I was looking at tirechains.com. Is the load binder worth the extra few dollars? I planned to get the spring tensioners, too.

How heavy are these chains? Should I get them shipped to the loading dock at work, instead of home? Will I injure the UPS man?
 
Chains are needed for traction on ice. That is the main reason to sue them.

Installing them is not that hard if you use your head. I just lay them out on the ground like they would be on the tractor tire. I then back the tractor on the chain stopping with the center of the tire/axle right over the latch end of the chains. I then run a #9 wire thru the rim. I hook each side of the chain to the wire. I then back the tractor up slowly. The wire will hold the chain so it wraps right around the tire. I stop when the ends of the chain are around the tire. I then hook the latches to hold the chains together. I then drive the tractor around a little bit and retighten the tire chains. They will loosen as they work there way into the drive lugs. IF your using just straight cross chains with out and "H"/Duro (see picture) chains then you need to leave the chains kind of lose so the cross chains will flop out from between the bars.

I had a rented farm that was two miles away. I only had one feeder wagon at that time. I would take the chains off at the home farm and drive on the pavement to the other farm and put the chains back on. Twice each day for over ten winters. I got to where it did not take 5 minutes for both chains.
a181443.jpg
 
JD I do it your way. Good heavens, I can't imagine removing and reinstalling each day to feed at one place. I am lucky in that I don't have to have them on my chore tractor. There's lots of spinning but at least this time of year the mud isn't bottomless. If it gets bad enough the 7800 is dualed and has FWA. I just use them on the plowing tractor.
 
Its a cheap load binder, TSC has them, as I am sure do many other places similar. Its just a small one, with a riveted center, not heavy duty or anything but works well for both the ends of the chains while connecting as well as the tensioners that tire chain dot com sells. Those you have to be be careful when loose, so as not to lose any of the pieces, when you center them up and want to connect the ends to the side chains, the binder makes it easier for sure. Tire chain dot com has an installation video. There is some debate on the use of tensioners, some use bungee cords, or similar, and thinking back I've had tractors with chains on the tires and did not use them.(discussion on N forum see link below) The set I am running in the photo, I think they were worth having. Once installed, you may or may not have to make adjustments on slack, they should be snug and ride correctly.

UPS man delivered these to my house, and yes they were heavy, you have larger tires so they may weigh more. I greeted the UPS delivery man and carried one set to the porch, definitely heavy in the box they came in, (hint-use a hand truck!)they will be packed in thin cloth bags as well, which I saved for re-use, I keep my tensioners in those and I had some pool liner bags for the actual chains, heavy tarp cloth kind of bags. I was fortunate to park my tractor in the heated garage when they were on, so they did not rust, I figure a shiny set will sell for a little more if and or when I ever do have to sell them, I need a tractor of your size, was thinking of a 4630 but with FWD LOL !

Use your head when handling and installing, I think JD Seller has made some great suggestions about working smart with these heavy/bulky chains. I can handle the ones shown in the photos, but they are still heavy to lift, so I found I can just feed them onto the tire and let the wheel do the work as I spin them til I have to connect the ends. You can get good at installing them once you do it a few times, I've dealt with them at various times since I was a kid.
N Forum
 
(quoted from post at 11:17:51 02/01/15) Chains are needed for traction on ice. That is the main reason to sue them.

Installing them is not that hard if you use your head. I just lay them out on the ground like they would be on the tractor tire. I then back the tractor on the chain stopping with the center of the tire/axle right over the latch end of the chains. I then run a #9 wire thru the rim. I hook each side of the chain to the wire. I then back the tractor up slowly. The wire will hold the chain so it wraps right around the tire. I stop when the ends of the chain are around the tire. I then hook the latches to hold the chains together. I then drive the tractor around a little bit and retighten the tire chains. They will loosen as they work there way into the drive lugs. IF your using just straight cross chains with out and "H"/Duro (see picture) chains then you need to leave the chains kind of lose so the cross chains will flop out from between the bars.

I had a rented farm that was two miles away. I only had one feeder wagon at that time. I would take the chains off at the home farm and drive on the pavement to the other farm and put the chains back on. Twice each day for over ten winters. I got to where it did not take 5 minutes for both chains.
a181443.jpg
Click to expand...

I never have used them myself but That is the way my grandpap put them on his DC Case. He was 80 years old and made it look easy.
 
Notjustair: Most of my feed alleys slope away from the feed bunks just a little so the water does not pool around the bunks. So if it is icy then I usually have chains on the tractor and one tire of the feeder wagon as it will slide away from the bunk too.

Back then I was lucky to be able to afford a single feed wagon let alone two. So I just did what I had to do to get the job done. Just like most of us have at one time or another.
 
I bought a set from tirechains.com that are the duo grip like are
shown in JD Seller's post. They work really well because they don't
fall down between the lugs like ladder chains sometimes do. I have
had those chains a little over a year now and they are great. Mine
are on 14.9/38 tires but they are the same size chains as they
specify for your 15.5/38s. I would recommend them highly. I do not think you need anything to tension these chains, I like to run them a bit loose so that the chain falls away from the lower half of the tread, it seems to bite better that way. I just back onto the chains and then pull them up and over the tire by hand, 5 minutes per side once I got used to doing it.
Zach
a181452.jpg
 
We had a bad winter here in southeast MI last
year. We had one thaw that left 1/2" of ice on the
driveway and then it snowed on top. I built chains
so that I could clear the driveway with the ice.
They worked better than I expected. If you have a
chain supplier near you it is much cheaper to
build your own with new chain rather than buying a
new set of tire chains. Last winter I built a set
of ladder chains for about $160 for the chain and
connecting links. That was for 13.6-26 tires.
 
bja105: A second thing to think about. Good tire chains are not usually cheap. Sometimes you can find good sets at sales in the summer. A worn out set with thin links will make you HATE tire chains and beat your fenders up with swinging broken chains.

So $400 for a set that would more than likely last you a life time. How would it have been yesterday if you had upset your tractor sliding around on the ice??? $400 does not go far on repairs,medical bills, or funerals!!!!!

I have asset of chains that are for 20.8x42 tires that are heat treated and doubled ringed. They where over a $1000 without delivery. So none of them are a $50 set of car chains anymore.

IF you are willing to watch farm auctions and Craigs list you can find chains that can be made to fit your tires. There are only about three common lengths of cross chains (15",18",23")IRC. The side chains just about never wear out. So if you have a torch for heating/cutting/spreading the links you can make good chains out of sets of the wrong size tire chains. I usually find a set of the size I need that have the cross bars worn out. They will be cheap to buy. Then I watch and buy odd sized chains that have the correct crossbar length.

I do this to have spare sets around for the common tires sizes my feeding equipment uses. Mainly 18.4x34 and 18.4x38.
 
(quoted from post at 16:16:04 02/01/15)
Billy, I was looking at tirechains.com. Is the load binder worth the extra few dollars? I planned to get the spring tensioners, too.

How heavy are these chains? Should I get them shipped to the loading dock at work, instead of home? Will I injure the UPS man?
Click to expand...

UPS deliverd my chains. The driver even put them on my front porch. The Duo-grip chains are built pretty heavy and will last a long time. Put the chains on your tire anyway that seems easiest to you.To get them as tight as you can drive the tractor about fifteen feet and retighten them a few more links. If you get them good and tight you won't need the side link tightners. You'll struggle the first few times you put them on, but will learn the best way to install them that suits you best. If you have someone who has experience with tire chains, lure them to your place with a twelve pack of beer and see if they will help you out.
 
thebigyellowtruck: Unless you used harden chain they will not last very long. Plus tire chains usually are bigger links to bit better. Most regular chain is too round to bit very well on hard ice.
 

Billy NY,
I just noticed that you have the same Wagner 110 loader that I have. Only mine is on a IH 340 Utility. Does yours have a float setting for the lift cylinders? Mine didn't, so I replaced the control valve with one that does.
 
As you say Billy, v-bar chains are the only ones effective on hard ice.
I have a set of double rings like yours on my WD and found that it was "skating" around real good the other day on a patch of ice. I was pushing up a fairly steep grade in 3rd and went quite aways onto the icey patch just from the momentum.
After it started spinning and went as far as it would, I applied the brakes and slid right backwards with no control whatsoever.
Double ring chains work really good in deep snow and in mud and pretty good on frozen ground, though.
 
The neighbor 12 year old grandson put grandpas 18-4 38 chains on in less then 10 minutes this fall. He laid the chains out and pulled back about 2 ft. of chain and grandpa backed up and the boy hooked the end of the chain on the lug and grandpa drove forward and the chain rolled right up on the tire and when it was all on he hooked the links up and was done. The hardest part of doing it that way is laying out the chains.

Bob
 


You'll work out a system, and then don't take long. I lay them on the tire track, then back on the and throw them over the tire. I pu a couple of rubber straps on each of the tire to snug the up. A little loose will grip better than super tight.
 
This one never had float and it saw enough use to wear out the linkage of #60 roller chain master link and the ends of the spools that it connects the levers to. If you look close, there is a cheap vise grip on one spool.

I've run all kinds of loaders, wheel type in construction, tractors with loaders, backhoes, etc. and to be honest, I never needed float anyway, rarely thinking back. Its all in the angle of the bucket and cutting edge, too far down, it digs in, to far up the heel of the bucket is down and cutting edge up and its not cutting or collecting on a flat surface. The more useful indicator if so equipped, is that tube with a rod on the loader arm. When the rod is flush with the tube its in, it indicates when your bucket is flat to the surface you are on. To me that is simple and effective. I can recall on so many machines even the 955 and 977 cat crawler loaders I have operated, that I had to find a way to determine when my bucket was flat, sometimes I'd back drag a bit, adjust both ways til it was right, eyeball it and eventually getting the feel for that particular machine. None of these had any indicator of where it was flat, all of it was dependent on the operators skills. I can see float being useful on rough surfaces that don't budge, so it can glide or bounce over. Even on a dozer with a 6 way blade, I never really used float, even if back dragging which you try to avoid, wears the track chain pins and bushings more when running in reverse, I liked a little down pressure most times, ever so slight.

That would make a good forum topic, "how and what do you use float for on your loader?"
 
Another easy method to put chains on is... lay the chain out on
the ground outside up. Park the wheel at the end of the chain, tie
a rope to the end of the chain, run it over the top of the tire and
tuck the end of the rope under the front of the tire. Drive the
tractor forward, you may need to adjust the chains a few times
toget them to lay just right. The chains will wrap around the tire
nice and tight, just need to hook the ends at the back once pulled
around.
 
does anyone have an opinion on the V-bar chains? Its $170 more, and really pushing the budget. If the regular ones are useless on ice, I'll have to bite the bullet.
 
(quoted from post at 23:30:06 02/01/15) does anyone have an opinion on the V-bar chains? Its $170 more, and really pushing the budget. If the regular ones are useless on ice, I'll have to bite the bullet.
Click to expand...
Any set of chains will make a big improvement in traction. The v-bars would be a little, but what are you going to do when the v's are worn down?
 
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