Tire Chains

This will be my first year using my tractor for snow removal. It is a MF135 with a loader. I have a box blade with some added weight that will put about 675# on the 3pt. I am eventually going to fill the tires which will add 500# to each tire or 1000# total. Without any weight this tractor is pretty much worthless even in the dirt due to the loader.

I am also considering putting tire chains on. The main reason is for the snow removal, BUT I thought I may keep them on year around for better traction at all times. 3 questions about this.

1. Any thoughts on having chains on year-round? I will not be driving on pavement or concrete. Only concerns I have are tearing up my grass if I need to go through it and general wear on the chains themselves.

2. There seem to be so many styles of chains out there. My tractor has some healthy ag tires on back. I read that ladder chain will not be effective because it falls between the lugs, which makes sense. I was originally looking at the Double Ring chains, by these seem to be a variation of ladder that will fall between the lugs. Is that accurate? It looks like the Duo style chain is what I am looking for? I would probably go with the basic Duo-Grip because the prices on these chains is crazy.

3. Will I need to buy the tools to put these chains on or can it be done by hand? I'm on a budget and the price tag is getting high with all of these things.

I guess too I could ask, if my budget only allows for either chains or filling tires, which should I do first?

I would say for winter that chains are more important since you have the weight on the rear already. For general loader use in dirt I would rather have the weight and
not chains, I think it is hard on chains to run them in the dirt and they do tear things up. I only use chains when there is snow on the ground. I like the Duo Grip chains
and have them on a Massey 35 with loader and a Farmall 300. Tirechains.com often has the best prices.
Zach

(quoted from post at 07:32:29 11/17/16) I would say for winter that chains are more important since you have the weight on the rear already. For general loader use in dirt I would rather have the weight and
not chains, I think it is hard on chains to run them in the dirt and they do tear things up. I only use chains when there is snow on the ground. I like the Duo Grip chains
and have them on a Massey 35 with loader and a Farmall 300. Tirechains.com often has the best prices.
Zach

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Definitely!! All the weight in the world will not get any traction on hard-packed snow or ice. Tire chains are the only way to go for winter snow removal.

Putting fluid in your tires does not cost all that much and you can do it your self with a simple drill pump and the adapter to hook it to the tube. Send me an e-mail and I'll send you a page form an old owner's manual that shows you 3 or 4 ways to fill your tires.

Thanks for the replies. Very helpful.

(quoted from post at 08:52:01 11/17/16) Putting fluid in your tires does not cost all that much and you can do it your self with a simple drill pump and the adapter to hook it to the tube. Send me an e-mail and I'll send you a page form an old owner's manual that shows you 3 or 4 ways to fill your tires.

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What is your idea of not costing much and what fluid are you using? I need about 90 gallons. I was also going to put new tubes in since I don't know the history of the tractor. I was also going to do it "right" and have the local shop put beet juice in. 2 new tubes, beet juice and them doing it would run me a bit over $400.

Neighbor runs duo-grip style chains on his John Deere 60 loader tractor all year round. Doesn't seem to wear on them all that much. I bought a John Deere 530 from original owner a few years ago, and the tire chains on that had been on it year around for 30+ years. They were worn down an awful lot though.
Personally, I run duo-grip chains on my tractors I use in the MN winters. I think they are the best style chain for a happy medium of decent ride and yet providing grip for traction on ice.

I use winter grade wiper fluid and some times you can find it for around buck a gal. Last time I filled with it cost me less then $50 to do and that included a new drill pump since the old one I had had been used 2 times to many. Ya paying some one to do it cost a whole lot more then doing ti your self

400 bucks is a pretty good price for that
it cost me 450 to get them to come out here just to replace one tube on a
tractor and they reused my calcium from it and topped it up
glad it was the bosses tractor and he paid for it
I do my own buy bags of cal t the farm supply n mix with water
use a drill pump with a hose that fits tight to the valve stem and 50 gal drums
I have a chart I printed off that tells how much cal to water for different
freeze points down at the shop
I'm sure a search here or google will bring one up
beet juice is probably better than calcium and not as hard on valve stems

(quoted from post at 11:29:35 11/17/16) I use winter grade wiper fluid and some times you can find it for around buck a gal. Last time I filled with it cost me less then $50 to do and that included a new drill pump since the old one I had had been used 2 times to many. Ya paying some one to do it cost a whole lot more then doing ti your self

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Nowhere local to me has winter grade for less than $2.50 per gallon. The shop is charging $3.25 per gallon to put beet juice in for me. Where are you finding it for around a buck?

The buck a gallon price I've seen, but only in the spring time when they're trying to unload it.

I've heard once you put calcium in the tires, you've started the countdown timer on the wheels life, since it is corrosive and eats away at the wheel over time. Any truth in that?

It is not too hard to put snow chains on a tractor. lay them out, back over the end and drape the chain over the tire connect ends. fluid transfer pump is about $10, adaptor for tire valve is about $10. Used antifreeze is free (ask any repair shop for it they have pay to get rid of it. about 2 hours time to fill each tire.
Have fun n the snow. :roll: [/img]

It is not too hard to put snow chains on a tractor. lay them out, back over the end and drape the chain over the tire connect ends. fluid transfer pump is about $10, adaptor for tire valve is about $10. Used antifreeze is free (ask any repair shop for it they have pay to get rid of it. about 2 hours time to fill each tire.
Have fun n the snow. :roll: [/img]

would be nice to get washer fluid up here in Canada for a buck a gal
$2.99 a gal for -35 on sale at the local newfie speed n sport (Canadian tire)
goes up from that no name preston is $17.99 a gall
the wrecking yards are charging 5 bucks a gallon for used anti freeze if ya bring your own jug the quick lube shops that do rad flushes wont even sell the old stuff at least around here and I don't know if the tire shop is doing the beet juice yet they weren't 2 yrs ago but I'm sure it won't be cheap
so the options aren't great around me
cal is $12 for a 50lb bag I put 3 bags per 50 gal drum gives me about 30% solution for -40
and use a 12 volt pump from an RV water system I reclaimed from a scraped trailer to pump it in
takes about an hr total per tire

I run double ring chains. They do NOT fall in between the tire lugs.

I use the double ring chains I put them
on as tight as I can around the tire
and then run them with no rubber straps
or tighteners. Works great. worked
better after loading my tires but no
totally necessary.