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Tire chain tension?

R

rusty machinist

Member
Well I got my tire chains on my Deere tractor. However now the chains are a little loose, I dont think bad enough to come off but to make sure they dont---What is the best way to take up slack in the chains, A drawbolt with chains making like a spoke type of pattern in front of the rim or just get more chain to tighten the end links tighter?
Any gurus with lots of tire chain experience to educate me.
 
Tightening your chains from the side of the rim works IF they are not slack enough to pull over the tire from the inside. It is best to take up the slack from the end of the chain . Then put side tension on them to keep them from sloping around.
 
Bungee cord...that black rubber stuff the truckers use in a spoke patter on the front of the rim...enough to give the chain some slack but it does take up most of it. Used it for years. Use one bungee to make a circle and about 4-6 others in a spoke fashion from the circle to the chain...you could use some heavy wire to bind the spokes to the circle and chain.
That's about as clear as mud but the best I can do.
 
They make tensioner's that hold them taut. You may not need them. You could use bungee cords but may have to replace them periodically. The main goal is that the chains don't come loose. They can really tear stuff up if an end flies loose at a higher speed. Whack the fender , maybe your leg if it is close by. Beee Careful.
 
To be honest, they're supposed to be loose. Too tight and they might fall between the treads and stay there. When the chains are loose, they fall out of the bars every time the tire goes around.

We use chains on our loader tractor and we ussually take up some of the slack on the chains after we run them a while. After they find they're position, we'll just take up another link or 2 with the cam type locks.

Too loose on our tractor and it'll catch the fender.

Donovan from Wisconsin
 
When I run them on the 4020 I can get going pretty fast sometimes, so I use tarp straps criss crossed on the outside this keeps them from flopping so bad.
 
I've used chains for over fifty years now and never used a bunjie cord. Just tighten them with the side chains when they get loose.

On our fire trucks we got chains that have cam latches, and a small tool to tighten them. One of the best inventions since toilet paper. I realize that is a totaly different ordeal because excitment and brain waves don't always ride in the same fire truck. And lets face it, our younger generation that are not farm boys often never drove with a set of chains.
 
After you have the chains on as tight as you can get them, drive the tractor around some, and then retighten them, or you may let the air out of the tires, tighten up the chains, and then Inflate to the recomended Pressure. the second way does not work out to well if the tires have fluid in them.

Jared
 
If you have a good tight even set of chains where ever cross chain is the same length, you shouldn't need anything other than the standard latches. I never use anything on tractor chains.
On truck chains where it is important to control the slack on the last cross chain at the joint I use the heavy rubber straps. That's only because I don't want slop wailing around at the air lines. It shouldn't matter on a tractor or low speed wheels. I've always associated straps with poorly made/fitted/maintained chains when I see them on a tractor.

Rod
 
Laugh if you must but I used to use tarp straps on the inside and outside of the wheel, run one top to bottom and one horizontal across the middle of the wheel, kept everything in place and took up any slack, I will admit that properly installed chains should be tightened via the side chain
 
I agree that they don't need to be tight. I put chains on my tractor and used rubber straps to tighten them. All this did was make the chains get sucked in between the tire lugs. I took the straps off and got them as tight as was easily possible with the standard latch that's on them. They do flop around but they don't get sucked in between the lugs and are better at self cleaning. I used a zip tie on the loose chain after getting them tightened as much as I could. I have Duo-grip tractor chains that are designed for ag tires. It would make sense that truck chains need to be tighter but they don't have deep lugs like a tractor. Dave
 
Use medium clevice end turn buckles. Two on each chain. Tighten until the chain still works on th etread some as it rotates. Wire them tight so they do not back off. JimN
 
I think that I will invest in a set of rubber bungee cords. I dont think that the chains will come off but I dont take chances either.
Thanks to all for the comments and advice.
 
My chains tend to be loose because they are "duo-grip" style chains and I would have to remove an entire set of cross links (about 12 inches worth) to tighten them further. As long as I put them on evenly I never have any problem. I just tighten them up as far as I can, drive forward one tire rotation and then tighten them the rest of the way.
 
They might seem ok. Do some road travel or make one turn with a wheel spinning and you may hear a "bad sound".
I took a cross link out of each of the chains my Uncle used and tightened them up more than he ever did.I was on my way to clean snow out from around the church and one of the chains flipped off and wrapped around the axle.
Bent the latches on the chains, ripped my snowmobile suit and got soaked in calcium chloride salt water on a cold winter"s day. The chain didn"t catch the valve stem. It actually put enough pressure and pinch in the tire to rip the tube open.
Needless to say I work and re-work those chains around to be as tight as possible while the tires are 1/2 deflated to 8 psi. After the chains are installed the tires are pumped back up to 16psi.
*(&^%&((&^0 ice and snow.
 
I'm another one for putting the chains on tight. I fasten them as tight as I can get, then put on side tighteners on both sides, run for awhile then retighten the chains. Wire tie the loose ends.

In 45yrs of driving, I've never had a cross link chain come off using my method. Tractor or truck chains it don't matter as I install them both the same way.

Cable chains are a waste of good money.

T_Bone
 
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