Chains Putting chains on

[1948berg]

This is the way I do it, works fine for me! No lifting
1.Spread the chains on the ground behind the tractor, spikes up!
2.Tie a rope through the wheel and to the ends of the chain. (not the sidechains)
3.Start driving slowly forwards
4.Stop and pull down and adjust the side chains sometimes
5.After a complete round, stop and hook the sidechains together
6.Then the center chains
7.Nice and tight

Take a final tightening after a good test run, if needed

 

[knute_m]

I guess it takes a real Scandahoovian to come up with an idea like that.

That's one of those "why didn't I think of that?" ideas. I can't wait to go out and try it.

Takk skal du ha.

(Suomi) Knute

 

[Catman1]

Far Out!!!! I gotta try this.

 

[jimmy1]

Great idea!

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin Gunnar,
Very good idea ! Just think, if you had one more piece of blue wire you could do both chains at the same time

 

[Woody_NH]

This is the way I do it, works fine for me! No lifting
1.Spread the chains on the ground behind the tractor, spikes up!
2.Tie a rope through the wheel and to the ends of the chain. (not the sidechains)
3.Start driving slowly forwards
4.Stop and pull down and adjust the side chains sometimes
5.After a complete round, stop and hook the sidechains together
6.Then the center chains
7.Nice and tight

Take a final tightening after a good test run, if needed

I use the same basic approach with a minor variation. I tie a rope to the chains the same way but then pull the chains part way over the tire and pull the rope forward and loop over the tread. You can then drive forward and the rope will stay in place. For in garage attachment, I jack the rear end off the ground, use the same rope attachment and then rotate the wheel by hand. This makes for easier chain centering and tightening with the wheels off the ground.

This was the recommended attachment procedure for my made in Norway chains.

 

[CATMAN]

Thanks for the idea, My Dad is 74 years old and was just complaining about how heavy the chains are for his 1066 IHC tractor (130 HP) with 18.4-38 tires. He uses this tractor for the feeder wagon and when the one feedlot gets muddy, he has to put on chains to get to the feed bunks. I told him of your idea last night on the phone, and he will sure use that idea verses the current method of picking up the center of the chains (like a barbell military press) and throwing them over the center of the tire as best he can. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Farwell]

This is the way I do it, works fine for me! No lifting
1.Spread the chains on the ground behind the tractor, spikes up!
2.Tie a rope through the wheel and to the ends of the chain. (not the sidechains)
3.Start driving slowly forwards
4.Stop and pull down and adjust the side chains sometimes
5.After a complete round, stop and hook the sidechains together
6.Then the center chains
7.Nice and tight

Take a final tightening after a good test run, if needed

Gunnar,
This year is my first year putting chains on my JD 2010. I did it the same way you did except I used the red load tie down straps. It took me less than 3 minutes to do each tire. I put a bunch of bungee straps across the wheel to snug the chains a little. From what I have read, the chains are much tighter this way and have a lot less movement when driving on them. I found the method around a month ago on TBN. Great idea and a lot of folks will appreciate your posting the idea.
David B

 

[sugarmaple]

Can anyone tell me how to untangle tire chains? It doesn't seem like it should be so hard, but it is giving me fits. With the chain laid out on a bench, ideally the side chains would be relaxed (not twisted) and the cross chains would be uniformly flat on the bench surface so that they will sit flat and relaxed on the tire prior to tensioning. I am a bit dyslexic so if one of you clearer minded sorts could share your tricks with me, I would be forever in your debt.

 

[dirtworksequip]

If you can't untangle them yourself, ask someone else for help. It's not that hard. I guess you could take them to a tire shop and have them do it for you. I find a Rubics Cube harder to solve than tangled tire chains.

 

[knute_m]

This is the way I do it, works fine for me! No lifting
1.Spread the chains on the ground behind the tractor, spikes up!
2.Tie a rope through the wheel and to the ends of the chain. (not the sidechains)
3.Start driving slowly forwards
4.Stop and pull down and adjust the side chains sometimes
5.After a complete round, stop and hook the sidechains together
6.Then the center chains
7.Nice and tight

Take a final tightening after a good test run, if needed

We're expecting a "significant snow event" over the next three days.

I decided it was time to put the chains on.

Using 1948Berg's technique took less 20 minutes start-to-finish. They went on perfectly straight and tight. I was able to clip all four locks into the proper link on the very first try. Wow. That has never happened before without a couple of runs and re-tightenings.

I now have to ask myself why it took over 50 years to learn such a simple technique for putting on heavy chains without lots of nasty words.

Knute

 

[Farwell]

Knute,
Isn't it great having a way to put chains on with out darn near killing yourself. Mine weigh 76 pounds each.
David B

 

[knute_m]

Knute,
Isn't it great having a way to put chains on with out darn near killing yourself. Mine weigh 76 pounds each.
David B

David,

Yes, these are new chains -- not nearly as heavy as some I've had. But, when I got these off Ebay last summer, our neighborhood postmistress called the house and asked if we could come pick them up. Her and our delivery lady couldn't pick up the boxes. They were each about 70 lbs.

Happy tractorin'
Knute

 

[Farwell]

David,

Yes, these are new chains -- not nearly as heavy as some I've had. But, when I got these off Ebay last summer, our neighborhood postmistress called the house and asked if we could come pick them up. Her and our delivery lady couldn't pick up the boxes. They were each about 70 lbs.

Happy tractorin'
Knute

Kunte,
I spent months searching Ebay looking for a pair of chains that would fit my JD but had no luck so I bought them from the chain place that the folks on TBN write about all the time.
The day mine arrived by UPS I had been home about three hours after having cataract surgery. Had to go a week or so with out lifting over 20 pounds and no bending over. The UPS driver was a strong young guy that was nice enough to bring the chains into the garage for me.
I did some happy tractoring today by plowing my driveway. Didn't really need it except for a few spots where the snow had drifted but there is an ugly rumor that were are going to get some more of the white stuff before too long.
David B

 

[mrutkaus]

Thanks for the idea and pictures! I will share them around here.

Michael

 

[Deadman]

I'd rather put mine on using a jack in the heated garage!

 

[dirtworksequip]

Deadman, instead of jaking up your tractor to put on you chains just lay them out flat on the ground or floor. Place a small 2x4 block about in the center of the chains. It has to be small enough to fit between the links. Now drive your tractor forward until it is up on the block. Now just grab the chains and hook them up. The block works just like jacking up the tractor giving you plenty of slack in the chains for installation.

 

[dirtworksequip]

Deadman, instead of jacking up your tractor to put on you chains just lay them out flat on the ground or floor. Place a small 2x4 block about in the center of the chains. It has to be small enough to fit between the links. Now drive your tractor forward until it is up on the blocks. Now just grab the chains and hook them up. The block works just like jacking up the tractor giving you plenty of slack in the chains for installation.

 

[sandman2234]

Is there a reason the chains aren't hot dipped galvanized, to slow the rusting process, or do they wear out before they rust out, and do you store them in oil during the off season?
Just wondering, not because I plan on wearing a set out, just have a curiousity habit.
David from jax

 

[m7040]

1948berg, love the way to you described to put on chains. Always a chore to put these on and this makes it much easier to do. Vi skal staa sammen og raede til at vi finder den bedste maade til at goere det. Venlig hilsen fra Frits