Large R1 Rear Tire chains Good Options

[RickB]

I guess the problem was I was looking for a decision between 2 link v bar ladders, v-bar duo grip with cross chains, or the aquiline talons. I

Given those choices, I'd think the v-bar duo grips would do best bang for the buck, particularly for lateral grip (sidehills).

 

[vtsnowedin]

Looking back through the thread you have had a chance to consider about all the options that are out there. Let us know what you choose to buy (with pics ) and get back to us when you have a winter piled up and melted.

 

[Phil48]

I have been stuck on icy road for over 40 years, where I lived they just paved one of the two main roads one year ago. When I bought my CK20, I was able to try a bear paw chain, really great for getting wood out of the forest, wet clay, but I found out with Trygg studded chain, almost as good with mud. Last winter diamond pattern gives you a really smooth surface. You always have contact with chain-stud, not bumpy ride (ladder chain desing). On ice, there are the best, on pavement if you don't "spin" they won't leave so many bad marking. And going downtown, nobody (except my favorite grumpy grandma') will criticism those chains.

Here's are pics., Not cheap, but they will last you a very long time.

 

[vtsnowedin]

View attachment 338175View attachment 338176View attachment 338177I have been stuck on icy road for over 40 years, where I lived they just paved one of the two main roads one year ago. When I bought my CK20, I was able to try a bear paw chain, really great for getting wood out of the forest, wet clay, but I found out with Trygg studded chain, almost as good with mud. Last winter diamond pattern gives you a really smooth surface. You always have contact with chain-stud, not bumpy ride (ladder chain desing). On ice, there are the best, on pavement if you don't "spin" they won't leave so many bad marking. And going downtown, nobody (except my favorite grumpy grandma') will criticism those chains.

Here's are pics., Not cheap, but they will last you a very long time.

OOhh!! Snagel toothed on the fronts too. Stopping power for sure! for sure!!
Have you had any problems with the fronts out pulling the rears and dragging the tractor on just the front wheels?

 

[crazyal]

I've got chains similar to the Talon ice chains. They are fine on ice but not so much in dirt. They quickly did holes in the dirt. Not sure how it is where you are but it's not uncommon for the snow cover to keep the ground from freezing. You'll pay twice as much but I think I would go with the ring (bear paw) skidder chains and live with the rough ride. It would really suck to spend Talon chain money and find out that they didn't work out.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

I've got chains similar to the Talon ice chains. They are fine on ice but not so much in dirt. They quickly did holes in the dirt. Not sure how it is where you are but it's not uncommon for the snow cover to keep the ground from freezing. You'll pay twice as much but I think I would go with the ring (bear paw) skidder chains and live with the rough ride. It would really suck to spend Talon chain money and find out that they didn't work out.

That is exactly why i'm going back and forth on these chains. (I took a heck of a ride last winter on some partially frozen ground.) Its not like any of the options are around $100where I could buy it and try it. I will def be reporting back on which ever option I choose though. The talons looked to be the best compromise for ice/snow and mud. My thinking is that the R-1 tires should handle the mud like normal/the studs should get pushed in to something firmer maybe and regardless they would be wonderful on ice/packed snow.

I don't think I want to put the time into fixing up some hard used skidder chains that might last a couple years. If the township road wasn't paved I could really put some more thought into them. I already bent the snot out of the tirechains.com "HD" chain pliers trying to spruce up a set of v-bar duo's for the front tires.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Backstory: So i think a little update is in order. I ended up buying a set of the aquiline talons from tcr.com . The sticker shock was the main reason in why I drug my feet for so long. tirechains.com is where i purchased my previous v-bar duo's and I was less than impressed with them. I ended up buying extra duo patterns and modified them to tighten up the patterns and I still was not happy. I took another members advice for this year and loosened them up and it made a pretty big improvement but I knew I still needed to get rear tire chains.


ok enough backstory, I received my talons from tcr.com and holy man are they heavy. I picked up the box and carried it across the parking lot to lay out the chains and I had wished I wouldn't have when i finally set it down. (248lbs plus the crate) I couldn't resist putting them on that day even though we didn't have any snow or ice at that time. I was a little bit confused about the extra fasteners but I quickly realized they were just spare parts. My chains just fit onto my tires with very little slack in the 4 chain loops. I took it for a little test drive while I was putting round bales out for the horses and it looked like I was driving a tracked machine around with the constant chain imprint in the mud. I kept it out of 4wd and never even noticed I was in 2wd on the steep muddy hills. I don't want to say it replaces 4wd, but it sure gets around much, much better!


If anyone is looking for a good set of chains for an R-1 tire, I would certainly recommend getting the talons. I think the duo's worked a lot better loose on the fronts, but there is no comparison between the two of them. (I can't say how much the tighter pattern helped either since I didn't have anything to compare it to.) WE are slated to get 5-9 inches of snow with some sleet mixed in over the next 36 hours so it should be a pretty good test of the talons. We also have a L3400 with r-4's and v-bar ladders work very well on that tire type since the treads aren't deep enough to hide the chain.


My only question is why tcr states that their tire chains are not for towing. Even the skidder chains IIRC say this. Who in the world buys chains and doesn't occasionally have to pull something with them on?

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Pictures, because we all know it didn't happen without pictures.

 

[Phil48]

OOhh!! Snagel toothed on the fronts too. Stopping power for sure! for sure!!
Have you had any problems with the fronts out pulling the rears and dragging the tractor on just the front wheels?

The front never dragged the tractor, but when hitting a "good solid iced pack tough chunk" it will correct with ease the desired trajectory! I keep asking my dealer: "any danger for the front axel?" and he keeps on telling me: "no it is design to take it..." The real bonus you can go absolute anywhere on your land with those chained tires, getting stuck is for spring time only!

 

[mpham]

I don't think they mean you can't tow with your tractor. They mean don't use the actual chains to hook to two vehicles for pulling. They are made for driving on not pulling.

 

[vtsnowedin]

The front never dragged the tractor, but when hitting a "good solid iced pack tough chunk" it will correct with ease the desired trajectory! I keep asking my dealer: "any danger for the front axel?" and he keeps on telling me: "no it is design to take it..." The real bonus you can go absolute anywhere on your land with those chained tires, getting stuck is for spring time only!

That is about how I feel with mine on just the rears. Seams like you could climb straight up two trees if you could find a pair the right distance apart. I havent tried any front chains as of yet but I have several sets of pickup chains I could make up into a set for the fronts if conditions warrented. I suppose I should do the fitting and have them hanging on a hook to save time when I really need them.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

I don't think they mean you can't tow with your tractor. They mean don't use the actual chains to hook to two vehicles for pulling. They are made for driving on not pulling.

WOW. You just blew me away. I had not even considered that! I don't mean to sound like a smarta*# but, why in the world would you spend that kind of money on tire chains, and then hook them between two vehicles to tow one of them? I think it would make me pretty ill to see someone doing that unless it was a life and death situation. I guess companies have to account for all of the loose wing nuts out there.

 

[adirondackmtnman]

WOW. You just blew me away. I had not even considered that! I don't mean to sound like a smarta*# but, why in the world would you spend that kind of money on tire chains, and then hook them between two vehicles to tow one of them? I think it would make me pretty ill to see someone doing that unless it was a life and death situation. I guess companies have to account for all of the loose wing nuts out there.

I could definitely see some people in my neck of the woods taking a tire chain off to drag someone out of a ditch or whatnot. Never seen it happen, but definitely not out of the realm of possibility.

Sent from my LGL35G using TractorByNet

 

[FatTire]

I could definitely see some people in my neck of the woods taking a tire chain off to drag someone out of a ditch or whatnot. Never seen it happen, but definitely not out of the realm of possibility.

Yeah, I could see that. When some people get stuck, especially at night, they seem to just get whacky. Last year we recovered a stuck pick up driven by some young guys who were out for a scenic drive in the middle of winter (I think it was in the high teens) with no jackets, hats, or gloves. They slid off the road into a big ditch, then started freakin out.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Well, if you have nothing else laying in the bed I guess I could see that. I still couldn't see someone who spent a couple hundred bucks for tire chains pulling them out (why they wouldn't be on the tractor in the first place?) to pull on something. A good ole tow strap (or transport chain for a last resort) would be my first reach. I continue to be amazed at the intelligence of our species sometimes let alone the manufacturer who has to state to not use their product in that manner.

 

[arrow]

You have to be a pretty strong dude RNR if you carried 248# across a parking lot. In my younger days I once carried 3 bags of cement (80#'s per) cradled in my arms about 60' to the truck but I lifted heavy weight all day long being a logger but still had everything to do to get them there. For you to carry that weight across a parking lot was quite the feat! Let us know how you like the chains. Personally i always thought they'd be your best choice but the swelling from the initial expenditure was going to be great.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Well, I don't mean a wal-mart parking lot, I think our lot, is about 120x220 or so. I was seriously regretting my decision to carry them once I got started into the walk, thats for sure.


I did have a slight problem with the tire chain tool I got from tirechains.com though when I was modifying my duo-grips for the front tires)



AS far as the chains performance goes, I really like them. The only time I need to use my 4wd is when I'm trying to turn uphill and the front tires are just pushing snow/mud. The pain is subsiding from the initial layout though since they work so well. I even tore up the ice in the driveway a little bit with them to help it melt down a bit faster to.