Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Weight and chains

[jdhacker]

Hey guys looking for some experience. I have a poulan pro garden tractor. 26 hp I added a Agri-Fab snow plow. I have 25-10-12 Goodyear rawhide tires on the back. They are loaded, I also have 50lbs of weight in each rim. And around 50lbs on the back. My question is for the guys that know. Will I need chains. Or will this do well in the snow. Thanks for the input.

 

[jdhacker]

couple of pics

 

[pmsmechanic]

I had 26x12x12 on a John Deere 400 garden tractor. I had chains for it and I was happy to use them. I think you'll be happy too if you have chains. They aren't very expensive for that size of tire. What you need to look for in set of chains though, are some that won't fall in between the lugs. There is a name for them but someone with more knowledge will have to enlighten us on that. I had turfs so chains falling in between the lugs wasn't a problem.

 

[gladehound]

Had an old Bolens growing up. It was similar in size to your Poulan but probably weighs twice as much. We never used the snow blade without chains. Chains went on at the beginning of the season. With the chains it did well but as a 2wd garden tractor it had it's limitations. Best if you hit it before it got beyond about 8" if the snow was wet at all. And if it was really wet, only a few inches.

I second PMSmechanic's response. Chains aren't expensive for that size tire and a day will come when you are happy to have them!

 

[Shaneard]

My vote is get chains. If you have any ice or hard packed snow it's just going to spin no matter how much weight you add. Chains won't stop it from spinning but they will help.

 

[jdhacker]

Thanks guys for the info. I know the older tractors are built heaver then mine. I bought this one new in 2004. It has over 1400 hr on it, it weighted 700 lbs dry I have added 110lbs to each tire, 50lb on the back, the gas tank is in the rear 5.5 gal. So around 1100lbs with me on it. I will order a set of chains, again thanks for the help.

 

[Thorny]

what about the front? will those tires be able to steer at all when they are on snow and ice?

 

[TheMan419]

Seems like a bit of overkill for Kentucky. I live in the land of lake effect. OF course I have no hills to deal with.

 

[jdhacker]

The last three years have been tough. last year we got 15 in one day, my drive is 900 feet long. But I hope I dont have to use it this year.

 

[Deere Dude]

I have a JD garden tractor about your size and I had fluid, 100# on each wheel and I'm a big guy to boot. Chains were a must, in fact I never took the chains off all year while mowing and anything else I did with the tractor. I had chains on my garden tractors for 20 years. I finally took them off when I got a 45 HP tractor and moved to Tennessee and found I just used the garden tractor for mowing. I still have the weights on because I have some steep ditches and I don't want to tip over.

 

[ovrszd]

Chains.

 

[Harvey9]

Hey guys looking for some experience. I have a poulan pro garden tractor. 26 hp I added a Agri-Fab snow plow. I have 25-10-12 Goodyear rawhide tires on the back. They are loaded, I also have 50lbs of weight in each rim. And around 50lbs on the back. My question is for the guys that know. Will I need chains. Or will this do well in the snow. Thanks for the input.

You may get by in light snow, but with any amount you'll want chains. They make a world of difference. Consider diamond pattern ATV chains, much cheaper than tractor chains.

 

[ovrszd]

You may get by in light snow, but with any amount you'll want chains. They make a world of difference. Consider diamond pattern ATV chains, much cheaper than tractor chains.

I didn't know that. Diamond pattern are cheaper than 2 link or 4 link ladder chains? Have you got a picture of the chains you are talking about? Thanks!!!

 

[Harvey9]

I didn't know that. Diamond pattern are cheaper than 2 link or 4 link ladder chains? Have you got a picture of the chains you are talking about? Thanks!!!

No, I don't have a photo and won't have them on the tractor until the snow flies. Perhaps then I can post a photo. I paid $80.oo Cdn for these chains about 12 years ago, not sure how they would compare to 2 or 4 link.

 

[ovrszd]

No, I don't have a photo and won't have them on the tractor until the snow flies. Perhaps then I can post a photo. I paid $80.oo Cdn for these chains about 12 years ago, not sure how they would compare to 2 or 4 link.

I've got a pair of 2 link ladder ice chains to fit my JD. I ordered them from TireChain.com is Where to Buy Tire Chains | Best Tire Chains 8 years ago but I can't remember what I paid. I believe it was right at $100.

 

[jdhacker]

I have 5.70 x8 tires on the front. Any of you guys know if there is a 3 rib tire that will work and be close to the same height.

 

[CADplans]

I never,,, ever,,, used chains,,, ever. BUT, I never tried to plow over 7 inches of snow.

My tires are ATV takeoffs, rims and all. The bolt pattern matched.

It was a good thing I never needed chains,,, :laughing:

This tractor could back up a pretty steep grade in the woods, with the heavy Gravely blade on the front.
That is virtually impossible with any GT tire.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

You cant beat a set of chains on ice. I have R-1 16.9-30 tires on my JD and its helpless on ice. I added aquiline talons and the difference is night and day. I run v-bar 2 link ladder chains on the Kubota and its impressive with where it can go with just those on it. The JD weighs close to 10k and the kubota is somewhere near 4k.

 

[art]

The thoughts that you didn't say what your driveway is leaves me with the thoughts that turf tires on blacktop will give you more traction then you will ever get with chains if you are scraping it.

 

[ovrszd]

The thoughts that you didn't say what your driveway is leaves me with the thoughts that turf tires on blacktop will give you more traction then you will ever get with chains if you are scraping it.

Oh man,,,, there's a LOT of arguing room there!!!!