Snow Chains for snow & ice -- what mistake is it most important to avoid?

[shooterdon]

I posted several pictures last year about how I install my tire chains, it is a method that removes most of the lifting and tugging.
I can mount a set of chains on 18.4-30 tires in less then half an hour for both.
Also the Euro style many manufactures want them to be installed a bit loose, enough to get a fist under the cross chains with NO tensioners.

Oosik, you wonder whether studded is sufficiently superior to V-bar to justify the price;
most definitely I have run both on hard packed snow, ice, gravel and paved roads.
There is no comparison the studded style Euro type chains will outperform and ride better then any style of traction chain available.
The last V-bar reinforced chains I ran were on two link spacing and the studded Aguiline were twice as effective.
I could stop on my steep driveway with a 2wd tractor and backup, with the v-bar it was iffy to stop without using the blade also and once stopped almost impossible to back up the tires would just spin and chew unless you went into high reverse and used tire speed.
I have switched completly to the studded Euro for my tractors and on the farm we have switched over half the tractors that get chained up over and the others as the ladder chains get beyond repairing. These tractors are used feed cows in outside feed lots all winter with heavy wagon loads with tractors from 60 hp to 125 hp.

To install;
1) lay the chains out traction side up
2) attach a rope to the chains and to the wheel/tire, I just tie the rope to the chain making a V to hang on the tread
3) drive forward pulling the chain up onto the tire
4) stop and arrange the chain evenly on the tire (a second person speeds this up considerably)
5) drive the chain on untill your fasteners are in a convenient location usually have way up the rear of the tire
6) fasten your fasteners and drive a bit if needed refasten
7) keep your fasteners the same distances on both sides, do not have one side tighter then the other

Lou,
Thanks for taking the time and effort to post that.

Very informative.

 

[Rebeldad1]

I bought the European Diamond Style net chain for my Kioti with R4s from Tirechain.com
I looked them up by tire size and got the exact fit for the tire so no need to send them back.

As far as installing them they have videos on each style as to how to install. Very nice to have.

Installed them, double tied them down and put them on as directed. Also added some rubber bungies to keep them tight.
They worked Great!! The only thing I had to do was reverse the front wheels for added clearance to the tierod ends.
Any questions they are a phone call or online chat away.

Very pleased with this and If correct were under $500.00 for all

 

[John_Mc]

I bought the European Diamond Style net chain for my Kioti with R4s from Tirechain.com
I looked them up by tire size and got the exact fit for the tire so no need to send them back.

As far as installing them they have videos on each style as to how to install. Very nice to have.

Installed them, double tied them down and put them on as directed. Also added some rubber bungies to keep them tight.
They worked Great!! The only thing I had to do was reverse the front wheels for added clearance to the tierod ends.
Any questions they are a phone call or online chat away.

Very pleased with this and If correct were under $500.00 for all

Most of those Euro-style chains do not recommend running them tight. My OFA EKO 8 chains recommend a fists worth of slack under the chain. It took me a while to get used to that, since every other chain I've used recommends keeping them tight (and using springs or bungies to take up any remaining slack). I installed mine tight the first time, since that's how I ran both my ladder-style and my Duo-Grip style chains. Then I read the instructions. I have to admit, they seem to work just as well, if not better when installed with the recommended slack - with the bonus that it is a lot faster to install them that way: drive them on using a process very similar to that described by LouNY, buckle them up and go. No retightening or monkeying around required.

 

[fruitcakesa]

Most of those Euro-style chains do not recommend running them tight. My OFA EKO 8 chains recommend a fists worth of slack under the chain. It took me a while to get used to that, since every other chain I've used recommends keeping them tight (and using springs or bungies to take up any remaining slack). I installed mine tight the first time, since that's how I ran both my ladder-style and my Duo-Grip style chains. Then I read the instructions. I have to admit, they seem to work just as well, if not better when installed with the recommended slack - with the bonus that it is a lot faster to install them that way: drive them on using a process very similar to that described by LouNY, buckle them up and go. No retightening or monkeying around required.

The dealer I bought my euro style lugs said basically the same thing except that you should be able to get your arm in.

 

[Oldpath05]

My Talon tire chains stay straight when slack, 3 years ago I put them on and left them on.

 

[Jstpssng]

My Talon tire chains stay straight when slack, 3 years ago I put them on and left them on.

What's the second winch for?

 

[tmcj]

Smallchange, I think you will be happy with the MPC chains. I put them on my Max 26xl last winter and they made a huge difference. My driveway and a neighbor's that I plow are rather steep also and they work great and I feel much safer doing it. I did not run any additional tensioners on mine. Just install as instructed, drive on them a little, retighten as needed, and they have not moved around all winter. Definitely a good investment... you'll be wishing you had done it sooner.

 

[LouNY]

Smallchange, I hope that the MPC chains work good for you.
As far as tensioners I know that the Talons are supposed to be left loose,
if there is Aquillia literature when you receive your chains they may mention if tensioners are recommended or if they should be run loose.
If nothing comes with the chains the web site may have information.
On the lower left is a link for a PDF on the installation;
Aquiline Tire Chains

 

[Oldpath05]

What's the second winch for?

The 12000 DC winch aids in picking up the pto winch, I without it I cant pick this hitch up below, I think it's on the weak side.

 

[CobyRupert]

Chains for snow & ice -- what mistake is it most important to avoid?

An L3400 should lift 1985 lbs at pins, 1400 lb lift at 24” behind pins.
The winch weighs 385 lbs and pretty close to pins.
One would think that should leave plenty for the logs, no?

 

[CalG]

With Oak at better than 50 pounds per cubic foot , that lift weight adds up quickly!

 

[SmallChange]

Smallchange, I think you will be happy with the MPC chains. I put them on my Max 26xl last winter and they made a huge difference. My driveway and a neighbor's that I plow are rather steep also and they work great and I feel much safer doing it. I did not run any additional tensioners on mine. Just install as instructed, drive on them a little, retighten as needed, and they have not moved around all winter. Definitely a good investment... you'll be wishing you had done it sooner.

Smallchange, I hope that the MPC chains work good for you.
As far as tensioners I know that the Talons are supposed to be left loose,
if there is Aquillia literature when you receive your chains they may mention if tensioners are recommended or if they should be run loose.
If nothing comes with the chains the web site may have information.
On the lower left is a link for a PDF on the installation;
Aquiline Tire Chains

Thank you both! I've been fretting that I should have gone another $250 for their Talons, but also wondering if the larger chains might ever hit fenders (I seem to have about 1 1/4" space at tightest) or other structure. This is my first experience of any kind with chains since I watched drivers deal with them back when they were pretty common on cars.

But the big worry is that stuff, you know, it leaks out of tractors. Green. Sweet smelling. What's the word? It's on the tip of my tongue. No, no, not antifreeze. Yeah! Money! That's the word I was looking for.

I bought the tractor at the end of April, and I needed to modify my pole barn to house it. And I wanted a canopy. And decided I needed help to move implements around and mount and dismount them, being 62 with a bad back, so I put in a tiny beam crane. And got an adapter to be able to mount 3PT implements on the skidder mount on the FEL. And bought a ballast box I filled with scrap steel and concrete. It's been great, everything working out well, but so much money, it's leaking all over the place!

By the way, I measured my driveway, and the steepest area is 14 degrees from horizontal. Some people get stuck on this driveway in the summer when there's zero mud, especially delivery trucks. I hope the chains make it here -- the driver might not be able to carry them up the hill by hand!

So fingers crossed, I hope the MPC chains work well enough!

 

[CobyRupert]

But the big worry is that stuff, you know, it leaks out of tractors. Green. Sweet smelling. What's the word? It's on the tip of my tongue. No, no, not antifreeze. Yeah! Money! That's the word I was looking for.

....It's been great, everything working out well, but so much money, it's leaking all over the place!

:laughing: :laughing:
Ehh, you still have most of the money, it just not green anymore. It's blue (and other colors) and hard as steel, instead of a bunch of digital 0's and 1's in some bank's computer or ink dots on a bank statement. You still have most of it, it's just been "converted".

 

[ruffdog]

So fingers crossed, I hope the MPC chains work well enough!

Any chains is going to be way better than no chains. Have fun this winter!

 

[shooterdon]

Wow, 14 degrees is scary. I doubt many people deal with that degree of slope over much of a distance.

Good luck!!!

 

[ruffdog]

Wow, 14 degrees is scary. I doubt many people deal with that degree of slope over much of a distance.

Good luck!!!

Yeah, I grew up on a farm that had a long drive that was 13 deg. We were experts at backing across the highway to get a run at the drive. It was all about timing and throttle modulation to get to the top.

 

[LouNY]

Thank you both! I've been fretting that I should have gone another $250 for their Talons, but also wondering if the larger chains might ever hit fenders (I seem to have about 1 1/4" space at tightest) or other structure. This is my first experience of any kind with chains since I watched drivers deal with them back when they were pretty common on cars.

But the big worry is that stuff, you know, it leaks out of tractors. Green. Sweet smelling. What's the word? It's on the tip of my tongue. No, no, not antifreeze. Yeah! Money! That's the word I was looking for.

I bought the tractor at the end of April, and I needed to modify my pole barn to house it. And I wanted a canopy. And decided I needed help to move implements around and mount and dismount them, being 62 with a bad back, so I put in a tiny beam crane. And got an adapter to be able to mount 3PT implements on the skidder mount on the FEL. And bought a ballast box I filled with scrap steel and concrete. It's been great, everything working out well, but so much money, it's leaking all over the place!

By the way, I measured my driveway, and the steepest area is 14 degrees from horizontal. Some people get stuck on this driveway in the summer when there's zero mud, especially delivery trucks. I hope the chains make it here -- the driver might not be able to carry them up the hill by hand!

So fingers crossed, I hope the MPC chains work well enough!

Your driveway is almost as steep as mine, mine runs 14 degrees in most places and hits 16 degrees in a couple,
mine is not paved and does require considerable maintenance summer and winter.
I made a video a while back driving done it one warm January day.

 

[ruffdog]

Your driveway is almost as steep as mine, mine runs 14 degrees in most places and hits 16 degrees in a couple,
mine is not paved and does require considerable maintenance summer and winter.
I made a video a while back driving done it one warm January day.

Man,.....at least ours was straight.........I'm sure good tires, skill, 4x4, sand, is implemented from time to time! :laughing:

 

[LouNY]

Man,.....at least ours was straight.........I'm sure good tires, skill, 4x4, sand, is implemented from time to time! :laughing:

Yes, tractors are chained, sander/plow truck is chained, all vehicles are 4wd or awd with studded tires.
Also a good sized covered sand pile.

 

[ruffdog]

Yes, tractors are chained, sander/plow truck is chained, all vehicles are 4wd or awd with studded tires.
Also a good sized covered sand pile.

Did you have that driveway back before radial tires? Boy, those old bias ply tires were horrible compared to what we have now.