Trygg Off Road/Snow Chains, Decision?

[Orahov]

Greetings, Im looking to get a couple pairs of tire chains (front and rear) on my Branson 3515H, mainly for forest logging and snow clearing. Traction on ice and hard bedrock is needed, I dont mind heavier chains to add lower centre of gravity.

Anybody can recommend Trygg tire chains? Im trying to decide between Trygg Fast Trac square studs, SMT Flexi, SMT, or SM2D tire chains for terrain ratings.

According to Trygg website, chains mostly used for terrain are listed below in priority:

1) SMT Flexi (5 star terrain)
2) SM2D (4 star terrain, heavier chains than Fast Trac/SMT?)
3) Fast Trac/SMT (4 star terrain, equal ratings for weight/road use)

If someone can please reccomend a set for logging operations/plowing snow, traction uphill on granite bedrock/icy driveways? Im leaning towards SMT Flexi or SM2D, but heard good things about Fast Trac chains too.

 

[LouNY]

The SM2D is a double diamond studded pattern chain it will provide about the best traction imaginable for a compact tractor in the woods.
Do they make them in a size for your tractor?
I have the SMT Flexi for my front chains on my 11.2-24's they are very aggressive also.

 

[BlueKnife]

If someone can please reccomend a set for logging operations/plowing snow, traction uphill on granite bedrock/icy driveways? Im leaning towards SMT Flexi or SM2D, but heard good things about Fast Trac chains too.

Chains aren't going to help on solid rock. In some cases they make things worse, in fact. They can't dig in and just slide around. Ice is a different story. You'll have to decide which one is more of a problem and go with that.

 

[TractorTYMe]

Hard to go wrong with any trygg branded chains, get the most agressive chain with studs from trygg that will fit under your fender.

 

[Orahov]

Chains aren't going to help on solid rock. In some cases they make things worse, in fact. They can't dig in and just slide around. Ice is a different story. You'll have to decide which one is more of a problem and go with that.

Thanks for sharing this, anything you would recommend for solid granite rock, or bare tires is best bet?

 

[BlueKnife]

Thanks for sharing this, anything you would recommend for solid granite rock, or bare tires is best bet?

Bare tires at as low of a PSI as you can get away with while keeping them on the bead. You want as much rubber on that rock as possible and lowering the pressure allows the tire to conform to the rock better.

 

[oosik]

I have basaltic lava bedrock. It can be sharp as a surgeons scalpel. Just have to be very careful to not spin the tires. With 4WD - no need for chains.

Had ladder chains - on all four wheels - on my previous tractor. If I needed added traction on my M6040 - Trygg on all four wheels. Put them on - get them tight - leave them on.

Nowhere on my 80 acres would be damaged by a heavy tractor with aggressive chains.

 

[BlueKnife]

I have basaltic lava bedrock. It can be sharp as a surgeons scalpel. Just have to be very careful to not spin the tires. With 4WD - no need for chains.

Had ladder chains - on all four wheels - on my previous tractor. If I needed added traction on my M6040 - Trygg on all four wheels. Put them on - get them tight - leave them on.

Nowhere on my 80 acres would be damaged by a heavy tractor with aggressive chains.

Are we talking about unbroken, essentially paved, with just solid rock, with no soil or loose rocks on it, or are we talking about very rocky ground, as in covered in various sizes of rocks and soil?

 

[LouNY]

There are several reasons that log skidders and other forestry equipment runs this type of tire chain;

They work in forested terrain including rocks and even so called slick rock. Once that rock gets snow and ice on it rubber doesn't work. These studs will carve grooves in granite. They are also expensive.
The double diamond chains the OP asked about are almost this aggressive.
One problem with using these chains on a compact tractor is that you can actually get more grip then bare tires in the summer and you can break things these are not mini-bull dozers.

 

[BlueKnife]

There are several reasons that log skidders and other forestry equipment runs this type of tire chain;
View attachment 2088416
They work in forested terrain including rocks and even so called slick rock. Once that rock gets snow and ice on it rubber doesn't work. These studs will carve grooves in granite. They are also expensive.
The double diamond chains the OP asked about are almost this aggressive.
One problem with using these chains on a compact tractor is that you can actually get more grip then bare tires in the summer and you can break things these are not mini-bull dozers.

I live in logging country and did residential tree work for most of my life. I've used chains of all kinds, extensively, on a wide variety of different types of machines, including tractors, skidders, heavy trucks, pickup trucks and SUV's. Chains like that work great in the vast majority of terrain types, with one exception. Hard, solid rock, particularly with ice on it. Fortunately, needing to operate a machine on a solid sheet of rock is rather rare. In most cases, when there is rock like that on a job, it's on ground that is too steep for a machine to operate anyway and a way around must be located. Since trees (or at least trees that are worth cutting for timber) generally don't grow on solid sheets of rock, this is usually not a huge issue, although it can certainly change where logs can be skidded.

 

[LouNY]

If you are trying to traverse hard solid rock with ice on chains are the only thing if no ice bare rubber would be best. I've worked on rock ledges many times in the woods, granite, shale and slate. Chains help 99% of the time and they are always better then steel tracks on stone.
While I'm back in NY now, we have lots of hills and woods with steep grades. many of the wood lots around here have some steep and twisty logging trails with limbs and logs under the snow interspaced with bare rock with snow and ice on it.
It is much different then Idaho, I enjoyed my time in that state. I mostly lived in the south west part of the state but did quite a bit of work in the Kellogg area when the silver industry was booming.

 

[BlueKnife]

If you are trying to traverse hard solid rock with ice on chains are the only thing if no ice bare rubber would be best. I've worked on rock ledges many times in the woods, granite, shale and slate. Chains help 99% of the time and they are always better then steel tracks on stone.
While I'm back in NY now, we have lots of hills and woods with steep grades. many of the wood lots around here have some steep and twisty logging trails with limbs and logs under the snow interspaced with bare rock with snow and ice on it.
It is much different then Idaho, I enjoyed my time in that state. I mostly lived in the south west part of the state but did quite a bit of work in the Kellogg area when the silver industry was booming.

I'm about 30 miles from Kellog as the crow flies (so, an hour and a half drive). You're absolutely correct. Chains are awesome in almost every type of terrain where high traction is desired. Hard, slick, solid sheets of rock is the only place where they don't shine. Just wanted to be sure that the OP understood that since he mentioned "bedrock".

 

[Orahov]

Bare tires at as low of a PSI as you can get away with while keeping them on the bead. You want as much rubber on that rock as possible and lowering the pressure allows the tire to conform to the rock better.

Thanks again for your advice!

 

[Orahov]

There are several reasons that log skidders and other forestry equipment runs this type of tire chain;
View attachment 2088416
They work in forested terrain including rocks and even so called slick rock. Once that rock gets snow and ice on it rubber doesn't work. These studs will carve grooves in granite. They are also expensive.
The double diamond chains the OP asked about are almost this aggressive.
One problem with using these chains on a compact tractor is that you can actually get more grip then bare tires in the summer and you can break things these are not mini-bull dozers.

May I ask what type of chain these are called? Forestry chains? I don't plan on being rough with my tractor, just worried about suddenly slipping on some uneven smooth granite bedrock hilly areas (that I cant avoid) while carefully pulling a couple small sawmill logs.

What are some things to consider that are easy to break when using chains? Avoid tire spinning?

 

[oosik]

Are we talking about unbroken, essentially paved, with just solid rock, with no soil or loose rocks on it, or are we talking about very rocky ground, as in covered in various sizes of rocks and soil?

I have a few spots where the solid bedrock is exposed. It's rough, sharp and can be crumbly. These spots have zero dirt. I, most normally, will avoid these places.

Other places have from three to twenty seven feet of dirt over bedrock. However - one thing for certain - all my 80 acres is underlayed by solid basaltic lava bedrock.

 

[Orahov]

I live in logging country and did residential tree work for most of my life. I've used chains of all kinds, extensively, on a wide variety of different types of machines, including tractors, skidders, heavy trucks, pickup trucks and SUV's. Chains like that work great in the vast majority of terrain types, with one exception. Hard, solid rock, particularly with ice on it. Fortunately, needing to operate a machine on a solid sheet of rock is rather rare. In most cases, when there is rock like that on a job, it's on ground that is too steep for a machine to operate anyway and a way around must be located. Since trees (or at least trees that are worth cutting for timber) generally don't grow on solid sheets of rock, this is usually not a huge issue, although it can certainly change where logs can be skidded.

Will definetely find others ways around for safer travel if needed/possible. The forest has many lowland creeks/ponds/swamps that require basically Argo XTV capabilities to travel through unless high ground is taken, where granite bedrock sheets mountains protrude occasionally.

 

[LouNY]

May I ask what type of chain these are called? Forestry chains? I don't plan on being rough with my tractor, just worried about suddenly slipping on some uneven smooth granite bedrock hilly areas (that I cant avoid) while carefully pulling a couple small sawmill logs.

What are some things to consider that are easy to break when using chains? Avoid tire spinning?

Yes, just like in the summer spinning tires and then getting traction is rough on drivetrains. Any of the chains that you listed in your first post will get you as much or more traction in frozen ground as you tires get in the summer. The Aquiline Talos, the OFA studded and the Trygg studded chains will provide an amazing grip on frozen ground, hard pack snow, and ice. As well on wet logs and branches under the snow. If those chained up tires are spun fast which is hard to do unless one tire is in the air when it grabs thing will move.

Just for the heck of here is a short low quality Video of a 2wd Farmall 656 chained and a CIH 4wd 7120 Magnum,
2 wd under 7000# tractor with chains vs 20,000# 4wd on ice/hard pack snow

 

[Orahov]

If you are trying to traverse hard solid rock with ice on chains are the only thing if no ice bare rubber would be best. I've worked on rock ledges many times in the woods, granite, shale and slate. Chains help 99% of the time and they are always better then steel tracks on stone.
While I'm back in NY now, we have lots of hills and woods with steep grades. many of the wood lots around here have some steep and twisty logging trails with limbs and logs under the snow interspaced with bare rock with snow and ice on it.
It is much different then Idaho, I enjoyed my time in that state. I mostly lived in the south west part of the state but did quite a bit of work in the Kellogg area when the silver industry was booming.

Thanks, Im up in Ontario south of Algonquin. Right before the shield begins to develop. I think the terrain is similar to Adirondack Mountains in northeast NY. Beautiful land! Thank you for all your advice.

 

[spruce Deere]

I run single diamond studded trygg chain on the XR3140 LS.

Love'em. They scratch pavement and concrete, but destroy ice. The tractor with the rear tires filled with beat juice don't quite weigh enough to grind out pavement or concrete with the studded chains.

Back when I logged, all we ran on the skidders was trygg chain. The durability and traction of the chain was unbeatable, nothing elts wore as long and grabbed traction like the trygg.

I know on heavy machine like a deere 648 H or bigger skidder, trygg chains would leave claw marks in rock, destroy concrete and pavement if driven on repetively.

Compared to the peerless latter chains I run on the 790, there is way more grip with the trygg chain.

With trygg chain you pay little more, but there is not another tire chain out there that offers the wear and traction combined.

 

[oosik]

I think the question - will chains work on slick rock comes down to how heavy is your tractor and the design of the chains. I have no doubt - my tractor at 10,000 pounds and a set of Trygg chains would have superior traction on my bedrock. My simple ladder chains on my first tractor - Ford 1700 - provided much greater traction.

On any type of slick surface - ice or sheet bedrock - the heavier the tractor - the more the chains will bite in and give traction. Some of those Trygg chains look like an environmental buzz saw.