Put the Chains on Yesterday

[Gordon Gould]

I use the drive them on method. For the heavy rears a rope with a hook on each end looped over a tire lug and the chains laid out outside up.

Drive forward a little and check that they are going on straight and tight,

WaaaLa - No pain, no wrestle, no fight

Just hook them up

The fronts are much lighter so a rubber bungee thru the wheel opening works.

gg

 

[Oaktree]

I use the drive them on method.

Someone mentioned that method here a few years ago. Agree it's WAY easier to put them on that way. Got R4s on mine, chains are a must! Don't bother doing the fronts though.

 

[LouNY]

Thinking I may do mine Monday, it looks to be an almost decent day out.

 

[gstrom99]

Put my rears on Friday, before the storm. Fought 'em a little, but not too bad. Got 14", but used the Ranger and plow for it.

 

[Thomas]

Put Chains on last weekend just in time,by the looks of the weather map this coming Tuesday 4-8 inches.

 

[grsthegreat]

i was contemplating installing chains today...but high temp are like 26 degrees. supposed to be warmer next week. i think ill wait

 

[Shawn T. W.]

I put mine on last time home ... I pieced mine together from old chains, and had to come up with a way to fill the gap between the "ends" ... I used a carabineer so I can still take them apart ...

 

[bdhsfz6]

I usually wait to put the chains on until a major storm is predicted. I can generally plow nuisance snowfalls without them. There have been times in the last decade when I didn't need them and avoided the dreaded task.

Not so this season. We're expecting 8" or so this week, so I put them on yesterday. Despite using all the tricks, it's still a chore I hate and it doesn't get any easier on these old bones as time goes by.

 

[ArlyA]

And we got pods (you might call tracks) installed on 1.5 machines yesterday.

 

[dnw64]

I have Euro-style chains and have run them 2 out of 6 winters to date. I grooved my R4s and they work really well on everything but ice. I do keep our paved driveway mostly clear, so even though it's really steep (up to 30% at the worst place) I have generally not really needed chains. The biggest advantage to the chains is that I can do almost everything in 2WD, and the advantage to that is that our road is also paved and generally clean when I am clearing, so it makes turning around much simpler (I take it out of 4WD when making sharp turns on non-snowy pavement).

 

[LouNY]

Well I got my rears on the Branson today;
I do both tires at the same time, step 1 getting the ropes on, step 2 getting them started around

step 3 most of the way around and thennnnnnnnnnnnnnn step 4 all fastened on and done.

I've started putting mine on were the driveway has a bit of slope, once I've got them both hooked up on the tires I can release the parking brake and just let her roll ahead a bit, stopping every 3 feet or so to make sure they haven't tangles and to spread them out and keep them centered. Doing both at the same time just seems to work better for me on the rolling slope.

 

[grsthegreat]

I broke down and installed the chains today. Gave into the dark side

 

[groundcover]

Haven't put my chains on since I studded my R1's. Was curious how they would perform backing up with the 72" blower but they didn't miss a beat even with our 42" dusting a few years ago ! Lots nicer going down the road too .

 

[grsthegreat]

I keep with chains. I have gravel driveway so i dont worry ablut damaging anything. But mostly because i blow snow on aprox 3/4 to 1 mile of trails so i can exercise my dogs and even drive the horse sleigh thru in the winter. No way id try that without chains.

 

[gstrom99]

I studded my R1's.

Tractor tires can be studded? Never heard/knew that. Do they come with the holes already, or do you drill them?

 

[bdhsfz6]

I would worry about the studs doing damage to blacktop & concrete surfaces during the summer months.

 

[gstrom99]

I would worry about the studs doing damage to blacktop & concrete surfaces during the summer months.

My tractors (or UTV) never see either of those surfaces.

 

[JJT]

Tractor tires can be studded? Never heard/knew that. Do they come with the holes already, or do you drill them?

They simply screw into the tire.

 

[jmc]

Tractor tires can be studded? Never heard/knew that. Do they come with the holes already, or do you drill them?

There's some good TBN threads about studs.

A friend used to just use hardened hex headed sheet metal screws for motorcycle racing on frozen lakes. I bought several hundred for my tractor but couldnt bring myself to "violate" my tires that way.

 

[groundcover]

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They will mar tar if you spin them. I leave them in , haven't had any problems.