Tire studs?

[Too many Kubotas]

Grooving tires takes a lot of time. I have only seen this in cases where a tire reseller wants to deepen the groove to make the tread depth deeper, not add new grooves, but the hand held tool isn't a fast option.
David from jax

Grooving is fun, I think. Well, for the first 1/3 of the first tire.

I've done lots of it, primarily to create a more flexible contact patch.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I run chains front and back!

Chains? Aren't they normally referred to as bracelets in those sizes?

 

[Shawn T. W.]

Beats walking, or shoveling!

 

[LouNY]

You hate using them or installing them? Installing them is a little work, though it really isn't bad at all on a little machine like yours. Nothing like putting chains on a 6 ft high skidder tire. That's some work.

They're cheaper, but studs won't last anywhere near as long. A few seasons perhaps, with the efficacy going down each one. Set of chains should last essentially forever if you're not using the machine on a daily, commercial basis and if you take them off in the summer.

You can (and should) chain up all four tires unless you don't have clearance in the fenders for them.

We hear so many times how hard tire chains are to put on.
Use the right method and they are not bad at all. Just let the tires do the work.
An old thread on the topic;
https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/threads/mounting-tire-chains.405039/
You can also find this method on you tube and some chain venders websites.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

That's similar instructions as my Aquiline chains came with.

 

[Rustyiron]

If you put 'em on more than once ever 4-5 years you'd be a lot better at it.
If you notice that the boys in snow country that must put them on each winter are mostly the advisors on this topic.

 

[RayIN]

You ever driven a tracked machine on ice?

About the same as watching a hog on ice.

 

[dnw64]

Grooving tires takes a lot of time. I have only seen this in cases where a tire reseller wants to deepen the groove to make the tread depth deeper, not add new grooves, but the hand held tool isn't a fast option.
David from jax

Okay, you're not going to do it in 5 minutes. But it's not a big deal.

Yes, I think the "original" idea with groovers is to deepen existing grooves. That's not what we're talking about. It's ADDing grooves to those wide flat areas that have no bite. I am thrilled with the grooves on my R4s. Would I have gotten R14s? Sure, but I bought a 12 year old tractor that had R4s and made the best of it. My driveway has to be in the top 95 percentile most challenging, and I never need chains unless it gets really icy.

 

[sandman2234]

Okay, you're not going to do it in 5 minutes. But it's not a big deal.

Yes, I think the "original" idea with groovers is to deepen existing grooves. That's not what we're talking about. It's ADDing grooves to those wide flat areas that have no bite. I am thrilled with the grooves on my R4s. Would I have gotten R14s? Sure, but I bought a 12 year old tractor that had R4s and made the best of it. My driveway has to be in the top 95 percentile most challenging, and I never need chains unless it gets really icy.

Completely understand! If I had R4 tires and needed more traction, I would probably grab my skill saw and draw a couple lines on each tire and set the depth to about 1/4inch and give it a whirl with a multi tooth sawblade. May go back over them in a year or two to deepen them as the tires wear. There are wider sawblades (Dado?) but I think I would start with a 1/8 inch blade first to see how it did.
A really good exhaust fan is going to be needed, and I am sure the rubber on the blade will get hot as it burns off, so lung, sleeve and eye protection is a must!
David from jax

 

[LouNY]

Okay, you're not going to do it in 5 minutes. But it's not a big deal.

Yes, I think the "original" idea with groovers is to deepen existing grooves. That's not what we're talking about. It's ADDing grooves to those wide flat areas that have no bite. I am thrilled with the grooves on my R4s. Would I have gotten R14s? Sure, but I bought a 12 year old tractor that had R4s and made the best of it. My driveway has to be in the top 95 percentile most challenging, and I never need chains unless it gets really icy.

Interesting, I would not ever consider working snow on my driveway without chains.
In my younger years we ran chains much of the winter to be able to get out and about in the fields, spreading manure and feeding young stock.

 

[dnw64]

Interesting, I would not ever consider working snow on my driveway without chains.

To be clear, it's asphalt, and almost always clear (I use salt) before we get more snow. So it's just snow on top of clean asphalt - better grip than driving a 4x4 on most town maintained roads, which either get packed snow, or worse - slush. I have never had the slightest pucker without chains. I do have chains, and put them on 2 different years, but it was pretty much a waste of time. If we got an ice storm, I'd lug them out and put them on, then leave them on the rest of the winter.

 

[RayIN]

Okay, you're not going to do it in 5 minutes. But it's not a big deal.

Yes, I think the "original" idea with groovers is to deepen existing grooves. That's not what we're talking about. It's ADDing grooves to those wide flat areas that have no bite. I am thrilled with the grooves on my R4s. Would I have gotten R14s? Sure, but I bought a 12 year old tractor that had R4s and made the best of it. My driveway has to be in the top 95 percentile most challenging, and I never need chains unless it gets really icy.

Yep, most truck tires have "regroovable" on the sidewall. The minimum tread depth for truck steer tires is 4/32", rears 2/32". when they get worn to that depth they have enough rubber to recut/regroove the tread design nearly to original depth.

 

[Windblown]

I am running a generic version of grip studs and they are holding up well. I run them year round and they work great on ice and light snow. Even help during summer in certain situations.

Heavy wet snow still requires chains if doing any ground work so I have them as well but the studs add a serious boost to traction in slick/frozen conditions. Difference with them versus without is substantial.

 

[Windblown]

You probably could have embarrassed him back by asking him to articulate a reason that you shouldn't put chains on the front.

Front axles and diffs are not as tough as rear axles and diffs. Some manufacturers specifically state to not run chains up front.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Dirt cheap surplus Pewag chains for MRAPs, cut down to fit 40 inch tall tires.

They look like crap now, but I suspect that they work far better than studs. I use less meaningful ladder type chains on the front axle since there's already about 8,000 lbs. on it and the loader can add another 4K or so.

Broke enough front axle parts on Jeeps to know not to put too much strain on the front, even with the wheels kept straight.

 

[dnw64]

Broke enough front axle parts on Jeeps to know not to put too much strain on the front, even with the wheels kept straight.

I had a 1964 Ford HD Industrial tractor (don't remember the model but it was advertised as 50 HP) that was converted (aftermarket, best I could tell) to 4WD. It seemed to be some sort of military front end, and it ran off a side PTO. I ran chains on the front because I couldn't afford them for the back. Once over-stressed it, and the PRO drive shaft busted at/in the spline. Made a pretty "flower". Wish I'd got a picture of it, but this was long before everyone carried a camera in their pocket...

 

[BlueKnife]

Front axles and diffs are not as tough as rear axles and diffs. Some manufacturers specifically state to not run chains up front.

Interesting. Hadn't heard that before. I'm trying to envision how front chains on ice or snow would put more stress on a front axle than using a loader on dry, rocky and/bumpy ground..... The chains do help a lot with steering. I suppose if the wheels can just slide around maybe there's less stress?

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I suppose if the wheels can just slide around maybe there's less stress?

Umm, yes.

 

[BlueKnife]

Umm, yes.

But they don't slide around like that when they're on dry, rocky dirt........

 

[Too many Kubotas]

But they don't slide around like that when they're on dry, rocky dirt........

True, but that's when using 2WD is practical. Aided by locking the rear diff as needed.