Chains....Age old question...need some advice

[John_Mc]

I found the thread with LouNY's description of the drive-on chain method: Mounting Tire Chains.

To recap his first post in that thread:

I put chains on one tractor yesterday, there are lots of ways to mount chains I thought I would share the easiest way I have found to do so.

1) lay the chains out with the outside, the ground contact side facing up
2) tie a short cord to the side chains, the length will depend on your tire size, on mine I end up with a V shape about 3 feet.
3) back up to your chain, take the cord and hang it on the tire treads.
4) drive forward slowly, stopping to spread the chain out on your tire.
5) continue doing this till you have rolled the chain up on the tire and have working room at the rear of the tire
6) your chain should be well centered on your tire and have very little slack.
7) fasten your chains.
8) step back and check out your work

As I noted in post 37 of that thread, after 2 years of installing chains the hard way, I switched to driving them on, I can get my chains on in about 15 minutes a tire (and that includes dragging them out of storage and laying them out on the ground). If I put them on and off more regularly, I'm sure I could do it faster.

The one difference from Lou's method is, I tie to the center of one of the cross chains, rather than to the side chains. I find this works easier, since I can leave the string on, and it leaves the side chains free to make the connections. The string comes off after the chain connections are made.

On a friend's tractor with not much tread left, I run the string through one of the holes in the rim, instead of hooking it over the tread. I've not installed chains on large turf tires, but I suspect the string through the hole in the rim would be the way to go on that type of tire as well.

The rest of that thread is worth reading through: there are some other good tips and experiences mentioned.

 

[John_Mc]

This is a link to that thread about mounting chains by driving them on.
Lou

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/snow-removal/405039-mounting-tire-chains.html?highlight=mounting+tire+chains

You beat me to it, Lou. I was in the process of posting when the guy showed up to service our boiler. Came back in, typed a sentence or two and hit "post", then saw that you had already linked.

 

[LouNY]

Yes it's a rainy deary day out here so not getting much done.
Puttering around inside and a bit out, drinking way to much coffee and sitting at the computer to much today.

 

[John_Mc]

Another good chain thread:
L3301 Snow Chains

 

[River19]

Thanks everyone. This thread has really helped me zero in on the studded chains......and I saw the drive on method with a line through the rim hole and it seems like he best way to go.

Again thanks for the help and when I get some I'll drop a note here to close the loop

 

[PILOON]

Installed my chains few days ago.
I jack up the CUT, manually rotate the wheel so as to wrap the chains around the tire, adjust the loose cross links and close the connectors.
My chains are studded crosses every 3 link and being close provide a rather smooth ride with minimal slippage even on glare ice.
I use binders inside as well as outside as I have very minimal fender clearance (can't even pass my hand).
I hate the clank/clank of a loose cross link plus the damage they cause to fenders.

Speaking of fenders; I sprayed leftover gravel guard on the underside some years back and am pleased to say it has proven to be successful in deterring rust.

 

[John_Mc]

... My chains are studded crosses every 3 link

I've never seen, or even heard of 3 link ladder style chains. No one seems to make them because the links on the side chain don't line up properly when you have an odd-number spacing. Normally it's either two link (i.e. every other link: skip one, then a cross chain at the next), or four link (skip three side links, then attach at the fourth).

Did you make these up yourself, or have them custom made?

 

[PILOON]

Re 3rd link chains----
You have a cross attached to one link then a space and next cross is then on the next or 3rd link.

I found that configuration to work best 4 me.
The way I see it is that being that close there is always at least one cross link in contact.
The conventional cross link chains are so far apart that I was getting a grip-slip-grab kind of traction and that often resulted in wild slip and sliding especially on hills.
By tightening up the space there is always at least one and often 2 cross chains in contact with the icy road.

My drive has a 100 ft rather steep hill close to the house that I need to navigate in order to access the balance of my drive for plowing/blowing.
We frequently get freezing rain so drives are often better suited for ice skating.

 

[LouNY]

Re 3rd link chains----
You have a cross attached to one link then a space and next cross is then on the next or 3rd link.

I found that configuration to work best 4 me.
The way I see it is that being that close there is always at least one cross link in contact.
The conventional cross link chains are so far apart that I was getting a grip-slip-grab kind of traction and that often resulted in wild slip and sliding especially on hills.
By tightening up the space there is always at least one and often 2 cross chains in contact with the icy road.

My drive has a 100 ft rather steep hill close to the house that I need to navigate in order to access the balance of my drive for plowing/blowing.
We frequently get freezing rain so drives are often better suited for ice skating.

I believe that we have a difference in counting here,
that is what I would consider a 2 link spaced chain.
Here is a picture of an advertised two link spacing;

I had two link spaced chains on my Oliver, no comparison to the Euro studded type.

 

[John_Mc]

I believe that we have a difference in counting here,
that is what I would consider a 2 link spaced chain.
Here is a picture of an advertised two link spacing;
View attachment 673136
I had two link spaced chains on my Oliver, no comparison to the Euro studded type.

You are not the only one who would consider that a 2 link chain. That is the definition of 2 link ladder style chains.