Chains on all winter?

[Royboy]

Trying to decide about putting the chains on my tractor. I don't want to put them on and take them off several times because it's a pain in the butt but I am concerned about what they might do to my asphault driveway over the winter. Mine is not a huge tractor, its a Kubota 2410 so it's not a behemouth tracking up and down my driveway, but I don't want to ruin the pavement either.
Does anyone leave them on all winter? Should they just go on in case of a blizzard like last year?
How do you folks handle this?
Thanks for your input!
Roy

 

[Gizmo2]

What type of chains?
I leave mine on all the time, rear only, summer, fall, winter and spring. Never saw any adverse effect on our asphalt driveway. Been doing the same for the last 20 some years.

 

[RalphVa]

My Gravely needed chains in the winter until I put duals on. The chains didn't harm the driveway. Think you'd only have a problem if the driveway was in its first year. After that it hardens enough to not be harmed.

Don't need chains on the turf tires of my 4010. Maybe I might if our driveway had much of a slope to it. Did fine on our record 56" last winter.

Ralph

 

[mbrule]

My experience with my little Yanmar is that the driveway is not harmed UNLESS I spin the tires.

I had cable chains (broke, need to make a new set) that didn't really do any more than scuff it up even if I spun.

My "v bar" chains will damage even seasoned asphalt if I spin the tires.. My tractor is probably around 2k pounds weighted up for use.

 

[dave1949]

Like others said, it depends a lot on the style of chain. Mine have two square-cut spikes on each link. Very bitey. They will do a number on my concrete garage floor without spinning the tires. I park the tractor on rubber horse stall mats in the garage. Driveway is gravel, so that's not an issue.

I agree about the pain of putting them on, I leave mine on all winter.
Dave.

 

[JB4310]

I leave mine on all winter, If yours are regular plain chains with no v bars then it won't be a problem driving over the asphalt the only time it will leave marks is if you spin the tires, even then with plain chains it will just leave a cosmetic scratch, that will not be noticed after a while.

Mine do have the V bars and they will do some damage, leave permanent scratches/ galling if spun andas Dave mentioned even just driving on concrete will leave chips.

JB.

 

[Royboy]

Thanks all! I just put them on and will not think about them again until spring. My chains are just regular ladder chains from TireChains.com so hopefully they won't do much to the driveway but I'll be ready for the snow if it comes.

Actually... I figure that since I went out and put them on it might not snow anymore for the rest of the winter.

All the best-
Roy

 

[Jerry/MT]

Trying to decide about putting the chains on my tractor. I don't want to put them on and take them off several times because it's a pain in the butt but I am concerned about what they might do to my asphault driveway over the winter. Mine is not a huge tractor, its a Kubota 2410 so it's not a behemouth tracking up and down my driveway, but I don't want to ruin the pavement either.
Does anyone leave them on all winter? Should they just go on in case of a blizzard like last year?
How do you folks handle this?
Thanks for your input!
Roy

If you're worried about damaging your drive then drive on the side in the grass. I doubt that driving on the asphalt will do any damage to it however.
Studded tires are probably worse than chains, albiet smaller. be careful if you have an FEL and have it loaded. You don't want to spin the tires or they can damage the surface.

I've found one sure way for the weather to improve is for me to put chains on the tractor and the ranch pick up. Seems as soon as I do that, a chinook blows through and melts the snow and I don't need the chains!

 

[Dead Horse]

I put the chains on this big guy as needed. When not needed, I take them off. Each chain weighs in excess of 80 pounds. Yes, pain in the tail, but this tractor weighs a LOT and will wear out a set on the pavement if I don't do this.

The drive is 3/4 mile long, pavement. and the tractor makes a couple trips a week up and back for firewood from the wood shed to the outdoor furnace.

I really don't mind, as it is rare that this tractor actually needs chains for his usual chores.

The guy who does this plow route gets his truck stuck in a ditch on a narrow gravel road above me, about once a season. His truck can weigh in excess of 30,000 # with a load of sand. When I have to go get him, I stop at the barn for the chains, as a matter of course.

Otherwise, if I am dealing with a storm like the one in the picture, I chain up, too.

 

[JimP]

I used 4 bar ladder chains with loaded R4s on a Kubota 2410 for ears. The chains went on in the late fall and came off when snow removal stopped. I never saw any damage to the concrete garage floor or paved driveway except for cosmetic scratches if I spun the tires.