Chains Front Tire Chains - Don't Need 'Em!

narcnh · Dec 21, 2003

Front Tire Chains - Don\'t Need \'Em!

OK, so I just spent a couple of hours today moving more snow around. Pushed it back along the drive to make room for more when I have to plow again and to enable my oil delivery truck to make it up the hill. Then, pushed the big piles that were around the house way back on the lawn, again, to make room for more snow.

Never got stuck without the front chains (the ones that I couldn't get to stay on from an earleir post). The snow is more solid now, after the rain, and I'm a little better, I think, at working with this tractor. So, I am not going to bother to try and get those chains to stay on. They can sit in the garage, unless and until I decide I need the traction.

I have to say that pushing those big piles of snow around was a blast! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I thought I might envy the guys with the snowblowers, but blasting back big piles of snow is fun! I just rode right up on them and busted loose huge chunks that rolled down the back side. Seat time in a tractor is just the best; you're outside, having fun, but in the end you actually do real work. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif (Remind me I posted this, when I get stuck at 4am in a blizzard trying to clear my drive.)

ronjhall · Dec 21, 2003

Re: Front Tire Chains - Don\'t Need \'Em!

narcnh

I have found that I don't need chains front or rear. If there is enough weight on the tires. I'm sure that with the snow the northeast gets it would need them. But here in Michigan I we only get 1 snow a year that is 12" or more. Here is a picture of my tractor from a couple of years ago when we had 17" in one day. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Snow Blade

Enjoy the snow before the really big one hits and its -10 degrees. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

JDgreen227 · Dec 21, 2003

Re: Front Tire Chains - Don\'t Need \'Em!

Interesting you would post this the same day I was discussing that bad snowstorm with my father in law...according to my journal for the year 2000 mid-Michigan got 15 inches of snow the days of December 11 thru 14. And so far this December only about 3 inches total.

Larry_T · Feb 18, 2004

Re: Front Tire Chains - Don\'t Need \'Em!

narcnh you can always push yourself out with bucket. Larry

RalphVa · Feb 19, 2004

Re: Front Tire Chains - Don\'t Need \'Em!

After hanging one of my chains on my brake backer plate, I've been operating without them.

After reading the posts here, I bought 4 ag tires for my Gravely and screwed #8 1/2" sheet metal screws into each lug out near the edge where the lugs are the thickest. Haven't had a chance to try them out yet. I'm hoping they'll give me the traction now to haul my cart back up the hill without my getting off and walking beside the tractor to get it up. I plan to haul about 40 bales of straw down to the garden. No problem slipping downhill, even with turfs and no chains. Problem is getting back up the hill.

Ralph

rbargeron · Feb 19, 2004

Re: Front Tire Chains - Don\'t Need \'Em!

My place has sloped paved driveways near my buildings. For years I never used tire chains. Then one day freezing rain had glazed everything over and as I was backing the tractor around in the driveway, it lost traction and the front end swung down the grade, coming within a couple inches of ripping off the front of a garage. Now I use chains on all 4. Can I get along without them? Well, yes. But can I do a lot more safely and quickly with them? You bet.

Pks · Feb 19, 2004

Re: Front Tire Chains - Don\'t Need \'Em!

Rbargeron,

I had a very similar close call, also on a paved, steep driveway. Only in my case, I was trying to come back up to the garage. My wife watched as the tractor lost traction on the ice, slid backward, rotated sideways and slid all the way back down the hill (about 300 ft). She laughed at me.

From then on, I used chains on the fronts as well as rear tires. That change made a huge difference. Pushing snow with the FEL was much improved as well.

Henro · Feb 19, 2004

Re: Front Tire Chains - Don\'t Need \'Em!

<font color="blue">Then one day freezing rain had glazed everything over and as I was backing the tractor around in the driveway, it lost traction and the front end swung down the grade, coming within a couple inches of ripping off the front of a garage. </font>

rbargeron,

I think you hit the nail on the head...

Seems to me the need for chains is a function of the degree of slope one operates on. Steeper slopes...greater need.

That's the way life works for me anyway... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

varmint · Feb 21, 2004

Re: Front Tire Chains - Don\'t Need \'Em!

Dick: I am curious about that blue snowblower on the back of your tractor... looks serious, at least for whatever snow is left after you drive thru it. I've never seen such a beast.

rbargeron · Feb 21, 2004

Re: Front Tire Chains - Don\'t Need \'Em!

It's 6' wide and was made back in the '70s by Snow Machines. Erskine also made a very similar rear-mount pull-forward blower until a couple years ago. They are very simple and lightweight - no gearbox, just two plows with a center auger/impeller. Works very well - but it is not quite big enough to cover my wheel tracks. I've recently given it to my brother-in-law to use on his 30 hp Kioti. I have switched to a 7ft backup type - (picture attached) which I really like too - does a great job.