mounting front chains

leonz · Jan 2, 2013

Happy new Year fellow board members,

SO anyway I have gotten around to trying to mount the front chains on the JD LA115 (not four wheel drive) to stop the skidding around when blowing and I have run into a bit of snag.

(Backround information)
The chains fit the same size tire for a two stage walk behind snow blower-but the tires would clear on the snow blower of course due to the lack of a steering axle.

The cross connecting links will not clear the steering axle with the chain draped over the interior sidewalls of the tires

SO have any of you simply removed a link or two of each cross chain and reconnected it to permit clearance?

I have the spring spoke tensioners for this size tire when I bought the chains for the front so thats not an issue either.

I can return them all for credit as long as I do not do anything to them or use them. I will keep the tire chain repair tool though.

vtsnowedin · Jan 2, 2013

Do you have a picture showing the problem? I think you mean that the tie-rod end is so close to the tire sidewall the chain can't pass through. Maybe an inch spacer and longer hub bolts to move the tires out enough. Void your warranty and all that of course. Dose the owners manual mention front chains?

kco · Jan 2, 2013

I built a set of 2-link ladders from a larger set of 4-link ladders this year. I removed 3 links from each cross chain so they would ride higher and clear the hardware on the front of my DK35. I purchased chain pliers ($67.50) which helped a lot.

leonz · Jan 2, 2013

The front axle casting is what is interfering with the chain clearance; I will be calling them for return shipping instructions on thursday.

Harvey9 · Jan 3, 2013

leonz said:
The front axle casting is what is interfering with the chain clearance; I will be calling them for return shipping instructions on thursday.

Leonz, I'm not clear on what the problem is, could you post a photo?

Harvey

leonz · Jan 4, 2013

Hello Harvey Happy New Year to you,

The chains will fit the tire BUUUUT the steering axle prevents the chain from
clearing the space between the inner side wall of the front tires and running free
with out contacting the steering axle.

The bad news is that tirechains.com will not take back the chains and spoke tensioners:thumbdown:
unless I bought more products from them. SO I will be removing two links from
each cross chain and splicing them back unless someone would like to buy a set
of 15-5-6 4 link chains and the spoke tensioners from me.

CJONE · Jan 4, 2013

leonz said:
Hello Harvey Happy New Year to you,

The chains will fit the tire BUUUUT the steering axle prevents the chain from
clearing the space between the inner side wall of the front tires and running free
with out contacting the steering axle.

The bad news is that tirechains.com will not take back the chains and spoke tensioners:thumbdown:
unless I bought more products from them. SO I will be removing two links from
each cross chain and splicing them back unless someone would like to buy a set
of 15-5-6 4 link chains and the spoke tensioners from me.

You are tensioning them on the outside, right? To get more clearence on the inside loop [make it bigger] you would need to ADD chain to the loop, correct? At least that is what I had to do to mine on the front. CJ

kco · Jan 4, 2013

Leonz, it sounds like your front chain situation is similar to mine. I fixed it by shortening the crosschains to make the sidechain ride higher on the tire and thus clear the frontend components. I had to keep the crosslink chain hooks high to maintain clearance. Here is a photo of my DK35 front chain:

Are your chains 2 link or 4 link? 2 link sidechains will ride a bit higher on the tire than 4 link. Regardless, you should be able to estimate the number of links by laying the chains on the tire with the inside sidechain at the required position and removing the number of links to make the outside sidechain ride at the same position.

leonz · Jan 4, 2013

Happy New Year KCO,

I have the four link chains for front and rear. As long as I am at it I may just make up a set of
two link V bar chains for the rear as I have two sets I can use to make one set of V bars for it since the traction is so poor even with the suitcase weights and four link chains

Yes, you had the same situation with your mule that I have with my 2 wheel drive mule.
I bought the chains to keep it from skidding around so much with the blower-it happens
with or without the snow caster on the ground.

I laid the tire chain over one tire on thursday and by the looks of things I can lose
two cross links so weather permitting today I will get started on the task.

Thanks for the photo of your set up; I should have no issues with my installation.

Have you had any recent sightings of the big furry fellow that shows up in
n BC or Vancouver Island lately?

Thanks for the support and photo.

leonz