Mounting tire chains

[LouNY]

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







This is the easiest way I have found to do chains, if you are doing this in a shop and can jack up a wheel it works good than also.
On the smaller tires I have jacked them up and chocked the other side to do this, then simply kneel down to do the fastening.
If you find that your rope V is to long when the chain is started up simply stop and leaving your other cord on run a new V and snug it up remove the old and continue. Using this method one person can install heavy chains on large tires. Without straining and hurting themselves. If you take your time after using this method a few times you will find that after your chains are laid out and untangled you can mount them in well under a half hour each with help spreading the chains accross your tire and telling you when to stop it's even easier and you are not fighting with the weight of the chains when fastening the side links.
The shorter the V that works for you the easier to line up and fasten the side links with all the slack taken up by the chains, no fuss no muss.

This is most certainly not the only way, but it is the easiest way I have found.

Lou

I have no idea why these pictures all rotate when I post them.

 

[Jstpssng]

I will have to try that tomorrow, after I shorten them up a bit.
Those are some nice looking chains and wheel weights.

 

[LouNY]

Thanks, those chains work amazingly well, great grip and a smooth ride.
The weights are expensive about a buck a pound but I have had my fill of fluid filled tires hopefully no more.

The first time is the worst, then it becomes second nature and just a pain.

 

[Jstpssng]

I've always put them on the old fashioned way, draping them over the tires and using a lot of 4 letter words to convince them to get lined up. I would have bought a set of ice chains last year but my 'bota came with a set of H-chains which work OK.
Everything Attachments has the best prices on wheel weights that I have found but as you say it still comes in at a buck a pound... and minimum order of 1000 lbs.

 

[RjCorazza]

That is a very interesting technique. I’m a fan of working smarter, not harder but I have always used the brute force chain installation method. If I ever chain up my L4060 (have unused chains) I will definitely try letting the tractor do the heavy work!

 

[cabover4us]

I dont use chains yet on my tractor but I use them on the 4 wheeler for another piece of equipment in my arsenal of snow removal stuff. Jacked up whole machine to put ice chains on, and noticed the chains are the same but missing a link or two on the female side to install the chain clip, also found out the left front wheel bearing is gone. Would you guys suggest I replace both sides? Its a 2002 Honda 500 Ribicon Foreman and plows like crazy.

 

[oldballs]

Thanks LouNY for posting your pics to help us out with a new idea. I'm on my tenth year of mounting chains and have made notes to myself and am getting better at it. I use the jack method now and find it not so difficult or frustrating. My happiest experience is to mount the chains and then never have enough snow that season to get in it.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[Gordon Gould]

I did mine today too. I use the same method. The way my chains hang it works out better for me if I tie the rope close to the center of the chains because if I tie to the side chains as shown it holds them spread wide on the side walls and I get less slack for installing the couplers required for the circumference chains on that type of chain set. Also if you have the type rims I do you can run the rope thru the opening in the rim. A little easier than hooking the tread lugs.



gg

 

[Sheldon Hamblin]

This is a great suggestion. I've used rear chains for 40 years. First a Case VAC, Deere 850, and now a Kioti 2610. I have never installed chains as fast as I did today using your method in the first post. Took me half the time, and much less grunting and skinned knuckles .

Than you

 

[LouNY]

Welcome, it took quite a few years for me to start doing this the directions came with one of my sets of chains 5-6 years ago.
I did one tire my way, then tried the way the directions said to, it surprised me to the first time.