I have a JCB 170 skid steer and want to get more traction any one have sites for chains . The JCB has 10X16.5 tires. A friend said I could put truck chains on it if I deflated the tires and installed them then air them after they are installed. I'm open...
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Skid Steer and Chains
- Thread starter FED2782
- Start date
- Views: 11401
radman1
Elite Member
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2006
- Messages
- 3,016
- Location
- midwest
- Tractor
- JD 4520, Toolcat 5610, Bobcat S300, Case-IH 125 Pro, Case-IH 245, IH 1086, IH 806
I use rear chains on my 2006 Bobcat S300 in the winter. When I bought the skid steer, I had the dealer include a used pair of 12x16.5 tires and rims. I mount the chains on those tires and use them in the winter. Much improved traction. The chains are heavy duty and the links 3/8ths thick. I use the SS on the farm and it mostly gets used in dirt. Some guys will chain all 4 wheels, but I just do the rear. The chains wear really well in dirt use. I exchange the tires/chains in the spring for the nonchained set of tires. I don't use the SS nearly as much in the winter. In ice, mud or dry dirt, the chains will help a lot. Tracks are better for traction but tend to tear up the ground more. The chains are a nice compromise for my use and less stress on the SS drivetrain.
I travel down gravel roads at 12mph. The chains are tight and have little to no extra noise. I can feel a slight bounce from the tires as it travels down the hard gravel road.
I doubt if truck chains are as heavy as the chains I use. My brother bought the chains at a Bobcat dealer. I think he paid around $200 for the pair. I took the air out of the tires. Mounted the chains as tight as I could and then reinflated the tires.
I travel down gravel roads at 12mph. The chains are tight and have little to no extra noise. I can feel a slight bounce from the tires as it travels down the hard gravel road.
I doubt if truck chains are as heavy as the chains I use. My brother bought the chains at a Bobcat dealer. I think he paid around $200 for the pair. I took the air out of the tires. Mounted the chains as tight as I could and then reinflated the tires.
radman1
Elite Member
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2006
- Messages
- 3,016
- Location
- midwest
- Tractor
- JD 4520, Toolcat 5610, Bobcat S300, Case-IH 125 Pro, Case-IH 245, IH 1086, IH 806
I would guess the chain spacing is about 10" apart. I use rubber straps to keep the chains tight. I like ag tractor tires which have much better traction than SS or R4 tires. The SS tires with chains will certainly dig down in the dirt quicker than regular SS tires because of the increased traction.
Are your grades so steep that you have to back the SS up the hills to keep from tipping? If so, it may be best to put the chains on the front or chain all tires. My S300 is very rear end heavy and has a pair of 400# rear stabilizers that hang on the back. Another 800#s can be added if I need to on the stabilizers. I can't drive up steep hills without some significant weight on the front - more than just a bucket. I have a tree shear that gets used on some fairly steep hills. With the chains, I can go up and down hills that I wouldn't consider with regular tires. My shear weighs 1400# and makes a nice balance on my S300. I still have to be careful trying to back up a steep hill because of the weight shift decreasing traction on the rear tires. If I did a lot of tree shearing, I would consider 4 chains or go tracks. Serious tree shear guys use tracks.
Are your grades so steep that you have to back the SS up the hills to keep from tipping? If so, it may be best to put the chains on the front or chain all tires. My S300 is very rear end heavy and has a pair of 400# rear stabilizers that hang on the back. Another 800#s can be added if I need to on the stabilizers. I can't drive up steep hills without some significant weight on the front - more than just a bucket. I have a tree shear that gets used on some fairly steep hills. With the chains, I can go up and down hills that I wouldn't consider with regular tires. My shear weighs 1400# and makes a nice balance on my S300. I still have to be careful trying to back up a steep hill because of the weight shift decreasing traction on the rear tires. If I did a lot of tree shearing, I would consider 4 chains or go tracks. Serious tree shear guys use tracks.
Willis Fecon Bushhogging
Bronze Member
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2007
- Messages
- 92
I have never used chains on tires, but I did buy a set of over the tire steel tracks. I got them from Ebay, cant remember what brand, but it cost about $890 I think. The machine was like a little dozer, since then. I did sell the machine and get a rubber track machine, never own another wheeled machine for my kind of work. I have also seen used add on tracks for saleFED2782 said:I have a JCB 170 skid steer and want to get more traction any one have sites for chains . The JCB has 10X16.5 tires. A friend said I could put truck chains on it if I deflated the tires and installed them then air them after they are installed. I'm open...
I'm new to the skid steer..I traded an old Fiat Allis 7GB Highlift for the skid steer..It weighed 28,000 # so I'm spoiled I went any were I wanted... I live 40 miles west of Pittsburgh Pa. and I have a lot of wet areas and very varried terrain steeeep... to flat...The JCB 170 ROBOT only has one lift arm ..on the right side ..there is a door you walk through on the left..it's nice so you don't have to climb over the front..BUT.. you can't put tracks on the Left side because of the door...so I'm thinking I will put Chains on all 4's.. I hate taking the longway around..I need chains for 10X16.5 and was wondering if there is anybody that knows of a good site to buy agressive chains for a good price.. 10" seems like large spacing the sites I've looked at sell these for about $100 a pair and the more agressive sets are almost double...is it worth the extra money..
Bob999
Platinum Member
I use chains for winter snow plowing. I have relatively steep slopes (20 degrees) that sometimes ice up and I find chains allow me to work those areas with ice while without chains I could not work the areas. I purchased my chains from Tire Chains by Tirechains.com
Gravdigr
Bronze Member
Have you ever thought of just making your own chains? With maybe $50 in materials and a cheap welder you could have a set of chains pretty easily. I made a set for my zero turn mower for on the hills and they work great. I just bought a length of chain from the surplus store and used bolt cutters to cut the lengths I needed. Then I used those threaded removable links to connect everything together then welded all the removable links except for the 2 I use to take the chains off. Only took a few hours to do.
Also this allows me to make the chains custom to my purposes. I do not use gummy straps anymore to hold chains tight as I find them unreliable. I custom made my chains to be tight on the tires. In order to put them on I pull the valve guts to air the tire completly down. Then put the chains on and air the tire back up. The chains stay in place perfectly.
EDIT: forgot to add I use chains like this on the front of my ford 1510 as well.
Also this allows me to make the chains custom to my purposes. I do not use gummy straps anymore to hold chains tight as I find them unreliable. I custom made my chains to be tight on the tires. In order to put them on I pull the valve guts to air the tire completly down. Then put the chains on and air the tire back up. The chains stay in place perfectly.
EDIT: forgot to add I use chains like this on the front of my ford 1510 as well.