Tire chains for the tractor

[Efis]

Sorry for the late reply. I have an allmand 35d, similar design to terramite. Just bought it in November so I am new to it. I got it for summertime business but have been testing it out this winter moving snow. I have been impressed by how well it does especially for 2wd. I think the relatively large amount of weight over the rear wheels and the limited slip axel helps it to perform quite well in snow. It is the largest model of the 2wds and weighs close to 5000#. I played around with it in the yard building sledding ramps for the kids with and with out chains in a couple feet of snow never felt close to being stuck. Moderate slopes but mostly had advantage of going up. I do have 5 gallon bucket of gravel in rear bucket for extra weight. The chains Definitely help a lot. Mine are left over from past vehicles, the rear are regular 4 link ladders so on the less aggressive side. I believe I bought them off the shelf at Walmart. The fronts have lighter weight ladder style chains with lugs and they definately help with steering more so on slick packed surface than deep loose. I think a different pattern than ladders would help on the front. Sometimes in loose slow and not enough weight on the front tires the chains will work like a sled runner and steer in the opposite direction. Maybe a diamond pattern would help, I ve thought of attaching chain running around the circumference to act like a ribbed tire. Hard to say if its doable without knowing exactly what all the variables are in your situation. One nice thing about a tlb is you can get yourself out of a lot of situations with the hoe and loader. Sounds like it would be fun to find out. Do you have a way to tow it out if need be? Hope this helps.

 

[Alan7s]

Sorry for the late reply. I have an allmand 35d, similar design to terramite. Just bought it in November so I am new to it. I got it for summertime business but have been testing it out this winter moving snow. I have been impressed by how well it does especially for 2wd. I think the relatively large amount of weight over the rear wheels and the limited slip axel helps it to perform quite well in snow. It is the largest model of the 2wds and weighs close to 5000#. I played around with it in the yard building sledding ramps for the kids with and with out chains in a couple feet of snow never felt close to being stuck. Moderate slopes but mostly had advantage of going up. I do have 5 gallon bucket of gravel in rear bucket for extra weight. The chains Definitely help a lot. Mine are left over from past vehicles, the rear are regular 4 link ladders so on the less aggressive side. I believe I bought them off the shelf at Walmart. The fronts have lighter weight ladder style chains with lugs and they definately help with steering more so on slick packed surface than deep loose. I think a different pattern than ladders would help on the front. Sometimes in loose slow and not enough weight on the front tires the chains will work like a sled runner and steer in the opposite direction. Maybe a diamond pattern would help, I ve thought of attaching chain running around the circumference to act like a ribbed tire. Hard to say if its doable without knowing exactly what all the variables are in your situation. One nice thing about a tlb is you can get yourself out of a lot of situations with the hoe and loader. Sounds like it would be fun to find out. Do you have a way to tow it out if need be? Hope this helps.

Hi Efis Thanks for the good thoughts; I think you may have something there; I do have some chains and can rig them up for a test and just see what they do. Yes, I do have a '58 Willys Jeep with 4WD that has lug tires and could pull the tractor out if a problem developed. I think the weight on mine is 3000# so smaller than yours, but if the snow is packed could still maybe get traction with chains. Opening a road down to the woods in the fall, and then keeping at it every time some snow came would definitely work. Trouble is, in recent years we get these 3 foot blown in drifts and you feel like you've lost it in one night.

Imagine a 4' wide gas powered snow blower that would attach in place of the loader bucket? You'd just point it where you wanted to go, and move ahead. . .

 

[slow84ta]

I personally used Terra Grips, Rubber chains. They do not tear up your yard and work well. I use them with my tractor for plowing snow. They don't come in many sizes though. Amazon.com: Terragrips Tire Chains 20x9-8, 20x10-8 Std, 20x10x10: Patio, Lawn & Garden

 

[vtsnowedin]

If you have a loader on the front you should have the rear tires loaded with "Rimguard" beet juice. It weights as much as the old calcium chloride solutions without the corrosion problems. And good chains will dramatically improve your traction both forward and reverse. Also a bucket of snow doesn't weigh enough to matter if you have chains on and loaded tires (Or a proper counter weight on the three point hitch or even better both). If the snow is deep as it is now you will have to load it out one bucket at a time so that your never driving in more then a foot of loose snow. You can back out with each bucket to a pile or turn to the high side and dump them off there. Now if you have a back hoe on as some seem to think you do and you get stuck you ought to be able to fire up the hoe and paw your way back out.

 

[Efis]

That willys needs a plow. A blower would be pretty slick.

 

[Alan7s]

If you have a loader on the front you should have the rear tires loaded with "Rimguard" beet juice. It weights as much as the old calcium chloride solutions without the corrosion problems. And good chains will dramatically improve your traction both forward and reverse. Also a bucket of snow doesn't weigh enough to matter if you have chains on and loaded tires (Or a proper counter weight on the three point hitch or even better both). If the snow is deep as it is now you will have to load it out one bucket at a time so that your never driving in more then a foot of loose snow. You can back out with each bucket to a pile or turn to the high side and dump them off there. Now if you have a back hoe on as some seem to think you do and you get stuck you ought to be able to fire up the hoe and paw your way back out.

vtsnowedin; thanks for what you wrote; now that's something I can get ahold of and consider spending a few bucks to make happen. Yes, I have a backhoe; would that count as a counter weight or would I also need to put a big rock in the hoe and extend it a bit. Beet juice? You're kidding . . .Must not be the vegetable; I'm terribly allergic to beets. Maybe water and antifreeze could do OK.

 

[Alan7s]

The Willys has a plow but it's the old fashioned up-down, no angle, so I've learned the hard way that in deep snow pushing straight ahead you make a mountain you can neither escape from nor move away. Couple years ago, I had a pile 8' high between the Jeep and the road. Had to borrow my neighbor's snow blower and chew away at pieces knocked down with a shovel to break free. Pretty embarrassing. Now with the Terramite, that shouldn't happen again.

 

[vtsnowedin]

vtsnowedin; thanks for what you wrote; now that's something I can get ahold of and consider spending a few bucks to make happen. Yes, I have a backhoe; would that count as a counter weight or would I also need to put a big rock in the hoe and extend it a bit. Beet juice? You're kidding . . .Must not be the vegetable; I'm terribly allergic to beets. Maybe water and antifreeze could do OK.

A backhoe is certainly heavy enough but a bit gomming . A barrel of concrete or a ballast box is neater and easier to see around. The beet juice is a byproduct of sugar beet sugar refining. Think molasses or syrup. It weighs 10.7 lb.s per gallon and water and antifreeze solutions weigh 8.3 lbs. / gallon. Google search "Rimguard" and you'll find their site with more info.

Here is a link to the tire fill chart.
http://www.rimguard.biz/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Hydro-Flation-tables-2014-PDF.pdf