Tractor newbie needs advice about chains

[onelostdogg]

Hi all,
I posted on Yanmar thread but pretty quiet there... will try to make a long story short.
New Yanmar EX3200 with 7' rear blade and front bucket. Loaded R4's. 900' of gravel driveway with about 300' of about 20 degree slope which gets icy every year without fail.
Have been plowing for last 10 winters with a 4 wheeler and 2-link v-bar chains made a HUGE difference since year 2.
Dealer swears I won't need chains to plow...he has seen my driveway and said he doesn't know anyone who uses chains on an EX3200.

Here's my question...I am almost sure I will need chains but don't want to spend the $$$ if I am wrong. The rear chains from my Polaris will fit the front tires of the tractor almost perfectly. If I get into trouble and find I really do need them, is it worth a try? Any reason not to use front chains only if I find that they make the difference?

Thanks.

John

 

[DK35vince]

My opinion.
If you have been plowing with chains on the 4 wheeler I think you will be disappointed not having chains on the tractor.
I have loaded R-4's on my tractor with a 9' front blade.
Tractor struggled to get out of its own way trying to push snow without chains.
I run 4 link ladder chains on all 4 tires and the difference is HUGE.

 

[gladehound]

20 degree slope + ice = v-bar chains

I don't see why you couldn't use the 4 wheeler chains on the front unless they are lighter duty than truck or tractor chains. I've plowed on ice without chains with grooved R-4s with no problem, but the most I have to deal with is a 5 degree slope. If I had a 20 degree slope I'd run chains to be safe. You don't want that nice new tractor getting away from you!

 

[bigtiller]

MFWA or Mechanical Front Wheel Assist. In my opinion, the key word in that acronym is assist. It isn't as strong as a true 4 wheel drive unit.

Some guys chain just the front and never have a problem but I'm not willing to take the risk.

 

[BAP]

You can run chains on the front, but should only do so if there is chains on the rear. There is too much stress if the front tires are the only ones chained. Spend the money and buy some rear chains. www.tirechains.com is a good place to buy them from. I run chains on all four tires on my Kubota B2920 pushing a loader mounted plow without any problems.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

You can run chains on the front, but should only do so if there is chains on the rear. There is too much stress if the front tires are the only ones chained. Spend the money and buy some rear chains. www.tirechains.com is a good place to buy them from. I run chains on all four tires on my Kubota B2920 pushing a loader mounted plow without any problems.

I disagree. I have ran 2 link v bars on my l3400 for years with 0 issues. It's 4wd not fwa.

Op, try the front tire chains but don't write off chaining the rears to. I have all four corners on my jd chained just for dealing with icy hills and tasks I need to accomplish.

 

[bigtiller]

I disagree. I have ran 2 link v bars on my l3400 for years with 0 issues. It's 4wd not fwa.

Op, try the front tire chains but don't write off chaining the rears to. I have all four corners on my jd chained just for dealing with icy hills and tasks I need to accomplish.

They are all MFWA. Not until you get into the high horse power articulating agriculture power houses do you get true 4 wheel drive.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Pretty sure fwa is hydraulic and 4wd is shaft driven. Def have shaft drive on both of my tractors.

 

[bigtiller]

Pretty sure fwa is hydraulic and 4wd is shaft driven. Def have shaft drive on both of my tractors.

nope, hydraulic or shaft has nothing to do with it.

 

[jgayman]

Pretty sure fwa is hydraulic and 4wd is shaft driven. Def have shaft drive on both of my tractors.

I could be mistaken but I **think** the confusion may be around M4WD vs. AWD.

Some (usually smaller) tractors implement a type of 4x4 that involves driving the front wheels via fluid (hydraulics). I believe this is how the JD X700 series of garden tractors are configured. I believe the front differential is still shaft driven. Most SCUT and CUT tractors implement 4X4 with a shaft driven front differential and gear driven front axle.