Why do tire chains work?

[MAX-24-Dean]

I like to think about it like this..

When i clicked the forum main page right now it said this:


We tend to think about whether our forum contributions are worthwhile in terms of the other members of the forum, the 'regulars'. It's very easy to forget that for every 'cool kid' here who already knows damn near everything there are MANY TIMES that number of people who are way earlier in their tractor-knowledge journey who are passing by and could find a lot of use from the things we say even if it sometimes seems like 'preaching to the choir'. So if you're posting something and you think 170 out of those 190 members already know it, that's one thing but what about the other THREE THOUSAND people who aren't yet members, who don't already know everything, and who may or may not ever become members or take more steps on this particular path, based on how much or how easily they learn during their visit today?

Sure, maybe some of the same information gets posted over and over again, but i guarantee you every time it gets posted new eyes see it, and some of them are going to be the ones passing it on to the next set of newbies, a little bit down the road. I think it's very rare for any explanation of how anything works, to be useless. Not too many people will write out good explanations for things just for posterity. Generally, someone has got to ask first. It's an important role.

Thank you for posting a very good perpective, that many often forget. Including me.

 

[LouNY]

Studded chains all around on 4x4 tractor; I don't believe that they are available for pickups or trucks.

On 2 wheel drive only on the rears, these require very little clearance

the chains pictured above have a multitude (at lest 2 - 3 times) more traction then the set below,
these chains in the lower picture are on 2 link spacing alternating twist link and v bar reinforced.

And just for the heck of it 2wd IH 656 about 6500 pounds with good chains vs. CIH 7120 a round 18,000 pounds on radials,
on ice

 

[BlueKnife]

Studded chains all around on 4x4 tractor; I don't believe that they are available for pickups or trucks.

They are. These are the chains for my pickup that I mentioned earlier. They are commonly used on log trucks in this area.

 

[dj1701]

Simply, chains are harder than ice allowing them to bite into the surface instead of slipping over it.

 

[ruffdog]

Another advantage to chains is that they are free to move on the tire. The chain will twist and grab at the ground better because it is free to do so. Snow and dirt can fill fixed traction aids like tread or cleats but the chain moves and self cleans.

 

[MH8675309]

V bar chains work well. mine are heavy and a pain to put on but make all the difference on an icy slope

 

[arrow]

It was an excellent question.
If the medical field (or the individual for that matter) practiced the same kind of wonderment as to why what goes wrong with us goes wrong instead of just "treating" the symptom, we'd all be a lot healthier.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

So the chain is breaking the ice at every contact point, makes since. In my head it just seems like a smooth chain would be slick on ice. I'm from the deep south so I've never even seen a tire chain lol.

Thanks for the info guys!

A smooth chain is better than no chain. V Bar chains really do good on ice. On vehicle tires they usually have cross chains every fourth link of side chains. You can get more cross links and put a cross every two side chain links. You may can buy them that way. I have several sets but have never bought new ones. Only at yard sales, pawn shops, thrift stores. I even have two special pliers that work on tire chains. They open and close the side chain hooks, handy dandy. Every once in a while I need them. So I collect rubber straps and keep my fixing kit all together so I'm ready to roll. I have two old extra chains that I use for parts to keep the other ones going. Two different chains from different places. One missing a side chain the other looks like someone was spinning and tore it off. But both of them cost less than one cross chain and two side hooks, and I have 22 cross chains and 44 side hooks out of them two old chains. I go around when ice and snow is here and pull people out. Nobody is prepared. We don't have any plows in the area. So a wintry blaster can shut this place down.

 

[LouNY]

A smooth chain is better than no chain. V Bar chains really do good on ice. On vehicle tires they usually have cross chains every fourth link of side chains. You can get more cross links and put a cross every two side chain links. You may can buy them that way. I have several sets but have never bought new ones. Only at yard sales, pawn shops, thrift stores. I even have two special pliers that work on tire chains. They open and close the side chain hooks, handy dandy. Every once in a while I need them. So I collect rubber straps and keep my fixing kit all together so I'm ready to roll. I have two old extra chains that I use for parts to keep the other ones going. Two different chains from different places. One missing a side chain the other looks like someone was spinning and tore it off. But both of them cost less than one cross chain and two side hooks, and I have 22 cross chains and 44 side hooks out of them two old chains. I go around when ice and snow is here and pull people out. Nobody is prepared. We don't have any plows in the area. So a wintry blaster can shut this place down.

Nice to be able to get by with that amount of chain.

I have run the gamete of smooth twisted 4 link, to V bar reinforced 4 link, to combining those into one set, even a full set of double ring chains (they were awful) those were on 14.9-28 tires.
Then I had a set of square twisted links for the same size tires on two link spacing for 18.4-30 tires then I got my first set of the studded Euro patterned chains, that was an amazing wake up they are 10X's better then any other chains I have used on tractors.

Now I need to get another set for this coming winter for the 18.4-38's and 14.9-28's I had given my old 14.9-28 to the farm for there front tires. These are going to hurt the wallet.

then about $2000-$2200 for the 16.9-28's

But these chains have so much more grip then any conventioal type tire chain that on my driveway and our field roads with a load behind and pushing they are worth it. Been more then once I've had to upshift and speed up going down hill to maintain some control.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Nice to be able to get by with that amount of chain.

I have run the gamete of smooth twisted 4 link, to V bar reinforced 4 link, to combining those into one set, even a full set of double ring chains (they were awful) those were on 14.9-28 tires.
Then I had a set of square twisted links for the same size tires on two link spacing for 18.4-30 tires then I got my first set of the studded Euro patterned chains, that was an amazing wake up they are 10X's better then any other chains I have used on tractors.

Now I need to get another set for this coming winter for the 18.4-38's and 14.9-28's I had given my old 14.9-28 to the farm for there front tires. These are going to hurt the wallet.
View attachment 797963
then about $2000-$2200 for the 16.9-28's

But these chains have so much more grip then any conventioal type tire chain that on my driveway and our field roads with a load behind and pushing they are worth it. Been more then once I've had to upshift and speed up going down hill to maintain some control.

Yeah, but you live up there in the harsh winter areas. I was going to mention those type chains, look like a chain net you put around your tires. I can see that those are better. I've only seen them on Russian and German videos. Didn't know the ouch price. But, on hills combined with ice, more than worth it. Do you repair them ?