Chains Wrong Chains?

[mtputney]

Living on a snowy mountain top we had chains put on our Deere 110TLB this Winter. But we are wondering if something is wrong with our new chains. The tractor doesn't seem to have much more traction than without them. This seems because most of the chains are below the treads on the Ag tires (see attached picture).

Is it possible that: 1) these are the wrong chains?, the wrong size?, put on wrong?

Thanks for any help.

 

[arrow]

Living on a snowy mountain top we had chains put on our Deere 110TLB this Winter. But we are wondering if something is wrong with our new chains. The tractor doesn't seem to have much more traction than without them. This seems because most of the chains are below the treads on the Ag tires (see attached picture).

Is it possible that: 1) these are the wrong chains?, the wrong size?, put on wrong?

Thanks for any help.

It could be because you have the chains too tight. Take off any side tensioners and see if traction improves. They also look a little small in the link size if I'm judging the picture correctly. They should be at least a 3/8" link for your size tire.

 

[Gordon Gould]

You are right - you are not gaining much there.
You really need the chains to sit on top of the lugs like this H pattern chain set



Your picture doesn't show enough to see what changes you could make. They could be to long allowing the two main circumference chains to zig zag between the lugs instead of staying on top but need a bigger picture to tell much.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Loosen them up. I was running v-bar duo's like the picture of your chains (Same chain with ice cleats on them) and my R-1's would hide most of the links. My first solution was to increase the number of patterns on the tire. that didn't help much. It actually raised the heigh of the side chains and makes them walk a little bit. Next thing was I ditched the tensioners and only tighten the chains hand tight. It made a large difference. Actually you should have gotten some Aquiline talons of teffsdale tire chains. They have continuous loop of chain that rides across the tops of all the lugs. Hindsight is 20-20 though!

 

[crazyal]

Short answer to your question is yes there are other styles that will not fall between the lugs. Try loosening them up. Just be careful not to do damage to your fenders.

 

[arrow]

Loose chains mitigate the "falling between the lugs" syndrome almost completely. If one is on ice, this could present a small problem however if one is in the woods skidding, or in several inches of snow you will benefit with chains grabbing at first ground contact. I have the simplest chain (4 link ladder) on my ags with deeper thread than on a industrial. If you look at them, you think they'll do nothing as there they are between lugs on top of the tire. However the bottom is another story. They are loose with no tensioners and the chains make first contact. Every tire print in snow or soft dirt shows the indentation of the chain predominantly.

 

[ENC]

Industrial tires not Ag looks like to me. R4 not R1

 

[ovrszd]

ENC, yep he's definitely running R4s.

Loosen the chains all you can without them falling off. Then they'll squirm around more and stay out of the lugs. I'm guessing if you checked the side bars with them as in the picture, they would be extremely tight.

I run 2-link straight crossbar chains on my Grader with Micheln Radials. If I install them as tight as I can they crawl between the lugs and lose efficiency. If I run them loose they work fine.

 

[mtputney]

Thanks to everyone for the advice.

Thankfully, the dealer agrees that the Tru-Grid chains are no good and will take them back.

Will revisit this issue next Fall and make sure to order the correct chains for our R1 17.5 x 24.

 

[grsthegreat]

go to http://www.tirechain.com/TractorChainmenu.htm and look at the 2 link ladder series. they will work on your tires just fine. I have R4's with them and traction is phenomenal .

 

[mad_planter]

How much air are you running? Make sure you have them soft enough that the lugs touch all the way across the tire.

 

[TerryR]

Will revisit this issue next Fall and make sure to order the correct chains for our R1 17.5 x 24.

But a large part of the problem is the tire in the photo you posted in your first post is not an R1 - it's an R4, as ENC pointed out a month ago.

Terry

 

[The Fred]

I have the same chains on my rear R4s and V chains on the front. My tractor won't go in the snow at all. Have Aqualine Talons ordered can't wait to try them next week.

This season in VT we have lots of ice under the snow. Good luck with them.

Fred

 

[9973720wb19]

go to tractor tire chains for farm tractors and look at the 2 link ladder series. they will work on your tires just fine. I have R4's with them and traction is phenomenal .View attachment 365681

I second this. this is what I run on my R4s and I have never had a problem running through a snow/ice trail up and down hills...feel it will go anywhere.

 

[dcole]

go to tractor tire chains for farm tractors and look at the 2 link ladder series. they will work on your tires just fine. I have R4's with them and traction is phenomenal .View attachment 365681

Thanks for all your good tips. I've read quite a few of your posts. I have a New Holland Boomer 35 HST with 41x14-20 turfs. I've been looking a Tirechain.com at the 2 link ladder chains. They want (with shipping) $432 and my Dealer quoted me $567. The Dealers chains are a med/dark gray color and heavy. He says they have more carbon in them which gives it that color and makes them stronger. Don't know whether he's pulling my leg???? Were yours bright and shiny when new? How are they wearing? I'll mainly be plowing a 400' paved driveway. I just last week bought the front 2 link ladders from the dealer, but the price was only $5 difference. Thanks for your expertise. If I can save $135 I might as well.

 

[grsthegreat]

mine are bright and shiny. after 2 seasons using them...there still bright and shiny. they really show no wear.

 

[mtputney]

As follow-up the useful help above our local Kubota dealer (not Deere) says the following about chains on the 110TLBs front tires:

"Chains on front tires are not recommended due to clearance with the steering components and chains wont allow the front tires to slip in 4wd (causes too much traction when turning)."

We live on an icy hill, so this advice doesn't make much sense to us - what do you think? We are planning to put tires on our 4WD 110TLB - are we O.K.?

Thanks

 

[Dave M7040]

Trygg tires chains are about the best performing you can buy for situations where there is ice.

They are a hardened stud held in place with the chain.

Tractor

Another alternative is screw in tire studs which you put into the tire in the fall and remove in the spring.
They grab ice like crazy.
Farm Tractor Tire Studs - Ice Studs - Snow Studs | Maxigripstore
Dave M7040

 

[joeyd]

I would double check with your Deere dealer rather than the Kubota dealer, tractors are different. I have a TYM and run chains on the front with the dealers recommendation due to my hills and icy roads. I noticed GRS had them on the front of his Kioti in his picture. This will be a question that will generate a lot of opinions.

 

[deerseeker001]

I agree loosen chains up and get then on top of Lugs.

You are right - you are not gaining much there.
You really need the chains to sit on top of the lugs like this H pattern chain set

View attachment 364842

Your picture doesn't show enough to see what changes you could make. They could be to long allowing the two main circumference chains to zig zag between the lugs instead of staying on top but need a bigger picture to tell much.