Tire chains

[James St. Aubin]

We got hit by a blizzard yesterday in Michigan. As always, I hooked up my six foot grading blade and plowed the drive with my '55 Ford 640. While clearing the nearby road, I notice my neighbor's tractor pushed much better with chains. My ag tires slip when its slick on on an incline.

I'm thinking of putting chains on, but will they damage my asphalt driveway???

 

[Anonymous-0]

You're bound to leave some marks. Even a walk-behind snowblower with chains will. However, if you teach yourself to plow without spinning the tires you should not fear. I've been using chains for years with only minor marks to show for it. I normally keep the rpm's down to minimize wheel spinning. A little extra weight on the rear also helps. My theory is to use weight and inertia to move the snow. A couple of neighbors think they need speed and power and they seem to spin a lot more.

 

[RobMD]

In addition to chains, you need the tires fully loaded and at least two stacks of weights on each side. This will prevent spinout with chains.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Chains are best but cable cross laced under and thru where the rims bolt on up over and across the tire to the next bolt on the other side. Looks like tying your shoes when you look at it from the back. Works well on pavement.
Another way would be making a inside and outside circle with cable and clamps about the size of the tractor rim. Then cross lace. Fasten with cable clamps. By cross tying the cable will stay on top of the lugs. Rubber tarp straps in a x will help keep the cable tight. The cable doesn't have to be real large. Post back on results.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Hard to comment on the paved surface and tire chains, have not used chains in quite some time, but less aggressive type would be best and a good fit by whatever means, like mentioend below. I would think you would have to be real careful about spinning them on the paved surface, the weight should not imprint like a crawler track pad will.

One thing I can say for sure about these tractors is that having a heavy weight on the back will make a noticeable difference in traction, without chains on. I've got a solid piece of cast iron on my 850, that apparently came from a WW-II Ford aircraft tug, it must be 1000 lbs or so, and the tires are loaded, as well as having a wagner loader with backhoe frame, but without that counterweight, it was about useless in the snow.

Any incline and or slope where one side is lower than the other, ice under the snow and most other combinations of conditions encountered this time of year, requires me to put on that weight, I use a bar across the hoe frame to rest it on and take the strain off the hydraulics, yet I'd still like to have a pair of chains for the ice and compacted snow, it still has good traction with just the weight on, chains & weight will give you the traction, just stay away from real agressive ones like V-bar types, small ring types would be better for paved surfaces.

 

[James St. Aubin]

Hey John, your cable idea is interesting. What kind of cable do you use, aircraft cable? What size? I wonder if the cable clamps can hold?