Tire Chains - I'm a Believer

We had about 6" of lake effect snow laying on the ground over the last 24hr. It gave me a good chance to try out my first-ever chains.
All I can say is unbelieveable.
I did the normal driveway clearing in about half the time because I didnt have to back up and ram ahead several times during each lengthy push.
No Spinning at all. In places that I would have had to ram through at full throttle it just kept puttsing along at half throttle.
Burned about half the gas to do the same job.
The front wheels went down into a shallow ditch along the roadside. This was an automatic spin/stuck/get help situation in the past, not now. I backed out of that situation without even spinning a wheel.
Took me thirty years, but at least I learned.
If anyone is wondering if chains would be worth the infestment.
Yes, Yes, Yes.
Dell

Only time I ever use chains is if we have ice and then you still can not do any thing other then get around with the tractor. But my snow plow set up is so I push the snow off the driveway ahead of the tractor so the rear tires do not see much if any snow. I built a 8.5 foot V plow years ago and it works great and wished I had built it 30 years ago when I moved to where I am

I have run tire chains for years. I have to laugh when 4X4s are stuck and my 2 wheel drive keeps on truckin. I run them on my four wheel drive and on the tractors. They sure are great!

I remember when i was a kid, we had chains on an M Farmall,that tractor would pull a manure spreader in all kinds of snow. The last three years I have used my M to move snow with a seven foot rear blade, it almost digs in like a dozer.I wouldn't be without them.

(quoted from post at 17:52:44 12/07/10) Only time I ever use chains is if we have ice and then you still can not do any thing other then get around with the tractor. But my snow plow set up is so I push the snow off the driveway ahead of the tractor so the rear tires do not see much if any snow. I built a 8.5 foot V plow years ago and it works great and wished I had built it 30 years ago when I moved to where I am

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That will probably suffice down there in MO but UP north where we get a lot of snow, many times you need all the traction you can get. The county runs chains on some of their trucks/equipment and even the garbage people run them when the weather is bad enough.

Back when we used to get snow the blacksmith on the next farm had a ex county V plow and we put it on the loader of the WD and a push pole to the front of the WD-45 pushing!! Both tractors with chains and using road gear!!!! Exciting to say the least!! Bud.

Guess your talking to me sort of. Ya I have lived up north and down south and even been where most have not been as in to the arctic circle. Yep know what chains are and have used them in the past but my set up even in 2 foot of snow I do not need chains. But I also have fluid in the tires a back blae on and that blade has 6-85lbs suit case weights on it plus a 150 lbs wheel weight on it so I have the weight. I slip this old 841 Ford in 3rd gear and go and never have problems on my mile long drive unless we have ice which by the way is very common here

On the grader,backhoe and trucks, UTV w/ blade, etc all chained up by Mid November and they stay chained until last snow in spring. I like to go when I need to go. A suggestion if I may, On the larger chains with single cross bars 7/0 or 9/0, such as those used on grader and industrial tires, take off the double bend hooks that are used to fasten the cross bars to the side chain and install the "J" hooks. Makes the cross bars last 3 - times longer, especially on asphalt/cement, because the cross bar can roll and not just wear on one side and you can change the cross bars without any tools. I have some "J" hooks that I know are better than 20 years old still look like new. Later Dan

We ran chains on the backhoe before we traded up to a 4x4. Never ran them on the SM and never got stuck, and it is all I ever used to spread manure in the winter.

(quoted from post at 22:02:04 12/07/10) We ran chains on the backhoe before we traded up to a 4x4. Never ran them on the SM and never got stuck, and it is all I ever used to spread manure in the winter.

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Where would I get some chains for a 38x13.6 tire? I've thought about trying some out. I'd probably need some on my C, I've never tried pulling snow with it, but with the 3pt I thought about trying to do the driveway with it this winter with one of the smaller blades.

I remember back in the early '60s we sprayed 28% on a field of alfalfa that we were going to plow under using a SM & 3x14" #16 plow. SM had fluid in the rear tires 8 IH wheel weights on the furrow wheel , 4 weights on the land wheel plus a dual on the landside that used the cast wheel same as the reg wheels. I plowed part of the field & it started to rain so had to quit. Field has been set-a-side so the alfalfa had only been mowed for a couple years, never anything taken off. The 28% made the dead alfalfa on the ground slippery as snot on a winter day.

We had a set of tire chains off a loader tractor from when we feed a lot of cattle. We put the chains on bith landside tires & was able to plow the rest of the field without any problems though the ride would jar your teeth loose.

WE had two feedlots about 2 miles apart & in thewinter we would put the chains on the loader tractor to clear the road & feelots so the chuckwagon could get thru. We had a 8' blade that mounted on the loader & with chains on we could bust thru drifts that otherwise we would have had to go around. I also cleaned a lot of lots for others with the loader & blade when they couldn't get thru with thier tractorswithout chains.

Faster, if you ask for 38x13.6 chains, you're going to get some pretty strange looks at the machinery dealers. Try 13.6x38. Width first, then rim size.

You can purchase tire chains at every local machinery dealer. Online, at tirechainDOTcom, but do some comparison shopping first. Chains are heavy and expensive to ship. The local dealer's base price may be higher, but if you factor in shipping, he may be cheaper.

Also check craigslist for used sets. Chains for one size larger and one size smaller tires will also fit. Usually chain sets fit multiple tire sizes.

My bn came with chains and a plow. I never put the chains on and I had no problem with the snow. But I live In NW OHIO. The chains are now in the loft in the barn since even after a foot of snow the bn works great.

Before I was a teenager my job was to put the chains on the car and the truck we used to carry the milk cans. Our lane usually blew shut and we would get up in the open field and had no problem with chains. That milk truck was big Mack that picked up our milk and he was never late. Back then they never scraped off all the snow on the main highways. When we went to town we left the chains on. I still use them on my garden tractor so I can plow snow and plow the garden. Hal

All the weight on the back blade won't make any difference when the blade is on the ground working. For driving in deeper snow with it up would help though. Dave

It was plowing so easy that day I decided to plow the open lane back to the creek. We fall chiseled the field next to the lane and when I swung in to turn around the fronts sunk about half way to the hub. I was in 4th gear and about 1/3 throttle and it bogged down the engine but didn't spin. If I hadn't stopped and shifted down to 2nd I know it would have either killed the engine or popped the clutch or trans.
These chains are tough.
Dell

If any one needs chains let me know

Todd

(quoted from post at 20:29:06 12/07/10)but my set up even in 2 foot of snow I do not need chains. But I also have fluid in the tires a back blae on and that blade has 6-85lbs suit case weights on it plus a 150 lbs wheel weight on it so I have the weight. I slip this old 841 Ford in 3rd gear and go and never have problems on my mile long drive unless we have ice which by the way is very common here

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Your little 841 is a superhero. I have tried opening roads/driveways up pushing 2-3' of snow with an 8' wide blade on the front of my 4x4 ford 5000 with all 4 tires loaded, chains on all 4, a 6' snowblower on the back with weights on it and still lost traction and been unable to plow.

Coming from somebody who has been plowing snow daily for the last 7 days so far (40+ inches)... Chains make a huge difference in traction when pushing snow.

Guess you need to learn to read. My set up has a V-plow set up on the front so the back blade NEVER is on the ground. Oh by the way I just broke a promise not to post till next year so this is likely to be my last post of the year