[Austinmini]

I'm looking for some tire chains but have some questions before I proceed to get them:

1. Mount chains on the front only?
2. Mount chains on the back only?
3. Mount chains on all four wheels?

At this moment, I only have the bucket but it seems to do well so far. Yes, it's slower this way but it fits within my budget.

Also, can anyone recommend a good source for chains? So far, all the sources which I have found are on the West coast which makes me shudder when I think about the cost of shipping.

Thanks!

 

[JimR]

What tractor are you talking about mounting chains on? The model matters. Some are much more complicated to put chains on -- especially when it comes to the front wheels.

Many here bought their chains at tirechain.com. They are out of PA but I'm not sure if they'll ship to Canada or not. It can't hurt to ask them.

 

[Austinmini]

What tractor are you talking about mounting chains on? The model matters. Some are much more complicated to put chains on -- especially when it comes to the front wheels.

Many here bought their chains at tirechain.com. They are out of PA but I'm not sure if they'll ship to Canada or not. It can't hurt to ask them.

Hi Jim,
Thank you for your reply.

My mistake. I have a 1023e, which I took delivery last April so this was my first introduction to a tractor, in the winter, without chains.

I have the R4 tires and a FEL which I use to move the snow around. So far, I don't have any rear weight. That's probably not the smartest move at the moment, but everything in due time.

Also, making purchases in the USA isn't a problem because there is a brokerage company located in Ogdensburg NY. Anything that I buy, where the origin is in the USA, I have shipped to this company. I then cross the border, pick up my package, declare it with Canadian Customs and head home. Many, many times it's cheaper to shop USA, despite the exchange rate.

 

[SulleyBear]

Personally, I would focus on weight on the rear BEFORE chains. The rear ballast weight is important all 12 months of the year, where the chains are needed maybe 4 or 5 months.

If you were to add chains, you should put them on the rear first as not many instances need the chains on the front unless you have some unique needs. There are a couple of GTT with front chains, but most simply don't need them.

I have the 1025R and with the proper weight you can plow very successfully WITHOUT any chains.

Frankly, I avoid tire chains when ever I can as they score the pavement, leave rust on the surface where you park and they can also break and flail about and damage the tractor.

If anything, I would get the weight first on the rear weight bar and then see if you even need chains.

I plow the equivalent of 700 to 1,000 driveways every winter and haven't needed chains on my tractor and I use a very large front mounted snow plow. Some drives have steep hills and other challenges.

Before you get into chains, I would recommend the weight, plus you can use the weight all 12 months of the year. How much weight? Depends, but I would guess from 300 to 500 pounds would cover your needs. I would recommend the rear weight bracket and suitcase weights so its easy to change.

You really want to be very careful about using the FEL without the proper real ballast weight. It can be very dangerous.

 

[Gizmo2]

https://www.greentractortalk.com/forums/sub-compact-utility-tractors-scut/182276-chains-front-rears.html

Do a search on Chains (titles only). Lots of good info.

 

[jgayman]

https://www.greentractortalk.com/forums/sub-compact-utility-tractors-scut/182276-chains-front-rears.html

Do a search on Chains (titles only). Lots of good info.

^^^^^^ What he said. If you have any energy left you can then search for "What oil should I use". Seriously, the chain question has been asked and discussed many many times. Everyone's tractor / driveway / snow consistency / terrain / etc. is different. Some have never used chains while others have never NOT used chains.

If you do not want to buy them over concerns that you may not need them then certainly give a few winters a try without. You should reach your own conclusion fairly quickly whether they are needed in your situation.

 

[Austinmini]

Personally, I would focus on weight on the rear BEFORE chains. The rear ballast weight is important all 12 months of the year, where the chains are needed maybe 4 or 5 months.

If you were to add chains, you should put them on the rear first as not many instances need the chains on the front unless you have some unique needs. There are a couple of GTT with front chains, but most simply don't need them.

I have the 1025R and with the proper weight you can plow very successfully WITHOUT any chains.

Frankly, I avoid tire chains when ever I can as they score the pavement, leave rust on the surface where you park and they can also break and flail about and damage the tractor.

If anything, I would get the weight first on the rear weight bar and then see if you even need chains.

I plow the equivalent of 700 to 1,000 driveways every winter and haven't needed chains on my tractor and I use a very large front mounted snow plow. Some drives have steep hills and other challenges.

Before you get into chains, I would recommend the weight, plus you can use the weight all 12 months of the year. How much weight? Depends, but I would guess from 300 to 500 pounds would cover your needs. I would recommend the rear weight bracket and suitcase weights so it's easy to change.

You really want to be very careful about using the FEL without the proper real ballast weight. It can be very dangerous.

I've been doing a lot of research on a ballast box. Quite frankly, it can be overwhelming. As this was my first winter, and my first official lesson, I didn't know what to expect. I've been stupid busy around the house trying to keep up with everything but a ballast box is on the "I'll get there" list.

On the note of making a ballast box, I have read articles and seen where people have used metal, placed perpendicular to the horizontal bar, so as to add more area for the cement to adhere and apparently makes for a stronger bond. Not a bad suggestion, I think. Plus, I will add a bracket to attach to the top bar of the 3 pt hitch.

Time for more research.....and a trip to buy some more metal.

 

[JimR]

Hi Jim,
Thank you for your reply.

My mistake. I have a 1023e, which I took delivery last April so this was my first introduction to a tractor, in the winter, without chains.

I have the R4 tires and a FEL which I use to move the snow around. So far, I don't have any rear weight. That's probably not the smartest move at the moment, but everything in due time.

I have a slightly larger machine but R4s in general aren't great in snow. I bought chains the 1st year I had my tractor (2014!) but never used them until this year. I'd slip and slide a little usually but this winter we got a storm that was 9" of slush. I couldn't get moving enough to push anything anywhere so the chains went on and it made a world of difference.

In light fluffy snow pretty much any tractor works. It's the sloppy stuff that causes problems.

I only use chains on the rear and thusfar, the thing is like a tank with them. I don't see a situation where I'd want them on the front. But do read the other threads as suggested. There is a lot of good info in them!

 

[Austinmini]

I have a slightly larger machine but R4s in general aren't great in snow. I bought chains the 1st year I had my tractor (2014!) but never used them until this year. I'd slip and slide a little usually but this winter we got a storm that was 9" of slush. I couldn't get moving enough to push anything anywhere so the chains went on and it made a world of difference.

In light fluffy snow pretty much any tractor works. It's the sloppy stuff that causes problems.

I only use chains on the rear and thusfar, the thing is like a tank with them. I don't see a situation where I'd want them on the front. But do read the other threads as suggested. There is a lot of good info in them!

Hi Jim,
I certainly will research more before I make the investment.

Last month - February 13th to be exact - we received a dumping of snow. Combine that with the thaw-freeze cycle and we had some of the most slippery conditions that I have ever seen. Yes, in the snow, there's not much use in having chains, but if you combine the ice underneath, then it's very difficult to get traction.

I agree that chains are hard on the pavement, but they're what's needed when it comes to traction on the ice. This point then makes me wonder if getting chains is such a good idea after all and if I make the plunge, do they go on only when needed considering the damage that they can do? Hmmm....more trial and error, plus lots more reading. However, before I commit and spend the $350 CDN (estimated) on chains, perhaps a cheap ballast box wouldn't be such a bad idea. For $4.92 per bag, it's a good place to start.

I appreciate everyone's comments.

 

[rydplrs]

First if you need chains, you probably don’t have a choice, nothing else will do.

With proper ballast you minimize the chance of any damage to asphalt as a result of chains to almost zero. If the tires are griping they won’t dig or scratch anything.

Also you need ballast either way. Weight doesn’t eliminate the need for chains, and chains don’t reduce the necessary ballast.

 

[HydroHarold]

My experience with 1026TLB and chains. First, dealer told me I won't need (no stinkin') chains because this tractor is 4WD. Second, at that time there was much hooing and hahing about rear chains not clearing R4's and BH frame (NO problem!)...

Anyway, after many sacrificial Oreos to the Snow God I finally got a snow to try out the plow. Driveway has a mild hill, 4WD Explorer goes up and down OK in snow so plowing should be decent. First pass down to the street (backhoe still on for ballast, box unweighted at that time) I'm having a great time, out into the street and turn around for the return up the hill and "Surprise, no traction". It was stunning how helpless the machine was even in 4WD and Difflock engaged. LSS, I had to keep 2 wheels in the grass area to get back up... Fired up GX garden tractor with snowblower. Bought chains!

I bought the JD chains and found that they were one cross link short each, big space and uneven ride. I added one cross link to each chain.

You may want to fit the chains, run the machine for a bit, readjust the slack out, repeat until no more slack appears and then cut the extra side links off (leaving one extra). When I take them off I always mark a duct tape tag R and L so I get the same fit next season. I have mismatched circumference by 2 links between wheels so I save myself redoing chains the next year when the last one I'm doing won't fit.:laugh:

Load that ballast box, put on the chains and don't look back! You can always "paint" any inappropriate spin marks (I think the guy that "sealed" my driveway last time used "Sears Economy Paint) which you won't get when you learn what the machine wants for good traction...

 

[ejb69]

I find chains are a must have for snow removal with my 1026r. I have a set for front and rear. The rears go on when I’m done with the mmm for the year. Come off around Easter. I only use the front set when my driveways get really icy. Didn’t put them on this year.

I have chains for my F250. Front and rear. Only use them occasionally to get in and out of area I hunt in. The roads don’t get plowed.

 

[marlinguidegun]

Anyway, after many sacrificial Oreos to the Snow God

So you’re the one!


I like my chains but it wasn’t as dramatically necessary good me. I use rear only.


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[marlinguidegun]

So you’re the one!


I like my chains but it wasn’t as dramatically necessary good me. I use rear only.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I can't seem to delete or edit this, so I'll do it this way. I don't understand why spell correction generates word salad, but often that is the way it is.

Anyways, I like my chains but it wasn't as dramatic an improvement as some others report. I use rear only.

 

[Gizmo2]

I can't seem to delete or edit this, so I'll do it this way. I don't understand why spell correction generates word salad, but often that is the way it is.
Anyways, I like my chains but it wasn't as dramatic an improvement as some others report. I use rear only.

As usual things are not always apples to apples. Plow size when plowing snow can make a big difference in whether or not chains are needed.
I run a 72" snow plow blade on our 2320, I need chains. I'm pretty sure I could get by without chains if I was running a 54" plow blade.

 

[scooterman]

Cleaned up multi-post from tapatalk

 

[scooterman]

I have the a 1025r with both the 54” blade and the 54” blower ( I got the blade + angle cylinder for stupid cheap).

I am running R4 tires and an Atlas ballast box I got from Amazon (it was $198 + free shipping AND it has a hitch receiver on it). I filled the ballast box with large gravel I had laying around, I’m guessing it’s about 400 lbs overall. I only deal with asphalt or concrete surfaces, no gravel drives. Info between 9 and 20 driveways depending on the severity of the storm (and if the neighbor’s plow guy decides to show or not). Or development is also the last one to get plowed, so very frequently, I end up plowing the main road out.

With R4’s and the ballast box, I have no traction issues plowing or blowing in 4wd. In fact, most of the blowing I did was in 2wd except for a few of the steep driveways I have to do. I really only had to reach for the diff-lock sparingly.

I used to run chains on my x324 with 44” blower. They really marked-up the driveway surface; nothing that sealing it couldn’t hide, but I wouldn’t want to do a neighbor’s driveway with chains.

My plan, if I ever need them, will be to go with TerraGrips instead of chains. Chains were great for ice, but the second that you get back to blacktop / concrete, it marks it up. I don’t need any chains at this point and don’t plan on it.

Also- has anybody else used terragrips?




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[marlinguidegun]

I’ve used TerraGrips on my x320 with turf tires for plowing with a Johnny Plow. They worked, but the ride was very bumpy, spine jarringly bumpy. They were ineffective on ice. Chains are much better.


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[scooterman]

I have the a 1025r with both the 54” blade and the 54” blower ( I got the blade + angle cylinder for stupid cheap).

I run R4 tires and an Atlas ballast box ( Amazon, $198 + free shipping AND it has a hitch receiver on it). I filled the ballast box with large gravel I had laying around, I’m guessing it’s about 400 lbs overall. I only deal with asphalt or concrete surfaces, no gravel drives. I clear between 9 and 20 driveways depending on the severity of the storm (and if the neighbor’s plow guy decides to show or not). Our development is the last one to get plowed, so very frequently, I end up plowing the main road out.

With R4’s and the ballast box, I have no traction issues plowing or blowing in 4wd. In fact, most of the blowing I do is in 2wd except for a few of the steep driveways. I really only have to reach for the diff-lock sparingly.

I used to run chains on my x324 with 44” blower. They really marked-up the driveway surface; nothing that sealing it couldn’t hide, but I wouldn’t want to do a neighbor’s driveway with chains. Besides that, the second that a chain hits a hard surface, you completely lose all traction and the tire just spins. After spending time reading about tires, chains, and traction, I was deeply concerned about being able to clear snow with my R4’s. There was nothing to worry about, that rig is a beast.

I did get stuck once, I was traveling off-road in foot-deep snow to get to a local walking path ( to clear it ). I got hung-up because I wasn’t running the blower (duh) just trudging through a foot of snow. I got myself out, but it took some creative thinking . I should point out, I wasn’t losing traction, I was almost stalling out because it was too much to trudge through. I had *excellent* traction, just too much crap in the way.

My plan, if I ever think I need them, will be to go with TerraGrips instead of chains. Chains were great for ice, but the second that you get back to blacktop / concrete, it marks it up. I don’t need any chains at this point and don’t plan on it.

Also- has anybody else used terragrips?




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[odis]

I have a 1025 and plow my snow with my bucket fitted with edge tamers and a back blade. After this winter it will have chains on it next winter. If I could scrape the money together it will have a heated cap and front mounted snow blower on it.