[WIROB222]

Currently my snowblower tractor is setup with 23.5x 10 12s and 4 link vbar tire chains. What's everyone's experiences with tires and no chains? Is there anything that works well or just chain up and go? I have a gravel drive so tearing it up is no big deal but I have cleaned up the elderly neighbors who has blacktop and it was tedious to keep from spinning and scarring up her driveway. I do have a set of industrial tires on rims I could try but I'm going to guess those won't be much better without chains than what's on there. Oh I'm also running a set of Murray wheel weights.

So successes? Failures? Let me know!

 

[dundee222]

If you want to run without chains, you will need weight, massive weight to get anywhere close to the traction steel links will get you. Loading tires will get you partway there and then serious wheel weights [I'd shoot for 200 pounds plus per wheel] and maybe a counterweight of a hundred or so. [If you hang too much out back your steering will suffer greatly.] Of course lots of weight WITH chains will work better than your setup now as the wheels will be far less likely to spin in the first place.

 

[WIROB222]

Yeah, weight always wins! I should figure out what I have already, cab, larger than stock tires, weights. I have thought about liquid in the tires, if I was going to do that I may do the industrial tires and try that way. Although in snow and ice edges usually win.

 

[Gordy]

Weight, weight and more weight 😉 I tubed my 23-10.50 -12's and pumped in 55 pounds of -20 washer fluid, in each tire. then 4, 23 pound simplicity cast iron wheel weights on each tire, plus 2 link chains. About the only time I spin is in deep snow when the snow flows back over the top of the blower and the rears are in 2-3" of snow.

I am on gravel too so I have not tried the rubber tire chains, but some here have and said they worked well and won't scuff cement or blacktop.

rubber tire chains - Google Search

Cheers,
Gordy

 

[WIROB222]

I dont spin much on gravel, I can pretty well push through anything unless it's icy under the snow. The vbar chains work really well. I could pretty well wear out a set of 4 link in a winter, 2 link would maybe last 2 seasons bit that was before I used the wheel weights. It would be nice if 2 link chains were more readily available.

 

[Gordy]

I dont spin much on gravel, I can pretty well push through anything unless it's icy under the snow. The vbar chains work really well. I could pretty well wear out a set of 4 link in a winter, 2 link would maybe last 2 seasons bit that was before I used the wheel weights. It would be nice if 2 link chains were more readily available.

There are plenty 2 link chain set out there, just let google be your friend

2 link tire chains - Google Search

I have never used the V bar chains, too much of a tightwad Just twisted links like these.

23 x 10.50 - 12 SNOW TIRE CHAINS FOR LAWN & GARDEN - PEERLESS MAX-TRAC - 2 LINK | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 23 x 10.50 - 12 SNOW TIRE CHAINS FOR LAWN & GARDEN - PEERLESS MAX-TRAC - 2 LINK at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

Cheers,
Gordy

 

[propane1]

Two link chains will help, but with out the V bar. I call those V bar chains, ice chains, which gIve great traction on ice.
Two ply tires so they will flex good. Lower your tire pressure to 6 to 8 psi. When installing chains, leave them loose. You want flex for traction, not solid. I think those industrial tires would be to hard and the lug pattern to wide to allow them to sink to get traction. If they are the ones I’m thinking of.
Then add weigh. Wheel weights, liquid in the tires and hang weight as close as you can to the back of the tractor.
I made these chains for my Case. The tires I have on are to hard for snow, 6 ply, but great for dirt and woods work. So I had these four link chains for the tractor. They were on the original 2ply turf tires. Four link chains give a rough ride, 2 link are much better. Any way I made up these vee style chain to add to my four link chains. Smoothed out the ride and the links don’t fall in between the tire lugs. Great traction. These chains I have would work even better on the 2 ply turf tires I have, more flex, but I don’t have an extra set of rims, and I’m not changing tires on the rims each year.

Noel

 

[a66coup289]

I ditched my chains for some tru power lugged tires. I am running on asphalt and have had zero problem. I have a 120# weight that sits on my sleeve hitch.

I have since fabricated a better mount to get rid of the chains making for quick on/off for the weights.

 

[WIROB222]

Wonder if I could build a bracket for the 11 Ford 75lb suitcase weights I have for my 5000

 

[Gordy]

Wonder if I could build a bracket for the 11 Ford 75lb suitcase weights I have for my 5000

How are you set for fabrication tooling? Welder, angle grinder with cut off wheels, drill ..... With some basic tools anything is possible.

825 pounds would be a bit much 😉 2 or 3 of these weights on the back should be enough. Depending on how close to the rear axle you can keep them, the front wheels might get pretty light and hard to steer / sliding. 🤔Then you may need to build more brackets to mount a weight up front over each front tire for steering traction 😉

Years ago I bought a couple sets of Gravely front wheel weights $85 a set and 15 pounds each weight. The Simplicities front rims are drilled for weights, for the CCI's some work would need to be done to the rims. 1: the rims need to be drilled for the weights mounting bolts 2; The valve stem needs to be relocated to the other side of the rim. Adding that 30 pounds to each front tire definitely helped to reduce skidding.

Cheers,
Gordy

 

[WIROB222]

How are you set for fabrication tooling? Welder, angle grinder with cut off wheels, drill ..... With some basic tools anything is possible.

825 pounds would be a bit much 😉 2 or 3 of these weights on the back should be enough. Depending on how close to the rear axle you can keep them, the front wheels might get pretty light and hard to steer / sliding. 🤔Then you may need to build more brackets to mount a weight up front over each front tire for steering traction 😉

Years ago I bought a couple sets of Gravely front wheel weights $85 a set and 15 pounds each weight. The Simplicities front rims are drilled for weights, for the CCI's some work would need to be done to the rims. 1: the rims need to be drilled for the weights mounting bolts 2; The valve stem needs to be relocated to the other side of the rim. Adding that 30 pounds to each front tire definitely helped to reduce skidding.

Cheers,
Gordy

I can usually make things stick together! Probably have enough rusty farm equipment to cut up to use...

I'll probably stick with what I have for now the setup does work well for 90% of what I need. I just need to be extra careful not to spin if I clean up at the neighbors again.

 

[dhitching]

I just need to be extra careful not to spin if I clean up at the neighbors again.

This probably isn't true for everyone, and I'm not recommending trying to spin tires, but I have done a lot of tire spinning with chains on my asphalt drive and haven't left any marks. Concrete on the other hand...

 

[a66coup289]

^^^ It depends if the asphalt had been sealed. Chains do a good job of unsealing it.

 

[Lance Skene]

...even 5000# tractors with AG tires need chains... those are designed for dirt not snow/ice... with 12" wheels I use ATV tires without chains.

 

[a66coup289]

...even 5000# tractors with AG tires need chains... those are designed for dirt not snow/ice... with 12" wheels I use ATV tires without chains.

View attachment 128409

Ag tires may not have been designed for snow, but they can work just fine in it. The lugs going nearly straight across the tire forms a similar traction path as that of a chain. The key is to clear the drive before driving much on it to prevent it from getting iced up. On ice, no tire short of one with studs will have much traction without chains. I still have my chains from when I ran turf tires, just have not had the need to put them on. On the front I use the Xtrac tires which were designed for snow and work well in snow or dirt.

 

[Lance Skene]

With 16" wheels you dont have alot of options... but the OPs tractor has 12" wheels and ATV tires "FAR" out perform AG tires in the snow... the manufacturers put alot of R+D into making sure they work in mud and snow without chains.