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Tire chains and ice dilemma

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AnnBrush
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 463 Troy OH
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2004-12-16          102357


I have a JD 4300 4WD with turf tires. I want to purchase a set of chains for this tractor primarily for ability to use a rear blade on my gravel driveway to clear snow and ice and to tow my car to the (hopefully cleared) roadway when its icy.

1) The operator manual says I should not install tire chains on the front tires - why, is this just JD protecting their arse for some reason?
2) What type of chains do you folk use and which should I buy.
3) Can you suggest a vendor (online / phone / mail is all fine).
4) What kind of performance can I expect with turf tires in the snow and ice with or without chains.

Many thanks for your anticipated answers.




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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2004-12-16          102359


Right off the bat, I think we have two topics blended together here.

Chains are for snow, you are talking primarily about ice.

Chains are about as usefull as certain parts of the female anatomy would be on a bull if you get my drift.

In co-relation to your numbering;

1) The front axle typically turns about 5% faster than does the rear, if you chain them that cant happen, damage will occur.

2) I don't, in fact I don't recommend others do either. Chains are for clawing through deep snow, if you are plowing or plowing you should be driving over already cleaned ground. So what are the chains for ?

3) There are lots of them.

4) Chains are a poor choice for turf's, they need a grooove in the tread to lock into, turf's dont have any. I plowed commercially for years with a fleet of CUT's on full turf's. The only thing we used for traction was ballast and ice racing studs for the knobs in the tires if we were NOT on asphalt or concrete. They are not required in that case anyways, INMHO.

I would MUCH rather see someone use a spreader to cover the ice with sand, pickled sand, or some other grit product.

Getting across the ice is only a small part of the battle, getting RID of the ice is the real trick.

Best of luck. ....


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AnnBrush
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 463 Troy OH
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2004-12-16          102361


OK - perhaps I should be considering buying a fertilizer spreader to spread sand? Can you do this adequately with a fertilizer spreader? ....


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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2004-12-16          102362


That's all we used, the kind with the flexible shaft drive.

Except we slightly modified them to run from a hydraulic motor instead PTO driving the flex shaft. That way we could adjust the speed of the spinner independently of the engine RPM's. By varying both the opening size, and the spinner speed you have an infinite range of application from wide to narrow paths and light or heavy layer.

Best of luck. ....


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kentfield
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 16 southern VT and western Ma
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2004-12-16          102367


on the JD chains on the front wheels will hit the steer cyl in a hard turn. ....


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Woodie
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 109 Michigan lower
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2004-12-16          102370


with chains on the front, steering dynamics put alot of side to side stress on the chain and you could windup with the chains ripping into the tire or worse. My brother runs his chains year 'round on the rears(turf tires) but then he has a few "nice slopes" (ha ha) to negoiate whilemowing. surprisingly he doesn't tear the turf actualy pulls up a little thatch at most. ....


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denwood
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 542 Quarryville PA
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2004-12-16          102393


perhaps if we could get Harvey to comment on this, in his picture #9, he has a JD 4400 with turfs and chains all around. I believe the chains could hit the steering cyl in a very sharp turn and my tires already hit the loader hydraulic hoses where JD poorly placed them. I will have to bungee them over a little. I do plan on using chains on my 4300 with r-4 tires. Chains do make a world of difference if you have a gravel drive. They turn my old tractor from a useless lawn ornament back to having almost the same pull as on dry ground. On very thick ice chains don't help much but for up to 1 inch over gravel, they seem to crunch through it and bite where plain tires won't. The chains I made for my 4300 are the ones with v bars welded to each link, hopefully they will bite any ice I have a little better. I had to modify 3 chains to make 2 since I used what I had around and they were not big enough. I am not worried about any driveline stress, I can't think of anywhere I will use them that could add enough traction to even equal the traction I would have on good ground or pavement. I am mostly worried about clearance. We may have snow Monday, I'll see how they work ....


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harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2004-12-17          102406


I put the chains on when I have to. I have plowed/blowed complete winters now and then with out having to install at all.

I run turfs. Me thinks it is the best on driveway snow. Deep field snow is ags. I've used all of the tires on different equipment over the years.

If I can only get away with chaining the rears that is all I use. I do a very steep drive for the widow and snowblow backing up it and down and am done with one trip. It usually does require chains at all 4 corners. If I drive up the drive and back down I usually do not need chains but that is for the light snow years. My other neighbor asked me to do his, last year, it is over half a mile long with a real steep pitch, chains are required for this one.

I have the new front end and there is a clearance issue with the right side steering knuckles. The boot on the tie rod is torn from the chains. I have broken the grease zerk also. NO ONE touches my tractor in this configuration but me. Of course I grease weekly so it is not a concern.

I think the term ice gets thrown in this forum to much. Rarely do we get ice. There is lots of packed snow that may glaze alittle. Chains will bite it. Chains will work for those with grades in their drives. I take chains the way I have built them any day on ice even the wet ice we get once a year.

I do like the idea of the ice studs. But I'm from the country and my chains are home made with minimal cost.

As far as winding up the drive line I strongly disagree here. Rarely on snow have I ever had a problem shifting in or out of 4wd. I wind up the drive line much worse with the bucket loader on gravel and sometimes really have to struggle to get it out of gear.

Hope this helps. Harvey ....


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grinder
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 677 central Maine
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2004-12-17          102408


IMHO I would try it without chains first, unless you have a very steep drive. Maybe let a little air out of those turfs.
I think chains on all four wheels will put undue strain on your running gear.
But if you want some try these guy's. ....


Link:   

Click Here


 

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fsg4300
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 1 Harford, PA
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2005-02-20          106503


I have a 4300 with R4 tires. It was terrible going in reverse. I put a set of 3/8" chains on the rear and now I can go anywhere. I have a 450' driveway that is a hill. I can even push snow going up hill! The rear chains made a big difference. Also, my tires are not loaded, this might also make a difference. Fred ....


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