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pfrederi

AGs vs Chains

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BESTDOGEVER

I have used my 310-8 to haul firewood for most of its life with turf tires and 4 link chains the average cart load is about 700 lbs or more they work as well in the woods going up and down slopes & over stuff as they do on gravel going down the road in fact I had a tire blow on the cart about an eighth mile from home and pulled the cart the rest of the way home in 3rd high without any problems or even kicking in the governor. I'm a believer in chains on snow

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Butch

I used rubber chains on some fairly wide turf tires. No problem but the ride beat me to death.  Plus I was wondering what that rough ride was doing to the tractor. The last two years I used

AG's and had no problem. But I'm not doing nearly the amount of snow that others are. My problem was the steering. Turf tires don't cut it. I need to get the tri-rib tires for the front.

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Deadguy

I have acquired a Charger 10 that I am planning on putting on snowblower duty.  I  have two (or three?) sets of rear tires that I have available in my workshop right now.  I could go with 22x7.5" turfs, or 6-12 ags, either option would get loaded with fluid, with weights and chains.  I can also mount the 6-12s as duallys. Which option would be best for snow duty, or are they all close enough in performance that it does not matter?

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GlenPettit

Is your drive all concrete/asphalt or is it dirt/gravel?   Is it flat or sloped?

 

Chains can damage/scratch a drive very noticably, but they give great traction, especially on ice if you also have a lot of weight.

Lugs (without weight) only do very well on gravel but not so well on a paved drive with ice (unless you have the weight).  They may leave ruts in very soft wet dirt/grass if you happen to go off-drive.

A Snowblower blows the snow some distance and does great on paved drives, but on gravel, it needs to be raised a little, but this puts more weight on the front, which is great for steering but actually pivots the rear up, lightening the back of the tractor and reduces traction (need a lot & lot of weight to balance this).

Both of your sets of tires are narrow, which is good.  The fluid and extra weight are excellent.  Dually's would reduce traction on ice, and reduce your power.

Up the tire pressure to 20# for Winter use, even in fluid-filled tires (20% air is in there), (a smaller 'footprint' ='s more traction/sq inch).  For storage, best to keep tires up a little off concrete in the freezing Winter, like on a piece of thin wood, especially when they have heavy weight in/on them, to keep from freezing to the concrete and tearing rubber.

Be concerned about steering; you need weight up front also to keep those wheels down while you are working.  Tri-ribs, Lugs, or Chains will bite into the snow/ice for steering, if you also have weight up there; when the blade or Snowblower is in the down-working position, it basically takes all of its own weight off the front, reducing steering control.

It is also possible to increase traction on turfs only by roughening up the rubber surface, a very coarse file can do this and some chemicals will "eat" the rubber surface a little, plus sharpening the forward-biting edge of the rubber (like 'tractor weight pullers' do).

(This year, I'm trying out the 'Rubber Chains' with my Snowblower on asphalt –– The 4-link is all I could find, may have to order more rubber to make it into a smoother 2-link ride ?).

Glen

 

 

 

 

Edited by GlenPettit
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Deadguy

My driveway is long, dirt and gravel, and has flats and slopes.  The blower is currently mounted on a manual transmission tractor, and with the ground rollers in the highest elevation position work just fine without throwing gravel. So, fluid, weights, and chains with 6-12s with ags, or 22x7.5 turfs? Either?

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pfrederi

Weights and 2 link chains on the narrowest tires you have.  Fluid really isn't a lot of weight in a 6.00x12.

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lynnmor

The question was asked about adding more rubber cross members to rubber tire chains.  Go to rubbertirechains.com and fill out the form asking the question.  Mr. Esh is Amish and builds the chains in his workshop.  I have been to his shop in Lancaster County, PA and find that he is easy to deal with.  His shop isn't easy to find.  Have patience as he has others handle email and telephone for him.

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Lagersolut

I used chains over AG tires with wheel weights for years to push the D-way open in the winter -  getting back up the D-way still wasn't easy . Few years ago I purchased a 310-8 with turf tires and wondered - how much better the traction would be " WITHOUT "  the chains falling/laying between the lugs of the AG tread . The answer is 150% - the 310-8 walks right , up no problem .  So now,  both my winter tractors 310-8 blade - 315-8 blower have turf tread ,  chains and weight .  310 - 4 link V bar  315 -2 link V bar.

 

I'll never do another winter on AG tread even with chains .

 

 

Edited by Lagersolut

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6wheeler

I use chains for garden work. The 520h and the C-160 both have turf tires. When I need them for garden duty? I throw on a set of chains. That way, I can go right back to cutting duty by removing them.

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