Rubber tire chains - do they work in mud and snowy dirt?

[Alrashid2 434]

Hey guys. I'm tired of getting my Wheel Horse stuck in the snow. I have zero issue plowing snow on my asphalt driveway with no chains, but my Horse lives about 50 yards downhill from the house. When we get snow, I oftentimes can't make it up the hill to the house and driveway. Beneath the snow is just forest floor, so leaves and dirt. 

 

I think I'm ready to try out rubber chains. But do they help at all in snow above dirt? How do they do in dirt/mud in the summertime? 

 

Also, would love any advice on where to get an affordable pair for tires that are 22x7.50-12. Thanks!

[Treepep 978]

  Dunno/.  Would like to!

[Ed Kennell 44,159]

My experience with rubber and steel chains on turf tires.

 

SURFACE                              RUBBER             STEEL                  TURFS w/o any chains

bare pavement                        best                     poor                                 good

  ice                                         poor                      best                                 poor

mud                                         good                     best                                 poor

snow on grass                         good                     best                                 poor

snow on gravel                        good                     best                                 poor

snow on dirt                             good                     best                                 poor

Edited 3 hours ago by Ed Kennell

[Alrashid2 434]

Thanks @Ed Kennell for the lovely breakdown!

 

Can I ask, how do Rubber chains compare to just straight Turf Saver tires? For example, you put Poor for ice - is that poor as in worst than a plain tire? And when you say Good for Snow on grass/gravel/dirt, is that good compared to a plain tire? or just as good as a plain tire? 

 

Side question too for anyone reading!  I can't find rubber chains in my tire size of 22x7.50-12. Closest I could find were from SoftClaw who makes a 22.5x7.50-12, so a 1/2" taller in height. Is that close enough or would they be flopping around on the tire? If I can't find an exact size is it better to go up or down a size, and how far is too far? 

[Ed Kennell 44,159]

There, I added a plain turf tire.       22.5 would be perfect on a 22" tire.  Best to go bigger so the cross chains wrap down over the side walls.

No sloppy chains, the side chain length is adjusted to tighten the cross chains.

[Alrashid2 434]

@Ed Kennell as a Scientist by trade, I really appreciate the Controlled Variable data of a plain tire 

 

I've got a few other questions for you or anyone reading, thank you...

 

1. How are the side chains adjusted to tighten? Looking at the SoftClaw rubber chains, I don't see anyway to adjust them. 

 

2. Do I have to take these rubber chains off in the summer? Or can I leave them on all year long? I'm majority riding this through the woods and lawn. Sometimes it comes up onto dry asphalt in the summer but not doing a ton of driving on it. 

 

3. My tires are pretty old. I have no idea if they'll last another 10 years or if they'll need replaced in a year or two. Since it looks like, after shipping, these tire chains will cost $150+, I'm wondering if I could buy size 23x8-12 for my current 22x7.50-12 (chains would be 1" taller and 1/2" wider) - that way, when I get a replacement tire, I could keep my chains? 

 

 

 

Edited 3 hours ago by Alrashid2

[pfrederi 19,531]

You can tighten them up by moving th connecting link from the yellow line position to the white line link.  Also you will probably want chain tensioners  as i have on mine. They can be rubber or springs...

 

 

[Achto 30,540]

32 minutes ago, Alrashid2 said:

$150+, I'm wondering if I could buy size 23x8-12 for my current 22x7.50-12 (chains would be 1" taller and 1/2" wider) - that way, when I get a replacement tire, I could keep my chains? 

 

Just throwing an idea out there. For the price of the rubber chains + a new set of tires, you might want to consider just getting a set of Carlisle Versa Turfs. I have heard nothing but good reviews on these tires. Excellent traction on snow & mud without chains added and they won't tear your lawn up. They are a bit pricey though.

 

https://www.millertire.com/23x8-50r12-carlisle-versa-turf-compact-radial-tractor-tire-6-ply/

[JoeM 9,435]

Started running these terra trac also antego's and have had little trouble with out using chains on some pretty steep slopes.

One tip tho is adding weight to the rear helps with anything your using. 

 

 

 

[sqrlgtr 1,858]

2 hours ago, Ed Kennell said:

SURFACE                              RUBBER             STEEL                  TURFS w/o any chains

bare pavement                        best                     poor                                 good

I agree with Ed on everything but believe the steel beats everything for pure traction on all surfaces and the rubber a real real close second. That being said rubber is most defiantly easier on pavement and the only way to go on concrete and probably hard to beat all way round. I run steel 2 link chains but live in hill/mountain terrain and only thing I've found that works on ice.