Tractor tire chains: making your own

[Pete S]

I went to Fleet Farm yesterday and inquired about a set of tire chains for my tractor.


I need a set to fit 14.9 x 28 tires.



I knew they probably weren't cheap but $197.00 EACH kind'a was a bit more than what I wanted to spend.

SO,............has anyone priced out and performed their own build?

I did not have time and the staff that was there wasn't able to assist me with the "particulars" as in how long, etc................

Thanks!

[Sugarmaker]

I have not built a set. I bought mine used for $100. There are many styles available. They are worth the money.
Regards,
Chris

[lpakiz]

Pete's,
If you know anyone who works for your local township or county highway department, they may have old chains that are too worn to use, but have enough life for an occasional user like us. It can be tough to re-work them, but if they are a bit too long, it's easy to shorten them.
Are grader tires about the same size as your 28s?

[lakeview maple]

Ipakiz that's exactly what I did ,I went to the local dpw and asked about some old tires chains ,they were more than happy to get them out of the way. I took them home and I used my angle grinder and mig a it took about an hour to have a pair of chains for the old international .Great way to recycle .Al

[BreezyHill]

tire chains are a must have on our farm for the 4x2 tractor. The 4x4 don't need them as ours have plenty of weight.

I have never built a set but I have repaired them for several years.

I prefer the style with the square on the tread area every 14-18 inches on center. I see several friends use the logger style with the studs welded to the links and love them.

Installing cross bars over the tire bars is very tricky in that they like to drop between the bars and are nearly useless.

most hang about 3-5" down the sidewalls and have a locking closure on one or both sides.

With a DIY set you could get away with just open hooks and deflate the tire, put on the chains tight and inflate the tire. I knew a logger that did this on the skidders. Worked great until aside bar breaks.

I would talk to the manager of the fleet store and tell him that when he is ready to clear the shelves for spring items you will take the set of chains off his hands so he doesn't have to hang on to them and move them around for a year.

I have gotten some great deals this way and the managers are happy, happy happy to see the item go out the door.

I will check with a customer as that size is about what his old tractor was that went to the scrape yard. He hade a great set of chains on that little beast.

Ben

[BAP]

Check out this site for tire chains. They have them starting at $335 a pair for your size, more depending on the style you get. Good people to deal with and good prices on chains. Also, tire chain cross links are built out of harden steel for strength and wear. Regular chain won't hold up as well.
www.tirechains.com

[maple flats]

Here's where I bought chains for my ATV, they were good to deal with. Looks like they only have the first style in stock today. http://www.kenjones.com/Scripts/XListSearch.aspx?XGID=CHAIN_TRAC_14.9x28
I have tractor chains for a different size. They are real heavy and work well. If you can find a set of DPW truck chains they will be heavy enough but that size may be hard to match, a 24" wheel would be easier. Maybe if necessary, you could extend a set a few inches from the truck chains.

[vikingHB]

Thinking of buying chains as well, basically for the bush. Never had experience with them, so how much difference in deeper snow, wet slippery snow, and mud.

[BreezyHill]

Chains are a difference of night and day.
If you have enough weight on the machine to cut thru to solid ground you can push like you are on solid ground in snow.

I have a JD 1050 Turbo cranked to 50hp to rake and ted hay. and like it in the bush as it is not as heavy as the big 4x4 and is more flexible around the trees. The bucket is great counter weight when using the farmi winch.

it is going thru 3' foot drifts and 22" or snow to feed cows and to plow snow.

in mud chains help a bunch but when she hits a point she is buried.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Double ring style is the best buy for the money. The cross members should be slightly loose, not pulled tight to the tread. As the tire goes around, the chains are self cleaning. In heavy clay mud, if you are spinning, chains and tire may gum up and become one round revolving mass. In general, chains will get you through mud and snow as long as you do not bottom the tractor out.

[lpakiz]

That is a good point about the cross chains falling into the spaces between lugs. I had a set on nearly bald tires that worked great. I put on new tires one summer and when I came to use the chains, EVERY cross chain fell into the gap and I had , really, no chains. Then, I cut rings 3/4 inches long, off of 4 inch pipe and welded each ring to 2 cross chains. On ice,I can cut hockey pucks pretty good, plus it kept the chain on the surface of the tire, not buried.

[tendermason]

Purchased a set today.Installed them and they work great. $240 and well worth the money.

[Sugarmaker]

all good comments. Chains I bought fell into the lugs as mentioned when tight. seemed to work better somewhat loose as mentioned. Maybe that's why dad always left them real loose on the WD45's:) He never took them off till we were planting corn:)
Bull chains have a much bigger more aggressive lug.
They do make night and day difference on ice snow and mud.
Regards,
Chris

[Pete S]

Hey ah tendermason, where did you get a set for that price?

Please share.

[Pete S]

Looked up www.tirechains.com and called in my order. SHIPPED to Plymouth, WI from the east coast, to my house at 60+# each for $318.00 for the set. Be here in two days. Saved about 100 bucks!

[vikingHB]

Does anyone use the tensioners on the outside of the tire? I've seen these on line and wonder if they are worth the expense.