Chains with R1 tires

[Lil Foot]

Arizona is the place on the planet to buy tire chains, (at least at estate & garage sales) & I regularly see new or slightly used chains in the $1-$2 per set price range. Apparently everyone who moves here from snow country brings chains with them, and later realizes they will never use them unless they venture up to the high country during one of our somewhat rare snow storms, so they sell 'em cheap. I recently bought (for $2) a set of new, heavy duty, powder-coated, 16" truck chains, that fit my B7100 perfectly, except for the typical problem of the cross chains dropping in between the lugs on my R1s.
I'd like some opinions- Is it worth the effort to cannibalize some cheap chains to add "jumper chains" to a set for my R1s? (as per the drawing) Seems like they'd work well, unless someone already has experience with this and found the opposite to be true. Thanks in advance.

 

[OldeEnglish]

All I haves is regular barbed chains, but these companies look like they make some rugged chains. I was thinking of taking apart some old chains I have and building some diamond shapes in between the runs for side traction. Maybe they can inspire your design

http://www.aquilinetirechains.com/index.php
http://www.babactirechains.com/

 

[kubotasam]

I have a set of truck chains I altered to stop the cross links from dropping into the lugs. I did what you showed in your illustration except I added two connectors so it forms a square in the center of two cross links.

 

[Lil Foot]

OldeEnglish- Thanks for the links-those look bad a$$!

kubotasam- I get it, like this drawing:

 

[Lil Foot]

Could get even fancier-

 

[OldeEnglish]

Could get even fancier-

I like your very last drawing, It looks like that would work nice.

I was thinking of making a diamond design like these below, smaller scale of course... I have enough scrap chain to build a new set but I may buy some studded chain if I want to go all out . It's not cheap, but my turf tires would have some grip in the woods...I've searched long and far for options for my tire size but have only found a ladder style. So if I want something special I'll have to build them....

These style chains must be $$$$$ for big tires

 

[olthumpa]

These style chains must be $$$$$ for big tires

$995 for chains that fit the following sizes - need to cut to fit some:

12.4 * 36
(25" W x 13' 2" L)
​

12-16.5
12.4 * 24
12.4 * 26
12.4 * 28
12.4 * 32
12.4 * 36
13.6 * 24
13.6 * 26
13.6 * 28
13.6 * 36
14-17.5
320/85R-34
355/80-20
15-19.5
270/95R36
290/95R34

 

[OldeEnglish]

Othumpa, thank you for pointing that out with a price. Not as expensive as I thought they would be, but way more than I want to spend .

I was thinking about going that way because I came across a nice set on Craigslist. Without seeing them in person being able to measure, it's tough to picture the pattern working out perfect on a smaller tire. I'm afraid it would require a lot of cutting/welding and refiguring to make them work....to the point that I would have wished to start from scratch... Plus, there would be a lot of wasted links left over compared to buying a roll of it and cutting only what's needed.

If I could find a set used, not abused, for a good price, I would probably buy them for material.

 

[Lil Foot]

$995 for chains

Wow, those look mean, but they're about $990 more than my budget allows.