No as the chains fit over them with room to spare. Pressures at what's on the tires. though, now that it's dark can't say what's those were. Nor do I remember.
Tire Chain Repair
- Thread starter SMRY
- Start date
Finally got the rear chains on today. The fronts still awaiting spacers as first order center hole slightly too small 66mm. Since I can no longer read the micrometer its trial & error. Next size up in spacers are 68.5mm crossing the fingers. Anyways here's the rears, which went much better than the fronts. I did takeout 1 cross link which really tightened things us nicely.
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Took "OJ" down the drive today as test. went great. Preformed some work along the main rd. Took my time more out of fear, lol. Got to say hearing those v-bars biting into the hardpack / gravel was rather nerve racking. I kept checking for looseness, binding, anything that could become an issue esp. during winter. I'll surely feel more comfy with front spacers, none the less. Anyways test went well. Homespun tensioners did their thing, everything's nice & tight.
During the night received our 2nd large snowstorm of the season 8.5". Sadly, the tensioners are not staying tight. I've got to keep watch as they drop off then a nightmare on elm St. to find in the snow. No one in the area has nor offers left-hand threaded nuts. What few I've found online are so expensive compared to righthand thread, I just can't bring myself to justify such bs. I've still ideas kicking around the O'l noggin, though, will just have to wait for the cold snap to pass. Prediction is teens for highs during the next few days, along with hvy winds, while next week may reach the 40s.. Thankfully, my haven discovered the rod at the dash preventing the tractor from starting late fall, is working like a charm after haven corrected the slight mismatch just under the floorboard. The chains once again have been a great help. Happy had decided to reinstall them this yr.
Deflate the tires, put the chains on, put the spring tensioners on, air up the tires. ...reading along I see @GreensvilleJay beat me to it, good job!
You would do well to take @North Idaho Wolfman's advice on not adding spacers to the front wheels. The front wheels are the balancing point betwen the front and rear weight, whereas the larger rear wheels on straight axles carry a likely lighter load (depending...) so adding spacers out back is usually fine, up front is not. Spacers up front is a shortcut that could come back to haunt you (and fleece your wallet).
I had a similar problem with European Diamond Chains not being made in an ideal size for my front tires, so they're now wrapped around with an outboard bias and tensioned to stay that way with aftermarket springs. I could probably get them looking more evenly spaced, but the thing is the chains are not going to lay "exactly perfect" on the tires as they wrap around so the springs won't look "exactly perfect" either (though after this picture I took the front wheels off and re-laid the chains with more outboard bias and used the rear springs up front and used the front springs in the rear).
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Thank You for the suggestions. However, the chains themselves fit fine pretty darn tight. Clasp hooked on itself as supposed to be. The homebrewed tensioners really work well, when they stay tight. No one close has lefthand thread nuts which would help prevent the entire units from spinning, thus, loosening. Now that we're into cold, deep snows not going to attempt deflating tires esp., not having the O'l shop equip anymore. I'll take my chances with front spacers as well. F chains have been pulled / fitted to the outside of the tires. "Baby OJ" doesn't see any other action except snowstorms, then, done at a snail's pace. Perhaps a 30 min plow job takes me half a day. I did have springs / rings setup like in your photo; they worked for a time when I first came into possession of "OJ", however after a fashion lost their tension. I may go back to a spring/chain setup as I've other ideas replacing the turnbuckle arrangements altogether. The turnbuckles seemed a great idea, as, I'd setup the same arrangement on several large frontend loaders at the RR, was nice every so often could just take a wrench, give half a turn, be back in business. Those large loaders never had any of the issues like I've had with Baby "OJ". Even when Baby "OJ's" turnbuckles come loose the chains themselves don't seem to come loose, least with any flop to them, however, still feel more secure having some sort of tensioners in place as, piece of mind.
The turnbuckles have right-hand thread on one end and left-hand thread on the other to allow tightening or loosening by turning the center. If you remove the end that has right-hand threads and install a right-hand thread nut on that end then adjust tension of the chain and with 2 wrenches tighten the nut against the center to lock the turnbuckle in place. That should keep the turnbuckle from loosening - the end without a nut can only turn part of a rotation.
I've a nut on the Righthand thread side of turnbuckle. however, the entire units turn, thus, loose their tension on the chain & drop off from the lefthand side of the turnbuckle.
Close up the loops on the turnbuckles so they can't fall off, and keep the proper tools on the tractor to make sure that they are properly tensioned at all times.
TY & no TY. I don't wish to create eyes will make removal all that much harder for me, as it is the hook & turnbuckle unscrew from one another, which it will still do even if both ends have an eye rather than hooks. Only way for me to prevent the one end from turning is use of left-hand thread nut. I really didn't want to pay the price for the small amounts I need. Somewhere I'll eventually hit on the threads / sizes I need. Anyways, I've other ideas festering for the time being. Awaiting the mini-cold snap to pass, as, the O'l hands just don't work in the bitter cold, before being able to try further ideas.
A drop of Loctite will keep them from coming loose, and all you need is a butane torch to heat them a little to break the Loctite loose when you want to remove them.
I thought of med Loctite, however, really didn't & still don't wish to go that drastic. At 92 such measures can really be killer for me. I just don't have the strength, not to mention many of the tools of yesteryears.
Understood, but the odds are you are going to lose them if you don't do something. If they loosen (and they will) they will fall off and then you'll be stuck looking everywhere you went (at best) or at worst they come around on the tire and crack your fender. (maybe unscrew the hooks and put nuts on them to use as jam nuts?
RCW
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I've had great luck with 8" rubber tarp straps.
Used them for many years.
Can't typically get them in the store that short, but was able to get them on line pretty cheap.
No reason to frig around with different threaded BS.
Just my own opinion and experience.
Used them for many years.
Can't typically get them in the store that short, but was able to get them on line pretty cheap.
No reason to frig around with different threaded BS.
Just my own opinion and experience.
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North Idaho Wolfman
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North Idaho Wolfman
Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more