Tire chains on.....My head sort of hurts.

[Blue2Orange]

Ready for the snow. Ordered a set of heavy duty 2-link ladder chains from tire chain dot com. Fast delivery. Did inflict some body damage. Stood up when under the tool box rack. Luckily slowly stood up. Bonk. See image. Just hurt a bit. Then the drip, drip. 5C/41F. Wasn't sweat. Had to apply compression pressure for a few minutes. Stopped the bleeding. No stitches necessary. Do have some probably outdated DermaBond (pyrogen free, sterile super glue) in the med kit if needed. Ended up running out of daylight to drive test the chain fit.

Maybe OCD or something setting in with aging. 22 ladder on the chain set. Cannot get the tensioner springs evenly spaced. One side has two more links on the non-tension arm side. 5 loose links to zip tie vs. 3. Imperfect like me.

Still second guessing myself if I should have gone with the diamond or square link v. ladder style. Find out on the first day removing snow over solid ice covered surface. Knocked down the excessive crown on the driveway. Sliding sideways should be less or a non issue except maybe on couple banked turns which i did level a bit out this past Spring with the 80yds of fresh blue rock gravel application.



Do have a question regarding proper mounting of chains. Bit biased off center to the outer side of the tire. Guessing maybe an inch more towards the outside. Should the chains be even?

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

....Do have a question regarding proper mounting of chains. Bit biased off center to the outer side of the tire. Guessing maybe an inch more towards the outside. Should the chains be even?

In the front I personally bias chains to the outside so they don't get caught on stuff on the inside. The rear I balance, though I have Euro pattern so that makes sense for gripp (two "peez").

 

[Bee-Positive]

I run chains front and back. 1"+ shouldn't be an issue as long as their tight.
BUT - check the chain tensioners periodically, the springs can stretch especially when new.

P.S. Sorry about your head.

 

[Blue2Orange]

On the fronts on these SCUTs or maybe just the BX series there isn't much clearance inwards towards the steering arms and knuckles. If need chains in front will feel more comfortable off centered to the outside. Hopefully the mass of the FEL and bucket will help with front wheel traction at least in the snow. Just hope. Old NH had R1s. Even with the FEL and significantly larger and heavier bucket I would occasionally "crab" or not making the curves pushing snow downhill.

Quality chains are lower in cost relative to quality studs. Found out when trying to order some of the shouldered iGrip studs from Canada they don't deliver to my USA address. Couldn't find any other source for the SS08 model. The lugs on the R4 fronts are ~9mm. SS08 penetrate 8mm with 2mm sticking above lugs. Shoulder model. Hope was when running over rocky terrain the stud wouldn't get pushed in more than the 9mm lug depth. GripStuds brand are similar in design to the iGrip with the auger shaped and sized threaded section, but no shoulder models found.

 

[Warlock003]

Ready for the snow. Ordered a set of heavy duty 2-link ladder chains from tire chain dot com. Fast delivery. Did inflict some body damage. Stood up when under the tool box rack. Luckily slowly stood up. Bonk. See image. Just hurt a bit. Then the drip, drip. 5C/41F. Wasn't sweat. Had to apply compression pressure for a few minutes. Stopped the bleeding. No stitches necessary. Do have some probably outdated DermaBond (pyrogen free, sterile super glue) in the med kit if needed. Ended up running out of daylight to drive test the chain fit.

Maybe OCD or something setting in with aging. 22 ladder on the chain set. Cannot get the tensioner springs evenly spaced. One side has two more links on the non-tension arm side. 5 loose links to zip tie vs. 3. Imperfect like me.

Still second guessing myself if I should have gone with the diamond or square link v. ladder style. Find out on the first day removing snow over solid ice covered surface. Knocked down the excessive crown on the driveway. Sliding sideways should be less or a non issue except maybe on couple banked turns which i did level a bit out this past Spring with the 80yds of fresh blue rock gravel application.

View attachment 165238

Do have a question regarding proper mounting of chains. Bit biased off center to the outer side of the tire. Guessing maybe an inch more towards the outside. Should the chains be even?

I have chains for my FOAM filled skid steer. I had those same tensioners and every rubber band spider etc. Then I talked to guys with Skidders and BIG logging equipment. Make sure valve is at top of tire aka 12 noon Air down the tire "A BIT" put the inner tire chain connector together then the outer. if the chain is loose you "MAY" have to cut your chains example removing 1 cross link. I would say google you tube how to cut tire chains. once chains are installed snugly Air up the tire. That was a more home owner approach then the loggers told me but a hybrid. The skidders use chains that are pulled together with Tire chain installers example google = "
Heavy Duty Skidder Tire Chain Mounting Tool
" The loggers cut the chains to be close to fitting but maybe a bit short then they CRANK the chains on using a large tire chain installer No rubber bands and springs thats homeowner stuff (NOT meant to be a DIG its a fact) basically I was told by the loggers If you get the chains tight enough they will not move or come loose or come off period end of story. Air down then air up or crank them with a chain install tool but the length may need to be cut using 4.5 inch grinder Once you cut those factory ends off the chicken leg dog leg you would crank the chain together with chain tool and install a "
5/16 304 STAINLESS STEEL SCREW PIN ANCHOR SHACKLE" make sure to get quality stuff. Garden tractors eh maybe home depot stuff will work but bigger equipment requires super hardened anchor shackles with cotter pins so the nuts cant back off. google =
Bolt Pin Anchor Shackle Stainless Steel 2711S-BB-06 Respectfully speaking you usually cannot get store bought chains to fit exactly whoever says they will fit out of the box well maybe but I think they make a few sizes of chains and you have to customize slightly.



"

 

[jimh406]

I hope your head feels better soon.

They don’t have to be even inside to outside. The tighteners don’t have to be exactly even either. I use zip ties on the couple of links that are left.

 

[Bearcatrp]

Ready for the snow. Ordered a set of heavy duty 2-link ladder chains from tire chain dot com. Fast delivery. Did inflict some body damage. Stood up when under the tool box rack. Luckily slowly stood up. Bonk. See image. Just hurt a bit. Then the drip, drip. 5C/41F. Wasn't sweat. Had to apply compression pressure for a few minutes. Stopped the bleeding. No stitches necessary. Do have some probably outdated DermaBond (pyrogen free, sterile super glue) in the med kit if needed. Ended up running out of daylight to drive test the chain fit.

Maybe OCD or something setting in with aging. 22 ladder on the chain set. Cannot get the tensioner springs evenly spaced. One side has two more links on the non-tension arm side. 5 loose links to zip tie vs. 3. Imperfect like me.

Still second guessing myself if I should have gone with the diamond or square link v. ladder style. Find out on the first day removing snow over solid ice covered surface. Knocked down the excessive crown on the driveway. Sliding sideways should be less or a non issue except maybe on couple banked turns which i did level a bit out this past Spring with the 80yds of fresh blue rock gravel application.

View attachment 165238

Do have a question regarding proper mounting of chains. Bit biased off center to the outer side of the tire. Guessing maybe an inch more towards the outside. Should the chains be even?

What tires are those that you put the chains on? Hard to tell from the small picture. Am hesitant to use chains for possibly damaging the tires. Have no hills to worry about but have had times that my back blade was full and stopped me. Would just lift up and take a smaller chunk to move.

 

[Blue2Orange]

R4s. On paper they should be tougher than turfs. Unsure relative to R1s. Had R1s on the NH and ran it for decades without chains. Guessing the few hundred extra pounds of mass and R1s resulted in better handling in snow. IIRC, the BX's R4s are 12" wide. Relative to the much larger wheels and tires on the old NH, the BX looks wider. Narrow v. wide for snow debate anyone? Hopefully not.

Hindsight. Probably should have spent the extra $$s on the Euro Diamond pattern heavy duty chains. And now leaning to adding front chains for improved overall traction and steering control on ice/hard park snow surface. Need to drive really slow downhill when pushing snow with the FEL bucket to make it around the curves. Even then sometimes need to stop. Back up and realign my direction of travel. First snowfall removal over unfrozen surface that ends up melting and then freezing into an ice surface are always a PITA. Days like today the friction of fresh cold, sharp crystal snow makes a huge difference. Probably pass on the front chains. Then regret not having them if we have another winter of thaw, freeze cycles. Or worse. Rain hitting the cold surface and freezing into ice skating rink like surface.

Zip tied the excess links. Then decided to cut all but one extra link off. Still ended up zip tie the spare link.