# Which Tire Chains?



## valuman

I'll be using my Ford 1720 for some on premise snow removal this winter and am stuck deciding between ring type chains and ladder type chains. My dilemma is around what I'm reading about the ring type chains being better at cleaning themselves out and the ladder type providing more ground contact. The cost is very close, so that's not a factor. Will the ladder type chains load up and become ineffective at times?

Ladder type chains

Ring type chains

Thanks for your thoughts!


----------



## LouNY

How about nether of those styles,
the big double ring are good for deep snow and mud,
their traction on hard packed snow or ice is not very good.

The duo grip type ladder chains will kind of work in hard packed snow or ice,
and they will help in deep snow.

The only style of tire chain i would ever recommend is the Euro style,
The Aquiline Talons, TRYGG traction chains or the OFA styles.
These chains will provide you with 2 or 3 times the traction of the others,
and they will also give you a much smoother ride on hard packed or frozen ground,
or pavement.
They will not damage pavement much at all unless you really spin and chew with them, but they will give you enogh traction that you don't need to spin.


----------



## LouNY

And just for laughs here is a short video of an IH 656 (maybe 6000#) and an CIH 7120 Magnum (over 20,000#),
not the best quality my brother took it using his phone last year, they are on level ground and the 656 is chained up.


----------



## DGilbert

LouNY, 
That's the best argument for chains I've seen in awhile.


----------



## LouNY

Little 2wd tractor against more then 3 times it's size and 4wd and diff locks on both ends,
The 656 has the Aquiline Talons for chains we use that tractor on a feed wagon daily going thru the barn. The ag bag site is up a steep hill with those chains she actual has better traction on frozen ground then in the summer on gravel.


----------



## Ed Williams

I use the ring type chains on the NAA, 2800 lbs, mainly because I found a good set, very little use, that fit my 12.4x28 tires at a local auction in WVa for $30. The owner was selling most of his farm equipment. The chains weigh about 90 lb each, and he said he could not physically get them on for the last 5 years. He only used them for 2 years, and only with 6" plus of snow on the road. He did a lot of asphalt driving between leased fields, very evident by tire wear, and always removed the chains after the snow melted. He said he put them on and off 8-10 times a year and just could not do it any more. He even gave me the 5 gallon metal bucket they were stored in. Still have the metal bucket for my 3/8" stump pulling chains.

I leave the chains on year round because the tractor has never seen a hard road since I have owned it. It helps the traction tremendously in the little tractor and are basically self cleaning, especially in mud. I have been looking for a reasonably priced set for the big tractor, 13.6x38 tires, but cannot afford the $600 for a new set.


----------



## valuman

LouNY said:


> How about nether of those styles,
> the big double ring are good for deep snow and mud,
> their traction on hard packed snow or ice is not very good.
> 
> The duo grip type ladder chains will kind of work in hard packed snow or ice,
> and they will help in deep snow.
> 
> The only style of tire chain i would ever recommend is the Euro style,
> The Aquiline Talons, TRYGG traction chains or the OFA styles.
> These chains will provide you with 2 or 3 times the traction of the others,
> and they will also give you a much smoother ride on hard packed or frozen ground,
> or pavement.
> They will not damage pavement much at all unless you really spin and chew with them, but they will give you enogh traction that you don't need to spin.
> View attachment 64217


Thank you sharing your knowledge and for the links! Unless I'm looking at the wrong product, these chains are pretty pricy. I was looking at $400- $500 for a set of two to fit 11.2" x 24" and will not be running them hard enough to feel the need to go to the highest end product. Am I off base here?


----------



## LouNY

Only you can make that call, yes they are expensive.
To me the difference in traction was well worth it,
because of the increase in drive ability and safety.
If you are working on any steep slopes or side hills the tremendous
increase in traction and stability is simply amazing.
Before I bought my first set I would not have believed the difference,
my Oliver 1550 with the ladder chains at 2 link spacing and every other cross member being a bar reinforced one would not stop on my hill untill the loader bucket was pushing down on the ground,
to stop and then continue on up you had to be in 3rd or 4th gear with the tires chewing to move,
the IH 574 can stop and backup in the places in the driveway.
The Branson I normally only use the rear chains on and it will have as much or more traction on snow and ice as I do in the summer time on dry gravel.

Also the ride quality is immensely better with the Euro style chains, the standard style chains when going slowly (under 10 mph) you will feel every cross chain as it hits the ground and the ride is a constant series of bumps, the better the traction the more sever the bumps.
The Euro style has a constant chain pattern on the ground so there is a minimal difference in ride quality with or without the chains.

Since I got the first set of the Euros about 15 or more years ago we have not bought anything other here or at the farm. At the farm 2 to 4 different tractors are chained up at times depending on the weather and what we need to get done.


----------

