How to get better traction in the woods

[Alrashid2 336]

Hey guys, curious if any of you are in similar circumstances or have dealt with this before and appreciate your advice!

 

I'll try to keep it short. I've got my 312-8 outfitted with a nice 42" plow. Our driveway is 125 ft long, and is steep - 15% grade! Despite this, I have had no problem this year plowing, even uphill, with normal turf-saver tires and some 50 lb wheel weights on either rear tire. No slipping, didn't have any problems moving snow.

 

I park my Horse down in a shed, about 50 yards from the driveway, downhill, same steepness as the driveway (whole properly slopes). When trying to pull the tractor up to the house yesterday, I kept getting stuck... would be chugging along and eventually start spinning out. I eventually got it up but it took a lot of trial and effort, and ripping up the ground...

 

No big deal for plowing here and there, but I bought this tractor to haul firewood up to the house every couple of weeks. With the snow not melting anytime soon, I'm worried on how I'll be able to bring firewood up... if I was spinning out before, it'll surely be worst pulling a 300 lb cart of wood uphill...

 

The ground under the snow is forest floor: dirt, oftentimes muddy if not frozen, and a thick layer of dead mushy leaves. 

 

Any advice on how to get up this? I'm going to try and get a good start (I don't start spinning out until I'm nearly at the house) and I'm hoping some momentum will push me through. Maybe the snow/ground will freeze/thaw a bit in the next few days and I'll be OK. But figured I'd ask you guys if you have any advice. Would it be better to go faster and use momentum to push through? Or should I go slow and steady in low gear? Not interested in studs or chains so just wanted to see if you guys had any technique advice for me. Thanks all!

[ebinmaine 69,188]

10 minutes ago, Alrashid2 said:

Not interested in ****** chains so just wanted to see if you guys had any technique advice for me. Thanks all!

 

Chains are the answer.

 

If that is absolutely not an option then you want to get the heaviest possible tractor you can by fluid filling, adding steel, adding weight to the hitch, getting a heavier plow, adding weight to the front. Whatever you can do.

 

A super aggressive snowblower tire might also help you. Not sure what your options there would be.

 

 

 

[SylvanLakeWH 26,272]

 

Or, put down road gravel path (21aa or similar) not pea gravel or stone. Traction plus eliminates rutting etc. in grass... 

[Pullstart 63,271]

Skinny tires help too.  Less contact patch and more weight equals more contact PSI.  That’s what it’s really all about.

[Alrashid2 336]

Thanks all. Not going to modifying the tractor anymore anytime soon, so just curious what techniques or strategies you use when you do get stuck or start spinning? 

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,528]

Traction is more important than weight.  Chains, ag tires, etc., with some weight will work wonders.  Also, keep in mind, if there is ice underneath the snow, traction will be very hard to find.

[OutdoorEnvy 1,664]

10 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

Skinny tires help too.  Less contact patch and more weight equals more contact PSI.  That’s what it’s really all about.

 

This option seems to get overlooked.  In this pic the tires are 6-12 size and they aren't an AG but the tread is deeper then it looks.  These get around awesome in my woods and do pretty well plowing too.  I like the tighter line it holds and seems to cut through soft dirt better.  I think a pair of 6-12 AG tires would be awesome.  They are on my list at some point.  But they usually are cheaper but do need the narrow rim to work.

 

Now I do have two sets of Carisle AG tires in 23x10.5-12 and they are good too.  I haven't weighted them down yet but would be an interesting comparison with the 6-12 weighted down too. 

 

[Wayne0 634]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

 

Chains are the answer.

 

If that is absolutely not an option then you want to get the heaviest possible tractor you can by fluid filling, adding steel, adding weight to the hitch, getting a heavier plow, adding weight to the front. Whatever you can do.

 

A super aggressive snowblower tire might also help you. Not sure what your options there would be.

 

 

 

Ole' Rusty has weights and chains and does skidder duty in the fall dragging logs out of the woods. Very rarely gets stuck.

[ebinmaine 69,188]

9 minutes ago, Wayne0 said:

Ole' Rusty has weights and chains and does skidder duty in the fall dragging logs out of the woods. Very rarely gets stuck.

 

Trina uses chains year-round.

I've done both. I can't plow my yard without chains. Just not practical. Going down through the woods is easy enough on weighted  AGs...  unless it's icy.

[Ed Kennell 39,408]

3 hours ago, Alrashid2 said:

Not interested in  chains

Why, they would solve all your traction problems, and stop the spinning that is tearing up the lawn.      

[ebinmaine 69,188]

5 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

Why, they would solve all your traction problems, and stop the spinning that is tearing up the lawn.      

 

 

Thanks Ed. I meant to ask this earlier.

 

 

[Alrashid2 336]

I've used chains before and they just seemed to be more of a burden. I had trouble finding a size that fit well, and when I did I found them noisy on pavement when I didn't need them. I also found that when it was muddy out, they left huge ruts in the yard and property, and picked up a ton of clay-y mud that stuck to the tires and made a mess everywhere that was paved. Just didn't like them at all. I rather deal with getting stuck once in a while 

[gt14rider 809]

Bay a wintch and a long cable 

[Pullstart 63,271]

1 hour ago, Alrashid2 said:

I've used chains before and they just seemed to be more of a burden. I had trouble finding a size that fit well, and when I did I found them noisy on pavement when I didn't need them. I also found that when it was muddy out, they left huge ruts in the yard and property, and picked up a ton of clay-y mud that stuck to the tires and made a mess everywhere that was paved. Just didn't like them at all. I rather deal with getting stuck once in a while 

Well, the topic was about traction in the woods, not the yard or pavement…  

[Alrashid2 336]

Haha dont get me wrong, appreciate all of you advice! Just trying to figure out alternative ways as I'm really only getting stuck at the final "hump" of the incline... otherwise doing fine everywhere else. 

 

Maybe I'll try googling advice for when youre in a car, same concept...

[ebinmaine 69,188]

10 minutes ago, Alrashid2 said:

Maybe I'll try googling advice for when youre in a car, same concept...

 

Yes and no. Cars have a top speed anywhere from 80 or 90 miles an hour and up. That means your drive Wheels can be doing that even if the vehicle is standing dead still.

 

You can also get oodles more momentum at 25 or 40 miles an hour then you can at the 6.5 mph or less these tractors will do.

 

 

[SylvanLakeWH 26,272]

18 minutes ago, Alrashid2 said:

only getting stuck at the final "hump" of the incline... otherwise doing fine everywhere else. 

@ebinmaine is spot on with tractor vs car analogy. If you don't want chains go with a small gravel path at "the hump"... 

 

Can't get traction without friction. Friction will impact ground surface, whatever it is... As I said before, gravel takes it with no problem...

 

[Pullstart 63,271]

 

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,586]

  Chains are the best answer, but I hear ya, you don’t want chains. 
  Like Pullstart said skinny tires give better traction, so my recommendation is pony up for a pair of these in 23 x 8.0 x 12. 
 Carlisle All-Trails. Might be called Carlstar or something like that now (name change). 

  These are mounted on standard width rims and are on my 315-8. 

[Alrashid2 336]

Thanks all for the continued advice! I'm going to go back to the "hump" where I was losing traction and throw some gravel and crushed stone down, see what happens!

 

13 hours ago, Sparky said:

  Chains are the best answer, but I hear ya, you don’t want chains. 
  Like Pullstart said skinny tires give better traction, so my recommendation is pony up for a pair of these in 23 x 8.0 x 12. 
 Carlisle All-Trails. Might be called Carlstar or something like that now (name change). 

  These are mounted on standard width rims and are on my 315-8. 

 

Those look awesome! I have been taking notes and looks like I have written that model of tire down already, maybe I saw one of your posts! I may pony up for those at some point in the future. Looks like I could get a set for around $200, plus pay my guy $90 for mounting and new tubes. $300 isnt too too bad but I'll probably wait until my old tires bite the dust.

 

Anyone know what tread depth the typical turf savers start with? Mine dont have anywhere near the tread that your All Trails have but I'm curious how worn down mine are...

[Racinbob 11,376]

I do a lot in the woods and find that rubber chains are excellent in the dirt. 

 

 

 

[Roger R 455]

You might be surprised at how tire pressure will affect traction. Without chains I run tire pressure as low as possible without running the risk of losing the bead contact. Heavy bar lug agriculture tires can operate on very low PSI. (2-4 PSI) the more "squat" the greater ground contact equals better grip. Years ago before heavy salt applications on roads, an "Old Timers" trick for steep hills in winter was to lower pressure to great a large bulge in the side wall.  Of course in those days flats on the road were common, and many kept a "spark plug" air pump hose in the trunk along with other tire repair equipment, so  re-inflating was not a big problem   

[Ed Kennell 39,408]

2 hours ago, Racinbob said:

I do a lot in the woods and find that rubber chains are excellent in the dirt. 

    Same here,  my 312H with turfs and rubber chains is my go to trail rider, firewood hauler, and snow plow machine.

 

 

[Alrashid2 336]

19 hours ago, Roger R said:

You might be surprised at how tire pressure will affect traction. Without chains I run tire pressure as low as possible without running the risk of losing the bead contact. Heavy bar lug agriculture tires can operate on very low PSI. (2-4 PSI) the more "squat" the greater ground contact equals better grip. Years ago before heavy salt applications on roads, an "Old Timers" trick for steep hills in winter was to lower pressure to great a large bulge in the side wall.  Of course in those days flats on the road were common, and many kept a "spark plug" air pump hose in the trunk along with other tire repair equipment, so  re-inflating was not a big problem   

I was just thinking about tire pressure before you commented this! So my tires have tubes, and I currently have them filled to 12 PSI. With tubes, what do you think is a good all around tire pressure in my circumstances? Maybe I could get away with 8 PSI until summer time? Tires themselves have good tread but are pretty cracked, so I don't want to go so low as to cause the tires to fall apart from bending...

 

You also bring up an interesting thought with the spark plug air fill! I had never thought of that... is that actually something I can do?

[Ed Kennell 39,408]

47 minutes ago, Alrashid2 said:

 

You also bring up an interesting thought with the spark plug air fill! I had never thought of that... is that actually something I can do?

I would not recommend buying this kit and removing a spark plug from your car every time you want to pump up a tire and running it on a dead cylinder.  You would also be pumping gasoline into the tire.

  If you don't have a compressor, just buy a hand tire pump for $10.

 https://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Inflator-Schrader-Handheld-Suitable/dp/B0C62BLMJ4/ref=asc_df_B0C62BLMJ4?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80195816498198&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583795282660758&th=1

 

 

Edited Thursday at 03:47 PM by Ed Kennell