Rubber tire chains ???

[AMC RULES 37,132]

Interested in hearing any experience you may have to share here from anyone running the rubber type tire chains.

Are they all hype, or worth the crazy expense?  Ty.

[ebinmaine 67,717]

 

⛓️ ⛓️ ⛓️ ⛓️

[midpack 866]

I paid under $100 for a set new. 

They work well except on ice. Can't beat steel on ice

[oldredrider 2,548]

Been running them for years. They show no signs of wear and perform great. No more scratched asphalt or dug up concrete. Will never go back to steel chains.

Have them on a GT-14 with limited slip differential and LOTS of weight.

[DET 105]

I’m with old red rider, even though I didn’t need them last year.

[roadapples 6,983]

@Ed Kennell???

[Ed Kennell 38,288]

I use mine on paved surfaces and loose snow.   Mine are showing wear.

  For the unpaved surfaces and ice I use 2 link Vee Bar steel.

[lynnmor 7,316]

Sideways traction isn't good, if you have a tilt to the driveway, use with caution.  The ride is rough, they are best used with the rounded 2 ply tires.  Steel chains are better all around, but I will never go back because of driveway damage.

[Racinbob 11,101]

I've used 2 link steel chains for years But didn't want to on the long asphalt at this house. Last winter was the first test but wasn't a good one because we really didn't have much snow. A couple weeks ago I was clearing new paths through two sections of woods and I was very impressed with the traction. I was pushing stumps and quite a bit of dirt. Personally I don't see where they are as rough riding as steel. If I run down the paved drive I don't feel them as much as did with 4 link steel. 2 link steel are not as choppy as 4 link I guess because they ride from link to link. I was  hard sell but I feel the rubber are well worth the expense and a must have if you want to protect the payment. 

[JoeM 7,874]

Would AG tires be close or similar? Maybe thin AG tires? Maybe RTC's put more pressure on one point. I take it most are using RTC's on turf tires. Just thinking. 

 

I know on hill with the asphalt drive, I have tried most all except RTC's, steel chains worked the best on two link spacing. On the level areas regular tires and weight works good enough to get by. 

[AMC RULES 37,132]

Already know, ags suck in the snow.

[Ed Kennell 38,288]

41 minutes ago, Racinbob said:

I've used 2 link steel chains for years But didn't want to on the long asphalt at this house. Last winter was the first test but wasn't a good one because we really didn't have much snow. A couple weeks ago I was clearing new paths through two sections of woods and I was very impressed with the traction. I was pushing stumps and quite a bit of dirt. Personally I don't see where they are as rough riding as steel. If I run down the paved drive I don't feel them as much as did with 4 link steel. 2 link steel are not as choppy as 4 link I guess because they ride from link to link. I was  hard sell but I feel the rubber are well worth the expense and a must have if you want to protect the payment. 

 

 

I have used mine for 5 years and totally agree with Bob.        Mine came on a 312H auction tractor and I was sceptical, but I thought I'll try them before replacing them with steel.    I had become accustomed to only plowing my steep paved drive downhill and dead heading back up through the grass as the 2 link Vee Bar chains would not climb up the bare drive without spinning.  Steel on bare asphalt has no traction.     

With the rubber chains, I could  easily plow down with a full blade and plow up with a half blade.  They work well on a paved drive on loose snow and are better than steel on a drive that has been scraped bare.   I see no difference in ride between 4 link rubber and 4 link steel.  During this last 12" heavy snow, I used the 312 w/ rubber chains to push is way up out of my basement garage where it is stored.   This is on a grass surface.   the 312H did not spin while pushing the 54" blade uphill through the 12" heavy snow.  It did run out of power and bogged down the engine.   I still use the 2 link Vee Bar steel on the 520H for the stone roads and grassy trails.   It us unstoppable and never runs out of power.

 

PS  Craig, you have seen the areas I plow, you be the judge.

Edited December 23, 2020 by Ed Kennell

[DennisThornton 4,769]

1 minute ago, AMC RULES said:

Already know, ags suck in the snow.

Did you mean when using chains? 

 

We both know chains work better with turfs than AGs with more of the chain hitting the surface with turfs

[AMC RULES 37,132]

Sure, chains will improve ag traction but there is still too much tire spin on my tired old asphalt drive.

[AMC RULES 37,132]

12 hours ago, Ed Kennell said:

I use mine on paved surfaces and loose snow.   Mine are showing wear.

Some picts please Ed, showing how they wear. Ty.

 

[Ed Kennell 38,288]

6 minutes ago, AMC RULES said:

Some picts please Ed, showing how they wear. Ty.

 

Here ya go.

 

You can see the difference in the rubber thickness at the center where the wear takes place to the side where there is no wear.

 

One trick I learned is to reverse and flip over the rubbers to take advantage of all 4 edges of the straps to keep a sharp leading edge.

 

I really feel they gain a lot of their traction in loose snow by the leading egge twisting away from the tire as they contact the snow.

[pfrederi 17,741]

If you have to protect you r pavement they are a great answer.  I have a short section of drive with pavers so I set up one tractor with rubber chains and plastic plow edge.  Works OK but the ride is punishing.95% of what I plow is gravel steel is king there.

[JoeM 7,874]

1 hour ago, AMC RULES said:

ags suck in the snow

I know on the asphalt they were not any good, much better in the grass or dirt areas that had snow. 

I guess it is the mechanics of the rubber cross bar that make RTC's work. 

Edited December 23, 2020 by JoeM

[JoeM 7,874]

Ed do the wear the same front to back? Would switching the direction give longer life? Of pretty much even?

 

 

[Ed Kennell 38,288]

2 minutes ago, JoeM said:

Ed do the wear the same front to back? Would switching the direction give longer life? Of pretty much even?

 

 

 

No Joe, the leading edge wears and rounds off first.   As stated in my post#16 above, I reverse mine and flip them over to take advantage of all 4 square edges of the straps.

[JoeM 7,874]

1 minute ago, Ed Kennell said:

As stated in my post#16 above

Once again not reading and just pic gazing!

Tks, I going to have to get me some now!