Could someone give instructions for installing roller chains on front tires?

[ebinmaine 67,696]

I put #40 roller chains on Pigpen and they almost immediately moved. One came off. 

 

Here's what I did. 

Jack up front end. 

Remove valve stems to release air pressure. 

Cut chains to about 3/4" shorter than deflated tire. Install chains and inflate to 15 or so lbs. 

 

They felt great. Looked nice and tight. 

 

 

What do I need to do different?

 

Thanks in advance..

 

[Charbs152 254]

following as i am thinking of doing this too

[ronhatch 406]

Keep in mind I don't have any experience with this, but I'm still going to suggest more air pressure, maybe 25 lbs?. If that still doesn't do the trick, how about removing a 1/2 link from the chain's length?

[rjg854 11,389]

That's the basic idea Eric, you'll find that the chain will want to slip into one of the grooves, but will stay there.  I don't over inflate the tire and have no problem keeping the chains on.

[Tractorhead 9,064]

No experience with it but i would think 2 things.

 

 

1. increase the Airpressuet hat they byte into rubber

2. Get good tyres with relatively fresh rubber, they be not too hardened.

Edited December 28, 2020 by Tractorhead

[ebinmaine 67,696]

5 hours ago, ronhatch said:

Keep in mind I don't have any experience with this, but I'm still going to suggest more air pressure, maybe 25 lbs?. If that still doesn't do the trick, how about removing a 1/2 link from the chain's length?

Given that these are over 50 years old I'd be leery of over inflation. 

 

 

1 minute ago, rjg854 said:

That's the basic idea Eric, you'll find that the chain will want to slip into one of the grooves, but will stay there.  I don't over inflate the tire and have no problem keeping the chains on.

 

How short are they when you install?

[rjg854 11,389]

I'm not sure, how long the chain is that I wrap around the tire.  I know I have to fight it on a deflated tire.

[Tractorhead 9,064]

6 minutes ago, rjg854 said:

I'm not sure, how long the chain is that I wrap around the tire.  I know I have to fight it on a deflated tire.

 

As you describe the mounting, it sounds to me a little over Rim Diameter.

 

 

[rjg854 11,389]

a bit smaller than the diameter of the tire itself

[SylvanLakeWH 25,606]

Don’t know the answer, but when you find it you will have discovered “the missing link”...  

 

[JoeM 7,874]

I can, with a little bit of work,wiggle my assembled #50 chains on the tire when deflated. You can see the chain is just a link smaller than the tire diameter. Normal tire inflation. 

 

Edited December 28, 2020 by JoeM

[ebinmaine 67,696]

28 minutes ago, JoeM said:

You can see the chain is just a link smaller than the tire diameter

That's something that was different...

 

Mine are a link smaller than the MIDDLE of the deflated tire on a saw tooth type that rounds slightly higher in the middle. 

 

I'm thinking I may need to whip out a ratchet strap and shrink the center more. 

 

As @Tractorhead said the rubber is aged and stiff which obviously isn't helping. 

 

 

 

[ohiofarmer 3,276]

  

25 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

That's something that was different...

 

Mine are a link smaller than the MIDDLE of the deflated tire on a saw tooth type that rounds slightly higher in the middle. 

 

I'm thinking I may need to whip out a ratchet strap and shrink the center more. 

 

As @Tractorhead said the rubber is aged and stiff which obviously isn't helping. 

 

 

     

 

  Eric, there is a joke in there somewhere.               Aged and stiff  indeed

[JoeM 7,874]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

Mine are a link smaller than the MIDDLE of the deflated tire on a saw tooth type that rounds slightly higher in the middle

EB this pic may show better how much indentation of the chain is on the tire.

[pfrederi 17,741]

Well I have it on my principal plow tractor and they are the original 50+ year old tires, and they are the narrower 5.50 tires.  Let all the air out adjusted the length till I couldn't get it on the tire went back up a half link and reinflate I run about 20.  Hasn't moved in 3-4 years now.  (She is on permanent snow duty once you get yours tight I would just swap the front tires if I was running it year round)

 

EDIT:  Just realized one of the pictures was from 2015 so the chains have been on 5 years....

 

 

Edited December 28, 2020 by pfrederi

[ebinmaine 67,696]

@pfrederi

 

Definitely looks like yours is a good half a link shorter than my chain because your tire is not as bulbous as mine.

 

I'll tackle that at some point today and keep you folks posted.

[JoeM 7,874]

1 minute ago, pfrederi said:

swap the front tires if I was running it year round

Yeah have taken mine off a couple times. The same machine gets tiller duty. Pretty much stays at my sons place since I can not garden. 

[ebinmaine 67,696]

@pfrederi @JoeM

I shortened up the chains a couple links by using a ratchet strap to squeeze the tire. 

 

 

Worked great. 

Now we'll get The Paint Department some seat time and see how it does. 

 

I'd really like to leave the chains on year round because traction on wet ground and leaves has been an issue for her. 

 

 

Here's a before. Note the tire is not indented. 

 

 

And after. Note the contour next to the chains. 

 

 

 

 

[rjg854 11,389]

Sure can slip off, when it looks like that.  As long as you have good chain contact, I'm sure it should work.