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Offroad => Side By Side => Topic started by: randyo on December 08, 2016, 07:50:56 PM
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I've decided rather than buying yet another set of wheels to mount a set of tires with ice screws, it would be more cost effective to use tire chains for off road winter use
anybody use tire chains, if so, type, size, sources?
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When I had my 4wd ATV, I never had any issues going over icy roads or getting enough traction to make headway so I am curious as to why the chains or ice screws? I am expecting my UTV to do even better in the snow and ice due to the increased weight. Now if your tires are worn out....that's another story.
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I will most likely be completely off road and pulling a sled loaded with wood, sometimes on steep grades, even in summer, I have to put it in 4 wheel lock sometimes and get a running start
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this will be my use, but winter conditions, sled is loaded with about 1000 lbs
(https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13892173_10206270562236983_1073552767794855846_n.jpg?oh=6a51d4add836c5b1416964ecb7b4c64b&oe=58B81789)
diamond pattern would obviously work best but is most expensive
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71-IKy2deAL._AC_UL320_SR212,320_.jpg)
or ladder pattern - 2 link
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51wo3QLW%2BwL._AC_UL320_SR232,320_.jpg)
ladder pattern 4 ling is by far the cheapest , but will it be adequate for my needs
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61QiJLy8wBL._AC_US160_.jpg)
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Just throwing out a couple things to ponder here....my experience with tire chains is limited to a snow blower, a big one, but I think some of these findings may pertain to your usage as well. I have a set of ladder chains and the gain in traction was minimal, yes there was a gain but not as much as expected. A good friend has the cross track pattern chains on his blower and he gets a serious increase in traction. Now for the downside of that serious increase in traction....it digs things up if it stops forward travel. Like me he has a stone driveway which normally freezes over in the winter so no issue, however, if the gravel is not froze and he runs into heavy snow and the tires/chains start spinning, it digs a hole real fast! I guess I am seeing that as a potential problem you might have in your dirt based towing area. I can see the cross link chains doing the job well, but if you get into a serious pulling situation like you mentioned going up hills and you get wheel spin you might just dig yourself a hole. Honestly the ladder type chains added only a tiny bit of extra traction and I am not sure the gain would be worth the investment unless you only need a little more. With the ladder chains you would not be digging a hole nearly as fast as with the cross link chains......tough call without actually trying them out!!!
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my only real experience with chains is with the ladder type (4 link) on a 2wd pickup truck in blizzard conditions, made a big difference, but that was street (hard base surface) with deep snow
my observation with almost all the loggers I know, run the diamond pattern on their skidders and they don't dig as deep a hole as they do without chains
my main trail will get packed causing it to freeze pretty solid, so I'm not really worried about digging holes in my main trail,
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After a bit of research, I'm gonna spring for some Trygg 425230 chains thru Labonville, a company somewhat local to me, theyh are currently offering $105/pr off their regular price, still a $320 investment for a complete set for all 4 wheels, but I doubt I will ever wear them out like the zinc plated ones everyone else sells
http://www.labonville.com/TRYGG-Studded-ATV-Chains--425230_p_121.html (http://www.labonville.com/TRYGG-Studded-ATV-Chains--425230_p_121.html)
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For what your doing your probably better off going with the good ones as it appears your using them hard. Nothing worse than buying something cheap then having to buy it again. Let us know how they work..
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I just ordered the chains thru Labonville, toughest decision was should I have them shipped for $26 or drive there for the same amount of gas, opted to have them shipped, saves me 3 hours of driving and a trip thru the notch in the winter
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(http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=46258&d=1481845835)
these are some heavy ass chains
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One down, three to go, no way would I want to put these on in a snowbank, not like ladder chains at all
(http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=46265&d=1481995474)
(http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=46266&d=1481995492)
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(http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=46268&d=1482007084)
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Those are some wicked looking chains, bet you could almost climb mt Everest with those puppies!! Looks like a real pain to put them on as well. Will be waiting for your test report on how well they work.
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the rear chains are 425230s and will probably loosen up a bit and I only have one more notch to take up on the chains without cutting out a link, but they snugged right up when I aired the tires back up, possibly I might need spring tensioners for the rear.
the fronts are Trygg 425220, just a 230 with a few links off and the cross link chains are every 3 links on the perimeter chains instead of every 4 like the 230s, they were a bear to get stretched on, would not have been able to do it with a fully inflated tire, and most certainly not with an inflated tire in a snowbank while the tire is mounted to the UTV, after bounding the fronts around a bit without air in em, I got the chain to loosen up enuf to take up 1 link before I aired them back up, they are tight
all my previous experience with chains is cheaper grade zinc plated ladder chains, that can't even come close to the quality of Tryggs
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even after about a mile of driving on my trails, the chains didn't loosen at all, goes like a tank
we have about a foot of heavy wet snow on the ground, it's warm, so my driveway is wet, icy and so slippery, I can't walk on it without cleats or my walking stick
(http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=46275&d=1482089645)
(http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=46276&d=1482089693[/img
[img]http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=46277&d=1482089770)
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Thanks for the pics, sure looks like a fun place to do some trail riding. It appears your giving the chains a good test!!
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my Trygg chains have become invaluable after an ice storm we had last week. Had to pull my log splitter up an icy 25% grade to get to my wood pile, no problem, didn't spin a wheel
(https://i.imgur.com/esvB0fJb.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/wFNHKvmb.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/1r7CLp2b.jpg)
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3 year update
chains are still tight with no slack, getting regular use, I built a wooden drag plow(angle iron on leading edge) cuts down dramatically on my snowblowing time, I keep a couple trails (about 1000 feet total) open
well worth what I paid, few people told me I was crazy and I could get em at Walmart for 1/3 the price
these chains will last longer than the 450i
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Thanks for the update, glad to see they are working well. Did you put these on all 4 tires or just the rear ?. Pics are to small for my old eyes to see.
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all 4, they are on their own set of wheels, swapping a set of wheels is a whole lot easier than taking the chains on and off
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You can see my drag plow off to the side, I adjust the length of the tow chain from each side, to wing the snow to one side, (https://i.imgur.com/feHxRHU.jpg)
I have my otter sled hooked up to pack the snow in the center of my trails
(https://i.imgur.com/UOI71lH.jpg)
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I wouldnt want to install the chains each season, smart move getting extra set of wheels and tires was the way to go. Is that drag pointed or just looks like that in the pic. Do you use your drag on gravel or just snow? I have a long gravel drive and your giving me an idea.
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I wouldnt want to install the chains each season, smart move getting extra set of wheels and tires was the way to go. Is that drag pointed or just looks like that in the pic. Do you use your drag on gravel or just snow? I have a long gravel drive and your giving me an idea.
it is an equilateral triangle 6ft on each side, the 2 leading edges have 2" angle iron as a cutting edge, the front point is protected with sheet metal, the post has a eye hook near the top on each side, for hooking bungees that keep the slack tow chain from dragging when I shorten the other side to angle it to wing snow to one side.
I make my first pass casting equally to both sides, then I angle to continue casting snow over on one side. It takes me 4-5 passes to clear a 12 ft width in a 6" snowstorm, deeper snow I have to get more creative, making a couple V passes, leaving a bank in the center, then winging that bank to one side
then I clean up what I can't get at with my snowblower