Hello everyone. New here and new to owning a grader but not new to heavy equipment. We own a fishing lodge and have to plow 34kms of logging roads to allow our winter guests to access our place. The grader won't be traveling asphat roads and will be staying on the bush roads. What does everyone recommend for tire chains? Also our machine isn't AWD, I noticed turning at times the steer tires don't bite on slicker surfaces and wondered what thoughts are on chaining up the front steer tires aswell.
I use 2 link crossbar chains. My favorite brand is Peerless. 2 link crossbar chains have a crossbar on every second side link, thus "2 link". You can buy 4 link chains. But I don't recommend them. Always put chains on all 4 rear tires. The tandem drives are chain driven. Very hard on the tandem drive to run chains on only one tire each side. I ran a grader without AWD for 30 years. I can count on one hand how many times I put chains on the front. I'll guess 3. Each time wasn't because of snow, it was because of ice. Tried to find a couple good chain pics. I run 17.5 x 25 radial tires. I used to run 14 tires a 25 years ago but couldn't find any pics of them with chains on.
Not uncommon to chain front tires on trucks used off road like logging trucks so can't see a problem on a grader. Back tires you're best to chain all 4. If mostly deep snow, standard chains should be fine but if lots of packed snow and ice studded or V bar chains would be better.
If you’re running a wing, its best to bump up the tire pressure a bit on the wing side to compensate for the weight of the wing and mast
Is your grader set up for plowing? or were you just going to use the blade, I use the ladder style chains on my rears which I make for my machine, and carbide stud my front tires, they help with the sliding around issue you have with your front end, unlock your rears when turning will also help with keeping your front tires from breaking traction.
A front plow can be helpful. Doesn't have to be a power angle, a side delivery is good. You can pick them up at government auctions. Even if you are not using it, the weight helps with steering. That is assuming your machine already has the front plow lift.
Tire chains for winter work: Here's a photo suggestion regarding the style of chain. The diamond pattern keeps the chain above the tire's tread. The studs protrude by about ½ inch. They work well. Made in Finland.
Grader tires don't typically have really deep lugs with a wide space between them like AG tractor tires.
Nice ice chains, you could climb a tree with them, love the Ford tractor, old school tough as nails
Those look like Pewag. Common with the grader fleets in my area.
I imagine they aren't cheap.
A Jubilee I think.....
Anything with Pewag on the box costs mega $$$$ but then again you get what you pay for in wear life.
I suspect you are right. It's missing the optional swinging drawbar. One of Ford's best in that era. Great weight distribution. Live 3pt lift. Good HP for it's weight. Years ago, late 70s, I worked for a guy doing mechanic work in my spare time. He had a Jubilee and an 861. He had rear blades for both and pushed snow for people cleaning out driveways, etc. Had a canvas heathouser on both. I ran the Jubilee. One Winter I restored it. Rebuilt the engine, new clutch, 3pt lift cylinder, all moving parts in the front end, new brakes and painted it original colors. His Son still has it and lives 3 miles from me.
Those chains look more for protection than traction? If looking for chains for extreme traction, look at log skidder chains.
Many of my fuel hauler customers use Pewag KST with the 8mm alloy studs. For rigs that absolutely have to roll. Not in-town stuff so much. The cheap NAPA China stuff works OK in town. Because you are probably just trying to get into a station. When I was purchasing them pre-clown world, I remember they were $650 a pair for dual 8.25x22.5’s. I bet they are close to a G today. Heavy b$itches to sling.
I have my grandfather's Ferguson. I asked my aunt if she wanted to part with it, and she said to come get it. There was a good size oak tree growing up between the draw arms. Had to unhook the bar to get it out. I broke it down. Block was cracked, transmission issues. My first forum experience was on Yesterdays tractors. Lots of help there from all over the world, just like here. Then my father passed away, and my daughter was born. That was 13 years ago, and I never did get it running. Some day. Anyway, this is not answering the op's tire chain question.
Trygg is another very good brand that are made in Norway I believe. Very well made with several styles and applications. Very pricey though. I just bought two pair of four link Lacledes for 23.5 25 - $2800. They are on the cheaper side but we won't do a bunch with the 950k that we put them on in the winter.
Speaking for my situation only. There's a trade off. Traction versus chain longevity. Traction versus useability on the road. I speed grade pushing snow. 15-20 mph. If the chains cause the grader to roll smoothly that roughness is aggerated to the moldboard. I even mount my chains offset on each side so the fasteners aren't hitting the ground at the same time on each side. I prefer them half a turn off. The 4 chains I'm using now are old. I'm going to guess 12 years old. Of course that doesn't mean anything because it doesn't tell you how many miles are on them. I don't even know how many. There are sooooo many variables in regards to chains....
Excellent post. Don't give up on the old tractor. You'll get there. I'd give anything to have any of my Dad's old tractors. Yesterday's tractors is a good source of information. Tractor By Net (TBN) is better. More traffic.
Yesterday's Tractor was good but then basically required everyone to become a paying member to use the forums either to help someone out or get advice. I think a lot of members moved over to TBN. I think there are too many other resources to require paid memberships. YT is where I 1st "met" Bob/Ont so am very grateful for that.
I had no idea they had done that. I have not logged on in a long time.
Oh I have not given up. Just hard to find the time.
Me neither. Guess I won't. Like Dave, I don't pay to be on a forum.
It's different if all you're after is service information for yourself. If you're also helping others and offering assistance paying doesn't make sense, to me anyway. However if forums required a paid membership that was reasonable ($20/yr. or so) I wouldn't be totally opposed to paying as long as the forum had a good cross section of talent and experience. This forum would easily meet that requirement. There are other forums that are mostly made up of wannabe experts that don't really know.
Here are some copies of the sales literature regarding the tire chains that are shown on the 1954 Ford NAA in my previous post (#7). Tabulated are the available chain sizes and the corresponding weights per pair. This information is from 1991. It’s possible that the manufacturers and pricing have changed since then. The diamond pattern and square pattern chains work well in snow and ice. They exhibit a consistent contact with the traveled surface. The chains stay above the tire treads. You won’t find the cross links nested between treads with this style of traction chain.
Boron steel is used on rollers and idlers. I'd guess the price has gone up substantially since 1991.
Nice chains, I would have to run spacers on my rear wheels on my tractor to run rear chains, I am using heavy duty carbide studs in my tires with a weight box hanging on the rear, works very well for me, bit cheaper than what chains are today, the design of the stud they can be easily removed in the spring, but I leave them in all year round, run carbide studs in my front wheels on my 150 Cat.