tire chains MF 202

I was thinking of making poor mans tire chains, wielding loops of chains to the rim or wielding quick connectors to rims. real tire chains cost $450 and I have lots loose oodball chains hanging around.

You can get chain repair links for $1 or $2 at hardware stores or
TSC around here. You could make "normal" tire chains that way
that would be convenient to put on and off the tractor. If you weld
to the rims with the tire on that is pretty dangerous and would also
make the tractor worth less.
Zach

You want poor mans tire chains do it like I do. Go to any local truck stops and your local road dept barns. Ask them if you can buy any and all used not useable tire chains for the trucks and graders. Then use those to make you own. Works better and by far easier then welding on those rims since you have to remove the tires to do any real welding or you maybe be headless as in cause the rim/tire to explode in your face. Or if the rim centers are such that you can simply weave a chain in and around the tires and just keep looping it that way till the have them all the way around

First, DO NOT weld anything on a rim with a tire mounted or even with the bead broke, see attached link.

For what its worth, you may be able to fab up what you need, I just don't see it worth it. Welding hardware to a rim, trial and error. I know the cost of chains, I just bought a set, I'm just as frugal as anyone, but after buying a used set that did not fit, returned same, looking and looking for a reasonably priced used set to fit my 13.6x28 tires, with no results, or too far to fool with, I bought the set from tire chain dot com, with tensioners and the load binder to help put them on, delivered to my door was about that, I have needed them for years, waited a long time for something used/local to come up, one of the few times I've not had any luck, usually something turns up, I'd see about used first, before I welded some hardware on the rims which can catch on all kinds of things, could break off and lots of other scenarios.
Pyrolisis

wow thanks Billy everyone should watch this I had no idea will keep checking for used chains

Yep years ago I tried a set of chains on my W Speed Patrol and ended up having a chain catch the left hand lift arm and snap it in two. Proved to be fun to get back to the shop since it was very hard to lift that side of the blade up. That was when I found out the machine is good for gravel but not snow and was the first and last time I used it on snow

I offered to give them to JD Seller earlier but never heard from him. I have NEW never used a pile of chains that would be at least two bushel baskets or more. I was told they fit dual wheel ton trucks. So I am thinking something like 750 X16 or something but I have never spread them out to look. If anyone wants the whole pile all it takes is a trip to Northwest Tennessee. Free for the taking, don,t think I will ever be mounting any chains.

Where are you located? May have something around here that would
work if near central MN.

Thanks for the offer. I'm outside of Claresholm,Alberta Canada.Where we are having winds around 60 mph a chinook is warming us up .Where in MN are you located, I've been to Minne a few times years ago.

Most of the county and state trucks here have gone to the auto chains, and the old ones are hanging on the truck shop walls. Just ask around, I did and had two sets given to me.

Shop around and get the proper chains unless you
want to be chasing an uphill battle. Chains last a
long time and in the overall picture, they aren't
that expensive. I got Duo-grip chains for my 135,
that are probably the same ones you need, for under
$400 at Titan Supply in Edmonton a few years ago.
They paid for themselves after a couple big
snowfalls.

I can imagine, that must have been fun getting that blade back up so you could move the W again. Those are kind of unique, tractor modified into a grader, not a ton of them around, but I don't think they are super rare either, just the same, its not often you see these and several of the old tractor manufacturers or their models were able to be modified for this purpose, and I'll bet they had to be an improvement over those old Adams and other tow behinds, though both are capable of doing the job. Some of these had down pressure didn't they ?


Loose or cobbed up tire chains are no good, even when making your own, they have to fit good, I decided I was not going to fool with used or close fit/modify, my tractor has no fenders, old backhoe mount seems to be in the way, maybe I could fab something, but loose chains would not be good, hate to spend money on new like most of us, but sometimes it is money well spent for other reasons, so I'll have much better traction to continue pulling logs here, a job that needs to be done after several blow downs and broken off trees, all good logs, some might be mill or veneer grade, those chains/tensioners will pay for themselves I am sure.

East central MN, about 100 miles north of twin cities, 75 miles southwest of Duluth, and 40 miles east of Brainerd.

Poor mans chains: regular chain, loop through hole in rim around tire and bolt together. It will wear paint on the rims, which does appear to be a concern if you already considered welding the chain to the rim. I know several guys that do this on their semis when they get stuck on a icy patch in the yard. Quick and simple, then just keep and eye out for a used set of chains in the classified or online.