Wheel chains vs. lug tires & weights?

[nikster]

Gotta a newbie type question, well 2 ?

I'm a stout type of guy & being 6'4" & weighimg 290lbs., i was just wondering?
(my other at times calls me a lard arse but thats another story). Sooooo;

When I put on my chains this Winter will wheel weights be needed even though i'm adding 290lbs. of weight?

Will rear lug type tires be better in snow & that would mean I could eliminate chains??

Well 3 questions.

If more weight is recomended by UZ, I have already thought about fabricating an attachment to my hitch, adding 3 or 4 25lbs. of weights. My Son-in-law offered his ole' free weights for this project.

Oh, oh, my Daughter came over yesterday & her husband is really getting into my new/old #109. We spent over an hour tinkering with it.

Thanks,

Nik

[CBH]

No matter how big the driver is, it's really hard to beat loaded rear tires for traction. I have tried the lug tires in the snow, but they did not work for me. So for snow removal, I now use loaded turf tires with chains on my Cubs.

[jfinney]

I plow a paved driveway that goes uphill to the road. I've tried loaded ag tires with weights and turf tires (not loaded) with chains and the same weights...NO comparison! I still lost traction and spun my tires with the ags. Turfs and chains and I went right up the hill without any problems. That's just my experience. I know lots of guys run ags with weights and say there machinces are unstoppable...that just wasn't my experience.
Jason

[johncub7172]

My reason for just using 4-link tire chains for mowing{if I had to,yard is sort-a flat} is because it is less weight and better traction ONLY if you dont mind all the tire marks left in the yard after mowing. But then again the yard marks up well when you need to mow in the wet. During the winter plowing monthe, its a whole nother animal. I'am not sayiny anyone here is wrong at all, this is my opinion only! Thanks, John

[rmunro]

In winter there is no tire, with any amount of weight will bite in slippery conditions anywhere near what chains will.

[Matt G.]

Chains and turfs are the way to go. AGs, or ANY unchained tires, for that matter, are useless in ice.

I'm about 170#, and I put washer fluid-filled tires and wheel weights on the tractor. The fluid and weights adds about 300#, and that's been enough to move snow in my driveway.

[Yosemite Sam]

I think rmunro and Matt said it best, no tire, no matter what tread will get traction when it's slippery.

I use loaded turfs with chains, I'm not saying that I never spin a tire, but I also push piles of frozen down snow that I probably shouldn't be trying to push, and I only weigh about 150# including bibs, jacket and boots.

I also always use tubes in my loaded tires.

[aagitch]

I'd also recommend turfs/chains/loaded tires with wheel weights. The only reason I run ags is to avoid messing up other peoples driveways with the chains.

[austin neuschafer]

the steel that chains are made of will not have any forgiveness for hard surfaces like ice and hard packed snow. it will cut and rip ice where rubber alone won't.

rubber w/o chians. rubber will much on hte rough spots and spin.


in the end; I would choose turf over ag tires with chains if I had a choice, reason being, the outer traction area on almost all turf tires give a greater coverage areand and more even than what the lugs on the ag tires would give fore the chains that rest on the tread area of the tire.

hope this makes sense. I am very educated but not a english writing honor student

[nikster]

Lot of good points to think about?

Guess i'll stick to the tires & chains I have. With a side note that those 25lb., free weight that my Son in law offered me are going to be my added weights to my tires, not in a improvised holder for the hitch. They fit right inside the wheel. So i'll take a weight & drill the correct holes for the bolts. Then i'll weld 2 plates together with the makers logo on the inside, & paint them the 'PURDY' Cadet yellow. They won't be originals but hey thats 50lbs., on each wheel.

I,ve been following Craig's list & local E-bay posting for wheel weights & they are going for an average of $75.00 to $100.00 a pair. First gotta spruce up the # 109 then i'll do the weights.. I figure the money I save in not buying the weights can go into other stuff for my #109. I wanna add lights.

Will post pictures when that time comes.

Nik