Archive through November 21, 2013

[kmcconaughey]

Vince, are you sure there wasn't a twist in the one set? A twist as in one end is looped through a cross link at some point along the length of the chain. Hope that makes sense. One year I had this happen to a set of my chains and it took me a few minutes to figure out why one fit so tight. I think it was when I first moved into my house and moved the tractor from the farm to my place. When the chains were hauled they got tangled. To prevent this I always hang up the chains immediately after removing them in the spring. Just a thought... <FONT SIZE="-2">IMO, FWIW, YMMV, My $0.02, Yada, Yada, Yada...</FONT>

 

[dfrisk]

KRAIG - I remember a post here a couple years ago where some frequent poster(Don T) took a set of chains apart and straightened the cross chains out when that happened.

With a decent vice, a chisel, hammer, big pair of Vice-Grips, and a hack saw, it's easy to modify & repair tire chains.

SON was about 10-12 yrs old when Dad taught him how to arc weld and his first project was making the chains on my #1 snow mover. They're two sets of semi-truck tire chains modified into one pair of tractor chains.

 

[gpapa]

Hi guys - I haven't posted in a while, but have been viewing regularly. I have a 147 that is a user and runs great. Unfortunately, the electric lift went bad - I sent it out for a rebuild, but I never got it back. I also purchased one from a forum member, as a back up; that one lasted a day. So now with snow approaching I need a way to raise and lower my attachments. I would remove the white stuff the old fashioned way, but I'm still recovering from surgery. Has anyone here ever put a hydraulic lift on a 147? If so, can you tell me how to do it? I hate to switch the factory lift system, but I'm at a loss about how or where to get a good electric lift. Thanks

 

[gpapa]

Hi guys, I just received an email and the electric lift question should be resolved soon. Thank you, Greg

 

[hydroharry]

Vincent, Dennis and Kraig (ya, The GREAT ONE) -

Well 1st off I know exactly what Kraig is referring to.

2ndly - Dennis I don't know what Don T may have done taking the chains apart, but for twisted links they should un-twist (if they were put together correctly to begin with).

And 3rdly Vincent - everyone has their own tricks (er, methods) to make it easier. I suspect as Kraig was implying, that the chains you put on the left got twisted inside each other. I don't care how good that peg is that you or Kraig hang them on, you really have to start the installation by laying the chains out flat on the floor - and then look at all the side links to make sure they all lay the same direction, the clip links are facing the same direction, and all the cross links appear to be the same. If you're lucky they'll all face correctly. If not, well, here's what I did (and I always kept mine in the original CCC box so they were almost always twisted a little).

If one link is twisted or doesn't lay the same direction as the others, and you try and try to just twist that link which causes the others to twist, well, you've got a twisted up section.

I would usually take hold of the shorted section from the area that's twisted and run the entire section back thru that point - and if you're lucky they will all lay out flat and straight. If you're not lucky, you'll end up with a twist in the next section. If you do just go thru the same process, and when you get to the last section they should all be straighten out facing the same direction.

This has got to be one of the hardest things to describe - it's almost as bad as trying to un-twist the chains themselves. But once you figure it out it's about like riding a bicycle, you never forget.

Ooh, and one more thing - Dennis mentions how it might be easy to repair tire chains. My neighbor in CT had 2 special chain link tools, one for spreading the connecting links, and one for closing the connecting links. It was amazing how easy it made it to repair/replace cross link section. I happened across a nice set of the spreading tool at a flea market and snatched it up for $10 - even tho my neighbor told me the guys down at the Firehouse will usually help fix them in their spare time and they have all kinds of amazing repair tools. He said they were always fixing the chains on the Firetrucks, so it was really easy for them.

So - for all you guys with chain problems, you could check with your local volunteer fire departments. They can probably help ya out one way or another.

 

[dtanner]

Harry
You do know chains get tangled where the end of one chain can get down a few lings ( cross chaines) and get pulled tight . But that makes that side shorter because of that one twist. I found a way to prevent that issue. I place my chain out flat on my shop floor and then pull each cross chain back to the center one . then take one of those plastic ties and slid it though one link of all the center links and lock it with the plastic wire tie. The next time I want them ; just cut the tie and pull them apart. My .02

And to go farther My install method is to jack up the back of my cub about 3" and slide the chain over the wheel while I spin that wheel with my other hand. When the two ends drop I connect the inside clip. and rotate the wheel to get the chain centered on the tire.After I connect the outside link I use plastic tie to keep it connected.If your chain is install on the tire it was made for then this should be easy as pie .

 

[dtanner]

Harry Bursell

I have used a wide tapered cold chisel to open the links . It was easy to add and close up the cross line with a Mulit angle swing press also .

 

[hydroharry]

Don T - well maybe I'll dig out my chain link spreader tool and post a pic. It was painted red like it may have belonged to a fire dept (hehe). It opens the links just far enough to unhook the chains. When I used a BIG HONKING screwdriver or other tool I'd open them up some, try to remove the link, try the tool again - and repeat again. This tool does it all right the 1st time.

 

[dtanner]

 

[jboelens]

Curious if anyone can tell me if 45 years of cub cadet book is still available anywhere?

 

[mfeste]

John B
The updated 50 years of Cub Cadet is available here.
http://www.greenmagazine.com/shop.asp?cat=all&id=156
It is a great book!

 

[jboelens]

Mike, I have the 50 years, but was told there are a few different pictures in the 45 year. Curiosity...

 

[dfrisk]

HARRY - I'm sure Don's chains were put together right, just had gotten twisted or more correctly, one end slipped between the side chains between a pair of cross chains, and I'm sure they're correct now. And I'm sure Don knows how to un-tangle them by the sounds of his posts. A quick look at the stretched out chains and he can straighten them right out.

I store my chains in "piles", trying to keep the two chains separated some. The big chains make a BIG pile of steel, the CC chains are manageable. The chains for the #2 snow mover are sitting outside, just in front of the snow bucket for the loader. The bucket becomes a bit of an obstruction in the shop. I did keep the whole loader except for the mounting brackets outside years ago but hated having the hyd cylinders & couplers exposed to the weather. And the ends of the lift arms make great attaching points for my come-a-long when pulling CC motors & other heavy things.

Speaking of tire chains, PAUL R & I have an inch of white stuff on the ground this AM. YEAH! It would be a good day to aerate the lawn before the snow melts (easy to see the wheel tracks from your last pass) and the ground freezes this weekend when the lows get into single digits. But I think we have one more warm spell coming, or at least I hope so!

 

[hydroharry]

Dennis - hey forget the "more correctly" stuff and just stick with twist. Don's chains gotta have a Canadian Twist - most people drink it at the holidays but Don puts his in his chains

 

[snicklas]

I had the same problem with my chains the first time they were installed. They came with a 149 we bought and apparently had been stored to close to the drop cords and Christmas lights, because the gremlins that tangle up cords and lights when they are stored got a hold of my chains. It took almost an hour to get them untangled and lying flat again. Now that they are untangled, I store them on a set of nails on the wall of the garage, hanging there looking like a ladder. When I install my chains, I jack the rear end up, let the air out of the tires, feed them over the top, and use the fact the tires spin freely to begin to wrap them around the wheel. When properly installed, re-inflate the tires to the 12 PSI recommended in the book. Makes the chains nice and snug on the tire.

 

[vthomley]

16 cross links on one of my chains, 17 on the other... After asking the question yesterday I had the feeling this was the case.

Thank you everyone for chiming in with answers.

So I now have another question. If I did not want to scratch up my asphalt driveway - what tires would be the best, what tires would give me the best traction while plowing snow? Turfs? Ags? Narrow or wide tires? I'll have PLENTY of weight on it. I know ice is ice, and without chains I'll spin spin spin.

 

[drglinski]

Turf tires with chains are the best for traction in the snow. Narrow tires are often better in the snow than wider; that being said, I had no issues last winter with turfs/chains on my 147 with 7-8" wide tires. Not sure of the exact width off hand....

 

[sblunier]

Friend's "house" right in the center of the tornado's path in Washington.

Boat is on the left side of the house and my truck/trailer is in their driveway.......not much else to say.

 

[sblunier]

Sorry, last 2 wouldn't post....filles too big....

 

[mfrade]

Daniel G., while I have no hard evidence to the contrary.. I put together a set of narrow back tires with weight inside and out and 2 link chains, and it is my impression that they give me less traction than when I had the wide rear tires with the same weights and chains.

Like I said, no hard evidence, just what my butt dyno tells me. Have you (or anyone) run the wide tires with chains/weights and then the narrow? And seen a difference?