Ultimate Snow/Ice Traction

[ridgerunner 3]

I see alot of talk lately about which is better for wintertime traction, AG's vs. chains. I'll throw in a twist with my setup. I run 12x6 AG's on my plow tractor and 200# of rear weight, if there is an icy base on the driveway the tractor's traction is less then efficient plowing any amount of snow (especially with an open differential) I studded the tires last year but never really got a chance to test them out. This summer I was given a set of 4-link tire chains. I then mounted the chains on the already carbide studded AG's. Now that the differential is locked and this tire setup is on the tractor, even without any rear weight this thing is unstoppable, even on solid ice. To really test the traction I pulled a full-size truck up the icy snow covered driveway with the tractor pulling in reverse (I know.....I know.....it would have pulled easier from the rear hitch, but I was experimenting here.) It pulled it pretty good even though the tractor was pulling in reverse and through ice and snow.

I have plowed my driveway 4 or 5 times since I installed everything on the tires and after the snow and ice melted I only noticed scratchy marks on the concrete from where I was pulling the truck up to the garage. If I would have pushed the truck with the tractor's blade or pulled it from the tractor's rear hitch I don't think it would have left any marks. Not saying the driveway won't be scratched up by spring, but so far so good. And if the cocrete is all scratchy by spring it's worth the added traction. -Paul PS. edited for spelling;)

[B-16_IC 944]

Nice setup, really like your rear weight/hitch/push bumper! I am thinking the studs would not be good on asphalt though!:o)

[D-17_Dave 11]

Now that's just showing off.:O:D:DdOd

[ehertzfeld 1]

Talk about a brain scrambling with no snow on the ground!:O:D

[johnmonkey 4]

George Thourogood song - da da da - dump "bad to the bone" That is one mean looking setup. jh

[RedbarnRick 0]

Those tires look like they came from the Road Warriors movie, scary but good

[wilm169 1]

I am wandering about the studs. Are they a glue on or are they implanted? They look glued on to me in the thin part of the tire.?

[PatrickE 0]

Now thats some serious traction. Doubles as a lawn aerator too!

[cruzer 0]

I went an searched out how you locked the diff. Very nice. I will have to do this with mine some point. Locked is awsome. only worried about tearing up the lawn in the summer. Will have to reverse it for the summer i guess. Those are some nice agressive tires you got ! Stew

[Storm7012 0]

Holy mass traction batman. Way cool.

[jjouelle 0]

Just goes to show you the ingenuity of the people on this site. GREAT JOB dOd

[plastikosmd 752]

cant tell you how many times i have had my foot run over...i wont be stoppin by till studs are out..grin scott

[ridgerunner 3]

quote:

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Originally posted by wilm169
I am wandering about the studs. Are they a glue on or are they implanted? They look glued on to me in the thin part of the tire.?

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wilm169 Advanced Contributor "How are your studs fastened on to the tires?"

They mount from the inside of the tire and are tightened up with a nylon insert lock-nut and special washer.

The washer is concave on the inside, so the stud base pulls up into it and is flush with the inside surface of the tire.

To put a hole in the tire I used a hollow gasket punch, spun in a hand drill. (FYI- factory stud hole cutters are almost identical and used the same way. Just 10x the money) If you were to use a regular drill bit it would just tear a nasty hole instead of a nice clean hole. You can see one of the previously cut plugs next to the punch in the picture above. -Paul

[wilm169 1]

THANKS;:D

[MN_FISH 0]

They must be snowmobile studs. Are they carbide or just regular studs? They have stud sharpeners available if they have to be sharpened.

[ridgerunner 3]

quote:

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Originally posted by MN_FISH
They must be snowmobile studs. Are they carbide or just regular studs?

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Yes they're for a snowmobile track, and they're carbide tipped. A friend of mine gave me his old ones with only a few passes on them. He was upgrading to longer studs and doubling the quantity of studs in his track and wanted them all to match. I never even owned a snowmobile but I took the studs anyway. So I guess you can say I'm one of them guys that it's hard to pass up anything that's free. -Paul

[MN_FISH 0]

At least the price was right.sm06 Some of the better quality studs are prettyB) spendy. Your friend might even have a sharpener?