Chain Chain Chain... (Opening line to "Chain of Fools" by the Queen of Soul: Aretha Franklin!

[thedaddycat]

OK, so here we go... I got this tractor from a guy my son worked with before he passed away. I've known Bob for probably 20 years by now. Anyhow, I'm pretty sure these are OEM 2 link chains that were purchased with the tractor, as were the mower deck and dozer blade/snow plow. As you can plainly see, I broke three of the cross chains on this set. The other set is completely intact and off to the left of the old broken chain.

The chain in the upper part of the pic is one of a new set of 2 link V-bar chains I got to replace the broken one. Under $120 delivered to my door.

I may try to rework this set into one I can use on the Putt Putt, but if I decide not to I'll let you know either way... Maybe some Blacksmithing is in the offing.....

Just so you all know, I have a 1/2" crushed stone driveway so there's no damage done using V-bar chains. They just bite in a lot harder into the ice and snow I'm sure to get than the old ones and out back I'm sure I'll see a lot better traction in the dirt. They will just stay on, once I mount them I see no reason to remove them ever at this point.

 

Edited July 6, 2021 by thedaddycat

[thedaddycat]

The most I can get is five links on the cross chain due to where they broke. Still it will be wide enough to fit the narrow tires on the Putt-Putt.

I tried a couple of different things to spread this link apart off the cross chain. The best method I found was to take a tapered punch and use that to spread the link open. You may have to flip it over and do each side separately unless you hit things just right.

Driving the link open also drove the two arms together. I used the wide chisel to spread them back apart. No Hammer needed. I posed this pic, but in reality just slipped the link into the slot of the vise and pushed the chisel between the arms.

I removed the short piece from this link. You have to be careful when putting it back together to make sure you have it right. I started by going down through the cross chain and then swinging that link around.

If you look closely at both ends of the Cross chain you will see that the links have the open side facing up. I mount the chain so that this is facing away from the tire.

Here I have the three broken links connected so that it will fit on the Putt-Putt. Lather rinse and repeat 35 times more. The only difference is that I will have to cut the cross chains down to five links now. 

Edited July 6, 2021 by thedaddycat

[thedaddycat]

Here is the end result. These are NOT a set of chains, they are two distinctly different chains from different sets. In this pic, the left one has a hook on the inner chain and the "clamp" hook on the outer one. The other one has a different style of "clamp" hook but it is on both inner and outer chains. 

As I have shortened the cross chains, the long legs have been drawn closer to the tire tread and away from the hub. That means they now have to hook up on the last or second to last links as the circle is now bigger. This in turn leaves more open chain between the cross chains where they hook together.

In order to fix the gaps I would need 5 more cross chains. If anyone has an old broken chain they can spare let me know and we can work something out.

Edited July 6, 2021 by thedaddycat

[SmilinSam]

Been a long time since I last pieced chains together like that. I can definately appreciate the amount of work that you are going through to get these done up.

[thedaddycat]

OK folks, here we go... 

I have to give a big shout out to CarlH and a huge ":Thank You" too. He was out this way last week for a car show and brought some goodies with him. Among those were some NOS cross chains. So today while I was on a 12 hour shift I brought them in and finished the job. 

The upper set was on the left tire of the tractor (right tire in the pic) and needed three cross chains while the lower set only needed two. Carl grabbed 5 chains out of the bucket, all heavy duty ones. In fact, two of them are V-bar chains. They're the second cross chain in from the end, though it might be hard to see in this pic.

I will post a final update when I mount them tomorrow after work. I'm on a string of working 35 of 38 days in a row. From June 22 to July 29 I have three days off, and they were the 3,4 and 6th of July... Only 11 more to go, and only one of them is another 12 hour shift...

Edited July 19, 2021 by thedaddycat

[thedaddycat]

The finished result...