Front tire chains on a Cab model L6060?

MoCo

Member

Equipment
L6060 Tractor, SVL65 CTL, KX033-4 Excavator
Feb 15, 2021
36
13
8
Ontario Canada
There is no fender clearance at the rear tires of my L6060, so rear chains are not an option unless I install rear wheel spacers, which I don't want to bother with unless I have no option.
Anyone tried front tire chains on R4 tires?
My driveway is gravel, and I use a snow pusher bucket on the FEL with a ballast box on the rear.
Comments, please.
 

mikester

Well-known member

Equipment
M59 TLB
Oct 21, 2017
3,125
1,609
113
Canada
www.divergentstuff.ca
Yes I use front double ladder chains for 3PH snow blowing. I only put them on when there's glare ice and no traction.

If you are pushing snow you will put a lot of load on the front end 4WD. Consider using screw in studs in the tires in your application.

Keep in mind the chains can walk, make sure to use a good spider and to re-tension your chains after your initial install. Not much clearance between the tire and steering linkages on my M59.

I'm not a fan of pushing snow as I'm in the snow belt. By mid winter there's nowhere to push the stuff, I do't like high snow banks and deep drifts.
 

Henro

Well-known member

Equipment
B2910, BX2200, KX41-2V mini Ex.
May 24, 2019
5,116
2,341
113
North of Pittsburgh PA
There is no fender clearance at the rear tires of my L6060, so rear chains are not an option unless I install rear wheel spacers, which I don't want to bother with unless I have no option.
Anyone tried front tire chains on R4 tires?
My driveway is gravel, and I use a snow pusher bucket on the FEL with a ballast box on the rear.
Comments, please.
It has been argued that putting chains on the front wheels adds a lot of stress to front axle components. If this is true, avoiding the cost of wheel spacers on the rear in the long term may be false economy.

I think I would put wheel spacers on the back and get a good set of chains. BUT rear chains are going to be MUCH more expensive than chains for the smaller front tires. So a double whammy on the pocketbook in the immediate sense.

With my R4 tires and simple 2-link ladder chains on the back, the chains tend to fall between the lugs, so a good amount of the chain serves no useful purpose. I imagine this would be the same with R4s on the front, but do not know.

So I would suggest that whatever you decide, you should get a style of chains that will not fall between the R4 tire lugs, and provide the maximum contact between the tire and the ground.

Just a couple thoughts from my limited experience...