chains on all 4 wheels?

[cowdoc]

Looks like I will be getting my 1st atv in a few days(450 yamaha grizzly), I've seen pictures on the net of wheelers chained up on all 4. The dealer tells me not to do this as I"ll damage the front differential. Any thoughts?

[Tyler23]

i wouldnt do it just because they have never done anything good for me. they just clang around and bounce.. never have got threw anything more than just 4x4 with good tires would maybe thats just me tho

[erik-the-great]

i would not chain all four wheels i have a 2004 arctic cat 400 and i have chains for the back and i have plowed on lotw 2 yrs ago all the houses around us and never had any trouble with the chains on the back now i live in the country and plow a quarter of a mile driveway with no chains and have not had any trouble in the summer i use it to plow trees gravel anything i need to push out of the way

[Dave S]

Every dealer will tell you it damages the front differential. I would ask them what it does to the front diff. if you were on hardpack dirt or in mud, in 4-wheel drive, when you suddenly gain traction.

In my way of thinking, it will still put stress on the front diff. If it's such an issue, then why have 4x4 at all?

So, let's say you put chains on all 4 (check for clearance of all components around the tires first). Spinning tires do little to gain traction. With chains on, you're not going ballz out across the lake anyway. If you're on ice, the chains will assist with steering.

Some may dispell this "rumor". But if you're machine is loaded heavily on the rear of the machine, your front end will be lighter, causing it to be harder to control your direction.

There should be little to no slop in the chains if installed properly. They should fit snug to the tire.

Now I'll get off that soap box. if you decide to go with chains on the rear tires only, you still can't go wrong. It's better than no chains at all. One thing to remember when it comes to chains............V-Bar V-Bar V-Bar V-Bar V-Bar V-Bar V-Bar V-Bar.

[Mcfin]

Try it without chains first. I have a Honda 400 that I've been using for 12 years. I plow, hunt, icefish, pull my 7x14 wheelhouse with it.There were only a few times in all those years when I would have needed chains.

[BobT]

I would be more inclined to think it would be more damaging to the posi-traction rear than the front. On dirt or even asphalt when turning, rubber tires can give a little but put chains on and they give a lot less and this could stress the rear end more than the front I would suspect.

Before the front differential would suffer I would also expect the front knuckles to be over-stressed more with chains on the front.

[Fishing Junky]

Just for curiousity Cowdoc, which color are your going with? Congrats, Junky......

[fishingmedic]

if you are running on ice then chains all around are fine, it helps you steer. Also, like anything else common sense prevales. Do not run like a mad across the ice and then turn suddenly with chains on the front. I have ran chains all the way around on most of my 4x4's including wheelers and have never had a problem.

[cowdoc]

Thanks for all the responses. Just brought it home tonight. Got it with an eagle 54" plow and rear chains (don't know if their V bars). Already drooling over the tires/wheels Junky got for his.

Be a tough sell to my other half after just borrowing enough get "all the new furniture we should have gotten years ago." Think I'll have to make due with these for awhile. Hope to take it out on ottertail this weekend, with all the snow, should be a good test of what it can do with just rear chains. Got it in camo cause the sales rep said that didn't scratch easy. Plowed a little with it at home tonight. Noticed it is very difficult to impossible to shift when idle is not absolutely low. Idle wants to run high. Seems to come down when choked full, but I thought it had run long enough to be well warmed up. Don't know if this is a bug I need looked at, or just my inexperience with it. Well, used my loan to buy a 12' utility trailer, an ottertail medium cabin and a vexilar f-18, if I can figure out how, I'll post some pictures.

[Dave S]

Congrats on the purchase cowdoc.

If you've got some pics, you need to post them in a hosting site such as Photobucket, copy the img link and paste it here.

[trapperdirk]

HEHE Lep7mm . Here we go again ,eh bud .? LOL.

My opinion always differs folks from Lep7mms when it comes to chains mind you were both always thinking of different circumstances .

Anyways I think that chains on the front will create wear and tear on the steering components plus if your in deep snow or slush the reason we often get stuck is because the front end goes down and chains on the front will dig her way down quick when in fact I want the front floating up and barely cutting a path for the back wheels . When sinking all four at once you hang the bike in the center solid .

Chains on all fours will take the float out of turning when on bare ice but I wouldn't keep them on the front for the whole season and only when neccessary .

TD

[Dave S]

HEHE Lep7mm . Here we go again ,eh bud .? LOL.

TD

LOL, It's all good TD. To each their own.

[dogs]

At the risk of high jacking this thread, anyone ever just studded a old tire with sheet metal screws? how did that go?

Dogs

[trapperdirk]

At the risk of high jacking this thread, anyone ever just studded a old tire with sheet metal screws? how did that go?

Dogs

I've heard of folks doing this and it will be something I will look at when I replace my tires and rims . From all I have read though the ones who do this seem to be satisfied although some screws apparently are better than others at staying in .

TD