Winter Traction

[Guest]

I'm thinking chains this winter might even make my ATV more handy on the lakes. Here's my questions:

1) How much do they improve traction? Can you go through deeper snow or does it just get you out of a limited number situations?

2) Is it good enough to put them on the back tires only or do you need them on the front as well?

Feel free to throw in any other comments as well.

Happy Trails, dude.

[Dave]

You raise a good question, Bornofice. Adding chains on ATV tires will definitely give you better traction; especially ATVs with stock tires. ATVs with deeper tread mud type tires may not need chains added quite so quickly as stock tires would. Personally, I've tried 'em years ago. Chains offered much more traction after breaking through an iced top layer of snow.
As long as the belly of your machine can break down whatever is in its path, chains will keep the traction and machine going forward. As on land, if the machine's belly gets hung up, you're done, chains or no chains.
If you run chains, make sure you have clearance on the inside of your tires and machine. Some struts are pretty close to the inside of the tires on the new models. Oh, and don't run the machine on your driveway too much

[Guest]

Borno,

Chains do make a big difference. I have a 500 explorer & have chains on the back wheels only. I used to have a very heavy fishhouse on skids & could not pull until I added the rear chains. I still get stuck sometimes when pulling a house, but have always been able to get out just by unhitching with the chains on.

[Guest]

Thanks, Whopper. I can definitely see where chains would help in towing ice houses. In fact, I think a couple friends have already volunteered me to tow theirs out.

[Guest]

Cory,

That's an innovative idea. That one though would tear up the lawn at the cabin a bit too much. I like your line of thinking though.

[CorynTracySellHomes]

If you do not want to have the expense and the pain of taking chains on and off, you can try driving screws into the lugs! (Just make sure they are short enough not to go through the lugs and into the tire!)

Cory Frantzick
RE/MAX Associates Plus
Timberlane Homes
(612)801-0809
[email protected]

[Kingfisher]

I have used chains on my little Honda 2X4 for many years, on glare ice before chains we could do very little, after we put the v-bar chains on it pulls very well. Before we mount the chains we drain the air out of the tires then put on the chains and inflate the tires again for a very good snug fit. On glare ice it would be nice to have chains in front to improve steering.

[Gissert]

Kingfisher is right about chains making a big difference. I borrowed a pals Arctic Cat 2 x 4 quad last year (250cc) to pull my big 8 x 12 shack on skids.

We had about three inches of snow on smooth ice. That thing pulled it just fine. It did take one man pushing on the back of the shack to get it going, but once the house was moving it needed no further help. I was amazed at the pulling ability of that thing. The house probably weighes about 900 pounds.

I kept it in low range and used second and third gear. I drug it about half a mile. A few weeks later, I tried to move it when we had about seven inches of crusty snow. No dice there. I think a larger quad would have moved it, however.

[Twitter]

If you're serious about chains.....I found what I think is a great deal. I got a set for front and rear for my 2001 Yamaha Big Bear for $40 a pair. Bought them on line at "EXTREMETRACTION.COM" I probably will never strap the fronts on unless we have a year with no snow at all and I need to get 3 or 4 miles out on Red on glare ice. I haven't even tried them yet. Although, I had NO PROBLEM pushing that last wet 8" snowfall we got a city block down my alley with a 5' blade without chains, so I imagine with chains I'll be able to plow the 1/4 mile into my cabin this winter........ahhhhhh,,,,,think ice / snow

[Guest]

For any ice-fisherman using an ATV on the lakes, ice chains are an irreplaceable part of their outfit. If I forget the chains for my atv its like forgetting the bait. Chains in the front are a must, they help improve steering and braking and if you have a 4X4 they give added traction. I was also looking in the cabelas catalog the other day and saw these things called "ATV Hus-Ski" they are skis that attach to the front wheels of an ATV(basically turning it into a snowmobile)they look like they might help improve steering but I have never tried them nor seen them used so I am gonna stay with chains on all 4 wheels on my 4X4.

[Dave]

I think I'd rather have the front tires rolling than to try and have the rear tires pushing front skis on an ATV. That'd be like pushing dead weight, I'd imagine.

Also, on the selectable 4X4 machines, I'd be leary about accidently hittihg the 4WD button with skis attached to the front tires.

[Guest]

I just put tire studs in my 300 4x4 Arctic Cat and it makes a world of difference. You can buy a bag of 1000 for around $30-$50, that's enough to do quite a few machines. At the end of the winter you just take them out. Tire chains will tear up your lawn way more than studs will.