homemade tyre chains

I'm having traction problems in Inter C1800 (9.00x20s) and am thinking chains may be the most realistic option for me right now. I use it for hauling mill timber and firewood about the property I live and work on. There's a fair bit of steep country, and it can get pretty wet. It's also rocky in areas and the roads are loose when dry. A 4wd truck would be great, and aggressive drive tyres would be nice, but neither are going to happen. I can find some old tyres to fit that can be trashed. They'll never see tarmac. The truck starts really slipping on steep slopes where the loose surface (small rocks/dirt) just rolls away under the wheels, ANY mud at all, and steep grassy (even dry) slopes. And if I even think about wet grass it stops dead. I'm thinking chains will help with the second two at least?

So I'm thinking of making a set of mud chains. Any tyre chains are basically unobtainable round here, especially mud chains in my tyre size. I'm got plenty of metalworking gear and experience and can find chain no worries. I've searched on the internet but it's mostly making tractor chains and or for snow. I'm thinking of doing ladder type but joining every second ladder 'rung' together making them a pattern type. Not sure how to tension though. Also just thinking of doing the rears at the moment. When making chains for duals - can you just make them like they're for one tyre the width of both wheels, as in only two side chains and not one in between?

Does anyone have any tips/suggestions?

"Ice Truckers" ya know that TV show thingy?
They had chains on and off.

Maybe a pattern from them?
-b

only chains I have ever used are on 4x4s so have no idea about truck chains however having said that the ones I have used had a lever and threaded thru a link in the chain and pulled back over center like a dog and chain and were miles to big for the wheel it was going on might have been off a 7.50 x 20 and we put them on 7.50 x 16 just threaded them thru the tightest link we could and wired the left over chain on around the tire a bit further and we drove for miles like that no problem . So I suppose your wondering were I am going with all this waffle maybe you could just join up a couple of ordinary 4 x 4 chains to make chains for a truck wheel might be a lot cheaper than starting from scratch hope this not all to boring for you
Paul

Here are some ideas.

A quite effective chain system I have seen (for off road not "high speed" icy main road work) is to just get a length of chain and run it around the tyre and through the holes in the wheel in a spiral pattern and then just wire the ends together. The chain does not have to be big to be effective so get some cheap chain of a size that goes through the holes in the wheels.

If you have spiders of course you can pass any size chain through the wheel but it will have to go around both wheels because the spacer ring stops it coming up between them.

Lang

thanks guys. Thanks for the pics Lang, that idea might be a good tester, to see what gains I get. Yep got spiders so can go round a bit. I have read mention of that method in fact but people whinge heaps about it recking rims, I guess they're talking rims of the more flimsy variety though! When you saw it, were they effective as proper chains? Was there any damage?

If that worked I guess it would let me thinig more about whether to invest the time or money of doing a proper set. Also for me Chev blitz for the mud... Hoping to upgrade her from 9.00x16 to 9.00x20 anyway

haha... ander's grips will help?
That 6WD truck in Adelaide wasn't that dear?

haha... ander's grips will help?
That 6WD truck in Adelaide wasn't that dear?

What are ander's grips?
As much as I'd love it another truck isn't an option And an Adelaide truck has the small issue of transport involved anyway. I do like the look of the diesel, dodge cabbed Studebaker US6 on gumtree though. In fact the chains on it are what got me thinking

It was a joke... that's why the 'ha ha' bit.
The grips were bolted to the outside of tractor tyres and could be adjusted. When on firm soil they didn't touch the ground and came into use in wet, boggy areas. I tried to find a picture but no go. Your truck is on spiders isn't it?

Wedgie,

I have seen the wrapped chain thing a few times. The most notable was on a 5 or 6 ton Bedford belonging to a banana farmer in northern NSW. The chains were VERY effective on his very steep and often wet block and just stayed permanently on the vehicle.

No rim damage that I can recall. Would not be putting them on polished alloy wheels!

I also remember them on a GMC 6x6 dragging timber in the Victorian Grampians.

These are found in every rice paddy in Asia but don't think the idea would work on an Inter.

Here are a couple for you to try






Lang

Thanks a lot Lang that's good stuff. Im going to give them a go