# are tire chains necessary



## garthman

I recently replaced my old snowblower with an ariens deluxe 28. I have not yet had a chance to test the new unit on snow, so I am looking to those of you who have experience with them for a recommendation. 

Do i need tire chains or are the 16 X 4.9 inch tires adequate on their own ? 

thanks for your help

garthman


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## Kiss4aFrog

IMHO, no. On an older machine upgrading to a new style aggressive tread tire is more beneficial and has better results. It's so much smoother to have a round tire rolling down the drive than bouncing from chain to chain and having that jarring vibration up your arms and into your shoulders.
I love not having chains and I don't miss them.

BUT ... it also depends on how much ice you get and if you have a hill and what surface you're on. There are times I'm doing the unpaved (weeds and grass) turn around area where chains would be helpful.
Doesn't make must sense if you have a new asphalt or concrete driveway that you're worried enough about to purchase poly skids and then chew it up with chains.


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## ctdave

*depends*

I've had chains on my ""71".. 32 " bucket for most of the years I have had it. it also has the turf saver tires on it. I prefer to not have them on,as it rolls smoother, (not much difference in heavy or deep snow as far as smoothness). with that being said, for me the traction with chains is a must, with the snow we get here in N.E..i do not have to "manhandle" the blower as much, especially with the snow we had this past winter.the extra traction was great with that 3 foot storm, and the 7 foot snow banks at the end of the driveways, with the melting and ice. I do not know about the newer tires and if it would matter, but I think its preference and how you need your machine to push through the snow and ice. i'm "older" and don't like to be sore from handling the blower.


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## guilateen02

Your Deluxe model should have either Carlise Snow hog or X-Trac tires on them. If so then your good to go on pavement. If they are turf savers, which I highly doubt they are on that model, then chains are a must.


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## Snowhawg

Unless you have a short and flat driveway typically associated with urban homes and have no ice to deal with, you absolutely need tire chains! I thought the aggressive Snow Hog tires would do fine except for icy conditions and boy was I wrong. Feel free to try it without, but I am sure after a few major snowfalls you'll be running for chains.


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## BullFrog

Good question. I've wondered that myself with the new machine. I'd suggest you wait and see if you really need them or not. Like yourself my previous SBs had chained tires whereas the new one doesn't. It has very aggressive lugs so I'm hoping I don't need them but I have my doubts. Once in a while we'll get a storm with high winds and the snow can drift in like concrete and its in those conditions where I doubt the lug tires will be enough. Time will tell.


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## Bob E

I'm not going to take the chains off mine... Unless I sell it, then I'm keeping the old school hard rubber tires and chains for the new one :smiley-whacky017:


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## micah68kj

Snowhawg said:


> Unless you have a short and flat driveway typically associated with urban homes and have no ice to deal with, you absolutely need tire chains! I thought the aggressive Snow Hog tires would do fine except for icy conditions and boy was I wrong. Feel free to try it without, but I am sure after a few major snowfalls you'll be running for chains.


I've been running blowers for a long time. Many years. I've had brick driveways, gravel driveways, sloped driveways and paved driveways and have never used or needed chains on any blower. Even when we had EOD problems I never had the need for them. But, my snow conditions may vary from what you get. We've had some snows in excess of 2 feet and no chains needed. Just my humble:2cents::2cents:


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## Snowhawg

micah68kj said:


> I've been running blowers for a long time. Many years. I've had brick driveways, gravel driveways, sloped driveways and paved driveways and have never used or needed chains on any blower. Even when we had EOD problems I never had the need for them. But, my snow conditions may vary from what you get. We've had some snows in excess of 2 feet and no chains needed. Just my humble:2cents::2cents:


I have absolutely no idea how you ever got by then. I have the exact opposite experience from you, not to mention everyone else I know including my cousin who landscapes and plows snow for a living.


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## knu2xs

BullFrog said:


> Good question. I've wondered that myself with the new machine. I'd suggest you wait and see if you really need them or not. Like yourself my previous SBs had chained tires whereas the new one doesn't. It has very aggressive lugs so I'm hoping I don't need them but I have my doubts. Once in a while we'll get a storm with high winds and the snow can drift in like concrete and its in those conditions where I doubt the lug tires will be enough. Time will tell.


The above pretty much summed up my attitude & conditions.

By the end of last season I added chains to my new 
Ariens Platinum 24 SHO and it made a world of difference.

In addition to the chains I also added 10 lb's of weight and 
may add 5 or 10 more in order to deal with packed drifts.

One of the things I noticed, after adding chains, is that the Auto Turn didn't 
want to veer as much due to the uneven conditions I have to deal with. It's 
as if the added traction keeps things equal, even when I drop off into the 
cultivated farm field that runs alongside much of our main driveway.


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## BullFrog

micah68kj said:


> I've been running blowers for a long time. Many years. I've had brick driveways, gravel driveways, sloped driveways and paved driveways and have never used or needed chains on any blower. Even when we had EOD problems I never had the need for them. But, my snow conditions may vary from what you get. We've had some snows in excess of 2 feet and no chains needed. Just my humble:2cents::2cents:


Good for you. You obviously didn't need them thus my reply to the OP to wait and see if tires only are good enough.


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## Flexin

I didn't need them for my Toro when I had it. I would try it without and then add anything that is needed for your driveway and conditions. 

James


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## nwcove

depending on what type of weather , i could probably get by without chains for a couple of storms, but i dont think i could make it through a winter on tires alone as i intentionally leave an inch or so of snow on my gravel driveway to make a layer of ice. i do plan on testing the chains / no chains thing tho. the old sno thro has chains, the used sno-tek has no chains but good tires, and the troy bilt has never seen snow, but has tires that members here speak highly of . gunna try all three when things get slippery.....then add chains to the other two.:icon_whistling:


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## detdrbuzzard

I have chains on my toro 826 and only needed to use it once when the hard rubber tires on my 521E had no traction on ice. I have a newer 521 with pneumatic tires and I have a spare set of tires for it which I plan to put chains on ( I already have a set ) but don't know how often i'll need to swap tires


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## Flexin

nwcove said:


> depending on what type of weather , i could probably get by without chains for a couple of storms, but i dont think i could make it through a winter on tires alone as i intentionally leave an inch or so of snow on my gravel driveway to make a layer of ice. i do plan on testing the chains / no chains thing tho. the old sno thro has chains, the used sno-tek has no chains but good tires, and the troy bilt has never seen snow, but has tires that members here speak highly of . gunna try all three when things get slippery.....then add chains to the other two.:icon_whistling:


My driveway is gravel as well. I would do the same thing and leave a layer to cover the gravel. I still didn't have an issue. I'm not sure if anyone in my neighborhood has chains. I will have to look again this winter.


James


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## Cardo111

If you have a newer model 2015 or 2016 Ariens Deluxe 28 it should have come with aggressive tread design KENDA K478 tires (the brand is not stamped on the tire's sidewall however these are the tires that are used). These tires should not require chains unless your driveway is very steep.


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## laptopquestions

For what it is worth, I still go with chains on deep lug tires, between the lugs for extra weight and traction on sloped areas. I generally find that as the temperature drops, so does the traction of rubber tires. I am more concerned about ice, than snow. Same thing when I walk on it. I generally look for uncleared snow when walking to the mail box as opposed to areas I already cleared


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## MPCOA

If you are having trouble with tires or boots when it gets legitimate cold the rubber compound is too hard. You actually get better traction on ice once its about -10 or so.


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## AriensSnowman

Snowhawg said:


> Unless you have a short and flat driveway typically associated with urban homes and have no ice to deal with, you absolutely need tire chains! I thought the aggressive Snow Hog tires would do fine except for icy conditions and boy was I wrong. Feel free to try it without, but I am sure after a few major snowfalls you'll be running for chains.


I agree with this assessment completely. I looked at the super mean tread on my new machine last year and said no way I should need chains. Wrong! Any little bit of ice on any hill and I struggled big time. Working big snow banks were also a pain. In fact working any big piles was a chore. Once I installed the thick lug chains it was much, much better. I will never go without them again and I envy people who have conditions where they don't need them. Make sure you buy the correct chains, you need the thick lug ones for the new aggressive tires.


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## E350

That does it. I have a sloped, mostly dirt driveway. I just ordered 2-link v-bar chains for my Ariens ST1032 Sno-Thro, Model No.: 924084, Serial No: 000892, with 16/6.50x8 Pneumatic Snow Hog tires:



Tirechain.com has a specific v-bar chain for the Snow Hog tires:



See here for all their snowblower chains:

16x6.50-8 Tire Chains

BTW, I have been dealing with TireChain.com in Johnstown, PA for over 20 years. They are great to deal with. And you can buy the best truck tire chains from them also - the 5 CAM-Lock v-bar !


CAMS for Tire Chains


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## Kielbasa

I guess I have to say that I am so... glad that my driveway, as much as it is a BIG pain in the back side to clear, is not gravel. 

I would have to guess that leaving the 1" of snow or so on the gravel driveway is to level off and to keep as much gravel down and in place as much as possible to make the clearing conditions as good as possible. 

But to a degree, doesn't or wouldn't the gravel help with traction if cleared all the way down? But of course this would cause a problem with gravel traveling through the machine. hmy: 

I feel for you guys...


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## Flexin

Kielbasa said:


> I guess I have to say that I am so... glad that my driveway, as much as it is a BIG pain in the back side to clear, is not gravel.
> 
> I would have to guess that leaving the 1" of snow or so on the gravel driveway is to level off and to keep as much gravel down and in place as much as possible to make the clearing conditions as good as possible.
> 
> But to a degree, doesn't or wouldn't the gravel help with traction if cleared all the way down? But of course this would cause a problem with gravel traveling through the machine. hmy:
> 
> I feel for you guys...


I find it too hard to clean right down. If it gets warm enough to get down to the stones then the ground is soft. You can't win with gravel.

James


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## AriensSnowman

E350 said:


> That does it. I have a sloped, mostly dirt driveway. I just ordered 2-link v-bar chains for my Ariens ST1032 Sno-Thro,


Smart move. Even smarter is the v-bar type you ordered. I have the regular chains because the price was right at the time, but the v-bar are far superior. Just be careful about spinning the tires on pavement or concrete because they can really chew things up. Not a big a deal on a snowblower because you're not moving quickly, but I have them on an atv and if I'm not careful they'll really chew up the pavement.


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## Oneacer

Just to throw in my 2 cents, I put Sno-Hog tires on my Yardman and both Ariens. I live in CT and never had a problem. They work great. I remember way back I tried chains on one of my Ariens that had lawn tires at the time, boy was that a nightmare. Switched over to the Sno-Hog tires and was happy ever since.


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