[scrat2]

... do tire chains fit that are 52" long and 14" wide? I got these at a garage sale in a box of stuff for next to nothng. The seller said they were on his grandfathers garden tractor, but couldn't remember what make it was. I don't need them so I thought I'd put them up for sale.

 

[mbrun]

I am unaware of a chart that makes it easy to determine all the sizes of tires a specific set of chains fit based on their dimensions. What I do know is that each chain set fits multiple tire sizes. One tire size I would expect your 52x14 chains to fit a 22x8-8. But there will be others too. The larger the tire diameter the more narrow the tire accommodated and vice-versus.

I suggest that unless you find a specific chart that matches the chain size to various tires that you just advertise the chain size and let the buyer determine if they are suitable. The good news is that chains can be sized to fit smaller tires by the user fairly easily.

 

[CityFarmer]

Is 52" length just the links or fasteners, too? Is this standard auto chain wieght (0.177" links) with cross chains and side chains roughly same diamater rod? (If it is .177, your cross chains should have 10 links + end hooks, correct?)

 

[engine2quarters]

It's funny that you ask........just made a set of chains for a set of 18 -9.5 common Turf II tires, on my Craftsman. Thought I'd see if they fit the other set of 18 - 9.5 Turf tires on the other Craftsman. Nope! About 4 inches short.
My Turf II tires are the rounded side shoulder ones, where the others are the square sided shoulders.
Just ads abit more excitement into buying snow chains.

 

[Herr Klankenratl]

Easy enuff if you like pie...I mean pi ( ratio of circumference to diameter) let's see 52 divideded by 3.146 equals 16.528 ... so 16 inch diameter tahrs there friend.

 

[CityFarmer]

Easy enuff if you like pie...I mean pi ( ratio of circumference to diameter) let's see 52 divideded by 3.146 equals 16.528 ... so 16 inch diameter tahrs there friend.

That would assume that the side chains wrap around the outer circumference of the tire on the tread. In fact, I don't think they would perform well under those circumstances.:dunno:

We can assume that the chains need to overlap a little over 2" over each edge of the tire: For 0.177 chain, that is one 1.18" cross link plus one 1.23" cross hook. This leaves about 10" across the tread (14"-[2x2"])=10".

Note that a tire with a cross-section width of "10.50" (i.e: 23-10.50-12) does not ipso facto have a 10.5" tread width. Cross-sectional width is at the widest point -- typically at the "balloon" between bead and tread. In fact, a Carlisle turf is only 9.5" wide at the tread. Anyway, 10" of available chain length suggests a tread width in the neighborhood of 10".

Now, we have about 2" of overlap on our tire sidewalls. Remember that this 2" reduces the radius of the side chain, not its diameter. Our diameter is actually reduced by 4". Assuming the OP stated the usable length of the side chains (i.e: did not include the extra latch length) of 52", we divide that figure by 3.1416 to arrive at your correctly-calculated side chain diameter of about 16.5". We must now add to that the additional 4" represented by the cross chain overhang to arrive at a 20" diameter tire.

So, I am guessing that the chains will fit a 20-10-10 or 20-10-8 tire. Possibly a 22-7.50-12 or 22-9.50-12 but that would require a test to fit.

There are two weakness in my calc's.:

1) I assumed standard 0.177" auto chain. If the cross chains are heavier duty 0.207, the overhang amount may differ as they have a different link lengths.

2) The side chains do not form a pure circle but a polygon determined by the number and spacing of cross chains. You actually pick up a little more possible tire size than a pure circular pattern would allow.

Looking at the SCC-Acco catalog, the closest matches I can find are:
Cross # Side #
Link Cross Chain Side
Stoxk # Tire Size Diam Links Diam Link
QG0466 8x12, 22x7.50-12, 22x9.00-12, 23x8.50-12 0.177 10 0.162 43
QG0471 20x10.50-12, 21x11.00-8, 22x10.00-12, 0.177 10 0.162 43
23x9.50-12, 24x8.50-12

Note: 43 side links is about 53.79", not 52". The chains could have been cut down.

I am unaware of a chart that makes it easy to determine all the sizes of tires a specific set of chains fit based on their dimensions...................

Links to tire chain specs:
http://scc-chain.com/PDF/908Cweb.pdf (tire chain specs pp 152-155)
http://www.lacledechain.com/images/stories/catalogs/tire-chains-specs.pdf
http://www.nacm.info/Downloads/TireChainSpec92805.pdf (Nat'l Assoc. Chain Manufacturers standards)