17.5-25, 12 PR L2...80.7 in. Tire Question

[BIGNASTY]

Im looking at using one of these tires as a drag behind our hay sled to level the snow and make a path. Could someone tell me the thickness of the tire at the middle of the tread to the inside of the tire, was thinking of a metal rod going thru the tire with an attachment point to hook with logging chain as a drag. Must be pretty thick my drill bits aren't long enough!!

In this video they belly rap the tire thru the middle every time I do that the chain acts like a rudder and guides the tire to the side rather than pulling straight behind the sled.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4-NIw9r1F4

Thanks

BIG

 

[NIsaacs]

In this video they belly rap the tire thru the middle every time I do that the chain acts like a rudder and guides the tire to the side rather than pulling straight behind the sled.



Thanks

BIG

Use a short chain and make sure the attaching point on the sled is the same height as the point on the tire. You might need to use your chain in a "v", two point hook on the sled and one point on the tire.

Nick

 

[BIGNASTY]

I sure will give that a try Nick, I thought about it some more and came up with attach the chain at both corners of the sled and then around the tire to keep it in center of the sled.

 

[fest3er]

That will still allow it to move (sway, wander) side-to-side; the chains aren't stiff. Attach it to the sled with a very short chain (to limit the side-to-side motion), or make a short-ish triangle attached to the corners of the sled and attach a short chain between the point of the triangle and the tire.

Instead of wrapping the chain around (through) the tire, grind a sharp-ish point onto a 6 inch 1/2" bolt; file a 'cutting' slot to make it self-tapping (or self-drilling). Use a ratchet to drive it through the tire; or use a motorised tool, but not too fast or you'll melt the rubber. Put a huge, thick 'fender washer' inside and double-nut it. But don't forget the outside 'hitch'.

Dragstrip down Atlanta way used such a tire to dry the track after overnight rains. It generally worked pretty well, albeit slowly, requiring many passes.

 

[BIGNASTY]

fest3er

That's kind of the same idea I was thinking but my drill bits aren't long enough to got thru the tire, I wanted to put a rod thru the tire and weld a plate on the inside of the tire to the rod the have a loop to hook the chain to outside the tire. In the Video it looks like the tire as a drag works pretty well.

On my hay sled I took some pipe that when cut in half length wise a 4x4 could lay in the half of the pipe, cut some v notches in the pipe heated it at the v and bent them up and welded them to form the runners of the sled. mounted another 4x4 on top of the other to give it some height wont wear them baby's out anytime soon.

 

[fest3er]

fest3er

That's kind of the same idea I was thinking but my drill bits aren't long enough to got thru the tire....

Hence the suggestion to use a long bolt, taper the end, and file cutting grooves in it: make a drill bit. It doesn't need to be a precision hole. If you have a torch (or a smith's forge), heat up one end of a piece of rebar red hot and drive it through. (But be sure the wind is at your back; burning rubber doesn't smell as sweet as manure.)