Chains for 31s

I have 31s on my 18. I have a 10% grade strip I like to go into. I'm a feared that basically I'd have no braking or maybe even no steering coming dn that bad boy when it becomes covered with snow. Anyone had any experience with making a set of chains to go on the 31s? Or maybe some other idea to give the tires some breaking/steering ability. You wouldn't want a cross link coming off on one side and, somehow, flopping into the prop. This needs to be thought out.

Scary! Spring is coming - - - :lol::-x

Other examples sited in the proposed bushwheel winter chain field approval….Peterbilt 379, Kenworth cabover;-)

I have seen pictures of chains on plane tires when moving the plane on glare ice, it is not a bad ideal. We get it a lot in January with a week of above freezing weather. Lots of tip and tail damage from vehicles sliding into planes from the ice. Packed snow is really not a problem as far as stopping and traction goes, it is ice and you have to respect it even on flat ground. Is it a strip you just LIKE to visit or one you NEED to visit?Packed snow should not be a problem but if you have any chance of glare ice especially below a layer of snow just find another way to get there. If you had to get in some steep ice covered runway to save a life just get a set of good truck chains and chain it up. I would deflate to 2 psi, chain up then inflate until they are very snug. You should be in the air at 40 mph, hit the brakes as soon as you break ground. Not something I would want to do every day but not a big deal with a new set of chains just make sure they are long/wide enough to fit properly. Caution!! I have used chains on tractors/trucks/bobcat/ATV's all my life so it is kind of natural for me; I know how to set them up properly, before you try it on a plane spend a few years doing it on your truck first. I don't think using bolted tires like the ice racers do is a good idea because they do break. Studs will spit. You can do straight skis with ski brakes but I don't think they will hold especially in snow or even ice at a steep angle. Yeah the more I think about it, the more just a simple set of chains is best. Oh and whatever you do don't spend a lot of money on the paint job, cause you may need another one soon doing stuff I recommend.
DENNY

Found a pic https://www.facebook.com/airframesalaskabushwheels/photos Go down a ways on the pictures you will see a set with chains, sure beats sliding into another plane when going to the hanger.
DENNY

Goodyear (?) in the mid last century used to install steel staples in their large tires. Like 36" tires for ice use. Metal just on top of the rubber. Owner's would spend long eve's removing them. What goes around.....comes around>

Gary

DENNY, Actually it's my strip I put in where I live a couple of years ago. I would like to build a hanger there and keep my airplane at home. I think I have the deer problem pretty much solved, with my plastic & cheap 7' high fence, but the snow on 10% is bad news. Because your tail is up, when taxiing downhill, I keep the stick back with power on. With snow, that is a receipt to be out of control going down hill. Thanks for the pictures of the guy with the chains on and I never thought how to put them on but your advice makes sense and the hitting the brakes as soon as I am airborne. This is the kind of info I needed to get me thinking of all that can and will go wrong if left to think of it as it happens. I actually have a set of the bamboo tires, with the steel staples, that I pulled years ago and got bloody hands out of the deal. Seemed like I talked some others into helping me too in case they are reading this and maybe they did most of the work? Anyway, I'll find some chains!

Ever driven with chains? Great on the drive axle but near useless for braking. I don’t get why you’d need anything for snow. Use a small tailwheel and plant it like a tail hook. Slick ice could benefit from studs or ice screws, but chains? No way.

Put the hanger at the top of the hill so the downhill run is for takeoff, you will be fine. Better yet just find another piece of land to build the hanger so you don't build yourself into a problem to begin with.
DENNY

As a guy who's flown off of a 14% grade strip for years, on skis,s do what Denny says. Make the slope work with you, not against you.

DENNEY is right. The hanger should go on top so there is no taxiing downhill; then just take off downhill.

Ground loop until you're going in reverse and give it a little throttle. Very affective

This is why God invented skis. Get skis and add ice brakes to them.

I think if you dusted course black beauty slag on wet bedliner it would grip

Glenn

Some experimental guys are painting urethane bed liner on their tires. I imagine if you mixed in some grit (sandblasting media) you could get some grip in icy conditions. I did this for traction on a Cessna boot cowl step and it's held up well.

General said:

This is why God invented skis. Get skis and add ice brakes to them.

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This is the answer.

If it is your home strip, SAND IT!