I use two machines to plow snow with, a bobcat 600 with a 8' snow bucket (my own) and a New Holland 160 (my bosses) with a 7'6" snow plow blade. Neither one has chains, they both use skinny light truck tires in winter. They work great! No annoying chains to hassle with, yes I have in the past used chains and still have chains. I just don't want to use them, I don't need them. I admit the 600 with the snow bucket helps me get traction. If I feel like I might spin I simply lift the bucked a bit off the ground to put weight on the front tires. only lift enough to load the tires and not leave snow behind you. I leave the LT tires on all year on the 600, they are easy on the grass in the summer, don't tear up the lawn as much as skid steer tires. The 160 we plow for a large factory and privately, and when we are out it is almost over 10-12 hours each time and I complain about a lot of things, but traction is not one of them. this is in northern WI., so you know we get real snow,(deep, wet heavy, drifting you get the idea) not just light stuff. My .02 cents, no chains, skinny tires it helps to use tires that are siped, like a Blizak or similar. Here is a link to some Blizak tires. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Blizzak+DM-V1 My 600 uses regular 16x7.00 LT snow tires.
