I plan on moving lots of snow this winter and it seems from reading a few different forums, that moving snow with chains on the rear tires is maybe not such a great idea. anyone with 1st hand experience with this?? are the chains easy to put on and take off?? I thought it would be handy to leave the chains on for ice fishing and moving snow but don't want it to cause any issues while moving snow

Honestly I am not a fan of chains at all!

A 4 x 4 atv has so much traction that you do not need them at all to push snow. Plus if you throw one off with any kind of wheel speed at all it will tear up stuff on your wheeler in a heartbeat. I have pushed threw drifts that are easily 4 to 5' deep with most of the snow just pouring over the top of the plow and still never get stopped without chains.

Now on slick ice while ice fishing I can see where they would be nice but I have very little experience with my quad in those conditions so I'll leave it up to Rod, or Todd or Kent that prolly do have experience in those conditions to give you a recommendation.

Chains just scare me. I have seen them tear up a ton of stuff if they start coming loose. Even on a lawn tractor so I shy away.

thanks for the input guys. I'll just see how it goes without them

Yep, ditto on what was said. I have never used chains either, and have not had any problems clearing the snow. Between the blade and my own counterweight , I don't get much slippage.

finally used the plow this am. worked pretty well. had so much fun, I drove to the gas station filled up and went and did my brothers driveway

oh not much maybe 3" but my truck is in the shop getting new tires and since I couldn't go fish, I thought I'd goof around with the plow

Yep, I'll second, (or third, or forth) what the others have said. You know my wheeler isn't a big one, (400), but I've moved a ton of snow with it, and never felt that I needed chains.
I agree with you, It is fun pushing snow around with them! I've got a driveway that's about 120 yards long, and when I'm done with it, I mess around pushing snow away from the front of the mailbox, clear the front of the garage........whatever I can find to push.
Good luck with it for the rest of the winter.
AL