Snow Suggestions for plowing snow with a B2630

[3rdgenorange]

So I have had my 2630 for 3 years. Absolutely love the tractor but I have 1 small problem with it. Everytime we get a snow of more than 6" it is about worthless. Latest snow storm dropped about 10" of wet snow on us. If it was not for my father in laws tractor there whould have not been much plowing. I am confused because my Dads B8200 would handle this much snow with some effort but at least it would move it. Looking for some suggestions on what I can do to improve traction. So far I have left the mower deck on for mor traction and added 110# of weight to the front with little to no help. By the way I have R4 tires (may be the problem) and using a Woods 72" blade. Do you folks think more weight on the front or try chains? power is not the problem it is traction.

[donn12]

I would say rear chains and remove the MMM. It would not take much snow to snag that. I have not read very much good at all about R4s in the snow. With rear chains and turfs my little BX24 was unstoppable. With your tractor and a angled rear blade you should be able to push 20 inches of wet snow for a decent distance.

[jas67]

Get chains, or switch to turfs (or both).

My B7100 had turfs. My B7610 (purchased used) has R4's. R4's suck on on that slippery, icy crust that forms under the snow on blacktop. I resorted to chains, as I haven't a set of lightly-used turfs within a reasonable distance yet (and don't want to pay $1300-$1600 for a new set).

I have a 60" blower, and couldn't do a full-width swath w/o the chains. With chains, no problem, even up hill.

My B7610, btw, is a little smaller and lighter than your B2630 (it is about the size/weight of a B2620).

[bp fick]

I plow (front) wonderfully with R4s, but perhaps yours are a bit over inflated? That makes a difference. I also use wheel weights, but you have to have either wheel weights or tires filled.

YES!!!! That deck is a nuisance, imho. Your 2630 ought to be a snow plowing machine. I am plowing that much snow regularly with a humble BX1860. I also think that 72" blade can take on more load than you can handle sometimes, watch for that. You might very well be a candidate for chains. A whole lot cheaper than new tires/wheels.

[KeithInSpace]

I run turfs on my BX and have absolutely no issue with traction. I noticed that my front tires are particularly low on air, which may have inadvertently assisted in the traction department...allowing the tire to 'contort' with the ground/snow/ice would permit for more ground engagement and more traction.

I traditionally thought that a 'tighter' tire would cut through the snow better, but this last round I had absolutely no issues with traction, so perhaps I'll keep going with the slightly lower inflation.

Or, of course, chains. But I get so much traction with my turf tires, my wife recently offered to purchase me chains and I honestly told her, "No, thanks. I'm good." A rare feat for me...blew her away.

In the ongoing tire discussions we have on this site seasonally, I think we've established that of the three types of tire...R1, R4, and turf...that R4 tires provide the worst snow/ice performance.
--R1 better in snow than turf, but worse on ice than turf.
--Turf worse on clean snow than R1, but better on packed snow and ice (plow conditions).
--R4 at a disadvantage in all winter conditions...no lugs to paddle, but no edges/sipes to grip.

[Verticaltrx]

I'm not sure if you have read my thread about my snow trouble with R4s on my B3200, but I was going through basically the same thing you were. First I would take the mower deck off, that may make a big difference. Second, you can try what I did by airing the tires down until the tread sits flat on the ground. At the recommended PSI only the very center of the tire is on the ground which is terrible for traction. Just be sure to air them down evenly so the loaded radius of the tires are proportionally less, so you don't mess with the front/rear gear ratio.

[bp fick]

. Just be sure to air them down evenly so the loaded radius of the tires are proportionally less, so you don't mess with the front/rear gear ratio.

With all the slipping on the snow, your front end will release any tension, so there's little worry about ratio.

Yes, you state correctly on your thread, sometimes these R4s just have too much air for traction. Of course, under inflation is not recommended either. Don't want to spin a valve stem off.

[PUSHINDIRT]

Ten inches of wet snow is a ton of weight to move (and keep moving). I would take the mower and plow off and use your FEL to clear a quick path. Then finish it up with the plow (could be more trouble than it is worth). My father has the same problem with his B7800. He has turfs but he gets hung up pretty quick in the deep stuff! I opted for a front mount blower. Instead of pushing the stones I can throw them twice as far.
Years ago we had a 8200 with loaded turfs. The thing was a machine and far better in the wet snow than our newer tractors. I'm not sure if it was the added weight or the fact that I am slowly losing my mind! Good luck and let us know what finally works out the best!

[Hillfarmer]

I have a b2630 with R4s that I use to clear snow. We typically only get a couple of inches but the first 200 ft of my driveway is straight up a hill with a 20 ft drop on the downhill side. The first time I slid I invested in chains for all four tires. Four the next few snow falls I used front chains only and it improved traction but there were times on the hill that only the front tires where pulling. So this year I went to only rear chains and the difference was amazing. I did not loose traction on the hill at all but when really slick have to be aware that steering may be a little slower to respond. I also always have the tractor in 4wd when plowing snow. Just for information the rear chains were about $100, but I did have to cut the length down.

[Verticaltrx]

With all the slipping on the snow, your front end will release any tension, so there's little worry about ratio.

Yes, you state correctly on your thread, sometimes these R4s just have too much air for traction. Of course, under inflation is not recommended either. Don't want to spin a valve stem off.

True, but I also plow several paved parking lots for businesses in town, so its a bit more important for me since I sometime have to use 4wd on pavement.

I agree on under inflation though, especially the fronts which don't have much distance between the rim and ground to begin with.