Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Gravel driveway, snow blower, no cab

   / Gravel driveway, snow blower, no cab #1  

Max2310

Silver Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2008
Messages
105
Location
Canada (QC)
Tractor
GC2310 2008
I've been reading lots of posts lately on snow blowers. Lots of people seem to say that snow blowers without a cab is big no go. And also that gravel may cause serious damage to the unit and so on.

In other words, if I don't plan to get a cab, then I should stick with my FEL and BB(back blade). Plus I have a gravel drive way with 0-2(and half) rocks. Am I just asking for some trouble?

Plowing my driveway sometimes seems to take for ever. I can't believe all the people that think that snow is fun :confused:. Not when it snows every two days, snow banks are 4 feet high, there is barely no more room to put it and winter has not even started yet :eek: (well, now it is)!

So, to make my winter more enjoyable, I decided to (try to) get a snow blower. Read many posts, called MANY dealers and factory and can't find anything available. The thing is "TBN" somehow discourage me from getting one with the reasons that I have previously mentioned.

Who use a snow blower without a cab and enjoys it? Who uses it on a gravel road and haven't cause damages to it? I know there are some tricks to minimize the risks like tilting the blower (3 pt hitch) for the first few storms but that does not prevent from getting rocks from the BB snow banks or from the road Am I just worrying too much again? The last think I would want is to spend 3k on a unit that will continuously break on me and take lots of room in my garage Maybe I read to many posts and heard to many stories :)
 
   / Gravel driveway, snow blower, no cab #2  
I have a 3pt snowblower, Farm King, that I have used and abused for 16 years. (I bought it used so no idea how old it is) Have only broken one shear pin so far. I have put some gravel through it and a couple of two fist size rocks. One of the rocks broke the shear pin, the other rock went through perfectly and looked like a cannon ball flying through the air. Would have been sort of cool to watch except that it was aimed right at someone elses cabin trailer:eek:. It fell short but a little too exciting for a few seconds. One of the drawbacks of doing someone a favour and cleaning a driveway that you haven't seen without the snow cover.
My opinion, tractor mounted snow blowers are built fairly tough and can absorb quite a bit of punishment.
Oh, and I have no cab. You need to pay attention to which way the wind is blowing but otherwise not so bad. If I ever get thinking that I don't like the snow blower I just go pick up a shovel, only takes a few minutes to realise how great that blower is.:D
 
   / Gravel driveway, snow blower, no cab #3  
I'm not from Canada, so I don't really know snow, but I wouldn't let "no cab" stop you.
I have 800' of gravel driveway and a rear snowblower. We just had a week of snow in Eastern Mass and the snowblower worked like a champ.
Yea - you need to dress appropriately. And, as mentioned, try to blow downwind. Blowing upwind is not fun. I wear a winter worksuit thing, and a hat/baclava thing. It all works out.
I like the rear snowblower, because then I can use the FEL in places where that makes more sense.
Once the driveway freezes, or has a pack of snow on it, the gravel thing isn't an issue.
Until then, be a little careful, and accept that a few rocks will go through. If you're lucky, the first snow or two will be only a few inches that you can simply pack down, rather than try to clear.
My driveway is through the woods, so I don't really care what gets thrown off the driveway.
I almost always clear the snow after the storm (going against all snow clearing advice I've ever read). This way, it's nice out, no precip, etc.
With the blower, by adjusting speed, you can clear pretty much anything.
I've never owned a gear tractor, but if I did, I'm not sure I'd like my snowblower. The HST makes the whole thing so much easier.
 
   / Gravel driveway, snow blower, no cab #4  
I absolutely recommend you get a blower for your tractor, with or without a cab ! On my first tractor, i had a 4' wide rear PTO bloer and it worked really well....... ate through anything i backed through. My second tractor was a Kubota with a front blower, and again, it was a snow eating machine ! I have been completely happy with the performance of both machines. I will say that i absolutely loved the front mounted blower, and from there on out there was no looking back(pun intended :D) ! There is a technique to it...... you will always want to blow with the wind. Getting a faceful of snow will take your breath away. Being on dirt can be a bit of a challenge, but as long as you keep the shoes adjusted down, especially till the ground is frozen. Keep the correct sheer bolts in place so they work as they are desingned. Some members here have even mounted small casters to their blowers to keep them just slightly above the ground. No matter what...... i assure you you will be greatly impressed with how easy snow removal becomes with a blower..... front or rear. Fun(????)..... yes. Especially if you can wait till the weather and wind are to your advantage.:)
 
   / Gravel driveway, snow blower, no cab
  • Thread Starter
#5  
I have a 3pt snowblower, Farm King, that I have used and abused for 16 years. (I bought it used so no idea how old it is)

16+ years and one shear pin!!! :cool: That's what I need!! I'm starting to get my snow blower eager back!! Which is not all that good since I can't find one... Too much snow around here!
 
   / Gravel driveway, snow blower, no cab
  • Thread Starter
#6  
For those who bought it new, can you get it out of the box and install it or the dealer must be involved to cut the shaft or something like that? Yes I'm talking about a rear model...

Can you easely switch from blower to blade?

Does it worth using the rear blade at all (other than the first few fall)?

Are you getting the blower out for an inch or two?
 
   / Gravel driveway, snow blower, no cab #7  
Hello all and Merry Christmas to all of you fellas
I dress in a winter suit with a bellaclava, goggles to go over my eye glasses good winter gloves,boots etc.
I then go out and Kick Butt and have a ball doing it
Use common sense and it is not a chore but a task that is easily done every time
Regards
DGS
 
   / Gravel driveway, snow blower, no cab #8  
For those who bought it new, can you get it out of the box and install it or the dealer must be involved to cut the shaft or something like that? Yes I'm talking about a rear model...
Ihad to cut my own.The shaft will be different lengths for different tractors Im sure if you take your tractor to the dealer thell do it ,if you cant.


Can you easely switch from blower to blade?
YOUcould but why would you want to?


Does it worth using the rear blade at all (other than the first few fall)?
Ihave one ,ill never use it again now i have a blower


Are you getting the blower out for an inch or two?

sure ,cleanup time is quick ,use high gear


At the risk of being flamed,WATCH OUT FOR THE METEOR BRAND.They are having severe gearbox issues lately .There is a post on this here on TBN
ALAN
 
   / Gravel driveway, snow blower, no cab #9  
I have a rear snowblower, a half mile gravel drive and have never sheared a pin. As you say, you can stay a little off the surface with the tph ...and, adjust the shoes to full depth. As for the wind, with a rear blower, how about a piece of plastic (rigid, or sheet) jury-rigged to your ROPS? On a long driveway, snowblower is only answer as to where to put lots of snow.

Instructions about how to cut the PTO shaft are pretty straightforward
 
   / Gravel driveway, snow blower, no cab
  • Thread Starter
#10  
Hi Alan, Yup, I seen that post about "a" brand with serious gear box problems and I can tell you that is probably the post which turned me down the most. Not just the guy's problems but all the: did you do this and did you do that. I couldn't believe all the little details that could potentially arm your unit.

Thanks for all your responses!

Now I'm getting back to the point of how I should control my chute. Is manual works well? I don't have any exit other than the back-hoe hoses and I don't think that I can use this for a hydraulic chute control. And if I go with manual, can I still have a "rear wind shield"? (Probably not)

I know I can weld on the ROPS (as per the manual) but can I drill holes?

If only my dealer would be closer I could ask him all those questions but at the same time, I think they sale great machines but don't necessarily used them... it's not the case here!
 
 
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