Snow Attachments 2 WHEEL DRIVE SNOW BLOWING

[CWFG]

Looking at buying a midsize JD lawn tractor with a blower. Is 2 wheel drive with chains good enough or should I buy 4 wheel drive. Have 8 acres and a fairly hilly 300ft. driveway not paved. Thanks.

 

[oldnslo]

With enough weight on the rear 2 wheel drive will work. 4WD will help but not necessary.

 

[deerseeker001]

Welcome from Wisconsin

 

[Phil48]

I had a 26hp huskvarna lawn tractor with a berco snow blower, with studded chain on all four wheels. It started with only standard chain on the rear, but proved to be inadequate for dirt road (800 yard). I really though I could make it with that setup, but really, it was a fail! I was able to sell everything to a downtown owner with a small diveway, he and I were happy!!! I ended up with a 4wheel drive kioti. I should have bought the Kioti year ago... I know, it's a learning curve...

 

[leonz]

Looking at buying a midsize JD lawn tractor with a blower. Is 2 wheel drive with chains good enough or should I buy 4 wheel drive. Have 8 acres and a fairly hilly 300ft. driveway not paved. Thanks.

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The more power you have the better, saying that the
problem is what you can afford right now.


The larger tractor like the Kioti that Phil48 has will enable you to
purchase a a rear mounted snow blower that will cost you less to
purchase and own as a mule with more power will let you work
with less effort AND strain on the machinery.

Ideally if you have a tractor with loaded rears and snow chains
you will be well ahead.

The big thing is if you have a storm with five foot drifts
the length of you driveway you will never have enough
gasoline on hand to open it up.

With the zero percent financing available even the 23-30 horse bracket diesels
with a JD poly cab are worth the money and the machine will lose very little value.

A higher up front cost hydro tractor with chains and loaded rears with a rear blower
will save you much money over time because a front blower will cost you twice if not
more the cost for the same width rear mount unit and with the hydro transmission
will alow you to simply swivel in the seat to watch the snow disappear from you driveway.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

With a front mount snow blower your really going to unload the weight off of your rear tires when you pick it up. We had an older cub cadet that we ended up getting wheel weights, loading the tires, and putting chains on and it worked fine on the level driveway for a couple years until we upgraded to a 4wd kubota b series. A tractor is just built alot heavier than a lawn mower and is much more versatile. Your budget will most likely determine whats neccessary though.

 

[bigtiller]

Looking at buying a midsize JD lawn tractor with a blower. Is 2 wheel drive with chains good enough or should I buy 4 wheel drive. Have 8 acres and a fairly hilly 300ft. driveway not paved. Thanks.

If you had a paved driveway you could probably get by with a lawn tractor but with gravel, you will be MUCH happier with a 4x4 garden tractor, SCUT or maybe a CUT if the money is available. Two-wheel drive lawn tractors, even with chains, will do a lot of spinning which makes a divot surrounded with rocks that get thrown with the next pass. With the 4x4, there is almost no spinning.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

If you had a paved driveway you could probably get by with a lawn tractor but with gravel, you will be MUCH happier with a 4x4 garden tractor, SCUT or maybe a CUT if the money is available. Two-wheel drive lawn tractors, even with chains, will do a lot of spinning which makes a divot surrounded with rocks that get thrown with the next pass. With the 4x4, there is almost no spinning.

If you have a flat driveway you can get by without chains, Wheel weights and loaded tires make the going much easier as turfs work pretty well in snow already. You really shouldn't be spinning much with chains and a snow blower. If you have hills, I think your going to push your luck without chains at some point. For all the more expensive they are for one axle, they are well worth the peace of mind in the wintertime. Your skid shoes should be adjusted to higher than your thickest typical rock in your driveway. Its not fool proof but until you get a layer over the gravel, unless you wanna turn that blower into a high powered pitching machine, you dont have much choice.

 

[bigtiller]

I guess it all depends on what kind of snow you have. If you live in farm country and have to deal with wind packed snow, you are going to need chains. With 26" or smaller tires, wheel weights look cool, but chains work, they'll get you through the packed snow. You may have to repeatably ram that snow blower into the drift to make the first pass with a light weight lawn tractor. That's why I suggested jumping up to a heaver 4x4, they really make a difference.

 

[CWFG]

This is great information. Thanks to everyone for their comments.