Challenging Driveway, going to buy a tractor

   / Challenging Driveway, going to buy a tractor #1  

lubepimp

Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2014
Messages
43
Location
Ontario
Tractor
JD X320, Kioti DK40SE HST
Hello, I've been browsing TBN for a few weeks now, lots of great information helping me make a decision on a tractor purchase. But I'm still spinning my wheels trying to determine what the best set-up will be for clearing my driveway.

It's asphalt, about 500 meters long on a 6 degree average grade, cut into a side hill, so it is steep going up and going down on either side of the drive. At the top it's a 180 turn to the parking area at the house. For years I've been clearing with my 4-wheeler and 4 ft blade, which works fine until the banks get too big and unmovable - i.e. this year's snow volume with the ice storm dropped in the middle of it. I also need to clear and area on my yard at the end of the drive so I can pull-in with my snowmobile trailer and back up by the house.

I'm still unsure of Tractor make/model, probably going with a min. 28 hp and considering up to a 40. Will be using the loader and a backhoe for landscaping and other chores (10 acre property) but primary concern is clearing snow.

Front-mount blower - I would rather not spend the money
Rear-mount blower - would rather not have to be turned around
Rear-mount pull blower??

My question on any blowers is how well do they scrape up on asphalt? We always run into the issue of tire tracks getting frozen to the asphalt and becoming ice, and with such a narrow space there isn't much play in where we can out our tires to get up the driveway. Would a rear-mount clean enough that this should be minimal, after the tractor has run down the drive?

I'll be getting a front -mount plow for the "quick and easy" days (or would the loader be sufficient??).

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!

Cheers,
Tyler
 
   / Challenging Driveway, going to buy a tractor #2  
They make a front mount blower for the sub compact GC2400 massey and a broom that mounts in the same place that would get it clean. They do cost $$$ and I know that matters. Mine pushes with a blade up hill pretty well so :2cents:
 
   / Challenging Driveway, going to buy a tractor #3  
My situation is similar to yours. The one thing you didn't mention was how much snow you get. I have to snow blow 30 to 50 times a year (5 to 9 meters per year). I have a front blower, heated cab, hydraulic control for the chute rotator and an electric control for the chute angle control. I don't have to leave the tractor once I start blowing, until I clean it off when I am done. For me snow blowing is a lot of fun. The nastier the weather, the more fun it is. If I had a rear blower, manual chute rotator and chute angle control on an open station tractor, it would be one of those jobs I have to do, but I would hate it. If I didn't have to snow blow very often, I could tolerate the pain.

A tractor and snow blower will last a long time, so if you amortize the cost of a unit like mine over many trips, the cost isn't that much more and the pleasure is greater. My Kubota has 30 hp and is way more than adequate for my needs. Why would you want a plow for "quick and easy" days? My driveway is a little longer than yours and from the time I start the tractor until I am finished cleaning it up and put away usually is around 45 minutes. Rather than buying the plow and a blower, buy a cabbed rig like mine. Cleaning a driveway with a bucket is going to be much slower than a blower.

Below is my tractor in action:

 
   / Challenging Driveway, going to buy a tractor
  • Thread Starter
#4  
My situation is similar to yours. The one thing you didn't mention was how much snow you get. I have to snow blow 30 to 50 times a year (5 to 9 meters per year). I have a front blower, heated cab, hydraulic control for the chute rotator and an electric control for the chute angle control. I don't have to leave the tractor once I start blowing, until I clean it off when I am done. For me snow blowing is a lot of fun. The nastier the weather, the more fun it is. If I had a rear blower, manual chute rotator and chute angle control on an open station tractor, it would be one of those jobs I have to do, but I would hate it. If I didn't have to snow blow very often, I could tolerate the pain.

A tractor and snow blower will last a long time, so if you amortize the cost of a unit like mine over many trips, the cost isn't that much more and the pleasure is greater. My Kubota has 30 hp and is way more than adequate for my needs. Why would you want a plow for "quick and easy" days? My driveway is a little longer than yours and from the time I start the tractor until I am finished cleaning it up and put away usually is around 45 minutes. Rather than buying the plow and a blower, buy a cabbed rig like mine. Cleaning a driveway with a bucket is going to be much slower than a blower.

Below is my tractor in action:


This past year I was out every other day, the worst it's been here in many years. I understand how many people would want a cab, but I prefer to be out in the elements, including the cold and snow. My thinking on the plow is that when we only get an inch or so is that it will take more time to blow than it will to plow, + I have the impression that a blower won't scrape up the snow right to the asphalt? This is critical on my driveway as it is barely one lane wide and a pretty severe grade (9 degree for part of it, 6 for the rest), anything left behind can turn to ice then the ladies in my life can't get their cars up the driveway. I prefer not to salt if I don't have to. I need/want the blower because there's a large hill going up on the left of the drive, even bigger hill going down on the other suide, therefore once we have enough snow I have nowhere to put it with the plow.

So I'm thinking even on big/medium merits blowing days, I'll probably need to scrape afterwards regardless?
 
   / Challenging Driveway, going to buy a tractor #5  
Front snowblowers have wear blades that will get down to the concrete. Don't know how rear ones work. Mine was raised up so I could ride an a few inches of ice, but if I allow the wear bar to drag, it will be as clean as a front blade. 500 meters will be childs play with a snowblower for speed.

I also would not have a rear mounted snowblower unless it was super cheap and I could mount a camera or a bunch of mirrors on my tractor so I wouldn't have to turn around.
 
   / Challenging Driveway, going to buy a tractor #6  
Front snowblowers have wear blades that will get down to the concrete. Don't know how rear ones work. Mine was raised up so I could ride an a few inches of ice, but if I allow the wear bar to drag, it will be as clean as a front blade. 500 meters will be childs play with a snowblower for speed.

I also would not have a rear mounted snowblower unless it was super cheap and I could mount a camera or a bunch of mirrors on my tractor so I wouldn't have to turn around.

Walk behind snowblowers have adjustable wear blades and skid shoes, as well. I don't know if every model has one, but mine have.
 
   / Challenging Driveway, going to buy a tractor #7  
1) You don't want to pay the price for a front blower.
2) You don't want to use a rear mount blower because you don't want to turn around.
To me, that rules out a snow blower on the tractor.
3) I plowed my driveway for the last 10 years using the loader bucket on a 26HP Mahindra plowing in mid range. It worked great with the exception of picking up gravel while plowing. ( i have a gravel drive, you won't have that problem). I now have a 36.5HP LS XR3037HC Cab tractor with a 7'6" snow pusher blade. I also use chains on all four tires. A heated cab is very nice when it's 10 deg F.

If you get a tractor with quick attach bucket setup you could swap out the bucket for a QA plow.
I think you are looking in the right range (28-40HP). Having a backhoe will give you plenty of weight on the rear for traction.
I think any brand of tractor in your HP range will get the job done for you.
Keep shopping
 
   / Challenging Driveway, going to buy a tractor #8  
My situation is similar to yours. The one thing you didn't mention was how much snow you get. I have to snow blow 30 to 50 times a year (5 to 9 meters per year). I have a front blower, heated cab, hydraulic control for the chute rotator and an electric control for the chute angle control. I don't have to leave the tractor once I start blowing, until I clean it off when I am done. For me snow blowing is a lot of fun. The nastier the weather, the more fun it is. If I had a rear blower, manual chute rotator and chute angle control on an open station tractor, it would be one of those jobs I have to do, but I would hate it. If I didn't have to snow blow very often, I could tolerate the pain.

A tractor and snow blower will last a long time, so if you amortize the cost of a unit like mine over many trips, the cost isn't that much more and the pleasure is greater. My Kubota has 30 hp and is way more than adequate for my needs. Why would you want a plow for "quick and easy" days? My driveway is a little longer than yours and from the time I start the tractor until I am finished cleaning it up and put away usually is around 45 minutes. Rather than buying the plow and a blower, buy a cabbed rig like mine. Cleaning a driveway with a bucket is going to be much slower than a blower.

Below is my tractor in action:


I couldn't agree more with the above statements , I had an open station for 25yrs. rear blower (84 inch) front bucket . , not anymore . If your worried about getting close enough to the pavement, snowblow first and then get a rear mounted scraper blade to get even closer , I have seen others do that .
 
   / Challenging Driveway, going to buy a tractor
  • Thread Starter
#9  
1) You don't want to pay the price for a front blower.
2) You don't want to use a rear mount blower because you don't want to turn around.
To me, that rules out a snow blower on the tractor.
3) I plowed my driveway for the last 10 years using the loader bucket on a 26HP Mahindra plowing in mid range. It worked great with the exception of picking up gravel while plowing. ( i have a gravel drive, you won't have that problem). I now have a 36.5HP LS XR3037HC Cab tractor with a 7'6" snow pusher blade. I also use chains on all four tires. A heated cab is very nice when it's 10 deg F.

If you get a tractor with quick attach bucket setup you could swap out the bucket for a QA plow.
I think you are looking in the right range (28-40HP). Having a backhoe will give you plenty of weight on the rear for traction.
I think any brand of tractor in your HP range will get the job done for you.
Keep shopping

Actually points 1 and 2 led me to thinking about apull-type. Now that I have cut grass a couple times this year, I realize that going backwards with a standard rear-mount won't beso bad...I blow the clippings from the driveway by backing down with the riding mower.
 
   / Challenging Driveway, going to buy a tractor
  • Thread Starter
#10  
I couldn't agree more with the above statements , I had an open station for 25yrs. rear blower (84 inch) front bucket . , not anymore . If your worried about getting close enough to the pavement, snowblow first and then get a rear mounted scraper blade to get even closer , I have seen others do that .

That's kind of what I'm thinking, just in the opposite driving direction...less $ and as mentioned I'm not concerned about a cab right now.
 
 
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