Be kind newbie here
So now that the storm has passed, I need to get clearing the driveway. We moved into this house last May, so I was not familiar with any patterns of drifting during storms, and as luck would have it, the tractor is kind of drifted in. Tractor is a Kubota L3240 with FEL, R4 tires that are grooved, sitting in a single car garage. Snow totals for us are about 26 and drifts in front of the garage are about 36-40? So the question is what snow depth can the tractor go through without plowing? My preference would be to drive through the snow to get to the other side of the driveway to start scooping and depositing the snow in the grass area, but I知 not sure it would make it through. Am I looking at a lot of shoveling before I get out the tractor?
Probably should have gotten out during the storm, but it was crazy windy and what hand shoveling I did in front of the doors was quickly filled back in by wind.
Thanks!
Couple of things,
Your radiator will suck in any loose snow and then over time melt and then refreeze
if its left out-if it plugs up with snow it will overheat.
Is the driveway marked at all?? what kind of slope if any exists off the drive way?
As you are new user to these mules and you have a front end loader:
1. use the loader and scoop the snow out and push it to the side, I will explain why;
a. The act of scooping and pushing it to the side will open up an angled/herringbone
area to both sides of the single path you are opening up.
b. doing it this way prevents you from pulling off the pavement and getting stuck providing
you watch the ground as you push forward.
c. once you have the snow pushed and scooped off to the side you can carry it away and dump it somewhere safe-
meaning an area where you establish snow dump as your going to want to get all that snow away from your driveway as it will melt and freeze.
d. Plan on driving in some 8 foot fence posts to mark the driveway provided its wide enough or invest in some temporary driveway markers They are NOT CHEAP and they break. 8 foot fence posts wont break and you can paint the tops orange to delineate the drive way edge three to five feet away from each side.
Having dealt with deep snow and drifting: you need to start at the garage and pushing it aside and then carrying away where it will not drift back in if you have an area where you can dump the snow providing and only if the ground is solid.
BUT as it is most likely not solid/frozen you need to plan on staying in the middle of the driveway and cleaning to the end of the driveway and then opening it up wider when you have it opened to the end.
I do not want you to be saddled with calling a tow truck if your ground slopes away from you driveway
Do not let anyone tell you a four wheel drive mule will not get stuck!!!!!! they really get stuck!!!!!!!!!!!!
And as its your first winter DO you really remember what it looks like on either side of the driveway?
Spend a little more time tidying up the way I told you to do it and get used to operating you mule
because that snow is going to be fighting you because its wet and heavy.
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Start your tractor and push the snow back from the overhead door and then park it and let it idle for 20 minutes
and then your hydraulic system will be warm enough to work properly for you.
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About your front end loader and its use:
Steal the cooking spray or use some WD40 to coat the bucket interior before you move out of the garage as the snow is going to stick because the loader is warmer than the snow.
You have to understand that your front end loader will do everything you ask it to do to the point of breaking so lets make sure you understand that.
First, about the gimbal controls- if it has them have spring return to center to control it and eventually they will leak BUT you have to realize that it only takes a light touch to operate your loader.
Second, All you need to do is put the bucket in float and push forward and then lift the boom up all the way and let the snow spill out and just keep doing that and keep doing that until. you have it pushed aside and eventually you will reach the end of the driveway and then you can worry about cleaning up the rest and carrying it away.
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if you can afford it:
If you can afford it invest in an Allied Farm King snow caster for the tractor as the coastal storms are going to get worse and you can always make money clearing snow if you have time.
Having a front end loader and a rear mount snow caster its the best of both worlds for a homeowner and the snow caster will get rid of the snow and prevent the buildup of snow banks which cause more drifting from filling in the open areas.
Been there done that and thats why I have a snow caster, loaded tires and chains on my tractor even though its a small one.
