Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Snow Tricks and Tips

[SnowSeb]

Anyone have trick on how they like to move that white stuff? How do you prepare your tractor for winter? Stories about what not to do?

 

[beenthere]

I move it with a 7' western plow on the front of my Deere 4300. To prepare, I just mount the plow after the first snow. Takes about 5-10 minutes, if I don't hurry. Drop the FEL and roll the plow over to the front of the tractor.

I don't leave things laying around that will get covered with snow such that I don't see them and run over them during a snow storm.

 

[MikePA]

Since I use the FEL, there's nothing on the tractor that needs prepared, except plugging in the block heater the night before snow is forecast. I also walk the areas I know I will be plowing to be sure there's nothing laying around that could cause a problem.

 

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

Switching to winter mode takes a bit of time for me, lets see.

1. Remove 60"mmm clean and store for the winter, about an hour.
2. Take off the turf tires and put on the bar tires, about 15 minutes.
3. Add 3 pt Puma 54" snowblower and FEL, about 10 minutes
4. Add homemade cab, about 30 minutes.

Add say an hour for the wife to ask you to do something while you are "working" on the tractor. Perhaps another hour or so for the kids to be driven to soccer, band, friends house, and a few phone calls, etc, etc and this turns out to be an entire Saturday project! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Now all I have to do is wait for the snow to fly, which after the wet cool summer we had here in NJ, the BX may see a lot of snow clearing seat time. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[chim]

Not too much preparation:
1. Put the RFM in Mom's barn (a mile down the road).

2. Mount the 6' rear scraper blade.

3. Mount the FEL.

4. Pray for snow.

My paved driveway is about 300' long, and there's another gravel spur that is around 200' long for access to the shed and propane tank. Ever since we built here 15 years ago, I have been planning to put markers along the gravel driveway. Never get around to it. The paved one is straight and easy to locate regardless of how much snow we get, but the gravel drive has a curve and disappears under 6" of snow. Maybe this year I'll mark it before the first snow.................chim

 

[Egon]

A neighbour out at the farm simply loads up his P/U and goes to florida to go fishing. He returns when the leaves return.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[bczoom]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Ever since we built here 15 years ago, I have been planning to put markers along the gravel driveway.)</font>

I guess it sort of applies to the subject but a couple things on the driveway markers.
If possible, get the aluminum stakes instead of fiberglass. The latter have a tendency to splinter after a couple years which gets hard on the hands.
When I put them in, I put into the ground about a foot away from the driveway and press in so their tilted towards the driveway. This allows the blade to get under a little so you can remove buildup. Also, if something/someone coming down the driveway does hit it, they're only catching the reflector and not knocking the whole thing over. The whole thing just bounces back. (On corners, I've caught the FEL a couple times.)

 

[LBrown59]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( </font><font color="blueclass=small">( Ever since we built here 15 years ago, I have been planning to put markers along the gravel driveway.)</font>

I guess it sort of applies to the subject but a couple things on the driveway markers.
If possible, get the aluminum stakes instead of fiberglass. The latter have a tendency to splinter after a couple years which gets hard on the hands.
When I put them in, I put into the ground about a foot away from the driveway and press in so their tilted towards the driveway. This allows the blade to get under a little so you can remove buildup. Also, if something/someone coming down the driveway does hit it, they're only catching the reflector and not knocking the whole thing over. The whole thing just bounces back. (On corners, I've caught the FEL a couple times.) )</font>
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I have several 3 foot 2x2 stakes with a spike driven in ths top of the stake cemented in 1 2 and 3 pound coffie cans. and several 10 or 12 foot lengths of yellow plastic chain.

I simply place the stakes along the drive way where needed and hook the yellow chain over the nails.
This way I know where the edge of the driveway is when it snows.
This prevents me from shoving slag into the yard.
What I like about this system is I take It down when winter ends and I don't have to mow and drive the tractor around a bunch of markers during the summer.
If I happen to hit a stake or a chain it's no big deal just get off the tractor and set the stake back up and re hook the chain to the spike.

 

[Freds]

That's a good tip bczoom. This year I'll tilt them in towards the driveway. I usually put them about 2' from the edge and straight up and down, but I'll get a few people that will hug one side rather than driving down the middle and I'll have ruts in the grass come spring. It'll just take some getting used to from me. I hate seeing things that aren't level or plumb. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I use an old screwdriver hammered into the ground to give me a hole for my fiberglass refelectors. No splinters yet...

 

[MossRoad]

First I put on some thermal underwear! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Then I go out to the shed, open the doors and drive this thing out. Click for Pic.

Click for Pic 2.

A front mounted 6 way power angle snow blade works great. I highly recommend them. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif