First storm 2017

[LouNY]

Nice set-up Lou, beautiful machine Have you consider making a set-up platform that you could add a chain to the plow so it would "float" like your rear blade does.

It's a straight SSQA hookup but it does have 2 - 3 inches of float in the pin slop but its a heavy blade, it's 3 feet tall on only an 8 foot width. I have contemplated enlarging the shoe diameters or making a ski type shoe for it.
That a nice setup on your JCB.

 

[shaeff]

You're about an hour and forty minutes north of me. We got the same snow you did, about 4" of wet stuff. I was going to try to plow/blow it off, but since it was so warm yesterday I just ran it over a lot with the cars and it all melted away.

I understand that's not exactly an option for you with that long of a driveway, though. I too, have a gravel driveway. I was hoping for a deep freeze to "set" the gravel but that never happened here either. It's a huge pain. I don't mind snow removal, I DO mind raking gravel back onto the driveway!

 

[deezler]

Well had our first storm of the winter, about 3 - 4 inches. I really dislike the first storms as the driveways not froze and it's a royal pain.
I've heard of people that don't worry about the little storms and let them pack down, unfortunately that's not an option for me, the driveway
is a quarter of a mile uphill, steep uphill

What kind of vehicles (cars) do you have that can't handle 3" of snow though? Maybe instead of plowing, just drive the tractor down and back up (shift over on way back up) to pack down a track?

I was glad we only got one inch here in southeast MI and it's already been cold. But I have a decent hill on my drive also, and only plow for 5"+. The secret is a good set of snow tires for your cars.

 

[LouNY]

What kind of vehicles (cars) do you have that can't handle 3" of snow though? Maybe instead of plowing, just drive the tractor down and back up (shift over on way back up) to pack down a track?

I was glad we only got one inch here in southeast MI and it's already been cold. But I have a decent hill on my drive also, and only plow for 5"+. The secret is a good set of snow tires for your cars.

My truck is a RAM 1500 with studded snows ,my wifes car is an Equinox with studded snows. We could make it up until that 3 inches becomes slick ice and then gets more snow on it,
as I mentioned in my post this driveway has a 25% slope. I have pushed over 12 inches of snow in neutral and still having to use the brakes.
Also once it ices over the only thing that's makes it up is chains or studded tracks

 

[Soldier415]

I feel your pain. Got 5 inches this morning so had to do the first snowblowing of the year. Still coming down so will have to do it again later today

 

[deezler]

My truck is a RAM 1500 with studded snows ,my wifes car is an Equinox with studded snows. We could make it up until that 3 inches becomes slick ice and then gets more snow on it,
as I mentioned in my post this driveway has a 25% slope. I have pushed over 12 inches of snow in neutral and still having to use the brakes.
Also once it ices over the only thing that's makes it up is chains or studded tracks

Gotcha. Nice equipment! Let me ask you something, if you plow most of the snow off, don't you still have a skim coat of snow on the drive? And then if it snows a half inch here or there, doesn't it pack and ice up anyway? Or do you find that plowing it helps it to melt off back to exposed rock? I feel like my shady gravel drive just stays a snow pack regardless, until it gets real warm again and melts off - but I do like to keep it cleared anyway.

I got some karma for my previous response to you and we got 5" here last night. I wasnt gonna plow if it was 3" or less.... but our visitors and deliveries get scared without a cleared road, also, so I instead I was out on the tractor until 11:15 last night, haha.

 

[oosik]

Our first snow was November 5 - - 3 3/4". It had all melted by the 11th. We have had below freezing weather for two weeks now. So when we do get enough snow to plow the driveway will be frozen hard. Won't have to worry about skerfing up the gravel with the rear blade and a soft driveway.

 

[Thomas]

7" plus here and more to come before early morning Wednesday when done.

 

[LouNY]

Evening Soldier415, yes that same storm left me 4-5 inches of snow than it started to rain on so now I have 1 - 3 inches of slush and slop.
Didn't get a chance to do anything with it till now, I may go out after supper may wait to daylight tomorrow and see how it goes.

deezler, yes I normally keep it scraped pretty clean, and I also get a tri-axle load of sand salt mix every other year to sand it with.
If the sun comes out when I have a little gravel showing it will usually draw most of the snow off, my s turns ice up quite a bit
after a while letting it build up and sanding it I'll take the loader down and scrape it down.

And more snow tonight and the rest of week flurries and cold

 

[deezler]

Dang, sounds like a lot of work, man! Do you at least have an awesome view or supreme privacy up atop the hill?

We're getting another 5-8" of fluff here today, should be an easy plow tonight.