Help The Newbie. Used B7800/New Front Blower

[trf215]

Ok, I'm new to this site as of today and don't know much of anything about tractors so I sure would appreciate some help.

I have a 600' "s" shaped uphill gravel (not much gravel left) driveway. The driveway is located at the top of an open hill overlooking a valley in central NY. To put it mildly the wind can be brutal and some days causes large hard packed snow drifts that you would think was sand. To top it off about 30 feet near the top of the driveway is prone to icing. (But it really is a nice place to live in the summer.)

I plowed with a SUV which worked reasonably well except for the damage to the driveway and yard plus in bad winters my driveway looked like a bobsled run. Well, a few days ago my mechanic advised me it was time to retire my SUV so I am giving serious thought to buying a tractor with a heated cab and front blower.

I've done some quick research and like the used Kubota B7800s. I found a local dealer with a used 2003 B7800, hydro, 30 hp., with 100 hours on it, LDR, and a heated Curtis cab, for $15,500. The tractor was used by local school district. The dealer also quoted me a list price of $5,357 on an in stock front mount Kubota 51" high capacity snowblower. Here's the price breakdown: snowblower - $2,735, hydraulic chute rotator - $764, quick hitch - $1044, mid PTO driveling kit - $620, and front half PTO driveline kit - $194. The dealer offered to give it to me for an installed price of $4,500.

So what do you think? Are the prices for the tractor and snowblower reasonable? Do you think the tractor/snowblower could tackle my driveway? Should I fill the tractor tires and/or get chains? Also, as freezing slush is a big problem in March, would the snowblower get low enough to blow the slush out? The main thing I'm concerned about is reliability. The last two winters I had my SUV breakdown in the middle of snowstorms and as you can imagine it was very ugly. I also don't know if this matters but right now I can only leave the tractor outside in the winter. I assume that's no big deal.

I need to make a decision on this fairly soon as snow will be here before you know it and I want to hunt the rest of deer season with some piece of mind.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[crbr]

Ok, I'm new to this site as of today and don't know much of anything about tractors so I sure would appreciate some help.

I have a 600' "s" shaped uphill gravel (not much gravel left) driveway. The driveway is located at the top of an open hill overlooking a valley in central NY. To put it mildly the wind can be brutal and some days causes large hard packed snow drifts that you would think was sand. To top it off about 30 feet near the top of the driveway is prone to icing. (But it really is a nice place to live in the summer.)

I plowed with a SUV which worked reasonably well except for the damage to the driveway and yard plus in bad winters my driveway looked like a bobsled run. Well, a few days ago my mechanic advised me it was time to retire my SUV so I am giving serious thought to buying a tractor with a heated cab and front blower.

I've done some quick research and like the used Kubota B7800s. I found a local dealer with a used 2003 B7800, hydro, 30 hp., with 100 hours on it, LDR, and a heated Curtis cab, for $15,500. The tractor was used by local school district. The dealer also quoted me a list price of $5,357 on an in stock front mount Kubota 51" high capacity snowblower. Here's the price breakdown: snowblower - $2,735, hydraulic chute rotator - $764, quick hitch - $1044, mid PTO driveling kit - $620, and front half PTO driveline kit - $194. The dealer offered to give it to me for an installed price of $4,500.

So what do you think? Are the prices for the tractor and snowblower reasonable? Do you think the tractor/snowblower could tackle my driveway? Should I fill the tractor tires and/or get chains? Also, as freezing slush is a big problem in March, would the snowblower get low enough to blow the slush out? The main thing I'm concerned about is reliability. The last two winters I had my SUV breakdown in the middle of snowstorms and as you can imagine it was very ugly. I also don't know if this matters but right now I can only leave the tractor outside in the winter. I assume that's no big deal.

I need to make a decision on this fairly soon as snow will be here before you know it and I want to hunt the rest of deer season with some piece of mind.

Thanks again for the help.

Prices look fair enough. The B7800 (with a heated cab) will serve you well. The Kubota at 100 hours is still new. Consider an inline heater for the engine (it may already have one) and preheat about half an hour before use (in the cold). Chains on all 4 wheels will suffice nicely. In addition, I'd fill the tires without a second thought.

Welcome aboard.

 

[ChuckinNH]

For just a hair more, or perhaps for the same price I would get the 63" blower for that tractor. The 51" isn't as wide as the tractor. Otherwise it looks OK.

 

[irvingj]

If I can do my 250' of driveway, even through slush, drifts (not as big as yours), iced-up road plow ridges, uphill, over ice, with 23 hp.....

That B7800 ought to have no problems at all! The heated cab sounds real nice to us "outsiders," too....

You'll really appreciate the "no ridges" aspect of a blower as well. ChuckinNH is right- blower ought to be at least as wide as the tractor.

 

[ronjhall]

Look at the B2782 60" blower. A better fit for the B7800's 59" rear tire width with other than R-1 ag tires

 

[rpraymond]

trf215
I too live on a hill in central NY and what you describe is exactly my situation. For years I plowed my gravel driveway. It took hours to move the early seasons snowfall back to be ready for whatever snow we were going to get. Plus the gravel on the lawn in the spring. It worked but it wasn't the greatest situation. Then I got a tractor with a rear mounted blower and unheated cab. That was a big improvement in both time and damage to the lawn. Three years ago I decided to treat myself to a front mounted blower with a heated cab. In a word, fabulous! You will really, really like that set-up over plowing. Drifts are no longer a big deal as you can just work right through them. I have one slightly uphill section that will ice up on occasion and with FWD I have never needed chains. For years my driveway was low on gravel with a crown in the middle but the nice thing about having a tractor is I had stone delivered and with a grading scraper on the back the driveway is now level and smooth.
I think that the set-up you're looking at would work just fine.
The snows coming!
Hope this helps and if you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask.
Good luck.

 

[easygo]

The other thing I would say that since you will have the front blower, you could look into getting a sand/salt spreader for the rear of the tractor. On the B7800 you can engage the front and rear PTO's independently from each other. It will allow you to blow the snow and when done just make a pass with the salt. Ask the dealer if one or another spreader would work better for that. When not in use clean and oil that puppy because it will rust terribly.

I would join the others in saying get the larger snowblower.

 

[Ductape]

Like Chuck and Ron said........... get the B2782 blower instead of the 51 incher. Its much heavier, and is wider than your tractor (which is what you want). Honestly...... i think they are a tad high on the price of the tractor, but in the ballpark on the blower set-up. You will love snow removal with that set-up....... you'll be shootin it 40 feet off to the side. If icing is an issue, get some chains on the back..... which may require the rear wheel spacer kit to fit the chains. With that tractor and the 2782 blower, you'll be praying for more snow !!

 

[lawn_king]

Does the tractor come with a fel?

 

[crbr]

.......... I found a local dealer with a used 2003 B7800, hydro, 30 hp., with 100 hours on it, LDR, .....

Does the tractor come with a fel?

............