Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Mid Atlantic Snow storm, words of wisdom?

[srs]

I am curious what you people who aren't used to moving big snow around learned from events of the last week?

Steve, First off this storm really battered this area and we are not used to it. The winds really made things bad too. I used my cabbed B3030 with loaded turfs and front end loader. I started out using the FEL mounted blade but then it got too deep so I switched to the bucket. I was so impressed with this machine. It really went through the white stuff. Only when it got about 3 feet high from the blowing did I have to shovel from side to side. This did take some time. I never got it hung up either. The heater worked terrific with me undressing down to a flannel shirt. Never got cold once and I listened to the radio the whole time. It was interesting going out in the middle of the storm and the weather not affecting me at all. What I learned from this storm is that unless you stay with it constantly the drifting will really slow you down. A snowblower would have been the answer but I did get a good bit of seat time. Unless we get storms like this again I can't see spending the money for a snowblower. We just don't get these storms and I had fun going out during the height of it.

 

[RRacing]

Keep a bag or 2 of salt on the tractor. I have a 960 ft drive that has a 18 percent grade with a 180 degree wrap. as soon as the snow is off of it or close to . It turns into a sheet of ice and even with filled R4 tires in 4 wd gravity seems to win !

 

[jdonovan]

30" of snow and a Kubota BX are not well matched to each other.

5' rear blade works fine for small snows where I can drive over the snow and let the blade move it to the side. Once we get into snow too deep to drive over and I have to 'push' then the rear of the BX is too light and gets pushed to the side by the blade pressing against the snow. Even with chains on all 4 wheels.

As a few others have said many small passes are better than one when the storm is big.

Pushing snow breaks things and anything dropped is gone till spring... have spares. I've had a few pins pop off of hitch pins while moving snow and didn't notice until the blade came off the hitch.

Blades make for large drifts at the edge of your driveway. Early in the storm plow MUCH wider than you think you need to so you have somewhere to put the rest of the snow.

 

[Todd_C]

I live just about a mile off the pavement and after the first 18" snow on 12-18, I ordered chains for my TC40. This is the best decision I made. If I had not put chains on my tractor it would still be stuck. I currently have about 24" on the ground. I don't have anything like Maryland and DC, but it has snowed here almost daily for the past 7 days. We also had 50 mph plus wind for three days. I had several snow drifts over three feet. My 6' rear blade is useless in snow over 10". I have also learned to push all of the snow off the road and not let it build up causing a narrow roadway. This happened and I found that I could not use the blade to move the snow because my tractor would loose traction and slide sideways.

My FEL has been the most important attachment that I own. I have used it to push the mounds of snow off the road and to stack the snow in piles. I used the FEL to curl my tractor out of a drift when the front tires disappeared in the white poo. The chains have kept me from sliding off several steep drives in the homeowners' association. R4 tires are useless in heavy snow in my opinion and without chains I would have been stuck in the garage. My ATV wouldn't even make it out of the garage.

I may consider a snow blower attachment for next year.

 

[Gittyup]

I moved the first 28" all at once with my little JD425. For its size, it sure is a snow moving little booger. Then on this last 24" blast, I did go at it three times. Mainly, because after the first storm last Saturday, there was no place to push any more snow. I had to pile it to one side and then push it all into the street.

I did help out the county. I plowed our street and culdesac.

I didn't learn anything new from these snows. But, it has made me rethink getting a blower fo my bigger tractor. Next time I see one listed on Craigslist for a good price, I might just get it, even if it won't get used that much.

Around here, a blower is slower than simple plowing, most winters. We just don't usually get this kind of snow where you need to blow it far away.

I was worried about my recently built leanto (in photo) on the back of the barn because it is very flat. But, I guess I built it strong enough. If it survives this, I think it'll be good to go for just about anything. Now the barn itself sure is bearing quite a load.

 

[riptides]

I found out I really dontt like seat time in the winter. I clocked two eight hour days and a four hour day moving snow.

I have always wanted a bigger 'bota and 50 inches of snow agrees with that need.

 

[riptides]

I am curious what you people who aren't used to moving big snow around learned from events of the last week?

For big snows, stake your driveway out so you can find it.


I cleared some grass.

 

[LBrown59]

I found out I really don't like seat time in the winter.

Seat time in the winter isn't .

 

[jdgreg]

None of these are recently learned, except for number 1, but I thought they may help someone.

1. If you dont have chains on all 4, get them, you will need them sooner or later. I would rather have them and not need them, than need them and not have them.

2. Push the snow drift after plowing as far back from the road as possible, and keep pushing it back.

3. Sometimes cant get around this, but dont pile snow up wind. The resulting drifts can be huge.

4. Dont wait till the storm is over before plowing, keep working at it, and pay attention to #2 above when doing so.

5. Make friends with a neighbor that has a larger tractor, you may need his help, see #2 above.

6. I wil be buying a snow blower this summer. I may never have to use it again, but if I do, I wont have to worry about the drifts piling up on me or the snow that I cant push back off the drive.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

None of these are recently learned, except for number 1, but I thought they may help someone.

1. If you dont have chains on all 4, get them, you will need them sooner or later. I would rather have them and not need them, than need them and not have them.

2. Push the snow drift after plowing as far back from the road as possible, and keep pushing it back.

3. Sometimes cant get around this, but dont pile snow up wind. The resulting drifts can be huge.

4. Dont wait till the storm is over before plowing, keep working at it, and pay attention to #2 above when doing so.

5. Make friends with a neighbor that has a larger tractor, you may need his help, see #2 above.

6. I wil be buying a snow blower this summer. I may never have to use it again, but if I do, I wont have to worry about the drifts piling up on me or the snow that I cant push back off the drive.

#2 above is a big key. I'm writing from the great white northwest (Idaho), so the application may be different than the Mid Atlantic, but I've learned that if there's any driveway or path that I'm going to maybe need at all in the winter, I need to keep it open from the first snow fall. Trying to plow a path for the first time when there's old snow covered by new snow over melted and iced over snow is a chore.

I have a neighboor that every January asks me very nicely if I can clear a path for him to get his motorhome out from behind his house. It's about 350 yards. I should learn and just start plowing the path in October when the first snow comes.