Buying Advice Small Tractor For Snow Removal?

[Baby Grand]

If you are looking at contracting work like clearing sidewalks, where narrow width is a requirement, I'd look at a Holder.
I say I'd take a look, if not to buy, then just to get an idea of what the "gold standard" is.
It's got a cab and it looks like it's low enough to fit through a 7' door.
They are insanely expensive, new, yet there's still a market for them - so they must be doing something right.
http://www.tractorhouse.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=9226271
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKlL-cKVty0
Holder Tractors: Detail

 

[mpham]

I have a 6 foot plow on the front of my ck20 and a 54 inch blower on the rear. It handles all the snow we get here with no problem. Up to 18 inches per storm with one 31 incher overnight. I go out every 8-10 inches or half way thru the storm if it is a known height. No chains but do have turf tires.

 

[Sprinklerman]

The problem is travel , I have a bx 24 and a 1925 New holland . I use them in the snow , only when necessary . I do driveways and parking lots with a truck and a plow , faster , and warmer . The tractors are used for stacking and my nephew takes one to do driveways in 1 neighborhood close to my shop .

 

[silvertramp]

The problem is travel , I have a bx 24 and a 1925 New holland . I use them in the snow , only when necessary . I do driveways and parking lots with a truck and a plow , faster , and warmer . The tractors are used for stacking and my nephew takes one to do driveways in 1 neighborhood close to my shop .

Just the way I feel about it. No traveling for me, but I break everything out with my beater plow truck. Tractor is used for cleaning up around the house, etc. I only plow with the tractor if the truck is down.

 

[crashz]

The fastest and cheapest way to do this is buy a separate plow truck. You should find a reasonable 3/4 ton truck for $4-6K and add a plow. Plow with the storms. Have a buddy as a back-up in case the plow truck goes down or rig up your other truck as a back-up.

Unless your clients are all in the same neighborhood, driving a tractor or trailering will be a real hassle. Especially into the season when the snow banks are tall (can't see you) and the roads are narrow (can't avoid you).

Doing driveways can be profitable if they are grouped together and you can plow with the storm. But call backs when the town pushes snow in the driveway or the clients move their cars are annoying and eliminate your profit. For those reasons I used to charge per storm and any following visit.

For guys doing big commercial lots - Bigger tractors (100HP+) are cheaper than frontend loaders and can push a big snow pusher. In these cases, the tractors are much better than pick-ups.

 

[VTland2clear]

The fastest and cheapest way to do this is buy a separate plow truck. You should find a reasonable 3/4 ton truck for $4-6K and add a plow. Plow with the storms. Have a buddy as a back-up in case the plow truck goes down or rig up your other truck as a back-up.

Unless your clients are all in the same neighborhood, driving a tractor or trailering will be a real hassle. Especially into the season when the snow banks are tall (can't see you) and the roads are narrow (can't avoid you).

Doing driveways can be profitable if they are grouped together and you can plow with the storm. But call backs when the town pushes snow in the driveway or the clients move their cars are annoying and eliminate your profit. For those reasons I used to charge per storm and any following visit.

For guys doing big commercial lots - Bigger tractors (100HP+) are cheaper than frontend loaders and can push a big snow pusher. In these cases, the tractors are much better than pick-ups.

I am glad you mentioned this, because I have been trying to imagine how a FEL on a tractor could help me deal with large snowbanks in the middle of winter. Last winter I had several customers to clear snow for with my F250, as well as family driveways. The banks in VT got very tall, and it became difficult for the plow to get the snow over. Also the stacked banks at the end of the driveways were huge! And not going anywhere.

But I am nervous about hauling my expensive new tractor on winter roads, even just once or twice a season. All my snow work is local, or one town over (our towns are small)

 

[varmint]

Just as an aside, I noticed the mention of Holder articulated "tractors", and man, are they sweet. I could only find two used ones via the internet, both seemed reasonably prices, but since they seem so rare, service or parts for them could turn into something unpleasant. Still, they looked tempting for some work.