FIRST vENTRAC SNOW EXPERIENCE

[prs]

This is my first season with attachment for snow removal with Ventrac, the big broom. It did a great job yesterday, clean to the pavement and quick too. It was only a light snow, about 1"+ a tad bit and I typically did not mess with it unless more than that when I was using a grader blade on the utility tractor, but I wanted to have it clear for the garbage service.

The only down side I saw was getting the tractor warmed-up. At 6AM it was only 16F outside and the unheated equipment garage thermometer read 18F. The 4500Z's starter was turning it over very sluggishly regardless a full charge on the battery (Deltran Tender had been in use). I think that synthetic Amsoil 10-30 was about the viscosity of Jello. I backed it out of the shed slowly at just above slow idle and let it idle outside at 2,000 RPM waiting for the hydraulic filters to feel warm as directed by the owner's manual -- after 10 minutes it was obviously NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! They were still stone cold.

So I went to work, going easy at 3,200 RPM at first and after a couple of minutes opened her up to git'r done. 15 minutes later and 6/10 mile driveway down and back (elevation change is 120 feet)) plus a large parking area were all clear AND the hydraulic filters just barely warm to touch, like I was expecting before starting work. I hope this tractor is up to cold weather use.

prs

 

[zmountaineer]

This is my first season with attachment for snow removal with Ventrac, the big broom. It did a great job yesterday, clean to the pavement and quick too. It was only a light snow, about 1"+ a tad bit and I typically did not mess with it unless more than that when I was using a grader blade on the utility tractor, but I wanted to have it clear for the garbage service.

The only down side I saw was getting the tractor warmed-up. At 6AM it was only 16F outside and the unheated equipment garage thermometer read 18F. The 4500Z's starter was turning it over very sluggishly regardless a full charge on the battery (Deltran Tender had been in use). I think that synthetic Amsoil 10-30 was about the viscosity of Jello. I backed it out of the shed slowly at just above slow idle and let it idle outside at 2,000 RPM waiting for the hydraulic filters to feel warm as directed by the owner's manual -- after 10 minutes it was obviously NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! They were still stone cold.

So I went to work, going easy at 3,200 RPM at first and after a couple of minutes opened her up to git'r done. 15 minutes later and 6/10 mile driveway down and back (elevation change is 120 feet)) plus a large parking area were all clear AND the hydraulic filters just barely warm to touch, like I was expecting before starting work. I hope this tractor is up to cold weather use.

prs

When it gets real cold you won't be able to move it, let alone raise the attachment. I ran into this problem last year. I had to let it warm up for about 30 minutes and then it would bearly move. My solution this year was to modify my outbuilding door to fit the ventrac with the dual wheels through. Ok, so it's still cold as heck in there. My next solution was to add magnetic block heater to the oil tanks. Unfortunately they are not magnetic! I think they are aluminum. So, I got a couple heat lamps and pointed them at the oil tanks. This morning the tanks were nice and warm.

 

[Old Red]

So I had a sweepster for snow removal on my grasshopper. My apologies for the videographer. But this is the only video I have of it. This was my only snow weapon for one giant (for us anyway) storm back in Feb 2015. Tood me forever to do my 100 yard of concrete driveway. They really shine on 6 inches or less, but the 2 foot snow we had was a bear. I had to scrape the top layer off, then go deeper, until I hate pavement.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Pictures? Please.

 

[Looking4new]

I put a winter front on my Kioti so it would warm up quicker and stay warm. Even after blowing snow for 3 hours it wouldn't get up to operating temps with out one. You just have to keep one eye on the temp gauge.

 

[4570Man]

I put a winter front on my Kioti so it would warm up quicker and stay warm. Even after blowing snow for 3 hours it wouldn't get up to operating temps with out one. You just have to keep one eye on the temp gauge.

Isn't the thermostat supposed to block flow through the radiator until it gets warm?

 

[Looking4new]

Isn't the thermostat supposed to block flow through the radiator until it gets warm?

It is supposed to, but it doesn't and hasn't since day 1. A hunk of cardboard box the same size as the front of the rad works good.

 

[prs]

For me, the engine heated-up well once started, it was the hydraulic filter cases that did not become warm. Operator's manual says to wait for those to warm before working the machine.

I am no photographer, sorry.

prs

 

[Looking4new]

When I worked in the gravel pit back in the '70s the loader operators in winter would warm up the engine, then slowly roll out of the shop and as they were traveling to their areas of operation (huge pit area) they would work the hydraulics, bucket up and down and curl and dump and up and down and curl and dump until everything got working smoothly. I do the very same with my loader and it works to (a) get the hydraulic oil moving and (b) warm it up. I also have the third function couplers on the rear of my tractor and an anti-deadhead hose that runs in a loop from the outlet to the inlet fitting. I kick this into gear as soon as the tractor is running smoothly on a cold start. I define a cold start as any time I start the tractor after an overnight of being shut off.

 

[Peter 315]

Try this in the hyd oil tank to keep it warm, Heated oil dipstick