I live in VT and can throw in a little experience as well. I have a gravel drive that is about 400 feet long. It is sloped from the house up to the road.
Tractor #1 Challenger 28 hp 4wd loaded tires and tire chains. I bought a rear blade. I tried it going forward. Snow piled up so fast I had to go turn around to push it out of the driveway. I tried it going backwards and it worked great. At least until the back pain started... watch out for maintaining an awkward position during operation. Found a deal on an old 8 foot fisher plow. This was mounted on the fel and we tapped in the hydraulics which controlled the curl of the bucket. The inexpensive way to add to the hydraulics, should have used a switch or hooked up to remotes. The plow was a little heavy, but not a safety concern. Large (12" or more snow falls) would push the tractor to either side when the plow was angled. Front tire chains may have put too much torque on things and something will give. Otherwise it worked very well.
Tractor #2 upgraded for BH and a little more capacity. Challenger 33 HP 4wd tires were NOT loaded and started the winter without tire chains. I used a box blade with cinder blocks for rear ballast and the same plow as above. This tractor had two remotes, one to the front and one stayed at the rear. I plowed once with it and ordered tire chains. I could barely make the hill to plow down hill (which was not a problem). Everything worked well with the chains on.
Tracotr #3 upgraded because lost customer support for the Challenger and customer support for Kubota (KX121 and for ON SITE repair of the above Challenger) to include a step in tractor size. We went with Grand
L4240 with no BH, toothed bar on the bucket, loaded tires, two rear remotes, and front remote. Also changed from the previous R4 tires to R1 tires. This is where we should have gone to start. The R1 tires were a huge improvement in tractor. I was able to reuse the tire chains from the last tractor (never took them off this summer either). We also picked up a used snow blower for the tractor about 1800 if I recall. Unfortunately it was later in the winter and I only used it twice. But is was great moving snow around the sugar house which had been there all winter. It is almost too easy to just be finished in a couple of passes with no need to push back a bank. I will still use the plow in light snow fall to move the majority of the snow to the down hill side of the drive and then blow it into the field.
Sorry for the long post, but you can see how the weight of the tractors, R4 vs R1, and chains can impact your need. Shop for used tire chains, watch your back with the rear blade, careful when pushing, and look for a deal you cannot pass up on the snowblower. It is worth it and sorry for the long post.
I will have to agree a cab with a front mounted blower would make it too easy.
Mike
. I am thinking about getting wheel weights also, not sure if I will purchase the ones you pour your own concrete into or just get the ones that are already weighted? Does anyone have any experience with these? Thanks, KC
