LT with K46 and Pushing Snow/Dirt

[BillNole]

YouTube - Moving snow with a Steiner

Steiner 420 with the loader moving snow. Full time articulating frame with 4wd. All in the size of a Sub compact.

Steve

Wow, that thing really looks hooked-up pushing through that snow with what appears to be no problem or slipping. Sweet! :drink:

 

[BillNole]

Well, I've had the chance to push a little snow around with the blade over the past few couple of weeks. Too much fun!!! I cobbled up a bracket to check it out and it worked so well I'm working on making the modification permanent. I thought about just buying the blade setup from Simplicity, but then I'd have to change out between subhitches to go back and forth between blower and blade. Not the end of the world, but I'd rather make the changeover quicker/easier than all that and believe I can do so without compromising the integrity of the setup.

I ended up clearing out several neighbors drives for the extra seat-time and practice to ensure I liked the setup and it just got better and better as time went by. I especially liked not having to deal with getting covered in wind blown snow as a result of the swirling winds when using the blower attachment! The blade may not be an option when we have more than the six inches I tried it out on last week, but we don't get more than that at once other than a couple of times a year usually.

Thanks for the advice all! I'll have fun with the blade in the snow and will think a little more about pushing up sod with it when Spring arrives. I have so little to push up that I could just do it with a shovel in a day or so if I decide not to use the blade on it. I'm starting to think I'll tear up more lawn with the chains on the soft newly thawed ground than I'll save work in pushing sod...

Hmmm... Think, think, think... (with finger tapping forehead in Pooh Bear pose...)

 

[Soonerskins]

I have the lt2250. I have had to have the k46 replaced under warranty only after 20 hours of use. I aerated the yard with slight inclines. 350 hours later, and I think the k46 is dead again. This time, no warranty. And, supposedly, on the 2250 the k46 is HD. That is what it says on their site anyway.

Is it possible that the transmission can take a lot more punishment in the winter since it is harder to heat up in the cold?

 

[BillNole]

I have the lt2250. I have had to have the k46 replaced under warranty only after 20 hours of use. I aerated the yard with slight inclines. 350 hours later, and I think the k46 is dead again. This time, no warranty. And, supposedly, on the 2250 the k46 is HD. That is what it says on their site anyway.

Is it possible that the transmission can take a lot more punishment in the winter since it is harder to heat up in the cold?

I was told by a tech at Tuff Torq that the HD designation doesn't actually mean "Heavy Duty", despite what my Snapper dealer told me when he was selling it to me. I wasn't very happy to find that out...

One of the biggest advantages the HD does have though is the drain plug, which makes oil changes much simpler, as you won't have to remove the case, or siphon out the oil.

From what I can determine, heat is the killer on this thing, so anything you can do to minimize that would be a good idea. I plan to change to synthetic after a brief break-in period and to take it easy on the machine. I know it's not a GT and is limited in it's abilities. I also have no doubt that it can do more than some would have you believe, if you're careful in how you go about it.

Having said all that, if I had to replace mine outside of the warranty, I think I'd look for an upgrade to the K46, if I could find a deal on one. Hindsight is 20/20 and I see things much more clearly now than when I was allowing my dealer to turn my head a little... Shame on me... :smiley_aafz: