Snow It's Early - Snow Removal JD 2520

[dmay]

Bummer.... I bought the JD 2520 FEL so I wouldn't have to deal with a stinkin snow blower anymore. I have a little 16 HP Troybilt garden tractor with a snow blower attachment and it was the reason I purchased the JD 2520 w/FEL, so I wouldn't have to spend all friggin day under that little tractor put on the snow blower and chains each year. It's a pain in the arse to assemble, sub-frame assembly and all.

Now what you're tellin me is that I'll need to do the same thing for the JD 2520 in the event I get the big deep snow. In the 2010 winter season we had three storms, each nearly 2 feet in depth.

I'm been trying to move south, away from the snow, but the Mrs. refuses to go... maybe I should just take my Green tractor an leave. What ya think?

If you are looking for a short term snow solution then pick up a used 3pt snow blower. Easy to find. Easy to connect. Easy to sell later. Just hope you enjoy looking backwards. :laughing:

If you want a long term, neck friendly solution, get a 54" QH SnowBlower, iMatch, Ballast Box, and a good set of rear ladder style chains.

 

[C-Range]

ensoll was the blade really that bad for you?????

Well, it's a heck of a lot better than a shovel but it just doesn't match up to the tractor all that well for removing light snow. It gives the impression like it was adapted from a Craftsman lawn tractor. First of all, it is extremely light so it takes forever to settle to the ground without applying down pressure to move it along at a humane pace. I thought about adding some weight on it, but that is just going to wear the feet out even faster which already wear quickly enough.

When angled, the 54" wide blade becomes narrower than the tractor and you simply have to run it fully angled to keep the snow going toward one side of the driveway. Otherwise, it will back up and overspill quickly. Similarly, you can't attack past the centerline of the tractor. If you try to take a wider swath, the snow will also pile up and overspill. This leaves lines of leftovers that just seem to never get completely removed. You end up having to plow the same places twice to get rid of them. Even by taking half-a-pass, it still overspills at times, such as when turning a corner toward the snow. It's cleaning up the overspill lines that adds all of the extra time and I cannot leave them behind on my steeply sloped asphalt drive. Melted snow to refrozen ice is not an option for us.

I understand why JD made the plow as they did. It wasn't made just for snow so I suppose they had to design it as though Bluto would be romping through firm soil and rock with the thing. With that said, it sure would be nice to have some add-on wings for use in light snow. If I ever get the bug, maybe I'll see if I can come up with something on my own.

Thanks for asking!

 

[larry8818]

Hi urbandeere2520,

I too have a 61" bucket on my FEL. This is no way to move snow, but a great way to play if you have time.:laughing:

I bit the bullet this year and put a 54" QuickHitch front mount snowblower on my 2520. When I bought my tractor 5 yeras ago only the 47" was available. I am glad I waited because when going through deep snow I am now wider than my tractor. I can atest that people that have the 47" on thier 2520's love 'em. My dad has one on his X585. I'm sure if they could choose one...they would all take a 54 over a 47:2cents:. However, if you had a 47 before the 54 came out and paid $3k+ I can see why they are not going out of thier way to upgrade.

I did a review on the 2520 with this setup...you may be interested in checking it out and the videos will give you a real world test. For the snow type, I live in the seacoast of NH, where we usually have more of a mix. The winter we just had, we were walloped with cold and alot of SNOW.

Here is a link to my review: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...204-review-2520-54-quickhitch-snowblower.html

Best of luck with your decision

 

[urbandeere2520]

Wow, thanks for the reply. Seems the 54" QuickHitch front mount snow blower is the best way to go for major snow on a 2520. I just need to justify the cost given I only plan to live in the snow belt (6' snow) for another 2-3 years. I was hoping my 61" FEL would get me through these snow majoyr storms (24" snow) but that doesn't appear to be the case.

Another option, given the 2-3 years I need this capability until to move to a no snow climate is to rely on my 36" Troybilt garden tractor snow blower to carry me over.

If there's a more cost effective option, I'd like to hear it...

 

[tomd999]

Urban,

If your only going to be in snow country for 3 years, look on craigs list now for used 3 pt blowers. You can get them in the summer for 1500 or less. If you buy it right, you could use it for 3 or 4 years and sell it for what you paid for it when you move to the land of warm.

The 2520 has about 21 PTO HP and should be able to run up to a 72" with little issues if you take your time orther than a stiff neck at times.

Here's mine:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...50258-lets-see-your-snow-removal-dsc01254.jpg

 

[ChuckinNH]

I run a 54" three point hitch snowblower on my Kubtoa B2620 which is about the same HP, but perhaps a smaller engine than your JD2520. It works fine though I have some medical issues that make turning around difficult sometimes. I can sit pretty much sideways, and that helps. I do like having the loader on at the same time though. For 2-3 years, I would use the rear mounted one in a minute, even with my issues. You have to feed any snowblower before you use it each time though, otherwise they will try to eat siding, and even telephone poles. When they eat what they want, you will find the location of all the shear pins.

I agree that most tractor front blades are on the small side, especially the JD ones. That is the same blade they use on the x700 series. They cost enough, it would be nice to have them heavier, and wider to at least cover the tractor width when angled.

 

[urbandeere2520]

Urban,

If your only going to be in snow country for 3 years, look on craigs list now for used 3 pt blowers. You can get them in the summer for 1500 or less. If you buy it right, you could use it for 3 or 4 years and sell it for what you paid for it when you move to the land of warm.

The 2520 has about 21 PTO HP and should be able to run up to a 72" with little issues if you take your time orther than a stiff neck at times.

Here's mine:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...50258-lets-see-your-snow-removal-dsc01254.jpg

Nice blower setup... yes, I'll take a look at 3 pt snow blowers, obviously the way to go if I'm only gonna be in snow country a few more years. The front mounted blower will save the neck and is a better long term solution, however it's more expensive. With a 3 pt snow blower setup I can keep the FEL on. I'm wondering if I will need hydraulics to the rear of the tractor to operate the 3 pt snow blower, cause I don't have rear hydraulics installed currently.

 

[smalltown]

If the original poster decides to go with a 3PH rear snowblower for his 2520 other than blower width does he need to look for specific blowers or would all the 3PH blowers fit his 2520?

 

[PCABE5]

I have a 400' long steep driveway (20% grade) and driveway parking area measuring 50' x 40'. Will I be able to clear this area with the above equipment assuming 4" to 2 feet of snow with just the FEL? Or will I require chains and/or a rear blade.

I use just the FEL and my drive is 485' long and the parking area is 100'x50'. The grade in one area of the drive is about 7% and I just use the FEL w/ballast box without chains and I have no issue. This last winter I had drifts that were taller than the tractor and the FEL does the job but it is a slower method. It takes me about 2 hours to clear it all and I have been doing the FEL snow removal for going on 8 years. This year I will have the bigger 73" bucket so that might save a little time.

You didn't say is your driveway gravel, concrete or asphalt? If gravel you would need to pack down a good layer so you do not throw stones with a blower and accidentally knock me out.:laughing:

Well, it's a heck of a lot better than a shovel but it just doesn't match up to the tractor all that well for removing light snow. It gives the impression like it was adapted from a Craftsman lawn tractor. First of all, it is extremely light so it takes forever to settle to the ground without applying down pressure to move it along at a humane pace. I thought about adding some weight on it, but that is just going to wear the feet out even faster which already wear quickly enough.

When angled, the 54" wide blade becomes narrower than the tractor and you simply have to run it fully angled to keep the snow going toward one side of the driveway. Otherwise, it will back up and overspill quickly. Similarly, you can't attack past the centerline of the tractor. If you try to take a wider swath, the snow will also pile up and overspill. This leaves lines of leftovers that just seem to never get completely removed. You end up having to plow the same places twice to get rid of them. Even by taking half-a-pass, it still overspills at times, such as when turning a corner toward the snow. It's cleaning up the overspill lines that adds all of the extra time and I cannot leave them behind on my steeply sloped asphalt drive. Melted snow to refrozen ice is not an option for us.

I understand why JD made the plow as they did. It wasn't made just for snow so I suppose they had to design it as though Bluto would be romping through firm soil and rock with the thing. With that said, it sure would be nice to have some add-on wings for use in light snow. If I ever get the bug, maybe I'll see if I can come up with something on my own.

Thanks for asking!

I have the 54" front blade as well and I could not agree more with Ensoll. The old literature for this blade when I bought it called it a "dozer blade" and that is what it is good at. It does not have the right pitch or size for a good snow blade. I use mine to grade the driveway and only kept it because I kept the q-hitch for a future 54" front blower.

Hi urbandeere2520,

I too have a 61" bucket on my FEL. This is no way to move snow, but a great way to play if you have time.:laughing:

I bit the bullet this year and put a 54" QuickHitch front mount snowblower on my 2520. When I bought my tractor 5 yeras ago only the 47" was available. I am glad I waited because when going through deep snow I am now wider than my tractor. I can atest that people that have the 47" on thier 2520's love 'em. My dad has one on his X585. I'm sure if they could choose one...they would all take a 54 over a 47:2cents:. However, if you had a 47 before the 54 came out and paid $3k+ I can see why they are not going out of thier way to upgrade.

I did a review on the 2520 with this setup...you may be interested in checking it out and the videos will give you a real world test. For the snow type, I live in the seacoast of NH, where we usually have more of a mix. The winter we just had, we were walloped with cold and alot of SNOW.

Here is a link to my review: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...204-review-2520-54-quickhitch-snowblower.html

Best of luck with your decision

larry8818 I think hit the nail on the head. The 54" blower is tough to beat.

 

[urbandeere2520]

I have an asphalt driveway... so no worry about stones. A snow blower will work well for deep snow... question is which blower to buy given I'm probably gonna sell it in a few years when I move to a warmer climate (aka no snow).

I agree, the 54" front mounted blower is probably the best to tackle heavy snow, but I don't want to spend $$$$ given I'm moving in a few years. So I'm looking at less expense, though less convenient, 3PH models...