Ordered a Berta two stage blower and a set of tracks

[farmerboybill]

Hey all,

I've wanted to buy a two stage Berta snow blower for awhile now. I usually clean my 1500' driveway (plus half-again more around the buildings) with my skid steer & 100" bucket, but I think I can clear heavy snows faster with the walk-behind. Hope to have it, and the tracks, by the weekend. I'll post a video as soon as I do.

 

[sd455dan]

Think you will find that the blower is slower for any wide or long distance snow removal.

I started with a 32 inch walk behind toro, and even on a 250 foot drive it was a slow painstaking job- especially if the blower had to pick up the snow twice.
bought a Toyota FJ 40 Landcruiser with a western plow and what a difference...

switched to the tractor fel for the drive ways, and also a Sears 10 hp track drive blower which is good for paths and around the house-

but parking areas and long drive ways walk behinds are a pain

jmo but they are great for trails walkways and areas where it is difficult to get a larger machine

 

[leonz]

Just hook up the sulky Bill, and put the thermos in your coat and have fun.

Invest in a gallon fo fluid film and a sprayer and coat the innards and you will
have zero issues with plugging- I do that with mine when I forget I have the
two cans of cooking spray to use.

Do they offer metal tracks now?? I was going to suggest adding windshield
washer fluid to the tires and chains. I added straight WWF to the rears on my LA115
and between that and the rear suit case weights and my excess derrier it
made all the difference in traction. I just have to install the pneumatic
casters to it now.

It still founds in slush because its a 2 wheel drive hydro but its ok otherwise.

 

[Ford850]

That sounds like it will be a great set up. But holy moly, 1500'? I love my BCS blower for detail work on the drive, and keeping a lot of walkways open between the barn, house, wood pile etc. I've only used the blower to clear my whole 1000' drive a couple times I think. I think you should get a skid steer snow plow and cruise through that drive in a matter of a couple minutes. It's easy to spend someone else's money.
Can't wait to see the pictures.
edit: As long as I'm spending your money, have you thought about adding an LED flood light or lights for night work? That would be slick on your setup.

 

[farmerboybill]

I have a 100" bucket on a Deere 317 with cab. This is the fourth bucket I've used to clear the drive. I started out with a 66" lowpro bucket(now has toothbar on it and does dirt work), then a 66" high volume bucket (sold it), then an 80" bucket (use it for cleaning the chicken barn), and now this 100" bucket.

The drive has open field on either side. It leaves the buildings heading east, and turns straight north for 1000' to the road. For small snows, the bucket works like a dream - one pass out and one pass back. With heavier snows, it makes a berm on either side of the road and requires a half dozen or more passes. A hard north or west wind, and the area between the berms packs solid with snow, even if it's not snowing. In theory, I should be able to run out and back twice and have the driveway completely clear without leaving berms. With no berms, I shouldn't have to clean as often when it's windy.

I have considered getting a skid steer snow blower, but they're more expensive than the Berta. Since my skid steer does not have hi-flow hydraulics, I'd pry need to buy the blower new to be sure it was set up for my 17ish gpms. I also don't have electric over hydraulics, so would need to install them, or have one with it's own controls. Decent ones start at 5 grand. I may still get one, but I thought that the Berta will do a better job than the bucket for less money for now.

That, and I just want one

 

[Ford850]

Those Berta's are supposed to be one of the only blowers to outperform the BCS, right? Should be impressive.
I know what you mean about the bucket and windrows. I think a plow, angled, is a good compromise. I can't or won't afford a large blower. I plow down one side of the drive, rolling snow to the center. Then I come back up the drive, rolling that windrow another width over, mostly off the downwind side of the drive. A final pass down and back to clean up things, but always rolling the snow downwind. I'm lucky and my prevailing wind is fairly consistent so I don't have many drifts building from the windrow side. Your blower should keep a nice clean and low edge to the banks.

 

[CodeMonkey]

This is about as much as I am likely to get:

18" to 24"

The record here on the mountain is about 40" about 10 years ago or so.

Plus it only lasts for a week or two.

I need those tracks not for the snow (although I am thinking of getting a dozer blade), but for getting around in my woods they should be great.

 

[farmerboybill]

It's here! And fast, too! I got the shipment notification yesterday evening, and it was delivered at noon today. I had to work on my Vermeer 605M baler, so I didn't get back in time to get it mounted and tried out. Tomorrow...

 

[CodeMonkey]

waiting:thumbsup:

don't forget to take pics

 

[Ed of all trades]

Well....... it's tomorrow and I don't see any info on your new blower and tracks yet. :hissyfit::laughing: Hope it does better than you hoped it wood. Ed

 

[Ford850]

Well....... it's tomorrow and I don't see any info on your new blower and tracks yet. :hissyfit::laughing: Hope it does better than you hoped it wood. Ed

I think he changed plans and is out baling snow. Hmmm, could that work?

 

[farmerboybill]

I think he changed plans and is out baling snow. Hmmm, could that work?

You know, I've heard that some snooty bar in Manhatten will buy hail stones for a certain martini they're famous for. Why not baled snow, right? You get the market nailed down and I'll get the baling perfected.

Ed, I have chicken chores first, then play.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Yea, I know most people have to work at something. I just get impatient some times. Hope it works well, and I was just messing around. I didn't think you would be done with your days work at 5:30 Eastern time this morning. Ed

 

[farmerboybill]

No tracks yet. Wanted to try the blower. It's a freaking beast!

 

[farmerboybill]

 

[Ed of all trades]

Wow, Looks like it will do the job and then some. How do you like the tracks? Are you glad you got them? Thanks for the pick's and video. Saw the video on the pto driven trailer too. WOW again. There are times I wish I had a two wheeled tractor instead of the massey. Ed

 

[Celloboy]

I find here in Maine throwing the snow 30 feet away keeps it from drifting back. I also like that you don't end up with snow mountains that last until July.

 

[CodeMonkey]

How was the install?

Easy to go on and take off?

Does the ground clearance change?

How is the traction? Turning?

Details man - details! ;-)

 

[farmerboybill]

Install was less than an hour. It goes together pretty easily, which is good. As typical, the instructions look they were translated from Italian to Mandarin to Hebrew, back to Italian, and finally English.

They should be relatively easy to change back and forth to wheels, but I wouldn't want to do it everyday.

Ground clearance is, unfortunately, lower versus 5X10 tires. Much lower versus my 27" tall tires. Hopefully, the fact that they're tracks will help in keeping it unstuck.

Traction is excellent for what I've done so far. Turning might be slightly harder, but it wasn't an issue for me. Working turning brakes make it a non-issue.

My biggest gripe is the fact that their anti-roll bracket ties up the trailer hitch. I could still use it, but it'll be more difficult. The other style of mounting has a bracket that attaches to the studs between the transmission and engine. That may be an issue with battery placement. Doesn't matter, as Joel only brought in the style that attaches to the hitch.

 

[CodeMonkey]

Darn - I wonder if I should order the triangular style tracks as it looks like they would place the axle up higher.

In my woods ground clearance is as likely to get me stuck as loss of traction would.

OTOH - in my experience, the front of a track has to be able to climb up out of a hole and the round style has a better ramp for that than the triangular style. Also, it would be more likely to be able to climb up over a limb or buried log.

I also wonder how much the metal tracks would tear up pavement. I just spent $20+K having my driveway paved and my share of having the road repaved.