Snow I am such a DA-Snow Removal

[cdaigle430]

Snow storm dumped 10 inches of the heaviest, wettest snow I have ever seen. Each shovel fool was like it had a 50 pound bag at the end of it. I have three snowblowers that were useless, just dribbled the slush out the chutes so I ended up using loader with the edge tamers and a shovel.
Somehow I ended up scratching my wife's car and destroying one 10 foot wall of my 10x10 dig kenel....so angry with myself. his tractor with the snowblower is so long and its hard to keep an eye on everything. I have excellent lighting on the rear snowblower but the front headlights are useless as the loader gets in the way.
trying to figure out how and where to mount LED lights for the front, also have a Berco soft cab that makes it challenging-dont want to poke holes in it to mount the light.

 

[coldsteelva]

You need lights like on a HD plow truck - out wide. Can you find or fab something to mount above and outboard of your FEL subframe?

 

[KennyG]

Based on my experience you need lights mounted high. My OTC soft cab has a hard top which simplified the mounting. Does Berco have a patch kit for making penetrations through the fabric?

 

[ray66v]

Photos?

Is there a place you can attach some brackets anywhere on the front, that could extend up to the roof line?

Or, how about magnetic mount lights? Strong enough magnets, could sit on top of the vinyl, but hold the steel underneath.

 

[oosik]

CD - consider this - - you DID NOT suffer a heart attack trying to shovel that heavy snow - PLEASE, consider yourself lucky. I have a mile long gravel driveway - there were times each year when the snows were so wet, heavy that my PTO, 3-point blower simply WOULD NOT work. It closely resembled hot mush being pushed out a 6" knot hole.

I now have a MUCH bigger tractor now - Kubota M6040 4WD - and a real HD rear blade. There still are times when heavy, wet snows make it a real PITA. These times I may be able to clear a path only 8 feet wide. Just enough to squeeze down the driveway. As soon as it drops below freezing - things will stiffen up and I can open the path to 12' to 14' wide. The use of my rear mounted, PTO driven blower was a real PITA - even under ideal conditions. My neck and shoulders would take three to four days to return to normal after one "blowing session" down the driveway. One of the major reasons I got rid of my original tractor - Ford 1700 4WD - and got the Kubota.

Two days ago I visited a web site that had magnetic based, lithium ion rechargeable flood lights. Of course, I do not remember the name of the site. But you should be able to find the site - Google - "magnetic based, lithium ion rechargeable flood light". They will attach to any steel surface - require NO WIRING on your tractor - supposedly will last 6 to 8 hours on each charge. Man - if you can hack more that 8 hours of plowing at one go - - you have one H**l of a driveway.

Finally - you ARE NOT alone in the plowing of wet snow problem. All of us in the snow belt have at one time or another faced this situation. Keep the faith......

Ah - Ha - - try........ Larsonelectronics.com They have rechargeable, those that you wire into your tractor electronics and the kind I like - those that will plug into your cigarette lighter or power outlet.

 

[irvingj]

Guess we were lucky up here on the hill, daigle-- it was wet, but my blower handled it --just. A few more hundred feet in elevation made quite a difference with the moisture content of the snow, but I firmly believe my lining the discharge chute --AND the fan housing-- with UHMWPE has made a huge difference in that regard.

We also got at least 10". Sorry to hear about your misadventures with foreign objects... Me, I keep hitting my PVC gutters & downspouts....

 

[Rock Crawler]

Toss the rear mounted snow blower in a scrap pile where they belong, buy a front mount or go get a UTV and Warn Plow and be done. Those rear mount blowers are horrible, if people asked first and talked/searched online they would never sell those P.O.S. things.

Get a used UTV, put a winch and plow kit on it. You can get this done for under $8,000. You'll find as many uses for the UTV as you do the tractor. It is smart money spent. If you pile up too much snow, take your tractor/loader out and move it or stack it. You win.

 

[oosik]

Hey - Rock Crawler - ease off. The rear mount snow thrower is a real thing of beauty under almost all conditions. When the snow thrower has problems because the snow is too wet - its no real pleasure pushing the carp around with a snow plow either.

Besides - you can clear snow with a rear blower and a lot smaller tractor. A front plow will, under the same snow conditions, usually take a larger tractor to achieve the same results.

Have you EVER tried clearing a foot of snow off a mile long driveway with your FEL and bucket. I wouldn't wish that chore on anybody.

 

[Rock Crawler]

Hey - Rock Crawler - ease off. The rear mount snow thrower is a real thing of beauty under almost all conditions. When the snow thrower has problems because the snow is too wet - its no real pleasure pushing the carp around with a snow plow either.

Besides - you can clear snow with a rear blower and a lot smaller tractor. A front plow will, under the same snow conditions, usually take a larger tractor to achieve the same results.

Have you EVER tried clearing a foot of snow off a mile long driveway with your FEL and bucket. I wouldn't wish that chore on anybody.

I did NOT say to use a front loader, that is almost as bad as a rear mount blower.

Use a UTV and a 72" Warn plow, as I do. I'll plow anything you can blow in half the time... or less. I can do 15-20 mph throwing snow off to the side.... and the neck and back pain... nope.

Speed, agility, health (neck and back), multi function.... everything about the UTV wins. When I hear of guys with a REAR mount snow blower, in my head I hear "could not afford a front mount". This is because it is very easy to see on forums or talk at a tractor shop and hear over and over that a rear can work, but it SUCKS. If you ever had a rear mount and get a front, you'll realize what a fool you were. So people read and see this, yet still pick a rear mount. Enjoy that. I'll be plowing 10" of wet snow at 15 MPH and done before your tractor has warmed up.

The only time a blower would win over my plow would be if it was a huge snow fall and I ignored it and let more than 18" fall. At some point, if I am stupid and lazy enough, I would get to where I could not push the snow. But if I am not a complete idiot and I get out there every 6 or 8 hours and knock it back, I could handle an end of the world as you know it style blizzard.

 

[Thomas]

cdaigle
Somehow I ended up scratching my wife's car
.......................
Just that alone I would all most call it a day.
Lots of good lighting kits TBNer's have install over the years...try SEARCH.