Tractor suggestions for primarily snowblowing a long, steep, windy driveway?

[rScotty]

I found a JD 4100 with cab and 47" snowblower for $9k. Do you think that is a good deal and enough to get the job done.

That's a tiny tractor for running any size of snowblower, but for the price it would be hard to go wrong. I'd buy it for that price just to try it and get some knowledge about what it is going to take to do a steep 2000 foot driveway properly. You can always get your money back if it runs OK. Expect to use chains of course. Lots will depend on your choice of chains. Good chains are expensive and a real pain to get set up right, but worth it. The trick is to match the contour of the tire. Then they won't move around or hurt the tires at all.

For our deep snows here in the mountains I am trying a different philosophy & bought a old used big heavy tractor which clears the driveway with pure muscle & traction...
rScotty

 

[ruffdog]

Yep, you nailed it. Here's a picture. I have realized it is impossible to capture hills with cell phone cameras
View attachment 616207

By looking at the trees, it looks like the photo is level with the ground which really shows how steep the grade is. If this drive turns icy, the OP is going for a ride. Safety should be a priority.

 

[NoTrespassing]

I will download this and post results once I get back home. I am only going off what previous real estate agent told us. It was a contentious sticking point in the transaction. Feel like they would not exaggerate it haha.

Get a good set of chains for the rear tires, you won't regret it. My drive has about the same grade and when it turns to ice, as it always does being shaded, I even have a hard time getting traction with chains sometimes. I buy calcium chloride in bulk and keep it on hand every winter. Putting the chains on in the fall and removing them in the spring is a PITA but it's well worth the trouble even with 4wd. I've gotten pretty good at chaining over the years and can do both rears at the same time now. They're very heavy and having a good place to hang them with the help of the bucket is essential to saving my back.

Kevin

 

[BigBlue1]

That's a tiny tractor for running any size of snowblower, but for the price it would be hard to go wrong. I'd buy it for that price just to try it and get some knowledge about what it is going to take to do a steep 2000 foot driveway properly. You can always get your money back if it runs OK. Expect to use chains of course. Lots will depend on your choice of chains. Good chains are expensive and a real pain to get set up right, but worth it. The trick is to match the contour of the tire. Then they won't move around or hurt the tires at all.

For our deep snows here in the mountains I am trying a different philosophy & bought a old used big heavy tractor which clears the driveway with pure muscle & traction...
rScotty

I'm a bit confused by your 'tiny tractor' comment? I suppose if you're used to running a farm tractor it is tiny, but considering that many garden tractors (such as JD 345, 445, x4-, x5-, and x7-series) are wonderfully effective snowblowing platforms it seems odd to call a 4110 MCUT tiny. As long as you have 4WD and enough power to spin the blower in heavy stuff overall physical size isn't a huge factor.

Rob

 

[Jack Murdock]

R4 tires loaded for ballast. No loader. I'm sure it is useful but I can't even think of a use for one. I live in the burbs with a small yard. Just trying to solve the driveway issue in the winter.

my driveway is about 1600' long, relatively steep, we maintained gravel and we average 80-100" of snow per year here in upstate NY. I bought a JD2302R with FEL and a front mounted 59" snow blower. Loaded rear R-4 and I have chains for it as well. No cab but it does a beautiful job and minimizes the spring clean up of rocks and gravel off the lawn. I plowed for years with trucks and tractors and scraper blades and this is the bomb. It doesn't matter how much snow I get in one storm I can snow blow it once after its done. Sometime the drifts are 30" +/- but I just go slow and steady. At 60 this should be the last tractor I buy so I went new and took advantage of the 0% from JD.

 

[oosik]

Well - my driveway is a mile long & gravel. If I got the snow that you do Jack M - I'd be looking at a front mount blower for my M6040 also. Fortunately/unfortunately - we average 44" annually. Some years we don't even get enough to plow. I just bust thru with my 4WD vehicles and wait for spring. I've been out here on the 80 for 38+ years. ONE year we got an unGodly amount/accumulation. Had it 42" deep in the yard. The 3-point blower on my original tractor made this situation FUN. Just for the halibut - I made 60" wide paths everywhere.

 

[shooterdon]

The slope would be a concern for me. It will get icy and then things get squirrely. Chains would be a must if it were me.

When buying used, budget for repairs. It takes no time to run up over $1000 with a tractor. The time to find out what does not work is before the snow flies so put 15-20 hours on it when you get it.

I would certainly give serious consideration to that 4100 you found. Even if you are not 100% satisfied with it, you will not lose much if anything.

 

[9973720wb19]

I found two things are important when pushing snow - tires and weight. Chains work very well but are hard on the equipment and ground. R4s are terrible need R1s and my tractor weighs 10,000

 

[airbiscuit]

A new John Deere 2520 with a heated cab and front snowblower would price out at about $27,500! That's close to the size of the John Deere 4100.

 

[adriand]

Turns out CalG was correct. I measured with that app and the steepest spot was 20 degrees shown in the photo I posted. Just beyond that is only 15 degrees. About half of what I was told. Handy app, thanks for the recommendation.