I never seem to have the time to go out several times during a storm and also have lots of drifting up here. SO a snow blower is the best insurance that no matter what comes I can get out and has proven to be the least time consuming.
700' gravel driveway with 2 acres of lawn in snow country
- Thread starter mg448
- Start date
- Views: 40012
airbiscuit
Super Member
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2004
- Messages
- 6,522
- Location
- NW Wisconsin
- Tractor
- New Holland T2310 (40hp), Kubota L3010 GST, New Holland TC21DA *** Previously - Farmall H, 1941 John Deere B, Shibaura SD1500, John Deere 850, Bobcat 642, New Holland 1925
Here are a couple of low hour - right sized options for you on Albany Craigslist.
dodge man
Super Star Member
Both nice tractors but over budget by the time he adds implements.
airbiscuit
Super Member
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2004
- Messages
- 6,522
- Location
- NW Wisconsin
- Tractor
- New Holland T2310 (40hp), Kubota L3010 GST, New Holland TC21DA *** Previously - Farmall H, 1941 John Deere B, Shibaura SD1500, John Deere 850, Bobcat 642, New Holland 1925
I don't disagree, but thery were the only ones worth looking at on his local Craigslist. About the right size though.
woolyAcres
Platinum Member
@mg448
I live in NW PA, also with ~700' gravel driveway. I've got a 520H Wheel horse with a 60" mowing deck and 48" snow-blower. It's a great combo for lawn and snow. I've found it to be durable, mows well (though not as fast as a zero-turn), affordable (I got the tractor and deck for $1000 paid $400 for the blower and put new ATV tires on it this year ~$150). Parts are still available when needed but I haven't needed anything other than belt for mower. You can get soft cabs for them if you don't like snow blowing into your face. I've also got a 24HP Yanmar but it's hard on the lawn and not a great starter in the winter- so it's relegated to FEL duties, box blading, brush-hogging. Also purchased that used ($2500). None of it's new. In fact, all of it's old, but it all works well and leaves money for other things.
If you went this route and it didn't work out for snow blowing you could keep it as the lawn mower or sell the kit and get out of it what you paid and move on to something bigger, shiner, and fancier.
I recognize I'm probably the only one that will recommend this combo, but it's been working well for me the last 3 years. I also didn't have the same budget you do. If I did I'd probably be looking for a used ~25 HP 4WD tractor with back blade and FEL and a lawn tractor. It just turns out that my garden tractor does much better in winter than my 'big' tractor.
Just another option/opinion.
I live in NW PA, also with ~700' gravel driveway. I've got a 520H Wheel horse with a 60" mowing deck and 48" snow-blower. It's a great combo for lawn and snow. I've found it to be durable, mows well (though not as fast as a zero-turn), affordable (I got the tractor and deck for $1000 paid $400 for the blower and put new ATV tires on it this year ~$150). Parts are still available when needed but I haven't needed anything other than belt for mower. You can get soft cabs for them if you don't like snow blowing into your face. I've also got a 24HP Yanmar but it's hard on the lawn and not a great starter in the winter- so it's relegated to FEL duties, box blading, brush-hogging. Also purchased that used ($2500). None of it's new. In fact, all of it's old, but it all works well and leaves money for other things.
If you went this route and it didn't work out for snow blowing you could keep it as the lawn mower or sell the kit and get out of it what you paid and move on to something bigger, shiner, and fancier.
I recognize I'm probably the only one that will recommend this combo, but it's been working well for me the last 3 years. I also didn't have the same budget you do. If I did I'd probably be looking for a used ~25 HP 4WD tractor with back blade and FEL and a lawn tractor. It just turns out that my garden tractor does much better in winter than my 'big' tractor.
Just another option/opinion.
Clint S
Veteran Member
As a resident of the tug hill snow belt north of Syracuse here are my thoughts. Is there a grade on each side of the drive and how wide is the drive? Plow trucks are nice, but if that drive is 8 foot wide with a grade on both sides it could get tricky. I probably lose a foot or two on each side of the drive throughout the winter. Side grades and plows don't get along. With the amount of snow you get I would not be afraid of that drive with a plow, here I would be. You probably could get away with a BX and blower if set up right with chains ect, but you WILL get sick of getting the snow blown Back all over you. I have a plow truck, open tractor with 7foot rear blower that rarely gets used as I hate going backwards and getting snow blown all over me a 5am and a walk behind blower for paths. I did get a JD 580 this summer and opted for the 48inch blower to retire the walk behind. I think I could do my drive in a pinch with it Mine is a straight shot and only 250feet though.
airbiscuit
Super Member
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2004
- Messages
- 6,522
- Location
- NW Wisconsin
- Tractor
- New Holland T2310 (40hp), Kubota L3010 GST, New Holland TC21DA *** Previously - Farmall H, 1941 John Deere B, Shibaura SD1500, John Deere 850, Bobcat 642, New Holland 1925
Not much on TractorHouse either, but these might be in the hunt...
Creamer
Elite Member
I have a 1200' long driveway - part of it paved but most is gravel. I live in area that we can get lots of snow but most of the time it is under 10" at a time. My 1710 with a rear blade has done very well for 24 years. It is a 28 hp diesel without any extra weight. Most of the time I plow the driveway driving forward and have the blade set at an angle. Sometimes when the snow gets built up I have to turn the blade around and push in reverse. There have been times when i wished I had a blower probably 3 or 4 in the 24 years I have lived here.
I have friends that have custom guys plow their driveways and they have a lot of cleanup to do in the spring. I just keep the blade up a little so that I am not blading it all off. If we do not get too much melting I get a layer that I can just let the blade down on. Most of the time I plow in high gear or one down - it rolls the snow out better plus it is much faster. A 10" snow I can have the driveway cleaned and around my house in about 20 minutes. I often do it in my work clothes as I do not get coated and that way I do not have to spend time changing (I am an office person so my work clothes are not jeans and workboots.)
A blade is cheap and very useful for other things. A tractor like mine with a loader can be had around here for $75-8500 and a rear blade is a few hundred leaving you plenty of funds for a zero turn. The tractor will also be useful for many other things on your property.
BTW - welcome to the club!
I have friends that have custom guys plow their driveways and they have a lot of cleanup to do in the spring. I just keep the blade up a little so that I am not blading it all off. If we do not get too much melting I get a layer that I can just let the blade down on. Most of the time I plow in high gear or one down - it rolls the snow out better plus it is much faster. A 10" snow I can have the driveway cleaned and around my house in about 20 minutes. I often do it in my work clothes as I do not get coated and that way I do not have to spend time changing (I am an office person so my work clothes are not jeans and workboots.)
A blade is cheap and very useful for other things. A tractor like mine with a loader can be had around here for $75-8500 and a rear blade is a few hundred leaving you plenty of funds for a zero turn. The tractor will also be useful for many other things on your property.
BTW - welcome to the club!
airbiscuit
Super Member
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2004
- Messages
- 6,522
- Location
- NW Wisconsin
- Tractor
- New Holland T2310 (40hp), Kubota L3010 GST, New Holland TC21DA *** Previously - Farmall H, 1941 John Deere B, Shibaura SD1500, John Deere 850, Bobcat 642, New Holland 1925
I want to buy one of those $75 tractors 
I've seen everything there is to see on craigslist, tractor house and everywhere else I can think of looking. Called all the local dealerships and there's not a lot around right now. I appreciate the tips on the larger tractors, but another factor in the equation is that I married a woman from Long Island who has never lived in a rural area before. I'm leaning towards a bx because I feel it is enough to get the job done and small enough I can get her comfortable driving a tractor for a couple years before we upgrade to something bigger. I'll handle the snow removal, but get her used to the lawn mowing and driving it. I'm hoping to one day get her driving my dads deere 5075 during hay season at my folks farm which is about 5 miles by road(2.5 by power lines) from the house we just bought.
Woolyacres-I thought about going the lawn tractor route. Like I said in an earlier post, I cleared a 400ft gravel driveway for years with an old wheel horse and a 30" blower, but I've got the money now to upgrade a little bit and get something with 4wd and a fel on it. It's smaller then I wanted to go, but I may even take a look at this one:
kubota tractor BX185 - farm & garden - by owner - sale
Clint-We don't get nearly the amount of snow you guys get over in tug hill. If we did I would definitely be looking for something bigger. We do have grades on both sides of the driveway which is one of many reasons I'm planning on going with a blower instead of a plow at this point. I will have weights and chains. And I know how much it sucks blowing snow in cold windy conditions, but I'm going to rely on my carhartt extreme bibs and coat and a good hat with a face mask and goggles to get me through a few years. I can always drop a few hundred on a soft cab to keep the worst of the blowing snow out of my face if I want to.
Lots of good ideas and suggestions here guys. Thanks!
Woolyacres-I thought about going the lawn tractor route. Like I said in an earlier post, I cleared a 400ft gravel driveway for years with an old wheel horse and a 30" blower, but I've got the money now to upgrade a little bit and get something with 4wd and a fel on it. It's smaller then I wanted to go, but I may even take a look at this one:
kubota tractor BX185 - farm & garden - by owner - sale
Clint-We don't get nearly the amount of snow you guys get over in tug hill. If we did I would definitely be looking for something bigger. We do have grades on both sides of the driveway which is one of many reasons I'm planning on going with a blower instead of a plow at this point. I will have weights and chains. And I know how much it sucks blowing snow in cold windy conditions, but I'm going to rely on my carhartt extreme bibs and coat and a good hat with a face mask and goggles to get me through a few years. I can always drop a few hundred on a soft cab to keep the worst of the blowing snow out of my face if I want to.
Lots of good ideas and suggestions here guys. Thanks!
