Snow B7800 in the snow

[srl28]

I have purchased a b7800 and will be using it now in the snow. I have a somewhat steep driveway (paved) that needs to be plowed. Should I add snow chains or do the industrial tires do o.k in snow? What else can I do to gain some traction without ripping up the drive? Thanks

 

[ronjhall]

You should be able to plow snow without chains. But as soon as it turns to ice plowing will be almost impossible. I have a set of chains for my tractor with turf tires. Have never used them in six years for plowing snow. My previous tractor had chains. Used them one time in snow that had ice under it.
One problems with not getting chains now. If you need chains in the middle of the winter it may be hard to find the correct size for you tractor.
Tirechain.com is where I purchased the set I have.

 

[srl28]

Thanks. There are a couple different types and styles out there. Which is best?

 

[Timber]

I think ballast is more important than chains to be honest. The other thing is what are you using to move the snow. Are you using the loader or a plow blade. You can do a lot of damage to your drive with a loader. The down pressure can pick up the asphalt pretty quick

 

[srl28]

I have the blade on the back and an FEL. I like curtis but don't like the price. Looking for a good plow, could be a skidsteer plow too as I have quickattach. Any ideas? Manufacturers of some good snowplows?

 

[ronjhall]

I have the cheap ladder chains for my turf tires. They will mark up asphalt. Will never use them enough to wear them out here is SE MI.
My previous tractor had a Meyers truck blade. That I made a hitch to fit a Farmall 340. Did not pay a lot for the blade. Good luck finding one of these used blades.

 

[Ed_Indiana]

I have both level and inclines on my blacktop driveway. I scrape the paved and the unpaved with my 6' blade turned in reverse so as to not scar the blacktop or scoop up gravel on the unpaved. I use the loader to move snow from hard to get at places and to move piles of snow out of the way. I do this with turf tires and always in 4 wheel drive. Never a problem except on ice. But then I always get the snow off the drive before it becomes ice.

 

[KubotaSteve]

I bought chains with my B-7800 when I got it new 3 years ago. I've never put them on since I've had it. I started to last year and they made the chains too long which meant I would have to do some adjusting. I also noticed with just the chains setting on there that the clearance to the fender brace was very limited. I've never needed them yet. As long as it is snow you won't have a problem, but if it turns to ice, that is a different story. Besides your first pass down the driveway will be going down the driveway.

 

[Northland]

I have a new B7800 and have used just the FEL to plough my driveway of 6" of snow 3x so far this winter. I have R4's with no chains but I do have RimGuard in the rear tires for ballast (+ 400lbs). I was skidding logs out of my forest this past weekend and the trails are a soupy/muddy mess so I am buying chains for that work as well as better traction in snow. I now know why they use skidders for logging (long, wide and god centre of gravity) and why those skidders always have chains on all four tires.

I am also going to buy a cheap 6 foot KingKutter rear blade from TSC this afternoon. Maybe next year I will buy a back 3 pt blower.

 

[ronjhall]

I bought chains with my B-7800 when I got it new 3 years ago. I've never put them on since I've had it. I started to last year and they made the chains too long which meant I would have to do some adjusting. I also noticed with just the chains setting on there that the clearance to the fender brace was very limited. I've never needed them yet. As long as it is snow you won't have a problem, but if it turns to ice, that is a different story. Besides your first pass down the driveway will be going down the driveway.

I forgot about clearance with some tires and the B27-2910, B7800 B2630 and B3030 tractors. Kubota has wheel spacers to get the tires out further from the fenders.