Dig down or float on top?

[NS Gearhead]

Ok so I'll admit; I'm obsessed with snow removal. Walk behind snowblowers to snowcats and everything in between. I've probably spent weeks combined time on youtube watching every snow removal vid on there.

Personally, I've only had two snow removal machines;

#1


#2


Obviously mine were in the "float on top" category. I perticularly like this when it comes time to pile the snow. The front end of the Jeep could ride up on the pile without sinking in and getting stuck, although I think if could have pushed more snow if the tires were narrow and had more "bite" Perhaps tire chains would have given me the best of both worlds...?

Trucks seem to favor narrow tires, but snowcats have monsterously wide tracks...

So, what's your opinion? Is one better then the other, or is it just personal perference?

 

[RalphVa]

Skinny-tired vehicles go better in the snow.

We had 6 or 7" of sleet one year. My snow plow wouldn't touch it. So, I put the old square chute snow blower onto the Gravely in place of the snow plow. That blower bit down and blew the sleet all away.

I had to put the chains onto the Gravely tires. Otherwise, it didn't have enough "bite" to push the heavy snow blower. Normally I used dual (2 on each side) Ag tires to push snow on the Gravely. I even had some steel screws into the lugs to move it on ice. Didn't really have a chance to try these before I bought my 4wd JD.

Ralph

 

[NS Gearhead]

Skinny-tired vehicles go better in the snow.

Normally I used dual (2 on each side) Ag tires to push snow on the Gravely.

I'm confused... if skinny works better, why run duals?

 

[Thomas]

Agree skinny tires which means more weight on tires a better traction bite,but ice whole other world.

Your jeep would be my first pick.

 

[js5020]

I like the Jeep, what size tires are you running on that? Im heading in a similar direction, getting rid of the compact tractor opting to put the plow on a CJ for the heavy stuff and a plow on the quad for the normal deposits.

 

[yelbike]

I'm confused... if skinny works better, why run duals?

Ever see dually off roading? OK someone's going to find some stupid lifted truck that works.

Dually can handle more weight spread over more side walls and spread over a larger contact patch. The psi is lower on dually which is a negative when dealing with snow. Narrower increases contact pressure.

 

[NS Gearhead]

I like the Jeep, what size tires are you running on that? Im heading in a similar direction, getting rid of the compact tractor opting to put the plow on a CJ for the heavy stuff and a plow on the quad for the normal deposits.

That Jeep's long gone, but it was running 40X15.5/17 Krawlers. I'm debating different options, but I think I'll have a 3/4t truck and a V blade next season.

 

[RalphVa]

Duals for ice or gritty, not-very-deep, snow. When running the snow blower, I had to remove the duals because they were wider than the blower and mount chains onto the single wheels.

Actually, the single, turf tires gave the most "bite" in most cases when pushing the big snow plow that the Gravely had. (And it worked great in most situations.) Think the plow would have required chains on the single tires if the snow was very deep. Fortunately, we never got the snowmageddon here until I got the 4wd JD with loader and back blade. A blower would have been better with deep snows. Might require chains to push the heavier blower on the JD as it did on the Gravely.

Ralph

 

[tjcarguy]

At some point of snow depth the plow becomes next to useless regardless of tires chains or even tracks. I use my Blazer to plow every snowfall and my tractor with bucket and blower to clean up. Could make do without the plow couldn't do without the tractor. ---Trevor

 

[js5020]

That Jeep's long gone, but it was running 40X15.5/17 Krawlers. I'm debating different options, but I think I'll have a 3/4t truck and a V blade next season.

Thanks,,, and I was worried 33x12x15 would be to wide to be effective, I prefer narrow tires for snow myself. When setting up the GT I use I bought a size under what was original and bar lugs.

 

[NS Gearhead]

So all things being equal a SRW truck will push more snow then a dually?

 

[yelbike]

So all things being equal a SRW truck will push more snow then a dually?

I guess it would depend on the traction of the "cleared" side of the blade. If you're able to get to dry pavement than the dually would be better but swr will do better if the is still snow.

Simply put the swr will out perform I just driving through a gravel road with say 10" of new snow on it, everything else being equal.

 

[NS Gearhead]

So, now that I've decided to get a truck & plow for next year... and I tend to over think everthing LOL... what about something like this on a truck? Best of both worlds? Small contact patch on ice and hard packed and flotation when pileing snow...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJTKh9wfvx0

Obviously not for road use... but may be the hot ticket to push banks back once or twice per season...

Maybe some form or dually setup with smaller diam tires on the front would be comparable.

 

[lamanated]

Crap we didnt get a drop up in Truro...... I put a hyd angle blade on my front loader with a conveyor belt for an edge,, works great,,,doesnt dig up gravel ..