Snow Gave the BX23 a good snow workout - stuck twice...
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JJT
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- Kubota L3710 HST and a Kubota ZD21 60Pro
Time for some chains. A few years ago I got my L3710 off the driveway and ended up snow blowing a path 500' long before I could get back on the drive, (I had stuff in the bucket so pushing my way out with the FEL was not an option). That week I picked up a set of double ringed chains, unbelievable the difference in traction.I have more traction in 2wd without using the diff lock with the chains than I had with 4wd and diff lock without chains.
I did a little test before I put the chains on that 1st year, drove off the drive in 2wd, no chains, went less than 20 feet in snow that was at least 18" deep, put it in 4wd, drove another 20 feet, locked the diff and made it another 20 or so feet before losing traction and getting stuck. I was able to back out in 4wd, diff locked as long as I stayed in my original path.
Back to the garage, put on the chains. Did the same test within sight of my no chain test. I drove hundreds of feet in 2wd, without the diff lock. I was an immediate convert to the benefits of chains.
I did a little test before I put the chains on that 1st year, drove off the drive in 2wd, no chains, went less than 20 feet in snow that was at least 18" deep, put it in 4wd, drove another 20 feet, locked the diff and made it another 20 or so feet before losing traction and getting stuck. I was able to back out in 4wd, diff locked as long as I stayed in my original path.
Back to the garage, put on the chains. Did the same test within sight of my no chain test. I drove hundreds of feet in 2wd, without the diff lock. I was an immediate convert to the benefits of chains.
moeh1
Gold Member
Jared wrote: <font color="blue"> Man-oh-man. That's exactly the reason I moved out of upstate NY. We used to get snow like that in Rochester </font>
We Still DO /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
We Still DO /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
OP
jim_wilson
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Hi Rick - you pretty much hit the nail on the head - the right rear wheel was in the hole and the tractor was basically sitting on the frame in the rear. This tilted the tractor enough to bring the left front wheel off the ground because the front axle only pivots so far. So even with the diff lock pushed in I only had the traction of two wheels and that wasn't enough to push the tractor out because it was sitting on the frame. Once I jacked it up I was able to get a board under the right rear wheel and that was enough to let the tractor power it's way out of the hole. Saying I was stuck in snow doesn't really describe the problem properly - the tractor would have been just a stuck in this predicament if there was no snow at all. I did learn something useful however - a Volkswagen Passat jack works excellent on the part of the frame under the floor pan - fits just like it was made to work there.
Junkman
Super Member
The only difference is the Kubota will be around a long time after the Passat is long gone.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Just remember to take the jack out of the trunk before its on the way to Linders..... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
rbarker
Platinum Member
Well, since everyone is posting their pics of the Blizzard of 2005 here's a couple my wife took. We live on the North Shore where the snow reached 38 inches in some areas. My house was not one of those areas. Mid 20's was about what I got not counting the drifts.
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rbarker
Platinum Member
Junkman
Super Member
Isn't it time to take the Christmas decorations down and put up the Valentine decorations??? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif When I opened my rear garage door to take the Kubota out, there was a 5' wall of snow from where the winds swirled it around and it built a snow drift against the house. That was a task.... blowing snow on the way out of the garage and the rest of the drift falling back into the garage. Glad that I didn't throw out the snow shovel when I got the blower..... Junk.....
rbarker
Platinum Member
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Isn't it time to take the Christmas decorations down and put up the Valentine decorations??? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )</font>
Good thing you didn't notice the rope lights left over from the 4th of July party last summer! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Good thing you didn't notice the rope lights left over from the 4th of July party last summer! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Rick Jay
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Hi Jim,
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( So even with the diff lock pushed in I only had the traction of two wheels... )</font>
Just to clarify a bit. At that time, you only had one wheel which could provide any real "push", and that was the rear wheel that was stuck in the hole. Since it had snow and ice around it, it had little ability to help get you out. The front wheel that was on the ground had just about no ability to push because the opposite front wheel was not on the ground. Without a locking differential up front, the wheel with the least traction gets all the power, and that was the one in the air spinning. The one on the ground was no help at all.
Many years ago someone posted something along the lines of this:
4WD tractor in 2WD mode = 1 wheel drive (one rear).
4WD tractor in 4WD mode = 2 wheel drive (one rear, one front)
4WD tractor in 4WD mode with diff. lock = 3 wheel drive (2 rear, one front)
There was an additional comment about having a loader and/or backhoe in order to "really" have the effect of 4WD.
Any vehicle can get stuck. That's why serious off-roaders have winches mounted on their vehicles to help pull 'em out when all else fails.
In your case I would consider a good set of chains as a first step.
Good Luck,
~Rick
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( So even with the diff lock pushed in I only had the traction of two wheels... )</font>
Just to clarify a bit. At that time, you only had one wheel which could provide any real "push", and that was the rear wheel that was stuck in the hole. Since it had snow and ice around it, it had little ability to help get you out. The front wheel that was on the ground had just about no ability to push because the opposite front wheel was not on the ground. Without a locking differential up front, the wheel with the least traction gets all the power, and that was the one in the air spinning. The one on the ground was no help at all.
Many years ago someone posted something along the lines of this:
4WD tractor in 2WD mode = 1 wheel drive (one rear).
4WD tractor in 4WD mode = 2 wheel drive (one rear, one front)
4WD tractor in 4WD mode with diff. lock = 3 wheel drive (2 rear, one front)
There was an additional comment about having a loader and/or backhoe in order to "really" have the effect of 4WD.
Any vehicle can get stuck. That's why serious off-roaders have winches mounted on their vehicles to help pull 'em out when all else fails.
In your case I would consider a good set of chains as a first step.
Good Luck,
~Rick