Buying Advice Getting closer to pulling the trigger but have snow plow question.

[tjl5709]

Well it's coming down to a new B2660 or a MF GC24/2600 because of the 0% financing. Leaning towards the Kubota for the vast network available of dealers, special equipment, knowledge base.

Here is why I'm in the market. Just picked up a house w/ 2.3 acres. Almost all lawn. Pretty much flat. Have about 400 ft of asphalt drive. House needs landscaping work and grading. (Moving rocks/dirt/mulch) Initial buy is tractor, FEL, MMM, front plow. Other stuff to come obviously, but I need to have the winter covered. In SE Michigan, we don't get the regular heavy snow falls others get in Mi, so I think the plow should do. Between the FEL and my 24" 2 stage blower from my current house, I think I can handle a really "big" blizzard in a pinch. The 2 Dealers I talked to r saying to go with R4 tires since I am going to get a plow for snow work. They say turfs not good in snow and they won't hurt your lawn.

For the usual 4" - 6" snow falls we get, can I get away with a blade, R4's, and some heavy ballast in the rear? Just curious how much snow a plow mounted on these can handle.

 

[bp fick]

Greetings from Northern MI.

We get three times the snow of the S.E. and I loved my little BX with the fully hydraulic snow blade. It was the fastest way to deal with snow. You just have to have a plan. Lived in SE Michigan for 20 years off and on. With your property, you'll need to have a wide berth for the driveway, plowing beyond your driveway width, allowing for a followup snow before the first one melts down. It happens.

It is also helpful to have an area, such as the malls and commercial areas use to really push the excess snow. A dumping ground.

I loved the front blade. That said, there's not a whole bunch of money difference between the front blade rig and a blower, especially a 3 pt blower. Still, I'd rather push. A bunch of guys will absolutely insist you consider a blower. They are pretty sold on them.

You could just push the snow with your loader too. It is nowhere near as much fun as a blade, but it gets the job done, eventually. Rear blades are dirt cheap.

 

[PHILIP8N]

These turfs are superior to R1's and R4's on a black top driveway. They have many bitting edges and sipes in the treads. I now run a ballest box on 3 point, and run in 2WD most of the time clearing snow. The only time I engage 4WD is if we have ice under the snow. I have similar situation in central Indiana, but we may get a little more ice than you. Typical snow falls are 2" to 6", and I clear a 600' long black top driveway. In the summer I am mowing 2.5 acres of grass with a rear discharge finish mower. Good luck with your decision. Philip.

 

[nybirdman]

I had a L3130 with a six ft.sub-frame mounted plow,currently have a L4240 with a Fel mounted eight ft.plow.Pushing snow is determined by weight and traction,and the weight of the snow.Both mine have(had R1's).We average about 150 in/year.Both worked well,of course the larger tractor and plow is better (for me).
I don't drive on my lawn,so R1's were my choice.When I purchased my tractors the dealer stated; the turfs were better in the snow than R4's.Don't know or care because I bought ag's.
With a asphalt drive and your limited snow-fall..I would try a medium duty rear blade/Fel combo.Save a lot of bucks,try for a couple years.If you need more go with the front blade.
I use the rear blade(7ft) in combo with the front blade.Works well for me.

 

[bp fick]

I'd also disagree about the turfs not being good in snow. So much depends on what kind of snow. Packing, powder, wet slop, etc.

Frankly? Being super honest here? I have R4 because they are an all around, tough, compromise tire, but they simply are not the greatest thing in snow. They do OK, but up north, here, most guys, who push snow commercially, go with turfs. Pretty good traction patch. But the snow here is drier and that might be the difference.

 

[Kubota 2007]

I maintain 1/4mile of private road, all up hill, I use a front mounted plow on my Kubota. I also have a rear mounted Snow Blower. The snow plow is great, it rolls the snow and clears the 10ft wide road quickly, also have two large open parking areas at each house and the power angle blade is what works best. When we have alot of snow and the piles seem to start building up, I hook up the three point Blower, and blow each side of the road into the woods, I'm then good for many more snow falls. I also have a B3030 with a FEL and I used that for snow, it does the job, but much slower and not nearly as neat. Once the bucket is full your not doing much to clear the snow.I have used R-4's and Ag tires, both loaded. I believe the R-4's are better in the snow in Cold weather if you adjust the air in the rears so you get a full tire print on blacktop. The rubber on a Ag tire in real cold weather appears to get really hard compaired to R-4's. I've never had turfs.

 

[TripleR]

Firstly, the BX2660 is a great little tractor, we have had ours close to four years.

We don't get much snow here, but when we have, the R4/Industrial Tires worked fine. I can't honestly say the Turf tires won't work better, only that the R4/Industrials work for me. The guys who live up there will know more than I.

We have them on three tractors and consider them a good compromise for us. We have used Turf and Orchard and have tractors with Ag tires.

Good luck either way you go as both are good tractors.

 

[fredhargis]

I'm somewhat south of you (maybe 150 miles) and use R4's with my loader and 3 point hitch thrower. I consider them adequate, but certainly not superior. My problem comes not with the normal snowfalls (not much different) but with the drifts. The way my property runs it's not unusual to have 3' +drifts to deal with...so I use the loader. But with paved drives I think you will be OK with the plow and the turfs.

 

[ronjhall]

The B2620 is a little smaller than my B2910. I have a 6'6" Curtis blade on it. You may need a little smaller blade. Handles the SE MI snows very well. Turfs work well in snow. Ice it is not so good. But a set of chains help. After over 10 years of ownership it has preformed very well in all kinds of MI snow.

 

[BXpanded]

Well it's coming down to a new B2660 or a MF GC24/2600 because of the 0% financing. Leaning towards the Kubota for the vast network available of dealers, special equipment, knowledge base.

Here is why I'm in the market. Just picked up a house w/ 2.3 acres. Almost all lawn. Pretty much flat. Have about 400 ft of asphalt drive. House needs landscaping work and grading. (Moving rocks/dirt/mulch) Initial buy is tractor, FEL, MMM, front plow. Other stuff to come obviously, but I need to have the winter covered. In SE Michigan, we don't get the regular heavy snow falls others get in Mi, so I think the plow should do. Between the FEL and my 24" 2 stage blower from my current house, I think I can handle a really "big" blizzard in a pinch. The 2 Dealers I talked to r saying to go with R4 tires since I am going to get a plow for snow work. They say turfs not good in snow and they won't hurt your lawn.

For the usual 4" - 6" snow falls we get, can I get away with a blade, R4's, and some heavy ballast in the rear? Just curious how much snow a plow mounted on these can handle.

The BXpanded Plow allows you to raise the blade to "stack" the snow higher. Also, gives you nearly immediate use of your loader bucket if you need to move a big pile. Fits either of those tractors.
See it here Snowplows