Snow Equipment Buying/Pricing How are these things in the snow anyway?

[Woodworkerman]

I am trying to find my first tractor and one of the top reasons for the purchase is the removal of snow from a long, steep, paved driveway. I would like to be able to use a 2 stage snow-thrower implement to do the task, but I find myself wondering how a heavy tractor will react on a flat snow/ice covered hill in the winter. Anyone have any experience with this? If so, any recommendations or cautions? Thanks.

 

[Willl]

If your not using snow chains, it'll act just like this,,,, minus the steering option.

 

[irvingj]

Workerman- I just got my M-F GC2310 last February, with a 50" 2-stage front mount snowblower... I got chains with it, but found that I didn't need them on my sloped, hard-pack driveway, even with icy conditions-- this with turf tires!

I actually disengaged the 4-wheel drive after several snowstorms, and still did OK- a fair amount of sideways creeping --following crown of driveway-- going uphill (wieght shift due to slope, I believe), but it was fine going downhill- no sliding or tire spinning. Needless to say, I was impressed. BTW, the blower worked great, throwing even wet, icy/crusted snow a minimum of 45'.

Sorry, I was too busy blowing snow (and nobody else wanted to get up!) to get any pics of the blower in action. The sloped part of my driveway is about 150' long, with a wide area I keep cleared at the bottom in front of the garage.

 

[Ductape]

I'm on my second tractor with turf tires and a front snowblower. I've never had any problems getting around, and we were bombed with snow last year. I will say that the tractor didn't go so well when i was on my lawn (don't ask), but on pavement or dirt it was a non issue. I has times i went quite a ways before i even realized i was only in two wheel drive.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I really think it depends on what you mean buy ok? I have ag tires and can go through twice as much snow as my neighbor with turfs and his tractor is 10 hp bigger. My good friend has the same tractor as I do minus the FEL and he has R4's and complains it will not steer in the snow while using a rear grader blade when there is more than 4-6 inches of snow. I can handle 1.5' no problem due to the R1 ags and the extra weight of the FEL on the front tires. I would stop and ask a few of you neighbors what they are using.

Chris

 

[Alt5600]

I currently have a moderately steep 900' drive that is road-base material. I have an estimate to pave it along with a drainage curb, and plan to use my future tractor to keep it snow-free. The snow here is mostly powder, so I intend to use a rotary-broom (using front hydraulics) to sweep it off. If it is wet-snow, I'll use the FEL to push it all downhill and off to the side. We get so much sun here that it melts pretty quickly. Just have to stay on top of it.

 

[IXLR8]

My tractor was delivered with the V chains on it already... cleared snow on 1/3 mile dirt road and 2 dirt driveways with my rear blade and FEL... it was like driving on dry pavement. I did have one of the loose chain ends catch on the brace for my 3pt hitch... bending it and causing a few cursed words to be uttered and the consideration of not putting the chains on next winter. Also the driveway will be paved by then.... I hope... and I am not sure how well the chains and asphalt are going to get along.

 

[groundcover]

I have a couple of very steep driveways,one paved and one hardpack. I normaly plow them with a pickup ( a lot faster) but have ,after a very heavy snow used the Kubota and 63" rear blower. I haven't chained up but with the Ag tires only need to give a 'push' with the front bucket on the steepest part of the hill when it is icy. I have also driven up and blown down ,R1's are directional and pull a lot better forward. Do be careful about spinning with chains on blacktop, that's gunna leave a mark !

 

[RalphVa]

You could put some metal screws into the lugs.

Do a search. You'll find these are what they use to race motorcycles on iced over lakes.

I put them into the outer parts of the lugs on my Gravely Ag tires. Didn't really get a chance to try them out, as I acquired my 4wd JD a year or so later. Haven't put the screws into its turf tire lugs on the JD, as my driveway if rather flat, and the JD has very good traction in the snow without the screws.

Ralph

 

[brandoro]

I'm on my second tractor with turfs and a 3 pt snowblower. No problems with traction. I usually run in 2 wheel drive so that if I contact something in the snow with the blower the wheels will slip before I tear something off the blower.

 

[Woodworkerman]

Thanks for all the replies. I already have a pick-up with a plow, but I find that as the winter progresses, and the snow piles melt and freeze, it becomes harder to push snow away from the road. The roadway begins to narrow to say the least. I'm hoping that a blower will send the snow far enough away from the road to avoid this problem.

I planned on getting a rear mount blower so that I could use the loader to help slow or stop if I began to slide while going down the hill. Will this work or is it unnecessary? One section of my driveway is about a 35-40 degree incline.

 

[Ductape]

I've been both rear blower w/loader and front blower route. For me..... front blower is absolutely the way to go. Looking ahead, not over your shoulder. My front blower throws snow 40+ feet in the right conditions...... snowbanks building up and making your driveway narrower are no longer an issue. Ever. For me.... with a blower on, i never find a need for the loader. Some peoples' landscape will differ.

 

[Woodworkerman]

I can see how it would be much easier to use the blower on the front. I guess it would also help to hold you back from sliding when coming down a steep grade.?

 

[Ductape]

I've never had any issues on steep grades, but i don't clear anything i'd consider terribly steep. I feel that a set of tire chains would take care of any sliding issues if your driveway is that steep.

I will admit i'm able to clear snow when its best for me. We had several storms last winter that turned to rain after a foot of snow. I was able to wait out the rain and let become a little crust on top of the snow..... no problem blowing. Someone who works "regular" hours may not have that luxury, and end up with glare ice on their previously cleaned driveway. Slipping and sliding just wasn't much of an issue for me.