Snow Equipment Buying/Pricing I know it is July...but a snow question....

[radioman]

WOW...great replies! Very much appreciated!

I will stick with the loader....keep the $3000 in my pocket.

Add some chains...one more thing I forgot to mention....

The dealer suggested filling the rear tires with some kind of molasses based product for $150.00. Said it would help with the loader weight.

Safe to say it will also help with the snow?

Thanks to all for your input.

Mike

My BX simalar to GC has rears filled with rimguard (beet juice basically) which is safer then old farmers calcuim choride stuff. I ran nearly 2 years without filled tires and now its filled and will never go back. I love the less bouncing around, smoother ride, more traction in winter, easier to get thru mud a bit no need to add on ballast like others say. Who wants to drive around with a tiller in the back letting it be exposed to snow and salt not mentioning it looks ridiculous? Dont't get me wrong tho- I'd too would drive with tiller on for ballast if rears wasn't filled.

 

[VABlue]

Get both - fill the rear tires and get the ballast box! My 2305 rear's are filled and it only dents the lawn when everything is real wet. Although I do have turf tires on mine, so that probably lessens the impact some. Bargain with the dealer, he might throw in either the tire fill or weight box, along with the FEL. Especially if you package an implement (or two) in with the tractor. Each option is around $200-250, so use that as a bargaining chip.

Good luck with the deal now that you pretty much know what you want.

 

[ToadHill]

It depends on how much snow you get. If you only get a few inches at a time the blade will work fine. We get about 120" a year and some of it comes in 18 to 24" at a time.

With that kind of snow the banks on the sides of the drive build up real fast.

I have a front blade for the 2 to 6" stuff and a 75" blower for the rest of it. If we get a lot of small snowfalls then when the sides build up I just set the blower off the ground about 6" and blow the buildup out about 40'or so.

 

[JDGreenGrass]

WOW!!

As expected....lots of replies.

I got a little bit of everything.

I immediately ruled out the plow on my truck...I don't think the Avalanche is really designed for that.

I have also ruled out the front snowblower....I think I will keep the 13hp Cub Cadet walk behind. If it gets to be too much, I will bust out the FEL.

I also think I am going to skip the chains for the time being. The hosue is only a year old, a newer concrete...and I certainly don't want to take chuncks of concrete out with the chains. If I find that after the first year the tires spin just too much, I will pick some up summer of 2011.

Really the only decision left is the loaded tires or the rear box. I am a simple guy, so I lean to the loaded tires....but then that opens up the problem of the tires sinking in my yard. Geeezzz...all these problems with a new tractor!

Good problems to have.

Thanks for all the replies and advice.
Mike

Ballast box is a great item. It makes such a huge difference with traction which translates to HP.!!

 

[wolc123]

A ballast box makes little sense for snow-removal, as you can acomplish the weight thing, nearly as cheap, with a rear blade. The blade can actually move snow while the box is merely dead weight. You can also attach weights to the blade to make it heavier (and better for scraping ice). If you have to fit into tight areas, the ballast box hangs off the back almost as far as the blade, and loaded tires and/or wheel weights/bare 3pt is a better solution.

 

[75H2]

I have a MF GC2300 I live in the snowy part of PA on a windy hill. Last year we got crushed with snow. I had to clear 4 foot high, full lane wide drifts daily. Plowing with a rear blade is the cheapest option, but very limited in capability. It is great for light accumulations. But, after a few storms you will quickly run out of room to push the snow off of the sides. Last year it snowed so much I couldn't get the tractor out of the garage. (I pulled in, couldn't back up in order to dig myself out with the loader) I ordered a rear blower. It was about $1200 less than a front blower. I was able to keep the loader mounted and switch it out easier than a front model. Yes, it isn't fun to back up, I have a 400 foot drive and a 35 X 50 parking area. And, at times you'll get a face full of snow. But, I found it much more convenient than other options.
Something to keep in mind, if you order a front blower now you MAY have it in time for winter. They are chronically backordered

 

[Tig]

I do love my blower. Some days I can get drifted in 3' deep every few hours. I could never keep up with anything else. With the blower I can wait until I need to go out and then make my 600m lane passable in a half hour or so.
Two winters back it got a lot of use. Last year I didn't really need it at all. What little snow we got faded away after a day or so.
So blower or blade depends on where you live and how much room you have.

 

[RoyJackson]

A ballast box makes little sense for snow-removal, as you can acomplish the weight thing, nearly as cheap, with a rear blade. The blade can actually move snow while the box is merely dead weight. You can also attach weights to the blade to make it heavier (and better for scraping ice). If you have to fit into tight areas, the ballast box hangs off the back almost as far as the blade, and loaded tires and/or wheel weights/bare 3pt is a better solution.

You don't know much about ballast boxes, eh?