Snow Equipment Buying/Pricing Ideas for long steep gravel driveway at winter camp?

[RoyJackson]

Hello Rob,
If you would more help making your decision you are welcome
to contact me via PM.

Leon

Yeah, Ol' Leon will try to sell ya a flail mower to clear your drive!!!

 

[leonz]

You make me very glad I have held on to my 1995 Isuzu 4 by 4 which was probably the last one off the boat in 1995 with the following:

new parts over three years

new fuel tank
radiator/hoses
starter -2nd
battery-3rd
oil pan
new snow tires-4th set of actual rubber over 15 years
catlytic converter

The 1995 needs work and its dirty but it will cost much less than a new 4 by 4!!!!!!!!!

It is a real bear for work and has never failed me and the transmission and transfer case are still new with 115,000 miles on them.

I have probably the last 2008 Isuzu/GM assembled in Shreveport, Louisiana and I grabbed it with 2,218 miles on it(it was a repo-right place right time) and I have put 18,000 miles on it in 2 years, I dont drive much so I figure its going to last me as least as long as the other one. the only bad thing is it not 4 wheel drive but I have chains and buy tube sand every year which I save to use for grit and filling holes in the lawn.


And before I forget it, I do not sell flailmowers here on the forum or anywhere else either.

I just enjoy going into great detail about mowing and snow removal.

 

[rpvietzke]

Thanks. This is all great info.

I have a local guy who plows the first 100' or so every storm so that we can get off the road and not worry about our cars. On the couple times I've called and asked if they could " keep it open until new years" they have only been able to get about 1/2 way by plowing from the bottom up. It also cost about $140 to get that far. ( they see out of staters coming. I don't blame them however, I would do the same probably....)

So I guess I am down to finding a used 3pt blower, probably not much bigger than the width of the tractor (it only has 14 hp at the pto) and counting on at least 3 passes per clearing or getting a 3/4 ton truck to keep at the top. The truck idea sounds more comfortable, but I like the idea of not having another machine to maintain, and my Kubota has always started in the winter.

Still thinking...

 

[Egon]

Have you started the 7200 in cold winter temperatures?

Is there power available at the cabin?

I have used a Kubota B7100 HST chains on all four with just the bucket and a rear blade.

Be cautious about spending on a blower as there is limited HP available and you see some pretty deep and/or wet snow. In the wet the snow may not blow well if at all. It might end up as a counter weight while the bucket is put to work.

Try it for a year using chains and the bucket. It can be slow, especially with gears but you haven't spent any money.

Whatever you do don't disable the bucket for normal operation as you have steep spots.

 

[leonz]

Thanks. This is all great info.

I have a local guy who plows the first 100' or so every storm so that we can get off the road and not worry about our cars. On the couple times I've called and asked if they could " keep it open until new years" they have only been able to get about 1/2 way by plowing from the bottom up. It also cost about $140 to get that far. ( they see out of staters coming. I don't blame them however, I would do the same probably....)

So I guess I am down to finding a used 3pt blower, probably not much bigger than the width of the tractor (it only has 14 hp at the pto) and counting on at least 3 passes per clearing or getting a 3/4 ton truck to keep at the top. The truck idea sounds more comfortable, but I like the idea of not having another machine to maintain, and my Kubota has always started in the winter.

Still thinking...

Hello Rob,


As long as your still thinking;


It might be worth your while to consider one of the new Yamaha Snow Casters
which are only available in Canada at this time but parts are easy to get.


The 32 inch snow caster weighs in at 500 plus pounds and is track drive and
the field reports of the two new models are nothing but glowing as far as
heavy wet snow is concerned as it simply digs right through it with no
problems it would be simple enought load it on a small single axle trailer
and use it to open up the driveway.

The new models throw the snow 60-80 feet.

The Canadian Yamaha dealer in the Maritimes sold all thirty two models that he imported last year and I would visit the www.OldNabble.com web page and look for the Yamaha Snow Blower Forum.


Its another option to look at anyway as you are in this for the long haul as a residence.


ALL the walk behind snow clearers available here in the United States are of no comparison unless you look at the Snow Bear offered by Zaugg USA Inc., and built in Germany by Zaugg Gmbh.

www.zauggusa.com
_________________________________________________________________
Once you go flail you never go back :thumbsup::licking::drool:

 

[sal64]

Hello,

I have an off-grid cabin in Vermont with about a 2000 foot gravel driveway with a couple of steep parts. We are not there every time it snows, but get there a couple times a month in the winter. For the last few years, we've hauled our stuff up on sleds when we go up for weekends. We would love to be able to clear the driveway at least some of the time when we are up for longer periods.

I have an older B7200 gear 4wd and loaded rear ag tires. Have chains too. We have been thinking about getting a rear pto blower, having a plow made to replace the fel bucket, or even welding a couple of used gas powered push blowers together and fitting them to the FEL. Buying a plow truck that we park at the top and plow down is also an option.

The key is being able to clear snow that may have been sitting for a week or two. what do you all think?

Rob

a truck plows the best its also much safer.

 

[rpvietzke]

Egon,

I have a 12v solar plant that provides 480 amp/hrs at 12v. Plenty to run lights, a ceiling fan, well pump and pressure pump, plus a coffee pot in the morning and a shop vac just before we leave. I built the whole place on this battery bank with an inverter and although I have an old generator, haven't put fuel init or started it in 2 years After we left the lights on in the car overnight ( at the bottom of the sled path / driveway) once, I've started bringing along one of those portable jump starter batteries too.

To be honest, however, I've had no problem starting the b7200. Sometimes it cranks a little slow, and one time I did use the extra battery to give a little extra umpf, but it has always started. (It is in a barn, but not heated.)

Rob

 

[kco]

We have a 650' gravel driveway in central NH, switch back half way with the upper section steep, see 2nd photo. I have a plow truck that I use to plow from top down. The tractor with FEL and backblade is used for clean-up and moving the piles back.

If I had to I could do the whole job with the tractor but the plow truck is much faster. However if we had been away and there was 2+ feet of snow to deal with, the plow truck would probably get stuck. I would then resort to the tractor with FEL, a slow process but it would work. No blower experience but I think that a rear mount blower would also be the slow but sure solution.

Note that the tractor has chains on 4 wheels (as did my plow truck that day). Dealing with deep snow or ice on a steep driveway calls for chains. Ice is the real killer, that is why chains on all four. I keep a supply of sand mixed with salt at the top. Many 5 gal buckets are stored in the garage. Dump a few buckets in the FEL; get the wife to drive the tractor slow and I spread sand on the steep parts with a shovel.

Very impressive photos--especially the 2nd one. You should have just included the 2nd photo and recommended the shovel. It's cheap and keeps you fit.

 

[Kioti guy]

I realized i didn't say where i am located when I made my suggestions,I am located in ontario (muskoka) and the first year with the new snowblower mounted on the case ih 234 we received 18' of snow over the course of the winter.
That tractor had 4wd 15 hp ( approx.) at the pto the blower was 50"" wide . This tractor is a pretty direct comparison to your kubota and never felt underpowered with this setup. The blower cost me approximately $2300.00 brand new from my local kubota dealer. ......craig

 

[RoyJackson]

And before I forget it, I do not sell flailmowers here on the forum or anywhere else either.

I just enjoy going into great detail about mowing and snow removal.

Yeah...we know, Leon!