New tractor owner

[Gord Baker]

Nice Tractor. New Holland? You might consider folding back the top section of the ROPS or having it shortened. If it catches on a low sturdy limb, you are in instant trouble.

 

[Raul-02]

My Deere came with industrial/construction treads, and it has very poor traction on snow

how much weight do you have on the rear? I run industrial rubbers and I do just fine in heavy snow and ice

 

[KennyG]

I'd be curious to know how one keeps visibility up in a soft cover given as how there is no defrost or wiper

I've had an OTC soft cab for almost 10 years. Not any real need for defrost or wiper. With the optional glass windshield you can add a wiper but I didn't. I do have the glass and it is the way to go.

 

[Raul-02]

Not any real need for defrost or wiper.

is that because it's as cold in the shell as outside? so no temp' differential = no condensation?

 

[KennyG]

is that because it's as cold in the shell as outside? so no temp' differential = no condensation?

There's no heater but you pick up engine/transmission heat and there's no wind. You can't work in a T shirt but when it's zero F outside, it's around freezing in the cab. Also, it's not a tight seal, so there is some air circulation. On warmer, high humidity days I see a little condensation, but not enough to be a problem.

 

[airbiscuit]

A snowmobile suit and a helmet works too

 

[Mud2Money]

Nice tractor ! Goodworks , sweetstractor, and everything attachments are all places I use for any online orders if my local stores don’t have what I am looking for. As for the securing the load comments I don’t think anyone was trying to be mean. I haul equipment to and from sites for my day job. Dot requires 4 points chained or strapped on the machine it’s self. Any accessories/moving parts of the machine like a dozer blade , excavator boom , loader must also be tied down. They assume it can come up at any point and hit a bridge etc.

 

[RolandW]

how much weight do you have on the rear? I run industrial rubbers and I do just fine in heavy snow and ice

I'm using a rear blade, so no extra weight on the rear other than fluid in the tires, and no wheel weights. Of course having the loader attached makes it worse, but even without that the performance is disappointing.

 

[rScotty]

Man I sure agree on the tires! I went to AG tires on one of my Kubota's of very similar size for snow blowing and it was a huge change. The difference between needing chains vs not needing chains.

Tire preferece discussions seem to go o without end. We've had tractors for over 50 years now and have come to prefer the Industrial treads over the Ag (agriculture or R1) tires.

Yes, in heavy snow or mud or soft plowed ground the Industrial tread does have less bite, but they still have some traction and on dryer soil or hard pack they have more. Most of the work we do all during the year is not in extreme weather conditions. The trade off that counts for us is that industrial treads have better traction much of the time and always do less damage to the land. Industrials don't do so much rutting and tearing of soil and plants, and have slightly better stability due to being a little wider tire.

I do have a set of front chains that can be put on for deaing with deep snow or mud if we need to. They are rarely used, but nice to have. Using the FEL to lift the front up makes them go on easily. In fact, I used them as much with Ag tires as with the Industrials. When chains are needed, the tire tread is sort of secondary.

I'd say to leave the tires you have. They look like good ones. Consider adding a set of front chains if you get a lot of heavy snow or mud or just want to make yours a traction monster.

rScotty

 

[Raul-02]

rear blade, so no extra weight on the rear other than fluid in the tires, and no wheel weights.

I can tell you what I have on mine and it seems to do the job.
It's a 4 or 5-hundred-pound 1/4" thick steel wood stove, a rather large one. That I filled with rocks. I should calculate the weight of all that steel and possibly even the rocks could be roughly calculated.
I guess the combined weight of the stove-&-rocks is close to 1500 pounds. I have lifted a log that weighed over 2000 pounds and the rear didn't get light. I use a 6-foot Worksaver snow pusher and I've never felt slippage when pushing or grooming snow piles. I have a 15-Degree grass slope going into the courtyard where I keep my firewood and in snow I navigate that just fine. The tires are whatever industrial tires the factory put on.

Ya gotta know though it's a bigger tractor a 47 HP weighing in at 4000 with out the FEL. So it can handle the big ballast.