New tractor suggestions for snow removal

[RidgeHiker]

I have a Kioti DK5010 50 HP which I am very happy with. DPF has not been an issue. Previous tractor was a 30 HP. The upgrade in weight and horsepower has been great. The 30 HP would do the work but was much slower. The disadvantage of the larger tractor is the larger size for maneuvering and the cost. My closest dealer is a few hours away but have never needed to take the tractor in.

Since each snow can be unpredictable in wetness, depth, etc. and how much you will get in a period of time some years you might be happy with a smaller tractor whereas others grateful for a larger one. And then there is the unpredictability of global warming.

A larger, heavier tractor may not necessitate chains, especially if it does not tend to get icy. But rear tractor chains are very heavy, and the larger the tractor the more weight to wrestle.

A few more considerations. Do you have plenty of room to push the snow for plowing? If so would you be better off with a truck plow? Do you need the tractor for other things? If you are considering a rear facing snow blower how does your body do with twisting around backwards? Snow blowers can be great but they require more maintenance the buckets and blades and are more costly. They also can clog, particularly with wet, heavy snow. If you get a snow blower it is a good idea to have extra low gearing on the tractor. Depending on the snow conditions if you can't go slow enough there is more of a tendency to clog. With higher low gearing you get in a crunch between keeping the rpms up for the blower to function efficiently and the speed down to reduce snow intake.

 

[finn1]

I have a Kioti DK5010 50 HP which I am very happy with. DPF has not been an issue. Previous tractor was a 30 HP. The upgrade in weight and horsepower has been great. The 30 HP would do the work but was much slower. The disadvantage of the larger tractor is the larger size for maneuvering and the cost. My closest dealer is a few hours away but have never needed to take the tractor in.

Since each snow can be unpredictable in wetness, depth, etc. and how much you will get in a period of time some years you might be happy with a smaller tractor whereas others grateful for a larger one. And then there is the unpredictability of global warming.

A larger, heavier tractor may not necessitate chains, especially if it does not tend to get icy. But rear tractor chains are very heavy, and the larger the tractor the more weight to wrestle.

A few more considerations. Do you have plenty of room to push the snow for plowing? If so would you be better off with a truck plow? Do you need the tractor for other things? If you are considering a rear facing snow blower how does your body do with twisting around backwards? Snow blowers can be great but they require more maintenance the buckets and blades and are more costly. They also can clog, particularly with wet, heavy snow. If you get a snow blower it is a good idea to have extra low gearing on the tractor. Depending on the snow conditions if you can't go slow enough there is more of a tendency to clog. With higher low gearing you get in a crunch between keeping the rpms up for the blower to function efficiently and the speed down to reduce snow intake.

That’s where the hst comes in. I consider it mandatory for snowblower operation.

Not everyone agrees, though.

 

[RidgeHiker]

That’s where the hst comes in. I consider it mandatory for snowblower operation.

Not everyone agrees, though.

Not sure if I understand. I'm it certainly helps to ease into power but ultimately keeping the speed low while engine rpms are maintained higher still seems to depend on how low the low range gearing is.

 

[JWR]

That’s where the hst comes in. I consider it mandatory for snowblower operation.

Not everyone agrees, though.

I find that the creeper gear in my Kubota B2150 works great for snowblowing. I can see where an HST might be nice for that just as it is for lawn mowing but the creeper gear is outstanding in my experience.

 

[finn1]

Hst will go slower than a manual transmission, even than a creeper gear.

Also, I believe the op mentioned fork work, another job where a hst will outperform a manual transmission.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

Also, I believe the op mentioned fork work, another job where a hst will outperform a manual transmission.

Besides pulling a plow where else would a gear drive outperform a hst?

 

[finn1]

Perhaps grinding silage or some pto intensive work. Gear drive comes up short for most typical work a compact tractor is used for, like loader and fork work, mowing small, congested plots, snowblower work, etc.

Gear drive works best as a prime mover for ground engaging implements typical of traditional farming operations or pto work.

In my opinion, hst is a better fit for small landowners, where this sized tractor is mostly sold, as witnessed by the dominating market share.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

Perhaps grinding silage or some pto intensive work.

traditional farming operations or pto work.

Outside of the gear drive providing a few more ft lbs of torque I don't understand how it is better for "pto intensive work"?

 

[LouNY]

When you start racking up several thousand hours and 20 years on your hydros then you can start trying to tell me how -- good they are.
Small homeowner type jobs and light duty fine. When they have to work hard even the super fancy and expensive IVTs are falling short compared to power shift gear boxs.
And before someone brings up there SkidSteers how many make it to 6000 hours without major hydraulic work.
A great many gear and power shift tractors have racked up many 1000's of hours with NO clutches or transmission work or even engine work.

 

[JWR]

Hst will go slower than a manual transmission, even than a creeper gear.

Also, I believe the op mentioned fork work, another job where a hst will outperform a manual transmission.

You are right. Sitting there slipping and going nowhere is even slower than a creeper gear! I'm kidding you mostly of course. I'll never forget some guy in a camper about 30 years ago with excellent traction but stuck in deep mud or something. He was sitting there with the thing floored & all sorts of loud humming going on but no wheels turning. I prefer my stick shift tractors but have caved in on cars and trucks ...since you almost can't buy sticks anymore...

 

[JWR]

Besides pulling a plow where else would a gear drive outperform a hst?

Well, first in efficiency -- using the horsepower you have vice wasting a % in the tranny. Second in places where I am creeping down a very steep hill bush hogging trying to hold myself on the seat by placing both feet on something solid on the platform. Were it an HST I would be stopping the machine (really in this example causing sliding) by taking my feet off the treadle pedal. Third, in any case where I wish to be certain the wheels are turning. Fourth, in any case where I might want to push or coast the thing to start it...etc.

 

[RidgeHiker]

Hst will go slower than a manual transmission, even than a creeper gear.

Also, I believe the op mentioned fork work, another job where a hst will outperform a manual transmission.

I get that the HST can go slower but I assume that is at the cost of dropping pto rpms which makes the blower less efficient and more likely to clog. It seems the real answer are creeper gears, as mentioned by JWR, which maintains higher rpms at slower speeds irrespective of the transmission type. Am I missing something here?

 

[finn1]

When you start racking up several thousand hours and 20 years on your hydros then you can start trying to tell me how -- good they are.
Small homeowner type jobs and light duty fine. When they have to work hard even the super fancy and expensive IVTs are falling short compared to power shift gear boxs.
And before someone brings up there SkidSteers how many make it to 6000 hours without major hydraulic work.
A great many gear and power shift tractors have racked up many 1000's of hours with NO clutches or transmission work or even engine work.

I doubt that I will be operating a tractor in twenty years, and you probably won’t be either, so the point is irrelevant.

 

[finn1]

I get that the HST can go slower but I assume that is at the cost of dropping pto rpms which makes the blower less efficient and more likely to clog. It seems the real answer are creeper gears, as mentioned by JWR, which maintains higher rpms at slower speeds irrespective of the transmission type. Am I missing something here?

No. Engine rpm doesn’t define ground speed with a hst. It does in a gear tractor.

Try driving one mph in a stick shift car, then try it with an automatic.

 

[finn1]

Well, first in efficiency -- using the horsepower you have vice wasting a % in the tranny. Second in places where I am creeping down a very steep hill bush hogging trying to hold myself on the seat by placing both feet on something solid on the platform. Were it an HST I would be stopping the machine (really in this example causing sliding) by taking my feet off the treadle pedal. Third, in any case where I wish to be certain the wheels are turning. Fourth, in any case where I might want to push or coast the thing to start it...etc.

Real hst tractors don’t use treadle pedals. Isn’t Kubota the only one that hasn’t gone to dual pedals?

 

[RidgeHiker]

No. Engine rpm doesn’t define ground speed with a hst. It does in a gear tractor.

Try driving one mph in a stick shift car, then try it with an automatic.

So you are saying that an hst with the same gearing as a conventional transmission can maintain much higher pto rpms at the same slow speed? I may be somewhat dense about his since I have only owned shuttle shifts.

In my car and truck automatics if I keep them in low range the rpms will get higher when I step on the gas but the speed increases as well.

 

[LouNY]

I doubt that I will be operating a tractor in twenty years, and you probably won’t be either, so the point is irrelevant.

I guess that would depend upon your definition of relevant;
On the farm the tractors that I run the most are the IH Magnums 7100 and 7200s.
The 7220 is a "95" the 7110 and 7130 are early "90"s so they are 30 years old and and worked
every year, the other IH's H, . 400, 560, 340 656, 1066, 1086 are all older. The Puma 125 is maybe only 10 years or so old and
the NH T6050 is a year newer. Then there are the Green ones a 4020, a pair of 4430's, and the Ford 8000 which is a "68"
model. They all run and are worked frequently.
And then my yard tractors the IH 574 a"70" is 51 years old and is parked and hooked up to my pto generator ready to go
when needed and the Branson 8050 shes only 6 years old.
But you are right I doubt that I'm still driving them 20 years from now. I am hoping for 10+ more.
I can remember when most of them came to the farm and I have run all of them for many hours.

 

[JWR]

I get that the HST can go slower but I assume that is at the cost of dropping pto rpms which makes the blower less efficient and more likely to clog. It seems the real answer are creeper gears, as mentioned by JWR, which maintains higher rpms at slower speeds irrespective of the transmission type. Am I missing something here?

I like people voting my way BUT, no RidgeHiker you are missing something. HST engine rpm can stay full bore (or whatever rpm you set it at) while the tractor is still, barely moving, etc.

 

[JWR]

Real hst tractors don’t use treadle pedals. Isn’t Kubota the only one that hasn’t gone to dual pedals?

Two pedals or one treadle, same point I made regardless.

 

[JWR]

So you are saying that an hst with the same gearing as a conventional transmission can maintain much higher pto rpms at the same slow speed? I may be somewhat dense about his since I have only owned shuttle shifts.

In my car and truck automatics if I keep them in low range the rpms will get higher when I step on the gas but the speed increases as well.

RidgeHiker -- have you ever driven an HST tractor? The operation is not the same as an automatic trans in a car or truck. In an HST the engine runs at whatever rpm you set it at with the throttle. (Unless loaded down.) Motion of the tractor (forward or reverse) is determined by your foot pressure on either a treadle (single fore and aft pedal) or separate fore and aft movement foot pedals. The harder you press the faster it goes. NOT like an automatic.