Tires Right tires for newly paved 400' driveway?

[dcole]

I have a Cub Cadet 7265 (26 hp 4wd hydro) with 41x14-20 Goodyear Softtrac turf tires. For the past 11 years on my old gravel driveway I'ved been using roller chains with a 60" bucket on the FEL and a 7' rear blade. In New Hampshire we get heavy wet snow, so usually I drive backwards and push with the blade. Between the blade and the bucket the tractor works great.
This year I'm afraid that the chains will scratch up my new driveway pretty badly. My turf tires are not weighted, as I mow with the tractor in the summer. Thinking of buying new wheels and R4 tires weighted with beet juice??

 

[kennyd]

I have a Cub Cadet 7265 (26 hp 4wd hydro) with 41x14-20 Goodyear Softtrac turf tires. For the past 11 years on my old gravel driveway I'ved been using roller chains with a 60" bucket on the FEL and a 7' rear blade. In New Hampshire we get heavy wet snow, so usually I drive backwards and push with the blade. Between the blade and the bucket the tractor works great.
This year I'm afraid that the chains will scratch up my new driveway pretty badly. My turf tires are not weighted, as I mow with the tractor in the summer. Thinking of buying new wheels and R4 tires weighted with beet juice??

Wait and see...

The turfs are pretty good in the snow while R4's can be surprisingly slippery.

 

[dcole]

I am right in thinking that the chains will mark up the driveway? What about the lack of weight? Thanks

 

[kennyd]

Yes, chains WILL mark up the driveway-especially if they spin. Weight always helps...Maybe you could add weigh to you blade somehow?

 

[KennyV]

Like kennyd said, You will be surprised at the performance of turfs on snow... They are great. Also the addition of weight on the blade works good... you can use the 3pt to start lifting the blade when you need that little bit more, this works very good.
I use a 7 foot length of RR rail attached to the back of my blade for that little extra.
You will love the turfs in snow. KennyV

 

[bota7800]

My R4s (w/o chains) lost traction on the steep section of my asphalt drive in CO often. I sometimes had to go up in the snow beside the road and plow down (that did not always work either).

Maybe you could try wheel weights instead of filled tires so you could remove them to mow.

I like KennyV's idea too.

 

[Hookblock]

I also use turf tires, not filled, no chains, with a back blade(weighted) and a loader. I think the tires do a great job

 

[Thomas]

DCole.
Is your driveway flat..lower gear/setting for traction..try taking less of plow bite.
I would also hold off buy chains.

This may seem little odd way of plowing..
Heavy storm frist trip I plow driveway sides..push the snow back at 45 degree plow setting,than start plowing the middle..faster clean up better traction etc.

 

[jimmyj]

I used to plow the exact same way Thomas with my ATV (the "before tractor" era). I would wait and see too.

 

[SARG]

Just be aware that the backblade and loader blade will "mark" the blacktop as well. I've decided I may have to coat the driveway yearly just to keep it "pretty".