Snow Equipment Buying/Pricing Snow removal quandry

[jimmyj]

What to do what to do.....

Our lane is about 400' long, half is uphill and there are a bunch of parking spots plus a turnaround circle. The base is gravel.

I have my new awesome tractor with the FEL. It worked great to remove snow from the lane last year - no complaints at all. In prior years I used my ATV with a plow and sometimes the walk behind snowblower (32") or my Allis Chalmers 16hp tractor with the dozer blade. One year I borrowed a small JD tractor with a front mount blower and soft cab - this was the best snow removal rig of the three.

I've got a hunkering for some new technology and with the knowledge that a blower is the best of all, would like some advice and opinions.

Should I...

a) buy a 72" 3ph snowblower (hydraulic) for $2000
b) get rid of my Allis Chalmers (I have two) for $5,000-ish ( for both)l and buy a new 23hp hydro Husqvarna riding mower with a 48" front blower and 44" mower deck (total price about $5,000)
c) do nothing and save my darned money

I am kinda stuck on what to do. The front mount blower is so tempting but
so is not spending money...

 

[beenthere]

My vote, but only if it works for you.

 

[jimmyj]

Is a plow a lot better than the FEL? I have a 4' and 5' and 6' plow for my Allis Chalmers and the ATV and I find it hard to get the snow up over the sides of the pile. Any tips?

 

[smfcpacfp]

Most important question - how much snow do you get and how long does it last?

I am from Lima, Ohio. We would get some snow ocassionally, sometimes a lot, but it would usually be gone in a week. The driveway was 100' long. When my dad was young he used a shovel and I helped him. Later he hired kids to do the job. If your situation was like his I would make due with what you have already.

I now live on the south shore of Lake Superior. I will have 600 feet of driveway to deal with. We get 15 to 30 feet of snow. In December and much of January, I probably have to remove snow 2 days out of 3. I have the rig below. Moving snow was an annoyance in Lima. It is serious business here.

 

[jimmyj]

We have snow from about Christmas to sometime in March. The average snowfall in South Ontario per the internet seems to be about 4 feet, not that much really. We have a wesward sloping downhill drive that drifts in so I find that the banks I've made at the bottom where I plow to are usually very big though, maybe the equivalent of several large dump truck loads (take a foot deep by 400 feet long and 12 feet wide and it adds up). Plus the plow trucks that do the roads make the banks a good 4 feet high and at least 6 or 8 feet wide across the 25 foot mouth of the lane.

Note: I love moving the snow, I think it's fun. (call me crazy!)

 

[beenthere]

Is a plow a lot better than the FEL? I have a 4' and 5' and 6' plow for my Allis Chalmers and the ATV and I find it hard to get the snow up over the sides of the pile. Any tips?

The plow should be wide enough to move the snow beyond the wheels when angled. I've seen a lot of narrow blades that don't get that part of the job done.

Tip: With a 7' plow, I can move the snow over even more by raising the plow and taking the top off the windrow (piled snow) and then going back to clean up the 6 or so inches left.

However, I'm working on a wing plow to do that for me, as well as push the snow over the edge of the drive and into the ditch. That should help avoid some of the serious drifting that happens.

Is a plow better than a FEL? A whole heck of a lot better. Night and day difference. Like going after it with a teaspoon vs. a scoop shovel. (grin).

 

[MossRoad]

We have a power angle snow plow on our FEL arms. It is great! My little tractor can stack snow 6' high with that. I've used just my bucket to remove snow, but the plow is 10x better.

Of course, a blower is even better than a plow because you don't have to worry about berms and piles. However, a plow was a lot cheaper than a blower and just as fast as a blower in our climate. I mean, with a blower or a plow, for most snow falls under 8-10" I have to drive down the driveway anyway. I still have to make the same amount of passes. If the snow gets much deeper than that, however, or if there is a lot on the sides already, then you have to spend time piling the snow and with a blower, that wouldn't need to be done.

 

[bp fick]

Going to plow myself this year. As you had experience with your ATV and plowing, perhaps now you wish to use your tractor? Most who have done ATV plowing prefer the tractor, when comparing. Good luck on your decision making.

Delivery day last July

 

[biggerten]

It worked great to remove snow from the lane last year - no complaints at all.

c) do nothing and save my darned money

You answered your own question.

 

[Johndeere3720]

Last winter we had to dig out the 3/4 mile long driveway for 2 days. There were 5" mounds up both sides of the driveway. The 3720 with only a FEL takes a long time to move snow. Would have used the skidsteer but since the rubber tracks hate ice, it was useless on the driveway. This is why i went out and bought a rear blade, huge difference. Now I cant wait to plow snow with my yanmar.

 

[MossRoad]

Here is a picture.

 

[Cat_Driver]

Let me add a different side to snow removal.
Number one it's FUN and it's a time for a man to be one with the snow and tractor.

The way I look at some purchases is am I going to enjoy doing this and is it going to make my life easier along with a little fun.

Snow blowing the snow would be like a mini vacation. Of course you must tell the wife how hard you worked and how miserable it was, while you has some hot coffee, a warm cab, and your tunes on.

Many many years ago when I was 18 years old I asked my parents to sign for a dodge power wagon with a complete snow plow set up bran new at the dealer. Now at the time you could have purchased a nice new Corvette for what I paid for the truck and equipment, so my parents thought I was nuts. I assured them I could make enough money to pay for the equipment if they would just sign.

SO here it was middle of December and not on flake of snow on the ground and me staring out the window at a truck that was sucking money and the worst part letting my parents down.

Well it did snow and it never did stop and neither did I, I had my contracts and everything else I could plow I went three days with little sleep, but when I finally came home I pulled money out of every pocket I had and dropped it on the kitchen table the final morning. That was the best feeling couple with the "I told you so look from me" and the "I knew you could do it son" from my parents. On the table was enough to nearly pay off the truck.

That little act of trust did more for me that a college education because it showed me then that I could make money on my own and I didn't need to bve employed.

 

[Couple of Achers]

Ah, the age old question of how much snow removal equipment is right for me! Here in MN, this would be my list in order from least desirable to my most desirable. Opinions will vary, since everyone's need will differ based on location, budget, and many other factors. Most of us start out with the loader and gradually progress up to other means of snow removal until you get to the point that you are satisfied with. As time goes on, other factors will sway your decision as well. So what may work for you today, may not be the final solution.

1. Loader
2. Loader with rear blade
3. Front blade.
4. Front angle blade.
5. Front angel blade with rear snowblower
6. Front snowblower
7. Front snowblower with rear blade

It's not an easy decision to make. But one thing I can tell you from my experience, it that in heavy snow country, I would no longer be without a blower of some kind. Either front or rear. JMHO Good luck.

 

[beenthere]

JD3720
The rear blade is prolly good enough for 5" mounds of snow (grin). Anything more than that, not so good.
Sounds like you have already used the rear blade in snow. Push most of it going backwards?
I'd think the FEL would be much better than the rear blade. Others may find differently. I will never go back tho. Too much damage to parts, as there is no give. Too hard on the bod to be looking back all the time. But we each seek our own level of fun in the snow.

 

[TBDonnelly]

Jimmy,

Do a search for Steve_Miller. Steve has the same CK30 and has fabbed up a side plow wing. Steve first had it on and CK20 and moved up to a CK30.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/48557-snow-wing.html

Don

 

[Johndeere3720]

I have used the rear blade in the snow once. It worked great. i havnt used it in the snow in reverse yet though. My neighbor has been wanting to build me a front snow blade for my Yanmar so i can plow his driveway too. The blade sounds like it will be free as long as I plow his driveway. Thats a fair deal, more seat time gets me a free blade. Then I can use the front blade to push and anything that is left behind I can move with the rear blade.

 

[Steve_Miller]

Man, time flies, I was looking at that again and realized how long ago that was. I will try and get some updated pictures of the setup on the CK30. It still beats driving backwards until the piles get too high and I can't push them back far enough, although that very rarely happens around here. I have only twice had enough pressure to swing the the front end in the snowbank. All of the side pressure is mostly on the adjustable 3ph arm links, as far as the floating of the blade, it will be clear if I post a picture or two of the cylinder and chain supporting the blade. It mostly never hits the ground as I like to keep it level instead of dropping it down over the bank of the driveway. The only downfall if you want to call it that is that I adapted the back linkage to the snowblower, but if I can't push it I just have to turn around and blow it. I'm in the middle of revamping my front mounted blade at the moment to allow it some lateral play to sort follow the contour of the driveway.

Steve

 

[ChuckinNH]

I'm facing the same quandry on a smaller scale, so this will be interesting. Four hundred feet of driveway with hills is enough to thnink about serious snow removal equipment. I have much less, but we do get a lot of snow here sometimes. I'm a little afraid that you might be disappointed, or more accurately frustrated with the Husqvarnna solution. I'm not sure if the weight will be there to give you the traction you will need. You can load the tires, and add weights, and chains, and that just might work. It would be easy to add a weather break / simple cab to something like that, and a lot cheaper too. 400 feet is quite a bit to do in reverse, but if I remember correctly, the Kioti hydrostatic controls lend themselves to operating while sitting sideways, and that would help. One thing for sure is that the Kioti solution wouldn't let you down.

I have a larger garden tractor (2wd) and a small Kubota, and am still not sure which to put the blower on. I sure like the idea of a basic cab, and that would fit in my garage, and be the same price with a blower as just the blower will be for my Kubota........... ah! the fun of thinking about such things!

 

[Builder]

What to do what to do.....

Our lane is about 400' long, half is uphill and there are a bunch of parking spots plus a turnaround circle. The base is gravel.

I have my new awesome tractor with the FEL. It worked great to remove snow from the lane last year - no complaints at all. In prior years I used my ATV with a plow and sometimes the walk behind snowblower (32") or my Allis Chalmers 16hp tractor with the dozer blade. One year I borrowed a small JD tractor with a front mount blower and soft cab - this was the best snow removal rig of the three.

I've got a hunkering for some new technology and with the knowledge that a blower is the best of all, would like some advice and opinions.

Should I...

a) buy a 72" 3ph snowblower (hydraulic) for $2000
b) get rid of my Allis Chalmers (I have two) for $5,000-ish ( for both)l and buy a new 23hp hydro Husqvarna riding mower with a 48" front blower and 44" mower deck (total price about $5,000)
c) do nothing and save my darned money

I am kinda stuck on what to do. The front mount blower is so tempting but
so is not spending money...

Base your decision on how much snow you get. If you get 20-50", just use a small blade. If you get 50-100" maybe step up to a bigger power angle blade or possibly a rear blower. 100-200 inches, I'd get a front blower so you can stack snow and avoid snow banks on either side of driveway.

 

[Tig]

I have 600m of laneway and we get heavy drifting and lake effect snow from Lake Ontario. Blower is the only way to go here. Mine is a TPH and it's 20 -30 mins round trip to clear the lane. I enjoy the trip even if I do ride backwards.
I agree with the thought that front blower and cab is the deluxe setup. Someday when I have less use for the loader and my neck is getting stiff I will switch.