LBrown59
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2004
- Messages
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- Tractor
- 2003 Kubota BX1500/2004 Kubota Bx23/2005 Kubota BX1500
Snow snow removal question
- Thread starter raykos
- Start date
- Views: 8245
davkir
Gold Member
I have a very inexpensive rear blade (<$300) that works pretty well along with the loader. I usually turn it around and use it backwards. I have a mixture of blacktop, crushed stone and barn areas. I'm sure it isn't as fast a a blower but it always has done the job. I'm in Indiana so we don't get a lot of snow at one time so you can keep up with the accumulation pretty easily. R4's, not loaded , no chains.
flyngti
Silver Member
When using a blade (either front or rear) with a steel edge, is there a trick to pushing snow without gouging your asphalt? Same question for using the FEL -- what's the technique to scrape as much snow as possible without gouging? I don't get a huge amount of snowfall here but I want to be ready just in case. Last year (before the 2320) we only got a few inches and I cleared my 600 ft asphalt drive by hand with a snow shovel. It was PITA and I don't want to do that again!
farmerhays
Member
I have the 2520 with FEL and no chains and no loaded tires, so my experience is straight outta the factory. The 2520 weighs more than the 2305, but I don't think too much more as the 2520 is 1,800# before adding the weight of the FEL.
I cleared my driveway (130ft long straight plus another 300ft added on later for horseshoe/circular) last winter when we had 2" freezing slush + 5" wet snow + 3" powder drifting like crazy.
When you are pushing snow, you typically will have the loader in float position and after ten feet of heavy stuff, the tractor will ride up on the FEL, lifting the front tires off the ground. When this happens I back up until the front wheels are "close" to the ground, take the FEL out of float and push with the rear wheels only. The front wheels are just off the ground or barely touching. This lets me go another 15ft or so.
When the snow is wet, you will have to take it slow, but I haven't found this to be a problem since you have to go left and right down the drive way to push the snow off to the sides. You can also scoop and down off to the sides as well. I can't push heavy snow all the way down the driveway and across the road because there is another driveway over there, but you may want to push it across the road and into the ditch in your situation.
The tractor/FEL gets the snow, ice and crap left by the snowplow without any problems for me, all without chains and loaded tires. But again, I'm not trying to be a straight-line plow for 100ft at a time.
I'd try it for a year and see how it goes before investing any more. If I wanted to spend more money, I'd look for a plow or blower before I would bother with the hassle of chains.
I typically clear my driveway with a 42" blower on my JD 335 garden tractor, and I use the chains on that...and what a pain those are. I used to help my dad put the chains on a IH 656 and that was absolutely awful. The 2305 and 2520 are inbetween as far as tire size, so that means they are somewhere between painful and absolutely awful to put on/take off. For that effort, I'd rather take a little longer clearing the driveway with slanting/scooping the FEL. Plus, that's play time!
I cleared my driveway (130ft long straight plus another 300ft added on later for horseshoe/circular) last winter when we had 2" freezing slush + 5" wet snow + 3" powder drifting like crazy.
When you are pushing snow, you typically will have the loader in float position and after ten feet of heavy stuff, the tractor will ride up on the FEL, lifting the front tires off the ground. When this happens I back up until the front wheels are "close" to the ground, take the FEL out of float and push with the rear wheels only. The front wheels are just off the ground or barely touching. This lets me go another 15ft or so.
When the snow is wet, you will have to take it slow, but I haven't found this to be a problem since you have to go left and right down the drive way to push the snow off to the sides. You can also scoop and down off to the sides as well. I can't push heavy snow all the way down the driveway and across the road because there is another driveway over there, but you may want to push it across the road and into the ditch in your situation.
The tractor/FEL gets the snow, ice and crap left by the snowplow without any problems for me, all without chains and loaded tires. But again, I'm not trying to be a straight-line plow for 100ft at a time.
I'd try it for a year and see how it goes before investing any more. If I wanted to spend more money, I'd look for a plow or blower before I would bother with the hassle of chains.
I typically clear my driveway with a 42" blower on my JD 335 garden tractor, and I use the chains on that...and what a pain those are. I used to help my dad put the chains on a IH 656 and that was absolutely awful. The 2305 and 2520 are inbetween as far as tire size, so that means they are somewhere between painful and absolutely awful to put on/take off. For that effort, I'd rather take a little longer clearing the driveway with slanting/scooping the FEL. Plus, that's play time!
megotatractor
Veteran Member
Yep, do it every year. FEL and no chains necesary. But like toadhill says if you get a lot of snow it takes along time. I have the HDAP (knobby) tires and they are GREAT snow tires! my technique involves pushing forward with the bucket then pushing backwards with the rear blade, repeat. after a 20 inch dump of snow I quickly run out of places to push the stuff. I'd get a front blower if I had the bucks, and use a front blade for the lighter snows. I should add a tip for the newbie FEL user; try to set the bucket down and then lift up a little bit, you got to keep some weight on those fronts for traction!
yankeerider
Platinum Member
For 12 years my 755 w/MFWD and FEL with turf tires was my only snow removal machine. Worked fine for 2 approx. 80 ft long gravel driveways and the 150 ft very steep unpaved road to my back lot. However, I could spend many hours when got dumped on by 20+ inches of snow. Plus, I still had some long walkways that I needed to shovel because of width. About 4 years ago I bought an Ariens walk-behind snowblower and that has become my primary snow removal tool. It's faster than the FEL, and, because I can keep it in the attached garage, I don't have to trudge through snow to the building where I keep my tractor.
The FEL excels, though, at clearing the large, frozen, heavy stuff the state highway plows push into the end of my driveways. Since you indicate you fell while dealing with that kind of stuff, I'd suggest you do like I do: Snowblower for most of snow when footing isn't really a problem, then clean by the street with the FEL.
I'll never forget the year of record snowfall where I spent about 2 hours piling snow in the side yard to make room for the snow I had to get out of the driveway because it was already piled too high along there from many previous big storms.
The FEL excels, though, at clearing the large, frozen, heavy stuff the state highway plows push into the end of my driveways. Since you indicate you fell while dealing with that kind of stuff, I'd suggest you do like I do: Snowblower for most of snow when footing isn't really a problem, then clean by the street with the FEL.
I'll never forget the year of record snowfall where I spent about 2 hours piling snow in the side yard to make room for the snow I had to get out of the driveway because it was already piled too high along there from many previous big storms.
Here's my cheap solution that works great.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...apt-6ft-snowplow-3-pt.html?highlight=scotsman
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...apt-6ft-snowplow-3-pt.html?highlight=scotsman
Attachments
Hey guys,
Thanks for all the responses; do appreciate it. Sort of looks like my choice of using the FEL vs. the snowblower is going to be situation dependent; if the wind isn't blowing to hard and I need some exercise go with the snowblower, or if I just want to have fun go with the FEL!
Thanks again,
Ray
Thanks for all the responses; do appreciate it. Sort of looks like my choice of using the FEL vs. the snowblower is going to be situation dependent; if the wind isn't blowing to hard and I need some exercise go with the snowblower, or if I just want to have fun go with the FEL!
Thanks again,
Ray
cadblaster01
New member
Hey Rakos,
Sorry I am coming to this post a little late, but I think I can shed some more light on this topic.
First I have a 2210 which is for all intesive purposes the same tractor as the 2305. I have 650' of driveway to clear when it snows.
When the snow is cold (dry) and deep the best way, no doubt, is to use the 3 pt. blower, a front mount would be even better, but those things are just too expensive. I picked up my 3 pt. blower, used, at an auction. So I paid about a third of the price of a new one.
If the snow is deep and wet or at all slushy, I use the loader bucket. The blower will just jam up on me under these conditions.
If it's not too deep I can use my newly acquired front blade, once I get it working with my tractor.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/jd-owning-operating/111447-will-fit-my-tractor.html
I have never seen a real need for chains, and my drive is not flat. 4WD is a must though. Occasionally I also use the diff lock.
It would be more helpful if your profile was updated as to your location. Are you in snow country?
Sorry I am coming to this post a little late, but I think I can shed some more light on this topic.
First I have a 2210 which is for all intesive purposes the same tractor as the 2305. I have 650' of driveway to clear when it snows.
When the snow is cold (dry) and deep the best way, no doubt, is to use the 3 pt. blower, a front mount would be even better, but those things are just too expensive. I picked up my 3 pt. blower, used, at an auction. So I paid about a third of the price of a new one.
If the snow is deep and wet or at all slushy, I use the loader bucket. The blower will just jam up on me under these conditions.
If it's not too deep I can use my newly acquired front blade, once I get it working with my tractor.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/jd-owning-operating/111447-will-fit-my-tractor.html
I have never seen a real need for chains, and my drive is not flat. 4WD is a must though. Occasionally I also use the diff lock.
It would be more helpful if your profile was updated as to your location. Are you in snow country?
