Stepping up

[escavader]

SO,we got 3 inches up here ,did you take it out and practice? Mods look good .
ALAN

 

[Dyer retired]

SO,we got 3 inches up here ,did you take it out and practice? Mods look good .
ALAN

Thanks Alan,

We got about 5 inches here...enough that I had to shovel the roof and get into the winter spirit. I saved the yard for last, so I could come in after having some fun. I resisted the urge to use the blower and stuck with the blade. The yard is obviously not frozen yet and the blower does a good job launching rocks until the cold really sets in. Stop in when you see the lights on. John

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

looks like you really beefed up those 3pt arms. I also noticed you shortened the roll bar. I would like to do that on my b3200 but hate to take away stock roll bar in case I decide to sell it someday. I would like to build a new upper section and have it so a canopy would fit in the garage with it up.
Rob

I have found a way to get it in the garage without shortening the roll bar. You may want to try it....course if you decided to sell the garage there may be an issue. This is also another reason I traded the L3240HST+ to a B3200.

 

[ChuckinNH]

Now that you have used the new B3030 to clear your yard, do you find it a lot less manuverable?

 

[thavil]

I have found a way to get it in the garage without shortening the roll bar. You may want to try it....course if you decided to sell the garage there may be an issue. This is also another reason I traded the L3240HST+ to a B3200.

Thanks for the good laugh!! Co-workers where wondering what I was laughing at, so they all came to my desk to see your modification on your garage door header.

 

[Dyer retired]

I have found a way to get it in the garage without shortening the roll bar. You may want to try it....course if you decided to sell the garage there may be an issue. This is also another reason I traded the L3240HST+ to a B3200.

That's the modification I was trying to avoid. I'm guessing that the tractor bucked a little while it was making that hole for you?

 

[Dyer retired]

Now that you have used the new B3030 to clear your yard, do you find it a lot less manuverable?

Chuck,

I have found it a little less maneuverable, but chaulked some of that feeling off to not being used to the tractor yet. I tried the cruise control out the other night and forgetting that I was in that mode as I jammed the brakes before hitting garage. I've decided to save the cruise control for a cross country trip. I have also found the R4's to be significantly bumpier riding, but I expected that and it is a tractor after all. It certainly feels beefier and obviously rides a lot higher, so that's taking a little getting used to. I'm anxious to try the blower, but not too anxious...if you know what I mean. John

 

[ChuckinNH]

Thanks John,

I'm stil undecided which tractor to put the snowblower on, but I sure need to do something soon. That is why I asked about manuverability. Part of my problem is being a a Yankee, and having trouble justifying anything that size for the drive that I have. My R-4's have been a good compromise. I need something a bit agressive for the black clay soil I have in the woods, but have a lot of yard too. They do ride harder, and they aren't as good on packed snow, etc. as I would have hoped. I think part of that is the harder rubber compound. Like me there probably will be days when you wish that you had kept the BX too. We didn't get as much snow as you did, and I'm waiting for more the same way you are........
Take care

 

[bstrom]

Chuck -
Have you though about chains for the R4's? I sprang for the Aqualne set this winter and hope they will be good. Not cheap but they are very nice small links with wear bars and there are no clearance problems. Pretty easy to put on. I had a cheap set of ladder chains last winter and they help but dropped between the tire bars. If things get iced up these should be pretty good as they are up out of the treads and look pretty aggressive even with small links.

 

[ChuckinNH]

Yes, I have been pricing out chains. So far I've just looked at the 2 link vbars, but I would like to know more about yours, especially if there are no clearance issues. Do they have links that run parallel with the tires?

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

That's the modification I was trying to avoid. I'm guessing that the tractor bucked a little while it was making that hole for you?

The siding on bottom is concrete board siding and it just crumbled and I was not going to go in all the way, just close. I got close.

 

[bstrom]

Forgot to add that I think I should be able to push quite a bit of snow with this setup. Last winter I didn't even have loaded tires and it worked pretty well! I've got a 400 foot drive too. A blower would be nice but the bucket and rear blade work pretty well. My blade cost 450 bucks - was a demo.

 

[bstrom]

Yes, I have been pricing out chains. So far I've just looked at the 2 link vbars, but I would like to know more about yours, especially if there are no clearance issues. Do they have links that run parallel with the tires?

Sorry Chuck I missed your post- to busy looking for a picture. Yes- the chains have a row of links on the inside and a row on the outside of the tire tread that are joined by a pattern of cross chains. The clearance space is the best I have seen, no problems! I've got them on so I could take a photo tomorrow - a picture is worth a thousand words as they say.

 

[Northland]

Sorry Chuck I missed your post- to busy looking for a picture. Yes- the chains have a row of links on the inside and a row on the outside of the tire tread that are joined by a pattern of cross chains. The clearance space is the best I have seen, no problems! I've got them on so I could take a photo tomorrow - a picture is worth a thousand words as they say.

How much were those Aqulne chains? I saw them on a web site and thought they looked very good.

I have 4 link (wish I had bought 2 link ones) v-bars on the back tires and 2 link v-bars on the front wheels. I just put them on (along with my blower) in time for a foot of snow. I love my chains and highly reccomend them on all four wheels although in order to accommodate them on the front had to reverse the front tires. No slippin or a slidin at all anymore

 

[bstrom]

Here's the Aqulne chains, they are also on line at Buy Tire Chains & Snow Chains from the Traction Specialistsｩ. as "CUT chains"

I bought them from dealer at around 430.00 so definitely not cheap but they are case hardened and should last a lot of seasons. Very light and easy to put on.

One thing I can't figure out is the directions tell you to leave them very loose. I always put bungees on before to keep my old ones tight and prevent wear. With these I guess it is a different principle, but I don't understand it. Anybody know why leaving these loose prevents wear?

 

[bstrom]

Boy, did I hi-jack this thread. Sorry Dyer, retired. I like your new tractor, let us know how it runs. Is that a six foot rear blade on there?
I think about upgrading to the 2630 sometimes, those bigger hydraulics are appealing.

Hey how about Dyer, for Hire?

 

[Dyer retired]

Boy, did I hi-jack this thread. Sorry Dyer, retired. I like your new tractor, let us know how it runs. Is that a six foot rear blade on there?
I think about upgrading to the 2630 sometimes, those bigger hydraulics are appealing.

Hey how about Dyer, for Hire?

No hi-jacking going on here, it's all interesting reading and the pictures are very helpful. The tractor is running great and I think I'll see how it does for the first few storms to see what the traction issues are...so far, no problem. I had a 5 foot Woods blade on the BX1800 and it was the perfect size for that tractor, but the 6 foot was better suited for the new rig, so I bought that. We are gearing up for our next storm tomorrow, but the weather folks haven't arrived at a consensus for how much we are getting. It's either a few inches or the end of the world.

 

[bstrom]

My driveway usually turns to ice by the middle of January over here on the coast. We get rain on top of snow - then it all freezes. I could sometimes spin the wheels last winter pushing snow backwards even with chains but they where cheapo ones and I didn't have the tires loaded. This winter better chains and loaded tires should help. I should be able to push a mountain going forward.

 

[Northland]

Here's the Aqulne chains, they are also on line at Buy Tire Chains & Snow Chains from the Traction Specialistsｩ. as "CUT chains"

I bought them from dealer at around 430.00 so definitely not cheap but they are case hardened and should last a lot of seasons. Very light and easy to put on.

One thing I can't figure out is the directions tell you to leave them very loose. I always put bungees on before to keep my old ones tight and prevent wear. With these I guess it is a different principle, but I don't understand it. Anybody know why leaving these loose prevents wear?

I like your chains for driveways-"[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]These are aggressive, yet won't damage asphalt when used for snow removal."

[/FONT]Not sure why your chains are suppoes to be loose. Perhaps there smaller size and weight requires them to be loose in order for them to have enough "dig"?

My v-bar chains (from www.tirechains.com) are suppose to go on tight. I use the bunjie method, explained elsewhere on TBN, which puts the chains on evenly, easily and very tightly. I use to dread putting my chains on but now it is a breeze.

We are having a major storm here

http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/radar/index_e.html?id=WGJ