Toothbar in winter?

[putt_putt_green]

Are there any uses for a toothbar in the winter (where it gets below the freezing point of water)? I can't think of any.

I'm thinking I'm going to take mine off for the winter.

 

[johnk]

It would be useful if you have an ice storm and want to use it to scrape the frozen stuff. Other than that. Take it off. Easy enough to put back on if needed.

 

[bill6]

I'm leaving my toothbar on. There's some big piles of dirt to move, and the piles may be partially frozen or hard. The teeth will really help loosen the soil and load the bucket much better.

 

[jbrumberg]

I tried to work into my dirt pile with my toothbar and only managed to spin my tires due to the frozen conditions in the pile and on the ground. I took off my toothbar before our most recent snow. Jay

 

[daTeacha]

Toothbar??! I'll probably take my bucket off and replace it with my home rigged front blade if winter gets serious.

A layer of ice on the driveway would cause me to put it back on to chew things up, but I really hope we don't have another winter with ice storms that leave things about 2 inches thick in the stuff.

 

[B8FISH]

I take mine off, mostly as I use the edge of the bucket to really clean the street "downstream" from me so that the state plow doesn't throw too much back into the driveway. The rear blade does a good job with everything else--but it is too much to drive in the snowbanks along the road.

 

[B8FISH]

Oh--and using float on the bucket I smooth out an area in the snow for a "hockey rink" ;-)

 

[john_bud]

I'm leaving my toothbar on. There's some big piles of dirt to move, and the piles may be partially frozen or hard. The teeth will really help loosen the soil and load the bucket much better.

You must not live where the frost gets 4-5' deep! The ground in WI and MI gets hard as cement about now and stays that way until late spring. It would sure be nice to have only a surface frost to contend with. Saw you are 1 post short of 100! Nice!

jb

 

[putt_putt_green]

Saw you are 1 post short of 100! Nice!

Interesting, both bill6 and I are at post #99. I'll see if I'm still a bronze member after this post. This is post number 100 for me.

 

[johnk]

Congrats on Number 100. Next goal for you is 1000.

 

[GaryE]

I always take mine off before the first big snow. On year I had to put it back on after a lot of ice, then took it right back off. Clearing snow is much easier without it.

 

[BubbaJr]

The only time I put mine on in the winter is sometimes I'll use it when I'm bringing firewood into the garage. With it on, I'll get a few more sticks on the loader so I don't have to make so many trips. Other than that it stays put on the rack.

 

[RalphVa]

I only put mine on when doing dirt digging work. It's off most of the time. Works better with mulch, as a wheelbarrow and with snow without the tooth bar.

Ralph

 

[frank_f15]

I only put mine on when doing dirt digging work. It's off most of the time. Works better with mulch, as a wheelbarrow and with snow without the tooth bar.

Ralph

DITTO THAT : i only put mine on when i need it, never in the winter!!!

 

[the_sandman_454]

I just removed my toothbar since I don't suspect I'll need to dig in dirt or anything like that in winter. If the ice gets too bad, I reckon I'll put the toothbar on just long enough to help break it up. I don't think that should be too necessary though.

 

[dillo99]

hey b8,

I have thought about doing a hockey rink in the snow...do you just pull snow under the loader and flatten it out? Then spray water and eventually fill with water?

Thanks.

 

[B8FISH]

D--no I don't go that far (only used by 6 and 7 year olds) I just flatten out a large enough area, push some snow banks for goals and let 'em have fun--sometimes I even join in! No skates and think they would rather be sledding if they are outside anyways.

 

[Engine66]

Depends what your projects involve. Personally, I keep the toothbar on in winter...the ground is frozen and I go to work on the burn piles and pushing around stumps and fallen tree debris that can't be done during the wet season. Winter is heavy work season for me, so I keep it on. I also like to backdrag over my crushed rock driveway to loosen it up a bit for some traction on the incline. Since I usually backblade the snow with a rear grader blade, I don't have the need to use my loader for this function...so the toothbar stays on in winter. That's me though...there's plenty of others with a wealth of tractor experience that will do the oposite. The nice thing about toothbars is they are very handy and come on/off easily with minimal time and effort...especially if yours is set-up to swing back into the bucket for storage. Enjoy!

 

[canoetrpr]

Have not taken mine off yet but plan to do it.

However, it came in use today. We had 15 round bales delivered and I worked on getting them arranged with the 3PT spear. When the farmer dumped them off several were on their side. I used the the loader and bucket curl to push them right side up. The tooth bar was very useful. It was very slippery and the toothbar dug into the bale to ensure it wouldn't get away from me.

 

[CompShooter]

I just went home last night after work and used mine.

We had freezing rain on top of snow the other day and the ground had a thick blanket of ice on it. It made walking a little treacherous. So I un-curled my FEL and smashed up the ice enough to make the surface all broken up so it is easier and safer to walk on now.