Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Turf or Ag tires for snow removal

[WilliamBos]

The turfs have a tread pattern comparable to real Snow tires, Not those all season POS tires. We will be using a snow blower, and will put chains on the turfs. I would not ever consider using R4's in snow, too much a PITA.

JMHO

Will

 

[Glowplug]

The turfs have a tread pattern comparable to real Snow tires, Not those all season POS tires. We will be using a snow blower, and will put chains on the turfs. I would not ever consider using R4's in snow, too much a PITA.

JMHO

Will

A Canadian that favors turfs?!?!? What the. . . . .? What's next? A Canadian that favors R1s?!? I'm so confused. My heads starting to hurt from reading this thread!

 

[aczlan]

My dad has used a 1960ish 2wd MF Industrial 30 w/a FEL and a 6' bucket plowing snow here in upstate for ~15 years now, it has well worn R1's on it (or they might be R4's, I dunno), with loaded rears and wheel weights. last winter we found a set of chains for $150 and put them on, it makes worlds of difference on ice, before when he spun a little it turned to ice and he couldn't go anywhere, now it just goes.

on the other hand, my FIL has a pair of Kubotas, a B7810 with a FEL and unloaded R4s and fairly new (~100 hrs) L3830 with loaded R1s on the rear, last winter we put a 6' rear blade on the L3830 and it went though up to 10 or 15 inshes of snow (piles mainly) then the blade started pushing the nose around. the on the other hand B7810 would (in 6 or more inches of snow) go until it was maing a mound of snow out 3-4' from the FEL and then it would spin, with the 6' rear blade on it did ok, however then it was angled in more than 6" of snow it would push the nose around too much to make it usable.

to compare them: the B was good for getting in tight places around the house and such, however on the open driveway it didnt have the traction to clear more than 15' at a time, the L cant clear closer than 8" to a wall, but will go full bore all way otherwise.

comfort wise, the L wins hands down, the B is too small for me, I am always hitting the PTO lever or the quarter inching valve with my leg and I prefer the to drive the GST that the L has to the HST that the B has.

so I got lots of seat time in the L3830 last year (also, my wife prefers to use the B7810 so it works for both of us)


Just my $0.02

 

[KubotaSam]

Chains, Chains, Chains!! Anyone that needs to plow real snow during a real storm needs chains. The tires do not matter as much as having chains on them. Last winter here in Maine had record snow fall. I have plowed for the past 30 years with a variety of vehicles. Last winter pushed all snow clearing vehicles to their maximum. I move snow with a 1977 Kubota B7100, a 1953 Dodge Power Wagon and a 2005 Chevy Silverado. I run chains on all 4 wheel on all vehicles. The hardest push is a mile long dirt road to the top of a mountain with a cell phone tower on it. The company needs the road open. The only thing that will push up the last slope is the power wagon. Four wheel drive, low range first gear, right to the boards. I am always amazed when I reach the top. I could not begin to push to the top without chains. Flat tar driveways perhaps you could get your grandmother to sweep it with a broom. If you have a real snow removal job put chains on all 4 wheels!!.

 

[wolc123]

Chains (or studs) are fine on dirt, or stone but they can do some damage to blacktop or concrete if you are using a plow or loader to push snow (probably not with a blower). In the past, I used a 2wd tractor with loaded R1's and chains, and now use a 4wd with loaded R1' s and no chains on the same plow. The new tractor is close in weight to the old one and will push much more snow on any surface. Although most of the areas I plow are stone, some are blacktop and it is nice not to have to worry about pavement damage. Very little traction is required with a blower, but on a loader or plow, loaded R1's on a 4wd machine will give you plenty of traction in any conditions I have encountered. If you need to clear blacktop or concrete, and only have turfs or R4's, then I would forget about a plow or loader, and use a blower and chains.

 

[LBrown59]

*The hardest push is a mile long dirt road to the top of a mountain with a cell phone tower on it. I am always amazed when I reach the top. .

*Start at the top and push down.

 

[Thomas]

Hi jas.
I run truffs on my B7100HST for the last 13 years but w/chains on the rear...never had problem getting traction pushing 6' blade or pull scraper blade...if you don't plan on useing rear attachment you may want to consider some weight in the rear tho.

 

[Wes Obie]

I second that opinion. I have Compact John Deere 4010 with turf tires. I bought ladder chain wheel chains to fit my rear turf tires. They go on easy and are awesome working in the snow with my FEL. I have had no problems and have lost all interest in buying expensive lug/Ag/R type tires which would not be kind to my acre of lawn. I have some pictures up on face book "Wes Obie". Our if you email me at ijcooper@juno.com and I will send pictures of my ladder chains on my turf tires. You do need to get them on as tight as you can and balance the number of free links on the inside and outside of the wheel.

On chain tighteners, avoid them for turf tires, get the chains on as tight as you can by hand.

 

[RoyJackson]

I second that opinion. I have Compact John Deere 4010 with turf tires. I bought ladder chain wheel chains to fit my rear turf tires. They go on easy and are awesome working in the snow with my FEL. I have had no problems and have lost all interest in buying expensive lug/Ag/R type tires which would not be kind to my acre of lawn. I have some pictures up on face book "Wes Obie". Our if you email me at ijcooper@juno.com and I will send pictures of my ladder chains on my turf tires. You do need to get them on as tight as you can and balance the number of free links on the inside and outside of the wheel.

On chain tighteners, avoid them for turf tires, get the chains on as tight as you can by hand.

Wes...you're responding to a thread that's 5 years since the last post...
We ALL do that now and then, BTW

I have 4-link ladder chains and turfs on my Deere 4400. Frankly, since my drive is level, I don't use the chains much...not since the winter of 2011/2012.
I use bungee cords to keep the chains tight...