What have you done with/to your GC Series 2300, 2400, 1700 Tractor TODAY

[MF RED in MT]

I plowed about 8" of new snowfall and widened the driveway in a few areas since the berms are about 3' tall and we are suppose to get 3' of new snowfall by Wednesday.

Hate to admit this but I managed to get the Massey stuck in the sugarery snow high centered on some ice.

It was about 9pm so I dug a few times lifted the front wheel off of the ground and place some ice chunks under them.

Still stuck, drove the F150 from the garage, hooked up to the weight box, and gently tugged on the Massey until it was free.

Should of switched to the snowblower a few weeks ago but now I am going to finished the winter out using the plowblade for the second time ever.

KC

 

[GeneV]

I plowed about 8" of new snowfall and widened the driveway in a few areas since the berms are about 3' tall and we are suppose to get 3' of new snowfall by Wednesday.

Hate to admit this but I managed to get the Massey stuck in the sugarery snow high centered on some ice.

It was about 9pm so I dug a few times lifted the front wheel off of the ground and place some ice chunks under them.

Still stuck, drove the F150 from the garage, hooked up to the weight box, and gently tugged on the Massey until it was free.

Should of switched to the snowblower a few weeks ago but now I am going to finished the winter out using the plowblade for the second time ever.

KC

I would have said wow I can't believe you got her stuck, but I myself got stuck plowing my neighbor's place 2 storms ago. In my case, it was really goofy too, just the left rear tire got hung up behind a short curb she's got lining her side drive, and just enough snow back in there so that the wheel would spin w/o traction. Differential lock just had me spinning both wheels, 4wd didn't help, and I couldn't clam out like I would have if I had the bucket on. Eventually I did get out of it though, and I don't even know how I did it lol!

 

[MF RED in MT]

Yes, just one of those things, only way out was to back out.

The quick hitch was what was high centered on an iceberg...

Sugar, unpackable snow was under the 4 tires and it was just a very slightly uphill climb to back out.

By "one of those things", I mean OLD...

KC

 

[GeneV]

Only like fine wine, I'm sure.

 

[MF RED in MT]

Just don't turn the bottle over because it will leak out thru the cork...

Ha,

KC

 

[Huntinguy]

So, question.
Cold weather tractoring. I see all these snow plowing comments.
We are, God willing, going to be in a colder climate next year.
I will be de-snowing over 1000 feet of driveway.
For at least the first year the tractor will be outside under some kind of cover.
The question- how long do you idle before starting work. My GC doesn't have a block heater. What is the trick to getting it started.
OK, so it was two questions.

 

[GeneV]

So, question.
Cold weather tractoring. I see all these snow plowing comments.
We are, God willing, going to be in a colder climate next year.
I will be de-snowing over 1000 feet of driveway.
For at least the first year the tractor will be outside under some kind of cover.
The question- how long do you idle before starting work. My GC doesn't have a block heater. What is the trick to getting it started.
OK, so it was two questions.

Mines lives in an unheated garage, so I suppose it's a little warmer in there than outside under a tarp. But I don't have a block heater either.

The way I do it, turn the key so the fuel starts flowing, give it like 10 seconds of that. Then I crank the key to get the glow plugs going for a few seconds, and then turn the key all the way to crank it for a second or two. Wintertime, it normally doesn't fire up from that alone, so I turn the key back to the glow plugs for a couple seconds, and the next crank often starts it up. If not, than one more round of that and it will usually start.

As for idle time, once I see the temp gauge creep up a little, I get going. I never had the temp gauge go up beyond a quarter anyways, ever. Even working her hard in the summer.

 

[PJRAM]

So, question.
Cold weather tractoring. I see all these snow plowing comments.
We are, God willing, going to be in a colder climate next year.
I will be de-snowing over 1000 feet of driveway.
For at least the first year the tractor will be outside under some kind of cover.
The question- how long do you idle before starting work. My GC doesn't have a block heater. What is the trick to getting it started.
OK, so it was two questions.

I keep my tractor in an unheated lean to, with a trickle charger attached to the battery. No block heater. When I want to start it, I turn the key to the glow plug position for about 10 seconds and then start it. If it doesn't start I do the glow plugs for another 10 seconds. It always starts on the second try. Then I let it idle until the temperature gauge starts to show it is warming up before I put it in gear and raise the idle. I want to make sure the hydraulic fluid had a chance to warm up.

 

[irvingj]

Here's the chart from my GC2310 manual. (Apologies: I hate this camera!)

 

[GeneV]

I guess mine idles around 10 min overall. I normally hand shovel the walkway while she's warming up.