Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Who's ready for winter 13/14 ?

[dragoneggs]

Propane tank topped off… Generator too, but not quite ready to put the BX in winter mode. Means taking off the BH and putting on the back blade for the first time! Looking forward to it but if history prevails, I will wait until the metal I am working with is at freezing temp.

 

[sixdogs]

If that's the first time taking off the back hoe give yourself a little extra time and make sure it's as close to level and straight as possible so getting it on in the spring will be relatively easy. I don't know your backhoe in specific but I've removed a few different ones and they can be hassle to get back on until you know the drill.

 

[IXLR8]

Still have at least one more mowing of the lawn to do. I have dug enough junk away from my truck plow so now I can at least see it. I need to move the truck plow and then I can remove BH from tractor, as the BH and truck plow store in the same spot. Then I can put rear blade on the tractor, remove the narrow bucket from tractor and put the wide bucket on it. Hopefully I will be ready by the end of November and I won't be caught by any early snows... although the miss's is rooting for snow every dark gray cloud she sees now.

 

[joeyd]

Well, I think I'm finally ready. The first real snowfall is predicted for this weekend, 6-12 inches at my elevation. I have the blade mounted on the ATV along with a new winch cable, the chains are on all four tractor tires, the blower is on the 3pt and I greased all the fittings. I also rotate my truck into the house garage and the tractor into the pole barn (heat set to 40). I move my wife's jeep into town into the garage where my dad lives (he snow birds). We will see if I forgot anything this weekend.....

 

[Looking4new]

What kind of chains do you use on the front? How well do they work? I was about to order a set of Aqualine MPC chains but I was talked out of it for my intended uses (winter logging and also plowing pavement.)

My dealer said good ole ladder chains would be my best compromise. The MPC chains supposedly don't do a lot for "off road".

I scored these chains about 34 years ago. i don't know who made them, but I've had them on many 4X4's and now they will be on the Kioti. they are actually for 15" tires, but I'll shorten them for my 14" fronts.

 

[FatTire]

We're forecast to get snow tonight and tomorrow and already getting some light snow now. I put the plow on the Gator XUV this afternoon. No chains yet on either the Kubota or Gator. If I get completely ready it probably won't snow, so I'll plan on mounting chains in the snow. The mog is chained up, but it isn't likely to see action for at least 6 more weeks.

 

[grsthegreat]

were getting some snow right now, but not supposed to be too much. Never know. I wasnt going to put the chains on yet, but got to thinking about it. If i wait till later, the rear hydraulic power pack will be in the way. So i guess ill install the chains this weekend. Chains suck to install

 

[chim]

#3 Son will be stopping by tomorrow to help me put the cab back on. Going to re-light the tractor with LED's. Hope it turns out to be a snowier winter than last year for us. Supposed to be around 60° here tomorrow.

 

[FatTire]

were getting some snow right now, but not supposed to be too much. Never know. I wasnt going to put the chains on yet, but got to thinking about it. If i wait till later, the rear hydraulic power pack will be in the way. So i guess ill install the chains this weekend. Chains suck to install

You need to make a video this winter of your FEL blower cutting into the upper part of some big snow pile. What is the flow rate on that power pack?

 

[grsthegreat]

You need to make a video this winter of your FEL blower cutting into the upper part of some big snow pile. What is the flow rate on that power pack?

i posted some here in the past. it produces 15 GPM @ 3,000 PSI. I can blow a 30 foot rooster tail with the snow. I especially like the fact that there are NO shear pins.

It holds 27 gal of ISO 22 (5 weight) oil, so the oil doesnt overheat. There is an option for an electric fan cooler if operating unit above 40F, which i wont be doing....unless i op for the loader mounted post auger kit..... which i do dream of.

 

[94BULLITT]

#3 Son will be stopping by tomorrow to help me put the cab back on. Going to re-light the tractor with LED's. Hope it turns out to be a snowier winter than last year for us. Supposed to be around 60° here tomorrow.

LED work lights or a full LED conversion?

 

[FatTire]

i posted some here in the past. it produces 15 GPM @ 3,000 PSI. I can blow a 30 foot rooster tail with the snow. I especially like the fact that there are NO shear pins.

It holds 27 gal of ISO 22 (5 weight) oil, so the oil doesnt overheat. There is an option for an electric fan cooler if operating unit above 40F, which i wont be doing....unless i op for the loader mounted post auger kit..... which i do dream of.

The post hole auger is why I was wondering, speaking of not having shear pins. My unimog blower has shear pins. I realized last winter that you're most likely to break pins when the wind is blowing and visibility is really bad, which happens to be the exact time you don't like installing new pins. Clipped the edge of a buried pile of fire wood. I understood what had happened when I heard a "clunk" and the snow coming out of the chute turned brown, but it was too late to do anything about it.

 

[grsthegreat]

The post hole auger is why I was wondering, speaking of not having shear pins. My unimog blower has shear pins. I realized last winter that you're most likely to break pins when the wind is blowing and visibility is really bad, which happens to be the exact time you don't like installing new pins. Clipped the edge of a buried pile of fire wood. I understood what had happened when I heard a "clunk" and the snow coming out of the chute turned brown, but it was too late to do anything about it.

not having to swap shear pins out 2-3 times each time i blow snow (which is what i used to do with my old blower) is worth the cost of the hydraulic unit. this one has a hydraulic bypass unit that stops rotation if clogged. all i have to do is clear the clog and start blowing again

 

[bubbacuse77]

What kind of chains do you use on the front? How well do they work? I was about to order a set of Aqualine MPC chains but I was talked out of it for my intended uses (winter logging and also plowing pavement.)

My dealer said good ole ladder chains would be my best compromise. The MPC chains supposedly don't do a lot for "off road".

Piston, not sure if you guys have had any luck but I prefer just running front tire chains and I really wanted the Aqualine MPC chains for the font tires but was told they don't make them in that small a size. Anyone else have luck finding them for the front tires?

 

[rsallen]

Ugh, I'm still not.
This year I thought I'd try painting the inside of the chute of the snow blower in epoxy paint; aah ya know, to make slippier.
Then I found a spot in the thrower rotor area rusted through. Got that welded up with new metal. Then other things collided with the job before I could finish it. So now I'm wanting to get in back in the shop so I can weld some new slids on it, finish the epoxy, put the chute back on and get it all adjusted/situated to the tractor properly.
Other then that........Then I'll be ready for winter.

 

[Tomtint]

It was almost 60* here today! had to work all day but thought I may take the Harley out for dinner and a late fall ride tonight.......now it's almost 40*.... Time to warm up the truck.

 

[Larro Darro]

I had to drip the water the other night. It got down in the mid 20's. Does that count?


Larro

 

[grsthegreat]

Well i woke up yesterday to 6" of fresh, wet snow. Of course the news predicted no more than 1".

Ive been so busy with work over past month that i really never had time to get the tractor ready for winter. I was supposed to go trim out a house yesterday, but had that cancelled when i found 3 large trees blocking my driveway. The wet snow snapped the green trees like twigs. There are more down all over the place, but these blocked the driveway.

Spent 4 hours getting the tractor ready to accept the plow and blower. All 4 tires now chained up. Hydraulic powerpack on and hoses run, lubed up, etc.

By the time i finally got done, i thought the snow would have been too wet to blow, so i tried the plow. That just tore up the unfrozen dirt beneath, so i gave up on that strategy. I put on the blower and set it to leave 1" on the surface. ANd that worked great. Got rid of that pesky snow and didnt wreck the driveway. By now all the barns and sheds had shed off their snow, so i went and blew the snow away from the overhangs so the horses could leave the barn and to prepare the area to receive more future snow.

Now its Sunday, and im off to do the job i was supposed to do yesterday. I forget....why didnt i like retirement.

I'm going to seriously rethink the retirement option again


But at least the tractor is finally ready for winter

 

[chim]

LED work lights or a full LED conversion?

Just front and rear work lights. The cab is back on and the lights are finished. The front work lights that were on it were from a plow truck and had turn signals as part of each light pod. I think I'll add an overhead light inside the cab.

 

[check]

BH is off, rear blower is on, but no chains yet. They are the "v" style, and give a VERY rough ride on hard surfaces, but man, do they ever grip!