winter tractor

Nwood · Jan 29, 2009

Have a 70's ford 335 with no glow plugs and no chains.

Had some snow to move and after a bit of work and a small miracle got it started on a -16 degree morning. After finally getting it started it was darn near useless in the snow.
It probably would have been less work to shovel. it was so bad that the tractor would not move on the flat without walking it with the front loader!

This is an older 40 horse 2wd but runs well. Will chains make this usable in the snow, or is that good money after bad, Those chains aren't cheap.

Thanks,

Dean

MMagis · Jan 29, 2009

Chains will make it seem like a whole new tractor. However, don't let me be the one to talk you out of a new tractor.

Lunk · Jan 29, 2009

MMagis said:
Chains will make it seem like a whole new tractor. However, don't let me be the one to talk you out of a new tractor.

In addition to chains, 3 pt / rear ballast to the tune of 1000# or so would be a great help, if you're not already using it...

JB4310 · Jan 29, 2009

Chains will make it a bulldozer, get the v-bar, makes it better in dirt and mud as well.

Try blowing some heat on it to help with the cold starting.

JB.

fgross335_2210 · Jan 29, 2009

Here is a winter starting trick, but you'll need electricity and a hair dryer. Run the hair dryer for 3-4 minutes blowing hot air into the air intake/air cleaner assembly. Provided the engine will crank reasonably well and your fuel is not gelled, it will fire right off, and start much better on the warmer air.

Some diesels have an air intake heater for just this reason -

studor · Jan 29, 2009

Chains and a plug in rad hose heater (if you have any power supply) Plug it in for a half hour before using and it will probably start like summer

You did not say if the tires were ballasted but a two wheel drive fel tractor without weight and chains in the winter is in the local vernacular "like a cow on ice" and starting a diesel without heat is "like trying to wake up a teenager"

Nwood · Jan 29, 2009

thanks guys.

mr heater went to task and got things warmed up to where it would fire off.
Did have to grind a bit more than I would have liked but thats winter.
The engine would pop once and the starter would kick out. no way that was going to work. ok so I cranked for 10 seconds with the fuel shut off then pushed in the cutoff and it fired off like its supposed to. Gotta think about things sometimes to get the desired result.

where can i get a set of chains without breaking the bank?

Dean

JoeL4330 · Jan 29, 2009

If you have electricity available, there are lots of options: easy to install lower radiator hose heater, magnetic or stick-on heater, drop-light w/wo blanket, and install a battery tender on your battery.

studor · Jan 29, 2009

Where are you?

Nwood · Jan 29, 2009

studor said:
Where are you?

southern NH

Dean

studor · Jan 30, 2009

Sorry Dean -- don't know your market at all -- if you do a search on chains you will find a bunch of threads on here about buying and making them. I got my latest set at a summer farm auction for cheap but that was luck. New ones are expensive (but cheaper than a new tractor)

TRO · Jan 30, 2009

Dean,

Chappell Tractor in Milford NH can help you out with chains. Go to BB Chain on the Chappell web site and you can see what they offer.

KubotaSam · Jan 30, 2009

You need both weight and chains. If you put chains on without adding weight by loading your tires or a weight box on the 3ph you will spin the chains. That will dig up your driveway in a hurry. If you are on blacktop you can break the chains or dig into the tar. Adding weight alone is OK but probably will not help enough.

Farwell · Jan 31, 2009

I have a 1965 John Deere 2010 that is rated at 35-45 horse power (it has around 5000 hours on it so the HP is probably closer to 25 HP). It is a 2WD. The first Winter I owned it I tried using it with out chains and is was just like Studor wrote, it was like a cow on ice. I went on line and purchased chains for around $125 per wheel, that included shipping. They are very heavy so if you don't get a reasonable shipping price it will kill the pocket book. Do a Google search the company I purchased from deals with chains exclusively. They have a chart that will help you identify the chains you need. My chains have the V shape. I like the chains so well that I leave them on all year long. When I park my tractor in my pole barn I drive on OSB to protect the slab. I only have a back blade and FEL for snow removal. The back blade helps on the weignt issue. The place I bought the chains form was tirechains dot com and I bought the Duo instead of the V.

RickB · Feb 1, 2009

Nwood said:
southern NH

Dean

No one has mentioned the very best option IF electricity is available. Install a frostplug heater in the block and use it. All the heat is applied to coolant within the water jacket, no thermal convection required. No added components hanging off the side.
When you go to Chappell to check on chains, ask for block heater part number 86590140. Also, see if your tractor is equipped with an intake manifold heater (thermostart).

JB4310 · Feb 1, 2009

Here's some more pictures of 2 WD tractor in snow, we have about a foot of snow in the woods, and I was fooling around trying to see what the limits were.

With just V-chains and no rear ballast it went pretty good in a straight line, no big fear of getting stuck, but not maneuverable, couldn't really steer, front tires would just plow forward, even skid steering was not effective. I do have 4 suitcase weights on the front to counter the rear plow I usually have on the back, so that probably makes the poor steering worse.

Then I tried it with my JD concrete filled ballast box, which is quite heavy, with out the weight on front it would stand right up I'm sure.
It was truly unstoppable, the weight distribution was perfect, making the front end light enough to not dig in and plow but not to light to make it uncontrollable, and using the brakes for skid steering was incredible doing zero turns in a foot of snow or solid ice. Was easy to maneuver thru woods trails turning with ease with brakes. tried driving over a mound of frozen snow bank, it would have gone right over except the box got hung up in back from the extreme angle, got out of it easily though.

JB.

wedge40 · Feb 1, 2009

I ran into the same thing yesterday. I have a driveway that is about 10th of mile long,(500ft or so). It is curvy and uphill from the road to the house. I put the back blade on along with the bucket for the FEL. The BB did no good cause it put too much drag and the tires would slip.
I dont have loaded tires and have some reservation about loading them. I guess I'm interested in how much "extra" damage loaded tires cause relative to unloaded. On wet lawn. Oh.. I have the standard Ag tires. 16.9x30.
I'm sure my problem yesterday was not enough ballast. I've been thinking about making a ballast box that I can take on and off as needed, and after yesterday I was thinking of adding a QA to the ballast box. That way I could still use some of the attachments when the Ballast box is on.
I've been mulling it over and just haven't figured out a good to add the QA to design.

Wedge