Chains Snowblowing the trail, up the hill, with chains on all four tires

[Northland]

We have had a lot of snow here the past few days-actually a lot since Nov 9

Here's some pictures that illustrate what you can do with a tractor that has chains on all four wheels. No way you could get up this hill with only rear chains-I know, I tried

This hill is actually a lot longer and much steeper then it appears in the pictures.

 

[Sherweld]

Nice pix! Beautiful setting!

We had maybe 1/4 inch of snow last night.

That may be all we'll get this year (Western Washington State on the Puget Sound) My wife tells me a snow blower is totally out of the question! What a bummer.

It looks like such a cool attachment.

 

[lungdoc]

Was doing some snow moving with Deere 4320 with the bucket today. Just installed chains yesterday from tirechains.com - got duo ladder rears and v-bar ladder fronts and the difference between 'naked' R4's and with chains is unbelievable. Plowing uphill in conditions I could barely move in before. Able to move snowpiles with amazing force. Now need a skid-steer mount front plow ideall with some offset...

 

[escavader]

MARKO,
Great pics,chains are the way to get er done.Ihave a few spots that steep also and im learning it aint easy without chains.I learned quickly [only blown twice so far] if i fill the bucket with snow and lift the blower up so the weight aint on the shoes[ground]push the differential lock she will go with my ag tires.Imay eat those words before winters end.Ialso have a sand barrel on each hill,and i keep it sanded before each storm.Ithink the extra 500 lb cab helps also.Mabey i need chains,i guess ill find out.
ALAN

 

[ccsial]

Very pretty setting you have there. Since you call it a trail I assume that is not your drive. I'm just curious, why do you keep it plowed? Do you cut firewood back there all year? I don't bother with my trails. When it gets too deep or drifted for the quad, I take the snowmobile.

 

[Jerome]

Sherweld
sorry about the blower but they also work wellfor moving gravel piles and mulch, Don't ask me how I know

 

[Northland]

CC-yes, that is my main trail, up from my house, that leads to other trails on my property. That main trail is about a kilometer long and leads to a logging road on railway land that surrounds my property.

I do keep it cleared as much as I can so that I can skid out the dead trees I cut down in winter.

 

[Egon]

Chains do make a difference.

I don't have any for my present tractor but should maybe start looking for a set.

Two weeks or so ago we had around 20 centimeters of snow. Today I'm thinking of mowing the lawn!

 

[wawajake]

Northland
Given that you and are in the same area. (although you get more lake effect snow)
For the same reasons as you , I want to keep access to my upper field and bush lot open so during winter I can keep logging for next winters supply . (better than doing in blackfly season)
Take a look at picture attached , up until the last 6 inches we just got of wet snow, I was able to keep the trail up the hill (behind garage ) clear to almost the grass with ATV plow . But am scared to try to go up that hill in winter with my BX2660.
Would it do it with chains do you think ? two wheels or all four ? ATV can no longer get up due to 6" wet snow so I might be done in for season. But chains intrigue me , but dangerous hill to slide down backwards.
jake
echo bay

 

[Northland]

Northland
Would it do it with chains do you think ? two wheels or all four ? ATV can no longer get up due to 6" wet snow so I might be done in for season. But chains intrigue me , but dangerous hill to slide down backwards.
jake
echo bay

Oh yeah Jake, chains all-round on your Kubota would bring you up and down that hill no problem. Of course that's assuming you are not trying to plow through snow that is up to or past the belly of your tractor. The degree of slope of your hill looks similar, if not greater, then that of my hill.

Sliding backwards is not nearly as scary as sliding sideways on your tractor. Since putting chains on my tractor I have not had further incidents like that.

As long as you have the clearance between your wheels and the wheel well you should buy the chains - tractor tire chains for farm tractors

Other then having to put them on each fall you won't regret buying chains

BTW, nice place you have there. Is that on Hwy 638 in Sylvan Valley? My wife's family has a camp on McCarroll Lake and my BIL lives on Gordon Lake Road

 

[studor]

Northland
You are right - sliding backwards isn't scary until you start to go sideways -- and off the road. Chains are a necessary evil at my place about twice a year. I have a hill in my laneway that faces south and ices up -- thats when I need the chains which I fortunately bought at an auction for $10 for all four tires ( I think people thought they were a set for four truck tires) When I looked at your pictures I had just come back from blowing out a main trail at my place to go in and cut firewood -- took me two passes to get up the hill -- one with the blower up about 6".
regards
Steve

 

[Northland]

Steve-I hear your Sounds familiar-that puckering effect isn't one you want to repeat often

We are having the mother of all weather systems moving through right now. It was 0C this morning @ 6AM and it is now -11C with 70km gusts with snow

see Montreal River, Ontario - Radar Imagery - Environment Canada

 

[studor]

It was about 9 above here today -- now it is going to about 9 below with misc precip (read as nasty stuff). All my trails in the bush will be bare -- those that I have not blown yet will be concrete
Ah well the joys of a Northern climate

 

[Thumper & Buttercup]

Looks like you are having fun in the woods.

We just finished up with that Blizzard, but still
cold here, we have less snow now than we
started with, but the storm was nice enough to
leave a pile in front of the shop door.

I'll clean up on Wednesday a little pulling with
the blower and I'll drag out the new Loader
tractor just to play with it.

Thumper

 

[WilliamBos]

We have had a lot of snow here the past few days-actually a lot since Nov 9

Here's some pictures that illustrate what you can do with a tractor that has chains on all four wheels. No way you could get up this hill with only rear chains-I know, I tried

This hill is actually a lot longer and much steeper then it appears in the pictures.

Beautiful!!

 

[wawajake]

Oh yeah Jake, chains all-round on your Kubota would bring you up and down that hill no problem.

BTW, nice place you have there. Is that on Hwy 638 in Sylvan Valley? My wifes family has camp on Mccarrol lake

Northland, I am a mile south of Highway 638 on Watson Rd . Watson Rd ends at McCarrol lake 2 km away from me.
My wife and I do sunday afternoon drives to that lake on ATV. Would do it on tractor if it had two seats !

When I bought my place last year the previous deceased owner left lots of junk in the garage , I am sure i saw an old set of pickup truck tire chains, maybe I will see if they can be adapted for back or cut down for front and buy one other set from place you suggested. Call me Paul Bunyan but I like to get to my woodlot all year round !

 

[escavader]

MARKO,
Great pics,chains are the way to get er done.Ihave a few spots that steep also and im learning it aint easy without chains.I learned quickly [only blown twice so far] if i fill the bucket with snow and lift the blower up so the weight aint on the shoes[ground]push the differential lock she will go with my ag tires.Imay eat those words before winters end.Ialso have a sand barrel on each hill,and i keep it sanded before each storm.Ithink the extra 500 lb cab helps also.Mabey i need chains,i guess ill find out.
ALAN

I cursed my self with this thread!!1Last couple storms were rain /snow mix.left a sheet of ice evreywhere.7inches of snow today.Had a very very hardtime on my slopes.Was coming down one hit glare ice ,tractor came around sideways,slid about 12 feet and rear end and blower in ditch
Got out grabbed bucket ,pulled front end down hilldrove away.Iwill now buy at least some rear chains,i coulda flipped easy,was lucky
ALAN

 

[LarryD]

Nice pix! Beautiful setting!

We had maybe 1/4 inch of snow last night.

That may be all we'll get this year (Western Washington State on the Puget Sound) My wife tells me a snow blower is totally out of the question! What a bummer.

It looks like such a cool attachment.

Hey Sherweld, be careful what you say. I've also said I would never buy a snowblower to move the twice annual 3" snow storms we get here on Whidbey.

Got 9" of the stuff on the ground right now and freezing temps for the next several days.

My SIL in Issaquah tells me she has nothing on the ground. You guys got blocked by the Olympics I think.

 

[Northland]

I cursed my self with this thread!
ALAN

I hear you Alan It's been snowing here non-stop since I posted the pictures.

We got another 5" last night and are suppose to get another 5" today-I'm so happy I bought my snowblower last January-the backblade just wouldn't handle all the snow-I'd have 10 foot snowbanks piled up by now

Fortunately the snow is heading to my TBN brothers down south soon

 

[kebo]

Chains??? We don't need no stinkin' chains!!! Gonna be 75 and sunny here tomorrow!! Gotta love this SC weather a week before Christmas!