Traction More traction needed for B3030

[jstreet]

Today's 10-inch snowfall gave me the first real traction problems I've had in the two years I've had the B3030. I have R4 tires and use a rear blade and front loader with no chains or weighted wheels. Today's snow was on the heavy side, and I found that I bogged down a lot using the rear blade, and sometimes had trouble moving while using the loader too.
I'm wondering what is the least new equipment I need.
Could I get away with chains just on the front wheels? Or do I need rear chains too. Does Kubota make chains, or do I just go to Tractor Supply with my wheel size(s)?
I'd prefer to stay away from loading the tires, because of concerns about corrosion if the stuff leaks, and also because I'd like to keep the tractor as light as possible to avoid making mud ruts in other seasons.
I'd appreciate any suggestions.

 

[Evil the Weasel]

You can get tractor tire chains from the internet and probably your dealer or TSC too. TireChains.com is one place I found. I use a ballast box with 300# of tube sand and that works great for me. I can see why you might not want to load your tires, but RimGuard will not cause corrosion. You can read a lot about this product on these forums. I have a lot of snow piled up outside so I am looking forward to some seat time tonight.

 

[easygo]

I have turfs on my 7510 and use the FEL and a 6' rear blade for snow removal. For the reasons you mentioned I don't have have my tires filled either although it would have been for free when I bought the tractor. I have a set of old car chains that I managed to put on the front wheels last winter. It helped a good amount, but I was still sliding a lot. I bought a set of chains for the rear too and now it is a lot better. To me it was well worth the money. A full blade will still move the tractor if I pull it at an angle, but nowhere near as much as without the chains. Making wheel wights is certainly high on my project list for this winter or next spring.

 

[Ace3]

I just got in from playing, oops plowing, the 10 inches of snow we got today in the Albany area. I too have a B3030 with a 7' rear blade, front loader, R4's loaded with rim guard and v-bar chains on all four wheels. I did need to install wheel spacers to get enough clearance for the rear chains. I have a 1500' very steep road/driveway to plow. This was the first really heavy snow and the tractor handled it with no problems. I was even able to plow going up the hill. Traction was never an issue.

 

[Toolguy]

I have a B3030 with Turf tires and the rears are loaded with Rimguard. I also use a 6' rearblade and the loader to move snow. This is the fourth winter for it. We had a bunch of snow today. I was pulling the rear blade through long runs of 12"+ drifts without a problem. I believe the turf tires are the best for snow. I have never felt that I needed chains unless there was ice a lot of ice involved. Chains are the only thing that work well on ice, however. They can be hard on a cement or asphalt driveway, though.

 

[amigauser]

I just traded my B3030 for a GL3240. The B3030 had R4's with the rears loaded and the GL3240 has R3's with none loaded. I used to spin all four of the R4's on the B3030 pushing snow with the front blade. The turfs on my new Grand L worked flawlessly in the 8 inches or so of snow in my area of Connecticut. I would not have believed it but the turfs do appear to be much better than the R4 industrial tires in snow, at least on my 125 foot asphalt driveway.

 

[bandit67]

I ordered a set of chains this fall from TireChains.com

I got a pair for the front and a pair for the rear. I haven't had enough snow yet to chain up, but I'm first going to give the fronts only a try, as it seems the fronts with my FEL/rear blade combo are the first to lose traction. The rears seem to keep traction quite well, but they are loaded - they do spin, but not as easily as the fronts. I got 2 link for the fronts and 4 link for the rears just to save a little money.

I was only going to order front chains, but after considering shipping, and if it ended up that I needed rears, it just made sense to get all 4 wheels worth. I figured that chains for all 4 will more than pay for themselves over the time I own the tractor. Even if I ended up trading up just a few years down the road, anyone buying in my area would want the chains, so I'd get most of the money back.

 

[ronjhall]

Cleared 12" of snow yesterday with my B2910 (B3030 replaced this model). Weight is what you need. Chains will help. But I only use them on ice. I have a Curtis 6'6" snow plow. That weighs more than a FEL bucket. On the rear I have a Ballast Box (weighs over 450lbs) or 6' heavy duty LP rear blade that weighs over 500 lbs. Even with all that weight there were spot where I had to back up and take a little less cut of the snow pile.
You will need rear wheel spacers to put chains on rear tires. I got my chains from TireChains.com as linked above.

 

[jstrasser]

John,

I was asking a traction question over on the New Holland thread. Saw your post mention front chains (only) and thought I would share this with you...

This is a little different than what you are asking, but here goes. Last week, I replaced the front ring and pinion on a TC21D. The tractor has a front loader and the owner uses front chains ONLY. Heavy loader use, little rear ballast, and front chains placed an extrordinary torque load on the front differential over time. The pinion was simply worn out. No broken teeth, proper oil level, just worn out. The front axle is not designed to do the majority of the work. Just something to keep in mind.

One thing that the tire chain vs. non-chain debate sometimes misses is what the terrain you are going over looks like- flat or hilly. My unpaved road is pretty flat until I get a few hundred feet from the Town road. Then it has a substantial downhill then uphill to the paved road. That is my problem.
I have loaded R4s with rear chains and am about to try front chains also.

If your plowing is pretty flat and the snow is heavy you might want to try just raising the rear blade and taking the top 1/2 of snow then a second pass with the blade all the way down. That would be an inexpensive way out. (I had to do that last week when we got 4-6" of snow then rain).


I am a newby at tractor snowplowing, so my answer might seem a bit, err, dumb. Did the last 3 years with a rear blade on the back of my Dodge diesel which had a lot more weight than my NH.

Good luck,
John

 

[Reg]

Load the R4s, this is the best traction per $ for winter with minimal driveway inpact.
Get a whole set of turf tires and rims for summer, this will reduce your lawn damage even more, maybe buy them now for off-season pricing.

 

[nhkabotab7800]

i have a B7800 and just put chains on the rears this fall. found i had to buy the rear wheel spacers so that the cains did not rub on the inside fender. very happy with the improved traction. my turf tires were pretty good the last two years, but my drive turns into a sheet of ice due to the ledge out back so chains made some sense for me. i have read a post that if you get the right chains can get away with out needing the rear spacers. may also have to do with what type of tires you have.

 

[Firefighter Kubota]

I love the loaded turf tires on my 7510. I just mounted a 6.5 plow on my bucket and was able to handle the 12" of snow here in NH.

I've also found having the tires loaded really extends the use of my bucket, forks by acting as a nice counter weight. In the summer I keep my 3 pt trailer hitch mounted most of the time, instead of having to use a ballast box and swap it out all the time...

 

[jsranman]

I have a 2630 with a 60" curtis snow plow attached to the loader arms in place of the bucket. There is a backhoe on the back which adds wieght there. First time plowing yesterday in CT. I can manage but, I lose my steering capability when I am pushing a big load. It feels like I need wieght on the front or chains on the front, or both.

 

[ronjhall]

I have a 2630 with a 60" curtis snow plow attached to the loader arms in place of the bucket. There is a backhoe on the back which adds wieght there. First time plowing yesterday in CT. I can manage but, I lose my steering capability when I am pushing a big load. It feels like I need wieght on the front or chains on the front, or both.

Lift up on the blade some to put weight on the front tires instead of the blade. Steering will be all you need in heavy snow.

 

[ampsucker]

i chain up just the fronts on my bx. gives me just what i need where i need it. if really heavy wet snow (12" +) the back tires can get pushed sideways by the blade, but that is rare. i also like having the backs act as the "clutch" when on asphalt meaning they slip while the fronts grab and i don't get bound up in turns on the occasional dry patch.

the fronts are so easy to put chains on (just lift them up with the FEL and strap them on) that it's a no brainer for me. i made mine from old car tire chains last year.

i don't think occasional snow plowing with fronts only is going to hurt your front differential. leaving them on year round in all weather might be a different story, but having the extra traction up front for turning and moving forward in heavy snow is well worth the minor additional wear up front.

amp

 

[Ductape]

I have a 2630 with a 60" curtis snow plow attached to the loader arms in place of the bucket. There is a backhoe on the back which adds wieght there. First time plowing yesterday in CT. I can manage but, I lose my steering capability when I am pushing a big load. It feels like I need wieght on the front or chains on the front, or both.

I'm gonna suggest removing the backhoe. I had the same issue with my ballast box on. I could go anywhere without the the front axle engaged with the weight on the back, but it took too much weight off the front wheels to steer. No problem getting around without the extra weight.