2520 Snowplow size?

[Deadman]

I'm considering putting a snow plow on my JD 2520. I'm not sure how large of a plow to put on it, but I really don't like the idea of JD's 54 inch plow, that seems ridiculously small. I have a 60 inch plow on my ATV....geesh.

So, how big of a plow will it handle in Northern Wisconsin? :licking: We don't get alot of snow, but what we do get never melts until April, so I need to move it far enough to keep driveway open, and leave room for drifting snows. A large storm for us is normally around 12 inches of heavy wet snow, but then drifting too. I think we get like 80ish inches of snow a year normally.

I'd be running it with Ballast box with roughly 1,000lbs of lead in it, and V-Bar double crossbar chains (rear) if it gets icy. It has R4 tires that HATE the snow, so I am kinda confused as to how large of a plow to put on it. I'm hoping to buy some sort of plow from a small truck and have my local welder guy fab it all up for me. OR, am I going at this wrong, and should I be buying JD's big front snowblower?

My driveway it 900 feet long, and is across a open field, so drifting will be bad, and the road is nothing more than Sod right now, but eventually will be gravel.

What are your opinions here, or some pics of your plow setups? I'd love to be able to angle and lift it from the loader controls.

Thanks in advance for the ideas, and opinions. :thumbsup:

 

[beenthere]

I have a 7' Western on my JD 4300 at 31+ HP. Handles it quite well. Could go bigger, but don't need to. I agree that 54" is too small and think you could handle 72" no problem.

But then, there will be snow that will challenge the tractor at times, but just means taking a smaller bite when into the big drift or the really deep snow.

I built my plow to come off quick in case I needed to put the FEL on. But in 10 years now, have had no need to do that. The plow will push snow up as high as I want to push it (grandkids like the 12' pile of snow to slide down on ). The front wheels pack the snow and ride up on it very well.

The angle cyl's are on the curl connections, and the single cyl lift ram is on the FEL lift connection. Works great.

Here's a pic from year before last.
Since this pic, I built a wing plow to attach to either side for winging the snow back. Now can push snow off into the ditch where I cannot drive.

 

[kennyd]

6' is a good number...Check out Gunmakers, I am doing this same thing for a friends 2320.

 

[JCB]

Deadman,

If you can afford it, you'll never regret having the front blower. With the front plow quick hitch you're already investing a good portion of the snow blower cost. About a week ago I saw one of the bigger dealers in your neck of the woods had a used unit available.

That said, don't go too big on the blade. Chains and ballast are awesome, but I'd be concerned about your drifts on a 900' drive. Moving a big snow is one thing. Getting stuck halfway down your drive dealing with drifts makes it a chore.

WDNR website has a living snowfence brochure and recommended tree's for the area, or if you can round up some snow fencing, getting it set before the snow comes would be time well spent.

 

[Deadman]

What dealer had the used unit?

I'm just afraid the snowblower will be really slow. Maybe I am wrong tho?

 

[Deadman]

Anyone know what JD's front quick hitch and stuff costs? I'm sure its scary.

 

[beenthere]

I built my own design that I had fabricated by local welder. Under $300.

 

[Rob-D]

I'm just afraid the snowblower will be really slow. Maybe I am wrong tho?

I ran the 47" front blower on my 2320 and 2720 for years. It's the cat's meow! I did my 650+ driveway in about 20 minutes and that's with a clearing for turning around. Hardto beat a front blower, now you can get the 54" but they're not cheap.
Rob

 

[Deadman]

Maybe the 54 inch blower is really the answer then.....
I'm really afraid the R4's won't do much of anything with a plow. I hate to run the chains, because eventually I will have a bunch of concrete around the house I'll be building here. Right now, its just my Garage, but I still need to open it up. I'm thinking the blower is more practical.

I really thought the blower would be SLOW, but you guys make it sound fairly fast. :thumbsup:

 

[beenthere]

Maybe the 54 inch blower is really the answer then.....
I'm really afraid the R4's won't do much of anything with a plow. I hate to run the chains, because eventually I will have a bunch of concrete around the house I'll be building here. Right now, its just my Garage, but I still need to open it up. I'm thinking the blower is more practical.

I really thought the blower would be SLOW, but you guys make it sound fairly fast. :thumbsup:

Believe me, it is not fast compared to having that 5-6" snow and jumping on the tractor with plow and in medium (sometimes high) gear and making a wide path (wider than the snowblower) at more than a walking pace down and back. No snow blowing back in your face (unless you have a cab) and done and parked back in the shed. Also, a big point to me for a blade, is one quick drop and the excess snow falls off before parking. A snowblower takes a while to clean all the latent snow off or let it freeze or melt on the shed floor. Can't risk freezing on, or it won't work well the next time out.

I run R-4's and only on rare occasions do I need the chains. and you will need chains on for the snowblower at these times too. They are when the conditions are right for ice which is sometimes unavoidable (wet snow and temps drop, or when freezing rain leaves a layer on the drive). Most winters the chains don't get put on and the R-4's work just fine. Last winter we had the 15" snow that was very wet. It was work to move with the blade, but still worked better than the neighbor with a 54" snow blower (too wet for him to handle so I was asked to help him out with the blade - - after I put the chains on the R-4's ).

But it is a tough decision at the point you are now. Best of luck to you making it. And either way is fine with me.

 

[Deadman]

The snow blowing in my face was one of my reasons for liking a plow, and also the speed of the plow. I'd run it wide open in Low range most likely, and I highly doubt a blower would be able to handle that speed. :confused2:

I'm used to plowing with my 700cc ATV and a 60 inch plow, so this 2520 can only impress me from the ATV! :thumbsup:

I'm really liking the Truck plow versus the JD quick hitch and then a plow on that. I'd like something that could be removed easily tho, so the FEL could go back on.

The snow melting is not an issue. My tractor lives in my 36x60 2 story garage! :laughing: There is in floor heating that keeps the garage in the 50's and then the tractor gets parked over one of the 4 floor drains!

THANKS for all your input and ideas guys. This is what makes this board so great. Its everyones input, and opinions.

 

[beenthere]

........

I'm really liking the Truck plow versus the JD quick hitch and then a plow on that. I'd like something that could be removed easily tho, so the FEL could go back on.
.........

I made mine as a quick hitch, that stays with the plow, tilts onto the front mower draft plates and bolts (2 bolts) to the weight bracket. The time it takes to tighten two nuts on the bolts and connect the three hoses is about it. Probably a total of 10 minutes to get the plow off and the FEL mounted at most.

Search on Western plow for previous posts that include quick hitch pics.

 

[Rob-D]

Believe me, it is not fast compared to having that 5-6" snow and jumping on the tractor with plow and in medium (sometimes high) gear and making a wide path (wider than the snowblower) at more than a walking pace down and back. No snow blowing back in your face (unless you have a cab) and done and parked back in the shed. Also, a big point to me for a blade, is one quick drop and the excess snow falls off before parking. A snowblower takes a while to clean all the latent snow off or let it freeze or melt on the shed floor. Can't risk freezing on, or it won't work well the next time out.

I run R-4's and only on rare occasions do I need the chains. and you will need chains on for the snowblower at these times too. They are when the conditions are right for ice which is sometimes unavoidable (wet snow and temps drop, or when freezing rain leaves a layer on the drive). Most winters the chains don't get put on and the R-4's work just fine. Last winter we had the 15" snow that was very wet. It was work to move with the blade, but still worked better than the neighbor with a 54" snow blower (too wet for him to handle so I was asked to help him out with the blade - - after I put the chains on the R-4's ).

But it is a tough decision at the point you are now. Best of luck to you making it. And either way is fine with me.

Most people around here think the pecking order is front blower, rear blower, blade. You don't need chains with the front or rear blower but you do with the blade. Never had trouble with heavy snow and never used chains even with the big storms last year. What do you do when you don't have a place to push the snow but it keeps coming down, now you have to put the FEL back on to make room, how fast is that?
I've used a blade have you ever used a front blower? If you had the choice would you have a front blade that you pushed snow forward with or a rear blade that you pushed it back with? Looking over your shoulder for a mile while you plow is simply no fun in my view.

Rob

 

[Newtogreen]

I have a 4115 which is simular to your 2520. When I bought my tractor it came with a 6 1/2 ft. Curtis power angle snow blade. This blade is heavy and attaches to the fel boom. I didn't have enough ballasts for it but the tractor handled the blade very well. This year in West Virginia we got 30 inches of snow that we generally don't get. It depends on how deep and how wet the snow is for any blade to perform I quess. My driveway is over 100ft long in asphalt and a little over that in millings and I did not need chains with my R4's. I like the ability to lift the snow when the piles get high also you can't beat the power angle. Some think this size blade is to big for that size tractor but like I said it handled it well. Hope this helps.

 

[beenthere]

Most people around here think the pecking order is front blower, rear blower, blade. You don't need chains with the front or rear blower but you do with the blade. Never had trouble with heavy snow and never used chains even with the big storms last year. What do you do when you don't have a place to push the snow but it keeps coming down, now you have to put the FEL back on to make room, how fast is that?
I've used a blade have you ever used a front blower? If you had the choice would you have a front blade that you pushed snow forward with or a rear blade that you pushed it back with? Looking over your shoulder for a mile while you plow is simply no fun in my view.

Rob

Guess I'm not "most people".
I'd beg to differ on not needing chains on my 12% section of drive with a blower, front or back. Ice is ice, and slippery is slippery. Simply will not run anything without chains. Flat may work without chains, but then wouldn't need them for the blade either. Chains are on my tractor maybe twice, or three times a winter.

And tho I have planned for a quick switch from the blade to the FEL if needed, I've never had a problem bucking the snow back when it gets deep. Just takes a bit longer seat time.
And as mentioned, have not removed the blade to attach the FEL in the 10 winters in WI, most of which have had some great snow falls.

And yes, I've used a blower on the front and it was nice, but slower than the blade. Maintaining the blower is more work than I want compared to very little to maintain on the blade.

Now to add to the pushing snow back, I've added a wing plow. Mostly because it was because I just wanted to see if my design would work. It does and is a joy to mow the snow back over the edge of the ditch to lessen the drifting that can take place on that north side (about an 1/8 of a mile of drive).

I can only say what I like better, and do not care if others prefer a snowblower. I am perfectly ok with that. But I'll stick with a blade for less original cost, less maintenance, faster snow removal, and that sums up as more fun for me.

Carry on.

 

[Deadman]

I have the JD 47 inch front snow blower on my JD X475 (23 HP garden tractor). It works really well for blowing snow, but my 475 really could use a couple more HP for sure. It labored it pretty hard last year when we had 14 inches of medium weight snow. It was a slow job, but luckily I didn't have a huge area to clear off. If I would of had my ATV and snowplow, I would have been done twice as fast, but the snow would have been all piled up in banks, whereas the blower packs the snow and it hardly takes up any space after its blown away.

If my banks get too built up, I can have my buddy come push them back with his Chevy with 502 Cubic Inch (8.1L) motor! :thumbsup: He plows for me now, and its awesome seeing that beast play with his plow.

 

[JCB]

Fairve. Not sure on the spelling.

Will your blower fit the 2520? No doubt it's slower than a blade. Blades are great, I've got two. The benefit I see is with a blower is drifting. On my 500' drive I had about 75' across an open field that drifted every day. I ran out of places to put it with a blade. With a blower it was always moved out of my way the first time.

We've had some big snows these last couple years. I know moving a 10" snow with a blower is slow, but for me, it's slow with a plow too.

With your setup I'd be in good shape. The 2520 would be the everyday plow, and for the big snow I'd have to break out the smaller 475.

 

[Rob-D]

Guess I'm not "most people".
I'd beg to differ on not needing chains on my 12% section of drive with a blower, front or back. Ice is ice, and slippery is slippery. Simply will not run anything without chains. Flat may work without chains, but then wouldn't need them for the blade either. Chains are on my tractor maybe twice, or three times a winter.

And tho I have planned for a quick switch from the blade to the FEL if needed, I've never had a problem bucking the snow back when it gets deep. Just takes a bit longer seat time.
And as mentioned, have not removed the blade to attach the FEL in the 10 winters in WI, most of which have had some great snow falls.

And yes, I've used a blower on the front and it was nice, but slower than the blade. Maintaining the blower is more work than I want compared to very little to maintain on the blade.

Now to add to the pushing snow back, I've added a wing plow. Mostly because it was because I just wanted to see if my design would work. It does and is a joy to mow the snow back over the edge of the ditch to lessen the drifting that can take place on that north side (about an 1/8 of a mile of drive).

I can only say what I like better, and do not care if others prefer a snowblower. I am perfectly ok with that. But I'll stick with a blade for less original cost, less maintenance, faster snow removal, and that sums up as more fun for me.

Carry on.

Not disputing you BT, to each his own and I appreciate your views, also we all have different plowing conditions. Up here we get some big storms, sometimes for a week in a row (we're in a snow shed area) at it gets to the point where there is simply no place to put the snow if you're pushing it. The other problem is we often get a January thaw and with a gravel driveway you're start pushing driveway off of your driveway with a blade!

Rob

 

[beenthere]

If the drive thaws out, the blade can be set up with skid shoes to not touch the gravel just the same and as easy as a snowblower. IMO. As well, also will work to carry them.

 

[Deadman]

So if i were to try a snow plow. How wide should I be looking for? Like 6 foot, or 6.5ft? I don't want to put a plow on it thats impossible to make the very first pass, but I also don't want a narrow one that makes the small snowfalls take forever to clean up.