Snow Removal Frustration

[coldstream]

I'll explain my frustration and listen to your all's expert advice! B2920 with FEL and R4 tires purchased spring 2010. Tires are not loaded and I don't have chains. I've got a 4' king cutter (i think that's the brand) blade on the 3pt, blade turned "backwards" with a 3" ABS pipe installed on the blade to minimize gravel displacement. Gravel driveway, 500' long. I've removed several 2 and 3 inch snows over the time I've owned the tractor without much trouble. I use a combo of running the blade down the drive (set at the middle angle) and then cleaning the piles with the FEL. However, in the last 2 weeks we have had two 10 inch snows about a week apart. Trying to move this much snow took me to near the limit for this tractor. The first snow was pretty dry and I was able to move it OK but my blade isn't heavy enough so I never got clear down to the bottom of the snow, even without the ABS pipe installed. Would adding weight to the blade help with this? Of course if I add weight I'll dig more snow and come up against the most significant problem which is lack of traction. The second snow was so wet that the blade would just pull a few feet of snow before I broke traction. So I tried using the bucket to "skim" the snow and I also quickly lost traction after traveling just a few feet. I am open to loading the tires and/or adding chains but I wanted input from you all as to how much these will really help me. And yes, I know some will say "buy a bigger tractor" but that is not an option due to 1: finances, and 2: these big snows have been relatively rare recently so I'd like to adapt the equipment that I have as much as possible. Well, enough rambling for now, lay it on me!

 

[DABSGT]

B2920 is a nice size tractor, R 4 tires like turf tires are not great in snow. I think that both adding weight and chains would be a help. My tractor is a 25 HP Deere on a paved driveway with a hill. having turf tires i had problems until i added weight to the back of the tractor and rear chains. now have little difficulty unless it ices up under the snow on the hill. Gravel driveway in some ways helps with traction but heavy snow I would go with both.

 

[Catfish Man]

Load the tires

 

[Thomas]

Traction..or scape w/rear blade close as you can,you may find when the wet heavy snow arrives the task will be more painful...how much snow are you leaving over the gravel.

 

[Tomtint]

I would look for a old snowplow and adapt it to fit your loader. I do not like p,owing snow with a bucket, it is very inefficient. A front plow will work well and you will be able to stack snow 12 feet in the air. Chains will also be a good addition

 

[Katahdin]

Don't wait until the storm is over to plow. Plow every 5 inches of accumulation, or whatever your equipment can comfortably handle.

 

[adirondackmtnman]

Definitely load the rears, and if the money's there, buy some wheel weights. If the rear blade isn't absolutely needed, buy or build a weight box for the 3pt. hitch. I work my snow with a 2wd, and wouldn't even leave the garage without the tires loaded and weight on the back. I assume yours is a 4x4? Either way, little weight will go a long way...

 

[KubotaSam]

Buy chains for all 4 tires!!!

 

[Dutch445]

are you pulling the snow forward? or pushing backward? you mention both in the first post. also, it sounds like a 4' blade is way too small, it can't
cover your wheel width while angled, let alone straight? a larger blade would be heavier, but, then again, if you are having traction issues
you probably still need chains and more weight.
the front blade would certainly give you some down pressure, but they are pricey, esp if you wanted to get it setup with hydraulic angle.

i'd stick a 54 or 60 inch rear blower on the back and forget about the blade. then use the bucket for banks if needed or
light snows that just need a quick swipe out of the way
(the best would be a front blower, but that's more $$$)

 

[DK35vince]

I never felt that extra weight was much help on snow and ice.
Chains is the way to go.

 

[Tomtint]

I never felt that extra weight was much help on snow and ice.
Chains is the way to go.

Yep...I move snow with a 8000 pound Cat skidsteer, it was horrible in the snow until I put chains on it. Now it is unstoppable.

 

[Egon]

Chains for sure. Some ugly woods type and you will be a happy contented man!

Remember the rear blades have limits. When they are exceeded start working the bucket. Slower but you'll get thru.

 

[Pine Strip]

With the wonderful upturn in the stock market why don't you just ..... "buy a bigger tractor"

 

[KennK]

When the snow is too heavy for me rear blade I just use my front end loader. Yes its slow, but I do my best to think of it as just more tractor time - playing in the snow. Start taking bites that you can handle and it will get done eventually.

Oh, I make a point of using my FEL to push the snow back off the "edges" so more snow has a place to get put.

Then again, I have blacktop - not gravel. I've tried using my FEL on my neighbor's gravel driveway with only limited luck - I tend to pick up lots of gravel.

 

[rekees4300]

Chains are the answer. They make a BIG difference in traction.

 

[Pine Strip]

I have turf tires and extra ballast, and have no problems.

 

[Gordon Gould]

In my case I had 4wd, loaded R1 tires, and plenty of weight. Tractor was useless on packed snow or ice. Added rear chains and winter traction problems disappeared.

 

[skspurling]

Load the tires

I've got a b2620 with loaded tires. Same boat. You need chains for this last stuff that came through. I've been spinning in and on this crap for the last two weeks. I even thought of getting chains for the front, because the front tires don't grip and just slide around in the deep snow. What do you do for that, except brake steer with the drive wheels. And that 400lbs of beet juice isn't helping much.

 

[xring100]

I never felt that extra weight was much help on snow and ice.
Chains is the way to go.

Agreed weight does not help much on low coefficient surfaces when the mu level is .1 or less for ever 100 lbs you add you only gain 10 lbs of tractive effort. Or 1000 lbs equal to 100 lbs of force. On dry pavement or hard pack soil you would mu level of ~.7 or more meaning you would would add 700 lbs of tractive effort this applies to level ground. Chains are the way to go they will increase the mu level to 0.4 or better. The other problem with ballast on ice is that on a hill of moderate slope the added weight will reduce you traction and pull you down hill.

I have a tractor setup that weighs 10,000lbs and r1's it sucks on hard pack or ice even with 4wd on. Even on slight grades. I don't have $1100 to get a good set of chains for the rear right now

 

[vtsnowedin]

In the order of cost effectiveness. 1. rear chains, 2. front chains if you have clearance on steering arms and loader parts, 3, load rear tires, 4, bigger rear blade with offset, 5, front plow 6.5 foot, use dump function for power angle. 6, add third function for power angle to allow front plow to float 7, rear 3PH snow blower. 8, six drunk relatives with snow shovels.