My NX6010

[WoodChuckDad]

WoodChuckDad, what grapple did you decide on?

I thought I responded to this already....I got the WR Long OBG . Got a great price from my dealer.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I set up the new-to-me McKee 720 on my tractor in preparation of winter.

 

[LittleBear]

I set up the new-to-me McKee 720 on my tractor in preparation of winter.

I have a similar setup on order, but with a smaller blower. Looking forward to some winter-action videos from you!

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I have a similar setup on order, but with a smaller blower. Looking forward to some winter-action videos from you!

I bet you cannot wait to receive your blower! We need the snow up here in northern Minnesota. Last year, without snow, we froze six feet down and many people wound up sticking roof heating elements down their drains into their septic systems to thaw them out. Today I'm going to town to buy more hay to insulate my septic system.

 

[LittleBear]

I bet you cannot wait to receive your blower! We need the snow up here in northern Minnesota. Last year, without snow, we froze six feet down and many people wound up sticking roof heating elements down their drains into their septic systems to thaw them out. Today I'm going to town to buy more hay to insulate my septic system.

The crazy weather was my main motivation for searching for a cab tractor and snowblower — last winter was really difficult down here in Ohio. And you living up north would need even greater winter precautions.

I'm still puzzling over (reading through the many posts) over how to handle my long gravel driveway (yours is even longer). My neighbor down the road has a rear-mount snowblower on his tractor, and the skid shoes (the round type) really didn't protect his gravel driveway from his snowblower. I'll probably build something, maybe some extra wide skid shoes and use them in place of the factory shoes which are really designed for snow blowing paved surfaces. I'm still doing a lot of reading and thinking about this.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

It is unseasonably warm here in Northern Minnesota and I was able to take a day off from moving today and so I finished wrapping the porch up in 6 mil plastic, and drove my tractor over to the new parcel and cut in a drainage ditch before the. I never used the cruise control on my tractor until today, but it works and is nice.

Once at the new parcel, I took care of my drainage problem quickly and dropped off my box scraper. It will winter in place in the woods.

After driving back to the lake place, I started thinking about attaching to new snow blower. The photo doesn't show it, but it will never work with my quick hitch as the bottom pins on the snowblower are too wide. Bummer.

Simulating what it'll look like attached. :thumbsup:

What size chain did you use for this? And how long? I'm picking up my Grapple this weekend and I need to use the FEL to get it out of my truck.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Use a B.F.C. and don't worry about it. The first word of that acronym is Big.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

What size chain did you use for this? And how long? I'm picking up my Grapple this weekend and I need to use the FEL to get it out of my truck.

When you buy chain, get grade 70 or higher. Grade 70 chain is what you should have for tying down with chain binders and transporting. In this case I used a 20' long 5/16" grade 70 chain that I use for tying down the front of my tractor and chaining longs. I use two 10' lengths of 3/8" grade 70 chain to tie down the rear of my tractor during transport.

For the most-part, lever-style chain binders are faster and easier to use than screw type chain binders, but the screw type can get the equipment tied down tighter for transport.

Anyway, use a 5/16" grade 70 chain which has a working load limit of around 4700 pounds. Grade 70 and higher chain will have each link marked.

Anybody who is looking for a good deal on 5/16" grade 70 chain and lever-stly chain binders, consider this vender on Amazon.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

But if the safety police are arround grade70 is "not for overhead lifting."

 

[MinnesotaEric]

But if the safety police are arround grade70 is "not for overhead lifting."

I hear you.

But there is good pushback against the safety ninnies.

Grade 80, 100, and 120 chains shouldn't be used for anything other than overhead lifting and should never be used for tying down or extraction. For anything other overhead lifting, grade 70 is the way to go. The reason grade 80, 100, and 120 chains should not be used for anything other than overhead lifting is because they aren't galvanized and are delicate in any environment where shock, and moisture are present. Grade 80, 100, and 120 chains, for example, cannot be dragged on the ground. Damage deeper than .05 significantly reduces there strength and they are required to be removed from service.

Oh and Grade 80 chain is at least three times more expensive than grade 80.