Is it wrong to be excited for the snow?

Sprinklerman · Jan 22, 2016

I get excited , plowing snow is dollars from the sky . I will be out for days making bank .

Deere Dude · Jan 22, 2016

I lived in Wisconsin for 60 years, had good tractor snowblowers and blades and I enjoyed every heavy snow but it does get old if it comes down every other day.

Fast forward, we moved to southern TN because my wife hated the cold and the snow so I sold all that snow equipment. Now we got nothing here for 3 years almost, certainly not enough to get the tractor with bucket out.

I miss it!

MuncyBob · Jan 22, 2016

I love a major storm as long as the timing is right. Must start around 2am on a Friday so I get that phone call at 6:30 that the offices are closed. Love me some long weekends!

jfh28 · Jan 22, 2016

Digger 258 said:
I feel kinda bad - I changed my travel plans, and am now sitting in the airport in Houston awaiting a flight home to VA, just so I could be home before the snow. It will be my first opportunity to plow with the new PT, and I just can't miss that! The rest of my area is bracing for some snow-bound tragedy, and I'm giddy like a kid before Christmas. I find it hard to admit I changed my travels just so I can push snow with the PT! I even pre-staged the PT in the garage so I can avoid cold start problems. I'm sure it's going to be an improvement over my old Bolens . . .

I guess I have the PT sickness.

Hope my flight works out!

if this is your first time I wouldn't let the snow get any deeper then 6-8" before plowing........so you can get use to the strengths and weaknesses of the pt........the first pass is the hardest and if there's to much snow to push you will quickly learn about crabbing and lack of torque in the wheels which will cause you to stall.......even now I won't let light snow get more then 12" or heavy snow more then 6"...unless I want to be stopping every 10 feet......in deep snow I usually start the first pass on the edge of the drive so the next pass I can only take half a blade if I want.......it might make for more passes but I like moving instead of stop and starting.......in all the pt is a wonderful machine and I wouldn't want any other.......but you do have to work with it's pluses and minuses........I'm not set to get anywhere near what you should be getting so I'll probably only be out once.....but if it's cold and windy let me tell you by the time I'm done with mine and the neighbors I've had more then enough fun for one day......haha......Jack

MossRoad · Jan 22, 2016

In deep snow, what works well for me, is to make the first pass with the blade straight and go straight down the middle of the drive, with the blade off the ground on the gauge wheels about 2" up. Once a wedge of snow builds up in front of the plow, it acts just like a V plow and pushes snow to both sides. Then I can make and angled pass down both sides to knock it back to the edge of the drive. Then I can go back with the blade all the way down and scrape to the pavement.

Of course, deep VS not deep is proportional to wet VS dry and is a complete variable. :laughing:

Just play with it to get used to it and have fun. After several snowfalls of different water content and depth, you'll start to get the feel for what works right for you that particular day. :thumbsup:

jfischer · Jan 22, 2016

I am in Manassas, and I am going to go out about 11 or 12 this evening and try to stay ahead of it. I used to know what my John Deere would do, but new with the PT425 and don't want it to get ahead of me, or have to stay out there a long time.
I figure by that time there should be 10-12" and while ago I was out and blew well with the Stihl blower off my ramp, so it is a light snow, bad thing is there is a 1/4 mile to the corner of my lot I have to do, then and 1/8 mile on the other side, so I hope all goes well, and can stay ahead of things, as I know it will have a few drifts where the open places are.
Other bad thing is the winds are suppose to pick up a LOT later, and calling for near Blizzard conditions.

MossRoad · Jan 22, 2016

Well, the one thing nice about the little PT425 with a snow blade is it can stack snow 6' high and with great maneuverability. So if it gets too deep to push straight down your drive, you can always herringbone pattern it off to the sides as you go. And you can push yourself a place to turn around real easy. One thing about drifting snow... if you dig out a nice 2' deep path, it'll be 2' deep again tomorrow. If you'd have waited until tomorrow, it would still only be 2' deep.

If the going gets tough, hunker in the bunker! :thumbsup:

Marks481 · Jan 22, 2016

jfischer said:
I used to know what my John Deere would do, but new with the PT425 and don't want it to get ahead of me, or have to stay out there a long time.

You have tire chains for the PT425? They really help. If you do, and you haven't used them before, you will discover that the front wheels (at least the way mine was constructed) really have inadequate clearance from tire to the side of the fuselage for the chains, and using them will score your paint job.

Solution: reverse your front wheels, although many will chime in that you will damage your wheel motor bearings if you do that a lot. My take is that if you aren't hotdogging off-road like Carl does

, you will be ok.

jfischer · Jan 22, 2016

No, I don't have any chains on it, that is what bothers me, don't think I would be as concerned about it. Right now it shouldn't be a problem, as I can get down to the gravel, and no cars have really come up the road much, but if things get packed down that could be a different story and why I want to try to keep on top.

I will find out in another hour or so, and can report back then, as I have over a 1/4 mile road to do, and my side road which is about 400 foot.

MossRoad · Jan 22, 2016

Just be wary of it crabbing sideways on downhill side slopes. Try it out on some very gentle side slopes with good exit access on the downhill side before you get into a situation where it goes sideways down a hill and gets a small tree between the tires. Then you'll really have fun trying to drive away from that tree. :laughing:

Cat_Driver · Jan 22, 2016

For those of us that haven't seen snow in decades, please post some great snow pics

4570Man · Jan 22, 2016

Cat_Driver said:
For those of us that haven't seen snow in decades, please post some great snow pics

4570Man · Jan 22, 2016

MossRoad · Jan 23, 2016

Maybe he meant from Tenn? :laughing:

4570Man · Jan 23, 2016

MossRoad said:
Maybe he meant from Tenn? :laughing:

He didn't specify where. :laughing: He said post pictures of snow. We actually have about 4" of snow here in TN. School has been called off for 3 days, and I doubt they will go back Monday. If you really want to laugh at us the interstate for Crossville to Cookville is closed.

jfischer · Jan 23, 2016

I was surprised, it did better then I thought it would. I have the AG tires on it, and a weight bracket on the back with 250 pounds and did a pretty good job. Only had about 10-12" on the ground and 2-3 foot drifts, but did a pretty good job. Only time I had a problem was I got the rear a hair close to a ditch and hooked it, and it wanted to ride the ditch line, but got it out. It did a lot better then I thought it would without chains, but I could feel the front end trying to dig in going on some uphills.
I had it in float, with the cutting edge set about 1" off the ground.
Suppose to continue snowing all night until around 8pm tomorrow night, so should easily have over a foot more, they are calling for 24-30". I will do some more cleaning up tomorrow and see how it does on the packed stuff.

MossRoad · Jan 23, 2016

Glad to hear it! :thumbsup:

Looking4new · Jan 23, 2016

Pushing snow is a learning curve and you are learning.

ernemats · Jan 23, 2016

Got about 18" here on the ground now and it is still coming down pretty good. Debating if I should plow now or wait till it slows down and also what to use the 422 with plow or Agco Allis with bucket and back blade.