2210? or bigger

[ArkCivEngr]

Here I am, working in 105 F heat index, and you're posting pics of blowing snow? You're killing me! /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

BTW, I'll wager you have to drive at least 50 ft. further getting back after one of those brandys. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[jcmseven]

Mike,

I do not come from a really high snow area, but we do get a fair amount here in western NC mountains, USA. I have never used a snow blower, but have had an x595 with a 54" front blade. It did a super job at snow removal here, and many of the places it would go were STEEP. I suspect either it or a 2210 would do a good job with your task, with either a blower or a blade. It would also fit on those walkways and tight spaces a larger machine cannot fit. I currently own a 3720 JD and had a 4310 last winter. I can safely say that the 595 would have removed snow faster than my 4310 would have with a standard rear blade and FEL. I have a 72" boom blade for my loader which makes the larger tractors more productive, but if I did not have that, the 595 would have been faster!!! I would say go with whichever would be less expensive. You could even go with a gasoline 575 or 585 if you wished to save some. I would not forego the MFWD though. Although the diesel is better the gasoline machine would do fine I think.

John M

 

[JDFANATIC]

Ark,

Uh hic. 3 or 4 tenths of an hour down the drive and back. My wife never understands why it takes 1-2 hours! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Ray2210]

Just out of curiosity where abouts in central Canada? I have a 2210 with a FEL and 60" rear blade. I live in Saskatchewan and last year was the worst winter in about 10 years for snow. I live on an acreage and clean quite a bit of drive and parking as well as the road in front of our property. The 2210 was a real trooper and proved itself well. It ran flawlessly in the cold but a block heater is a necessity. I also use a cold weather fuel additive that really helps. I don't think it would have started without a block heater when it got real cold and it's a much easier start when it's not so cold by just plugging it in for a few minutes.

One thing I've found with blades and loaders is that they can scrape up concrete pretty bad. Asphalt would be much more tolerant to scraping implements. I would use a blower if there was much concrete or add skid shoes or gauge wheels to any blades being used for concrete.

Something to consider will be your choice of tires and weight depending on the implements you choose. I run turf tires as I have a bit of good lawn to maintain in the summer. For heavy snow and ice they were a bit lacking. I added rear chains and it made a big difference. This year I will add rear wheel weights and might even get some industrial tires for the front as steering can be difficult when pushing or pulling alot of snow with the blade or bucket. The better your rear traction gets the worse steering can become too.

I don't use a blower myself but a 60" rear blade can move alot of snow. With turfs and chains I can pull throught 8-10" of snow no problem. You could do better with loaded industrial tires. I have to say there are times I wish the 2210 had split rear braking so that you could steer with the rear brakes and it would help when using the blade or loader. Pushing the snow backwards with the convex side of the blade I can power through some pretty deep stuff and then pull back through forward to clean it up. Once last winter at the neighbors with the blade and loader I cleaned up about 5 hundred feet of drive and a couple hundred of that was 3 feet deep in about 3 hours. I'd have loved to had a blower for that as it would have been much faster but nonetheless the machine was amazing in that deep snow with just a loader and blade. Having a larger than the standard 49" bucket would make a job go faster as well.

 

[mike123]

Ray I live in Regina.
The unit will be parked in a heated shop. For the scraping I will be putting on a urethaine blade, we do all cement and cobble stone drives.
The 60 inch blade didn't help with the weight issue in the back? How was the back blade for scraping without down pressure? Some of our customers drive in and out like crazy before we get there.
I am wondering if a hydraulic blade on the front of the FEL might be the best - that way you can stack it easy on the lawn after cleaning the drive. It should be way quicker then a blower?
Mike

 

[JDFANATIC]

mike,

That driveway I mentioned I share with another neighbor who has a 318 with a front plow. It does a great job, but I can remove snow a whole lot quicker. I'm sure the 2210 with the front plow will remove snow more efficiently, but I'm not sure any faster. Also where do you put it if the snowfall really accumilates? That said, almost all the commercial snow removers in my neck of the woods use plows... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[fgross335_2210]

Interesting thread! I have a 335GT with a 42" snowthrower and a 2210 with FEL and 5ft backblade. The 335 can run circles around the 2210 for most snow removal because you only touch the snow once and it's gone. There is simply no faster way to remove snow then with a blower or thrower. One of my friends at work has a 4010 with 47" 2-stage and a 5ft back blade. When the snow is light he makes one pass with the blade, then a pass with the blower. Heavier snow all blower. Works great for him.

About the only problem with the blower is that the snow WILL travel a long ways so you DO need a place to "send it". And w/o a cab you can turn yourself into a snowman given the right conditions (wind).

A 47" for my 2210 is next up on my list of attachments. FEL will then stay parked in the winter unless I'm hauling firewood.

 

[Ray2210]

The 60" blade I have isn't enough balast for anything more than snow. If the snow gets slushy wet a standard 49" bucket full will lift the rear wheels. I have never really scraped to cement from hard pack as it damages the concrete too much. Part of the blades scraping performance will be based on your particular units weight and the angles you set it to. As for a blade on the loader I'd be carfull. The loader mounting and frame might not be up to a commercial capability taking into account the assymetrical loading an angled blade would impose on them. The loader mountings are really designed for symetrical loading. For a front blade you're probably better off with something frame mounted. I often pile snow up 3 feet high just by backing into the pile with the rear blade and pushing with the convex side. The tractor just rides up the pile and keeps pushing. Buy a block heater if you get a tractor. Even with a shop there will be times you won't regret having installed it. We just moved onto our acreage last fall and our 2210 is some of the smartest money we've spent. I did about 50 hours of snow removal last winter and about 50 hours of lawn and loader work this summer. I don't know what we would have done without it.

 

[Lobo56]

I’ve removed snow with my father in laws 2210 with a rear blade, FEL and with he’s blower. The blower will run circles around both. So when I bought my own 2210 back in June the blower was the first thing on the buy it list.

 

[Hypernix]

Yep, I also vote for the snow blower, cab and bigger! Around here, the people that do this kind of work are mostly farmers and they are using their biggest tractor with big snowblowers! The advantage is time. One or two pass and the drive way is done, move on to the next. Also those big tractors seem to travel faster between job sites so no need to trailer.

Hypernix

 

[trlong]

Ray,

I run a rear blade all winter with the 47" blower and often during the summer with the 410 FEL. If your rear blade is like mine (has a 1" rod with foot as storage foot), try sliding 25# weights on the rod. I add 100# but could easily add 200#. At that distance from the 3PH, it is sufficient ballast to offset the 410's bucket full of pretty much whatever you can put in it. Just my cheap solution. Also gives pretty good down pressure on the RB, when needed.

Tom

 

[RoyJackson]

"However, I don't think the 2210 is a big enough tractor for your needs. I think I'd be looking at a 4210 (or 3xxx series equivalent) or similar model New Holland or Kubota."

If it was one or two drives (as small as they are), the 2210 would do fine...but when one is talking about commercial use...I'm sure the 2210 is a nice tractor, but it's just not going to make the speed (of removal, then move to the next drive) that a bigger unit would.

 

[mike123]

4210 seems like a lot of tractor for small drives? Which you would gain in power you would loose in maneuverability?

 

[Lobo56]

Come on, it would take 5 minutes to do a 40' drive with a 47" blower on a 2210. Been doing it, so has JDFANATIC. My friend has a contract for snow removal in Lake George NY for 110 condo units. He’s been using two walker zero turn mowers with 48” blowers on the front and two big John Deere walk behind blower. Only takes him 5 hrs. to do all units, that’s driveways, street sidewalks and front door walks and that’s with 12” plus of snow. I made the comment to him one day why don’t you buy larger machines. He said to me I had a 755 John Deere with a woods rear blower it’s too big to maneuver in and out of close quarters.

 

[Hypernix]

You know now that I think about this, even a Craftsman with a 42" snowblower would do the job! Heck even a good shovel! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

It just depends on how well a guy wants to "equip" himself for the job he has to do! Myself I prefer to have more than not enough! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Hypernix /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[RoyJackson]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( 4210 seems like a lot of tractor for small drives? Which you would gain in power you would loose in maneuverability? )</font>

The original poster is doing commercial work. Most of the persons responding to my comment about the 2210 not being large enough to do the job seem to be taking this as a personal criticism, which it was not, of course.

The last statement in my original reply simply stated the original poster needs to assess his requirements.

Most of the plowing I see around here, if not done by truck, is done using a skid steer, BTW.

So, is the 2210 too small for his needs? I've no idea...I'm not running his business. But for the number of drives he's plowing...it may not be enough machine.

Please don't take a comment about any tractor personally. In this case, it's just an opinion.

 

[JDFANATIC]

On the major run section of my driveway, it takes three passes to clear the 9' width. This is all done at near if not at top speed (8.5 mph), then the most time consuming part takes place, the little cutting in here and there, backing up, and maneuvering into position. For me I doubt a larger blower/tractor would save any time at all. Obviously I can't see Mike's exact situation, but it would seem to me the largest tractor/blower with the most maneuverability would be the ticket. The 2210 gets the 46/47 blower. To go to the 59" you would need to get into a 3xxx or 4xxx series. Is it worth it? I can't answer that. Mike is just going to have to carefully access his particular needs. It sounds like a good problem to have! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[mike123]

Yes this is for serious commercial.
I do have a skid steer but it cannot be everywhere at once and they frown apon us using it when it is light. The JD will replace shovels and walk behind blowers. I will be getting 2 once I try the first. I thought the 2210 would be perfect for the lighter snow falls with a 96” pull blade and a quick blow after it is piled if necessary.
But the reason I posted I need to know if the front blower can go through heavier/drifted snow. I know it can but like I said there is no way I can do it at a crawl, I need to maintain a good speed or else I will never get done.
Hopefully Rae will chime in; he knows exactly what I am talking about. We get allot of wind here with our snow.
Yes the plow on a truck would be the fastest but 99% of the time we have no where to put the snow.
Thanks Guys

 

[Lobo56]

Been using my father in laws 2210 for 2 years to clear the end of my driveway after the plows have come threw 4' high or more and that's usually heavy packed wet snow. So I don’t think you going to have a problem with drifts. Knock on wood haven’t broken a shear pin yet. The 47" two stage blower has a drift cutter blade mounted on it to cut into the drift. If JDFAN can go 8.5 mph with a thrower your defiantly won’t have a problem with the 2 stage blower. Believe me that 2 stage blower can blow some serious snow and throw it far. This year I’ll be using my own 2210 with my 47” blower. No more worrying if I’m going to break someone else’s tractor, I can break my own.

 

[Ray2210]

As said before I can't speak on blowers/throwers. I can certainly attest to our weather conditions though. I think lots has been said about blowers and I am convinced on the the capability of them. As for a 96" blade........that is alot of blade for a 2210. You'd have to be doing some pretty light plowing as the snow stacks up against the blade pretty fast and if you can actually keep moving the blade will start to steer the tractor. With my 60" blade at its lowest angle it will steer the tractor like a rudder in anything very heavy or when it hits a burm on one side. You'd want to try a blade that big before you bought it. Control is greatly improved when plowing in reverse and I imagine tire and weight choices would make a difference. It sounds to me like you might want to look at something like a 4115 with similar horse power but bigger tires, split rear braking, more weight and the ability to properly handle a bigger blade. I would even question the 2210's ability to sufficiently raise an 8 foot blade high enough.
Some of those big blades are pretty tall and not really intended for a small low tractor like a 2210. Someting else to consider if you intend to use a pull behind blower is that changing implements out on the 3 pt hitch takes a few minutes and will be tougher in the cold with ice caked on all of the hardware. If choosing a 2210/2305 I'd go with a 4 ft blower and a 5 ft blade.