2305 + boxblade/rake + this driveway

[mred]

I used my 2305 for exactly that last year (when we were all getting dumped on) and it worked well. I would not have wanted to do my 500' long drive with it but for cleanup and moving piles around it worked great.

 

[buddygunzz]

i used mine last season and we got 100+ inchs fel and rear blade and worked great. used the fel on the first clean then the rear blade for final passes. help out the block with the piles with no problems.

 

[VABlue]

The FEL dump cycle is slow. Although I love this machine, clearing a 2500' drive of snow with that dump cycle will be painful... That said, make the FEL the first option on your list to get. If you can't afford anything else, that 200CX is a MUST HAVE! It has more uses than any other attachment you can find, bar none. Won't be as good as the specialized attachment for any given job, but can do pretty much all of them.

 

[ChuckinNH]

I did see a smaller loader mounted plow at RN Jonhson's in Walpole NH last winter that was on a 2305. I didn't try it at all, but it looked like a well matched setup, and might be a workable compromise depending on price. It was painted gray, so I don't think it was a Frontier, or Curtis.

 

[VTtractorguy]

The FEL dump cycle is slow. Although I love this machine, clearing a 2500' drive of snow with that dump cycle will be painful... That said, make the FEL the first option on your list to get. If you can't afford anything else, that 200CX is a MUST HAVE! It has more uses than any other attachment you can find, bar none. Won't be as good as the specialized attachment for any given job, but can do pretty much all of them.

Yes, exactly, VA. I agree. I was going to just buy the 2305, a 62" deck and rake or BB, and try to live with that for the rest of this season. I was going to rent a 3720 for the odd jobs around here till next spring and buy the FEL then. But then I got thinking... I could rent the 3720 for a week and not get everything done. The $1000.00 for that will pay for about 40% of the 200CX. That's silly to waste the money renting. So I'm going to try to swing the FEL now. I still may have to rent the 3720 as it has a backhoe, but probably only for a day.

If I can't afford the snowblower, I may keep the plow guy on board and use the FEL for emergencies when he can't get here and clean-up after his sloppy work.

I don't mean to sound cheap, but we are still picking up the pieces after building our house. All good things in time...

 

[VTtractorguy]

I did see a smaller loader mounted plow at RN Jonhson's in Walpole NH last winter that was on a 2305. I didn't try it at all, but it looked like a well matched setup, and might be a workable compromise depending on price. It was painted gray, so I don't think it was a Frontier, or Curtis.

Chuck, do you recall how much it was? Could it be set at an angle?

 

[jdbower]

Remember that a plow has to push a lot of weight and its usefulness is dependent on the weight of the tractor compared to the weight you need to push. A FEL may be slow at moving snow but you can always control how much you take at a time, I'd be concerned about even a 2720 pushing 12" of snow around with a plow and being able to maintain traction, but luckily I haven't had the need to move any snow recently.

 

[ChuckinNH]

Chuck, do you recall how much it was? Could it be set at an angle?

The plow was a JD pin mount power angle plow, and I didn't get a price on it because I was just tractor window shopping. They have a web site with phone numbers though.

RN Johnson Inc

Hopefully one of the guys there can help you out. They are a very good dealership........been in business forever.

 

[johnnydel29]

First of all, I have to say, you have a nice house in a spectacular setting. My driveway is about the same length as yours and I manage it w/ my 2305.

I use soley a woods rake to maintain the driveway, which is perfect. I did not feel the need to use a box blade, the rake works great, even when the driveway becomes rutted.

Plowing the driveway w/ the loader takes a long time, and when we get seriously dumped on (1' or more), it is worthelss with this machine. I would have to push to the side the whole length of the driveway. Luckily, my neighbor is retired and got a snow plow on his truck that he can't wait to use when it snows, so he plows me out after the big storms.

Also, I want to make a suggestion. To prevent all of your crushed stone ending up in your lawn after it has been plowed, stake out your driveway at least 1 foot from the edge on each side its entire length and 3 or 4 feet at the end of your driveway. Plow between the stakes and all your gravel stays on the driveway. In the spring rake and spread w/ your loader. I do this and it has been working out very well tha past few years. Your driveway may feel pretty narrow, bit it is well worth it. Raking mounds of gravel in the my lawn drove me crazy.

 

[buddygunzz]

Raking mounds of gravel in the my lawn drove me crazy.

Stilh makes a power broom and it works great for getting the gravel out of the grass in the spring. rented one to try then bought one .

 

[Rara Avis]

Yes, exactly, VA. I agree. I was going to just buy the 2305, a 62" deck and rake or BB, and try to live with that for the rest of this season. I was going to rent a 3720 for the odd jobs around here till next spring and buy the FEL then. But then I got thinking... I could rent the 3720 for a week and not get everything done. The $1000.00 for that will pay for about 40% of the 200CX. That's silly to waste the money renting. So I'm going to try to swing the FEL now. I still may have to rent the 3720 as it has a backhoe, but probably only for a day.

If I can't afford the snowblower, I may keep the plow guy on board and use the FEL for emergencies when he can't get here and clean-up after his sloppy work.

I don't mean to sound cheap, but we are still picking up the pieces after building our house. All good things in time...

Make sure whatever you buy...you get an FEL with it...

For a digging rental, look at a mini-excavator...they will do a lot of hard labor...