Any good ideas for after-market wheels and tires for the BCS while snowblowing?

[Bentworker]

Just looking for ideas, I have an 852 which will have a snowblower stuck on the front of it for the first time this winter. I'm looking for any good combos that will keep me safe this winter.

Thanks!
Peter

 

[js5020]

I'd run chains 2 links, best with a turf/diamond tread, or small shallow bars,, chains with deep ags tend to swallow up the chains,, that and your diff lock should be dandy. With a blower duals would extend beyond the width of the blower. I run small shallow bars no chains on a Gravely, it doesn't have a diff lock and do fine until it hits ice. Might think about some weights also as your a bit lighter?

 

[Bentworker]

I'm looking at buying a set of these, I need to go over to my buddies house (who is borrowing the BCS) and measure the bolt pattern. Seems like some big flotation tires like this might be handy for the snow.

 

[farmerboybill]

Hey Peter,

I ran the stock 4 by 8 ag type tires on my 715 with 28 inch snowblower last year. It did fine, but the 715 only has one gear in front mount and it was too slow. I bought some 6 by 12s at a garage sale and hope to use them only because I want a faster ground speed. I'd have gone wider, but these are definitely narrow enough to fit within the 28 inches of the snowblower path. It'd be pretty embarrassing to buy tires that make the machine wider than the blower path.

Why do you think the stock tires aren't adequate? Like 5020 said, tire chains do wonders on a machine in slippery conditions. I don't think I've ever seen ag type tires like the ones in your picture sold on a snowblower. It seems every one I've seen had knobbys on it. That's pry due to 5020's observation about chains getting lost in the lug.

Good luck in your decision

Bill in WI

 

[Bentworker]

When I bought the BCS I had about 3 acres to mow under a bunch of oak trees on some steep terrain, so I got rid of the stock tires and put a set of the Dunlop 23 X 8 X 10 KT401 tires, so that I wouldn't keep dragging the engine whenever I went though a ditch. They would probably work fine in the snow, but I think that they would swallow chains, and might be a little tall to work with the snowblower. I'll have to couple it up and see what it is like, I'm going to be running a quick attach and a pto adapter, so that should put the snow blower a little further. I'm just looking for good ideas, I'll probably end up purchasing another set of stock rims and putting the stock tires on them, or buying some smaller ATV tires.

 

[rlschoemer]

I have an 850 with a 24" Snowblower. I adapted Gravely rims so I could use standard size snow tires, they work fine and you can get those size tires reasonable. Have them out being painted now, will send photos when I get them back and setup.

 

[MatSu]

I have the 23" tires on my BCS 948 and for most snow blowing tasks they work fine without chains. I do have a small section where the tractor needs to climb a 45 degree slope and if its icy chains would help. But for the sidewalks, driveway and parking lot sections the 23" ag tires work fine with the snow blower in 2 ft of snow. If we only get a few inches and I'm using the snow plow the chains would help a bit increasing traction since I plow at a higher speed than I use for blowing snow (3rd gear for plowing and 2nd for blowing).

Jeff
PS. I wish I had this machine (Berta 2-stage blower on a BCS 948) when I was growing up in the snowbelt of New York. We don't get much snow in this part of Alaska and this combination is overkill for us. Just to make the machine feel useful I use it on the snowbanks where the city has pushed the snow and let it freeze. That's about the only thing that taxes this machine...

 

[ProjectKing]

I would run tire chains in the winter. I have an old Bolens Husky Gardener... when more traction was required they provided chains for them.... really bites in especially with the narrow tires. The wide tires on packed snow (like on a driveway) are just gonna slide around like skis.

 

[shallowwatersailor]

I'm looking at buying a set of these, I need to go over to my buddies house (who is borrowing the BCS) and measure the bolt pattern. Seems like some big flotation tires like this might be handy for the snow.

Do not go wider for a tire. The best tire for snow is the opposite of other uses. You need a tire with the smallest footprint so that the weight is concentrated on the smallest patch. Flotation tires will do just that.

 

[leonz]

Narrow turf tires are what you need, putting windshield washer fluid in those tires and putting chains on the those tires will create a monster of a walk behind snow caster for you.

Be sure to purchase a supply of Fluid Film to spray on the inside of the housing, chute and spout and you will have little to any plugging. Cooking spray and WD-40 works in a pinch but the fluid film stays on longer.