Snow FEL Snow removal?

[beenthere]

Welcome to the forum.

You can search and find lots of threads on this subject, and as many different ways of doing snow removal as well. We don't all do it the same or believe in one best method (other than maybe our own /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif ).

Running buckets of snow around will give you lots of tractor seat time, which will be fun (at least if you are not in a hurry and don't have a long drive to clear). New snow is easy to do with good traction. After the new snow melts some (warm weather or rain) and then freezes to ice, traction will probably mean tire chains.

As you use it and learn to live with using the FEL, you will have time to contemplate alternatives. In the meantime, the FEL will work great for you and bring a lot of enjoyment, especially when relating to any other previous method you have been using.

After doing it with the FEL bucket and rear blade, I now have what to me is the best, fastest, and most fun -- a blade on the front in place of the FEL. Pics can be found under a search on "Western Plow".

Enjoy the winter, and hope we get snow.

 

[cford]

If cost is a factor I would agree that you can use your FEL. I live in Buffalo and have a 2210 with the 2 stage blower and wouldn't use anything else. We got a late snow last year after I had taken the blower off and I used the FEL. I found it to be a pain. It definetly will take some practice. I have 300' of gravel drive and a 40x40 pad. My 10 year old can do all this with the blower in about 30 minutes. Very easy and clean. I have also used the blower in a grassy area, just don't lower it all the way, I had no problem. The blower isn't cheap but in my opinion you wouldn't regret it.

Another thing to consider is I believe that blowers can be difficult to get later in the season, especially the front end blower that I have. Just something to consider.

 

[RalphVa]

I went through my first snow season last winter using my 4010 with FEL to clear snow from my 350' driveway here in Va (not as much snow as you get, typically 22"/year in about 3-6" falls each). It worked so well that I've sold my Gravely with its snow plow and snow blower.

Because we just had our driveway resurfaced this spring, I bought a BB with the intent of buying a horse mat and cutting a piece to sandwich between the replacable blade edge and the main blade. The horse mat is rubberish and has been used by many here on the forum as a squeegee for driveways in the snow. Have thought also about getting a piece of automotive heater hose, slitting it and putting it on the sharp edge of my FEL.

If you have a level indicator on your FEL (get one if you don't), just set it down curled up a tad and run it down the driveway this way. This will keep it from digging it. Ought to work reasonably well to keep from digging up gravel, too. Might have to compensate some if your driveway goes up or down on the curl.

I could snow plow with my 2 wheel Gravely with dual turf or dual ag tires without chains. The heavy snow blower needed chains on the tires to push it though. Never hardly had a wheel spin on my 4010 with turf tires. I put metal screws into the outer lugs of the Gravely to check the ag tires out on ice but never got the opportunity. You can do this on turf tires on your tractor. Just make sure you use reasonably short screws in the very outer edges of the tire tread. You'll have to measure to see how long a screw would be safe to use. They use metal screws into motorcycle tires ice racing up your way.

Ralph

 

[SharonJD2210]

Hi, It's me again. I think I am getting hooked on this web site. What a great place to hang out and learn "what every woman should know about tractors". The more I read the more questions I have. THanks for all the great responses so far. I find them all very helpful and informative. If I decide not to purchase a back blade this year, should I remove or keep the ballast box on the rear of my tractor while moving the snow around or will it get in the way? Also, I think I will purchase tire chains in the very near future. Do I need to purchase them directly from JD or can they be purchased at a tractor Supply store or Home Depot? I assume they are fairly easy to install? Thanks again guys.... I appreciate all the help so far!!

Sharon

 

[beenthere]

Keep the ballast box on (much handier if you also have the iMatch).
Chains can come from Deere, but tirechain.com is another good source.

 

[George2615]

Sharon, Welcome to the forum. I too live in upstate NY. My tractor is 4x4 and I have a 64" 3 pt. snowblower which I use blowing a few steep driveways. To answer your bucket question, Yes you can use it to remove snow. usually keep the bucket level and put in float mode and push away. In the beginning of last years snow I used the loader bucket to do the majority of the driveways I plow. Then I adapted a 7 1/2' truck blade to the bucket which allowed for faster plowing but the snow would get over top of the blade filling the bucket. This became a pain trying to empty the bucket of snow with a blade attached in front of it. So I picked up 4 - 1" hitch pins and made my bucket a quick disconnect by pulling the 4 pins, then I welded brackets on the plow blade and use that alone on the loader arms. (see pics in members photos/other/mahindra) This gets me through 80% of the winter then I switch back to the bucket for moving the huge piles of snow I've built up. I always keep the blower on back for weight and haven't needed chains so far. As to fuel gelling, If the tractor is in a heated garage its not too much problem. I personnally use Power Service Diesel fuel supplement which is available in my local Walmart, Truck stop, or auto parts stores. My tractor is parked in an unheated garage, but I do have an inline heater in the lower radiator hose and a magnetic heater on the base of my fuel tank that I keep plugged in when parked. I had my fuel gel up before I did the above. Hope I answered most of your questions.
George

 

[RalphVa]

Unless you have a very steep driveway, I'd lay off the chains for the first season. They're a pill to get on and off, and if you leave any loose ends, those can catch on things and break something. Had this happen on my Gravely. Thought it was going to rip a tire off. It broke a piece of a spring holding the brake pads on and broke a link in the chain. After that, I got the ag tires and put those metal screws into the outer part of the lugs (what ag tire treads are called).

Ralph

 

[JDFANATIC]

Sharon,

Just so there is no confusion, with a FEL you can move almost any imaginable amount of snow, you will just have to keep picking up the bucket, backing up, turning and dumping the bucketload of snow. With the plows you can angle them so you can push the snow to where you want it without having to see-saw back an forth. If the snowfalls begin to accumulate, then can run out of room of where to push it. That is when a blower is really nice. All can and will work. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[cadblaster]

Sharon,
As another owner of a 2210/FEL please allow me to chime in.
I have a 650' of drive to clear. The first 250' I share with my neighbor. My part has some regular slope, and some side slope to it. I have turf tires, I don't use chains and have never had a problem with traction.

Keep the ballast box on when using the loader, you'll need the weight to couter balance the snow in the bucket, otherwise steering can become really difficult.

The first season I did snow removal I used the FEL/bucket only. I personally don't like this method very much. It takes a long time to do it, and you can start to run out of places to put the snow as it piles up.

My neighbor tried using a front blade on his much smaller JD lawn tractor, and he found that if he didn't keep up with the snow, it could easily get to the point where he couldn't clear it. This is probably not as much of a problem with the 2210, however you still have the possibility of running out of a place to push the snow if you are clearing with a blade only (front or back). My neighbor ended up buying the front mounted blower for his.

I got lucky and found a 3 pt. mounted 2 stage blower at an auction. It came off of a JD 790. It is the perfect size for the 2210, and it was about 1/3 of the price of any other 3 pt. blower I could find (which were all too big anyway), and about 1/5th the price of the JD front blower. The blower is the best method by far.

A couple of notes on 3 pt. blowers.

First of all you have to drive around backwards. I turn in my seat sideways and operate the pedals with my left foot. It takes some getting used to, but works ok.

The 3 pt. blower runs a slower speed than a front mounted blower. the result is that it doesn't blow the snow as far, but still buildup is never a problem. It just means that I have to rotate the chute depending on which side of the drive I am blowing.

Blowers can get jammed up in wet slushy snow. In this case I fall back to the bucket. I started out without the bucket on last year, which is more manuverable, but you do have to use front weights in this case. Still I had to use it for one late season snow that was too slushy.

You gotta have the right attire for blowing snow, or consider getting a cab for your tractor.

If I lived in your area, with my driveway, I would have the front mounted blower.

 

[PineRidge]

In the past we have used a Woods 3 point snowblower in combination with the FEL bucket for snow removal. This year however we're going to try a used 100 dollar Meyer snowplow that we found and suspect that snow removal will go a lot faster. Used plows can be mated to about any tractor and if you are a good shopper can be a lot less expensive than most implements. Maybe this thread will give you some new food for thought. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif plow thread