Snow Attachments Get my tractor ready for snow plowing?

[Matthewf13]

I am going to make some money next year by plowing drive ways/roads with my tractor. This is my tractor I am buying:

Craftsman

I want to know if I buy a plow for it, if it will be able to do it. Will it be slipping and sliding? Do I need chains? Anything else needed?

Thanks guys! I appreciate it.

 

[bp fick]

I had a similar tractor for a few years. Passed it onto my son last year.
Even with chains, these units are light and only two wheel drive. OK, sort of, for plowing a short drive in the city, when the snow isn't super wet. But that's about it. A blower would be much better, but costly.

A 4x4 tractor is what you really need. $.02

 

[CompactTractorFan]

I don't know if one of those lawn tractors is up to heavy snow removal...IMO

 

[RoyJackson]

I don't know if one of those lawn tractors is up to heavy snow removal...IMO

I wouldn't use one for an kind of heavy work. Driveways in a development which tend to be pretty short would be OK, I suppose. That would be a money maker, if Matt lives in a development. Lots are small, driveways close together.
Light snow removal and mowing in the summer could bring in a few bucks.

bp fick has a very good point about the weight...less weight, less traction. Plowing of wet snows or accumulations greater then 4-6 inches would mostly likely be beyond the machine's capabilities.

 

[George2615]

It will work fine if your in an area where you only get a foot or so a season. Wouldn't do much good in heavy snow without a snow blower. As mentioned its only rear wheel drive, not enough weight, it would need chains, and not much good for heavy snows. 4 wheel drive would help but don't think its an option.

 

[JEH412]

I plowed our driveway and a large parking area with an old Sears garden tractor for quite a few years. It worked, to a point. I had to put R1s on the back, along with chains and weight, and 3-ribs on the front to be able to steer. Even with that, the big limiting factor is the weight of the tractor. The tractor had the power to push farther but it slipped and slid and that was that.

I'm in central Pennsylvania, so we get snow, but most storms are 4-8 inches. It would handle a 4-inch snow as long as it wasn't wet heavy stuff. If it was, and I hadn't plowed with the storm, I often couldn't push it as far as I wanted to. With a forecast of an 8-inch or more storm, I had to plow with the storm. Not fun!!

Last winter I bought an old Satoh S370 2 cylinder diesel. The tractor is rated at less HP than the Sears tractor but it weighs a lot more. I can plow most any storm that comes this way after it ends. We do get the occasional Nor-Easter that will definitely require plowing a time or two during the storm, but the difference between the two tractors is night and day. I didn't have to swap out the turf tires from the Satoh, either, although I do have chains.

Will the Craftsman do want you want? Maybe, but probably not as well as you think. If it were me, I wouldn't count on it to make money unless you're dealing with short, flat driveways and moderate, or less, snowfalls.

John

 

[dmay]

I am going to make some money next year by plowing drive ways/roads with my tractor. This is my tractor I am buying:

Craftsman

I want to know if I buy a plow for it, if it will be able to do it. Will it be slipping and sliding? Do I need chains? Anything else needed?

Thanks guys! I appreciate it.

The main problem you will encounter is loss of traction. Your Craftsman will have a weak rear wheel belt drive and no locking differential. You will need chains and rear weight ballast. Even with this expect to get stuck. Thankfully it is light enough to man handle in most situations to get it unstuck. Bring a tow rope. I suggest you switch to snowblower for better results. Also since you will be outside making money in bad weather, get a soft cab.

Overall if you keep within the limitations of the Craftsman, you can clear a lot of snow.

 

[CowwFace]

I would think about a 4x4 Polaris quad with a snow blade on front. I think the lawn tractor will be much slower than a quad... PLUS you can ride the quad for fun on trails .... folks would look at you pretty funny if you took the lawn mower on trails!

Did you need the lawn tractor for mowing as well? ...

Tractor / Quad on,

 

[123rday]

I would say that unless you need it for mowing, look for an older tractor in your price range either on craigslist, ebay, tractorhouse, local newspaper, and maybe even in Wheeler Deeler if you can.
Since your plowing for money, don't forget your liability insurance.

 

[some zilch]

I am going to make some money next year by plowing drive ways/roads with my tractor. This is my tractor I am buying:

Craftsman

I want to know if I buy a plow for it, if it will be able to do it. Will it be slipping and sliding? Do I need chains? Anything else needed?

Thanks guys! I appreciate it.

i dont think your going to be plowing too many roads with a lawn tractor. i used to have an older wheel horse garden tractor--real steel frame, real iron transmission, rear iron engine, ag tires w/double weights, etc, and i ran out of traction quick when trying to push a 4ft blade through 1ft of wet snow. i would have to say that anything made by craftsman these days is not anywhere in weight or quality near an older garden tractor. you might do ok snowblowing some driveways, though.

for the price of that chinsy lawn mower, you could probably buy an older gas farm tractor with a plow and plow until your hearts desire.

 

[schmism]

CL an older model.... 4 wheel gravely.... Wheel horse.... lowboy cub

 

[bp fick]

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Matthewf13 (2 posts) has not logged in since the original post.


For others following this thread because they may have a similar interest, advice has been pretty good. You should not take on paying customers unless you really can plow them out, when the bad storms come. To do that, you need serious equipment. A lawn tractor simply isn't going to satisfy your customers when the real snows hit.

 

[RoyJackson]

Note:
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Matthewf13 (2 posts) has not logged in since the original post.

That's never stopped us before!

 

[bp fick]

That's never stopped us before!

Shoot, I've seen guys post onto threads 10 or 11 years old. Makes you wonder if they maybe think some guy was sitting around for a decade just waiting for a reply!!! :laughing::laughing:

 

[Ductape]

Shoot, I've seen guys post onto threads 10 or 11 years old. Makes you wonder if they maybe think some guy was sitting around for a decade just waiting for a reply!!! :laughing::laughing:

They aren't??

 

[chad22]

Shoot, I've seen guys post onto threads 10 or 11 years old. Makes you wonder if they maybe think some guy was sitting around for a decade just waiting for a reply!!! :laughing::laughing:

I'll wait a decade for a reply to my thread if that is what it takes. :laughing:

Chad

 

[Dutch445]

matthewf13 may= 13 yr old looking to go into
business. if so, kudos for not sitting around playing
video games, but makes you wonder how many places
he may be posting and never following up

 

[jake98]

He's probably out tearing up the streets with that hot-rod, did you guys take a look at it? 28 hp, armrests, cast-iron front axle.. he may be cruzin for chicks while we're sitting around talking about it!

 

[bp fick]

Just a closing comment. We got 13" of March madness day before yesterday. That stuff was soooooo heavy. My Kubota did fine, but it was all it could move. Young guys get ideas of providing services for folks, to make money. As far as it goes, that's a fine ambition. That said, I think he got good guidance, if he read it. Don't make commitments to paying customers that a Sears lawn/garden tractor just cannot keep.

I set up my boys in service providing. They did well and paid me back for my investment in them. I'd do again, for the right young man in a heartbeat.

 

[chad22]

He's probably out tearing up the streets with that hot-rod, did you guys take a look at it? 28 hp, armrests, cast-iron front axle.. he may be cruzin for chicks while we're sitting around talking about it!

:laughing:

Yeah I bet that's what he's doing. I took a look at it and dang that is the ultimate chick picker upper. :thumbsup:

That is one sexy tractor. Which reminds me of the song by Kenny Chesney "She thinks my tractors sexy. It really turns her on.

YouTube - Kenny Chesney - She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy

Chad