Have 2002 Kioti DK50C need bigger tractor for snow removal

[Sierraau]

You need to start from the first snowfall and get the snow as far off as possible in anticipation of more snow in the future.

Do you have the ability to get the snow further and just didnt? Or do you need something that can push the snow BEYOND where the tractor can go.....like an offset rear blade.

Any plow, loader, or blade is gonna make big windrows. A blower is the only thing that wont but you worry its too small.

WHY is your tractor now too small? Is it lack of traction? Lack of lift height? Lack of ability to lift/push a larger blade?

You question getting worse fuel economy with addition of wheel weights, yet want a BIGGER machine? These seem contradictory. Who worries about MPG when running a tractor to remove snow?

Widening the road is on the agenda for this summer... maybe a couple of feet on either side. I just want more pushing power and weight I think. The MPG thing was just an off hand comment. I know no one measures MPG....

 

[5030]

Face the music buddy, you just need 2 tractors!
Tell the Mrs. that I said it was ok.

That's me, a pair of M9's and both are pre 4 units too. I never asked. I just bought them. Don't need to ask as my financials are my business and not not my spouse's.

 

[stumblinhorse]

I was afraid of that. If I want a big loader performance, I need to get a big loader. I do what you do at first when the snow is up to 2' deep, but as the depth increases, it becomes useless because the snow is too heavy. I've done the blade raised thing, but that only cuts the top of the pack, as I lower the plow the snow gets much heavier as it has lots of frozen water in it and is very heavy (Sierra Cement). Ok, it looks like I cannot get where I want to be with a bigger tractor. I may try the wheel weights to see if that improves anything. Also, do you know if the western V plow can be used on a tractor? Cool design and I think it would be helpful when I wake up in the morning and there is 3' of sierra cement on the driveway; just drop the v plow and make that first push right down the center of the driveway and then on the way back, push it over to the side.

Sounds like you know what you are doing. But I do it a little different and see most road crews do it the same as me. Blowing a large area is slow and messy blowing a long drive is slow as well. Around here when the snow is more than 10’ deep on the sides of the road, like me, they plow to the side and then blow the edge to keep the edge as far back as possible. Since it is my personal drive I do that from the first measurable snow. Push snow to the edge and then blow the edge. Push with a plow front and come back with the blower To widen. Takes longer, but that is why you have lights .

 

[Wolfy]

One of the best buys for me was when my friend offered to sell me his 1973 Ford backhoe. I couldn't buy a 3pt snowblower ( but I did already own one ) for what I have in this backhoe. At 50 hp / 10,000 lbs its light enough to not ruin my lawn, but strong enough to dig stumps and bust thru any snow drift. The backhoe also came with front forks, I use the main frame with the forks off, to mount a couple Fisher plows. Perhaps best of all, it can sit and not tie up another tractor., and its cheap to repair.

 

[leonz]

Don't waste your time or money on wheel weights.

A western plow on a tractor would not last long with heavy snow.

I dont think you could stomach spending money on a dual directional tractor
as you would need an 8 foot wide snowblower.

If you can find a used one in good shape a Massey Ferguson 1100 with shuttle shift,
John Deere 4020 or 5020 with shuttle shift loaded ag tires and ring chains and an
8 foot dual auger pronovost snow blower.

Short of the above a used Volvo or John Deere road grader with chains and a front plow
as you have 2 lane miles of road to plow.

The other much more sane option for you option is simply invest in a small cabbed dozer with low hours,
six way blade and cletrac deep tread tracks-NO!!! standard finish dozer tracks will not work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I think the V-plow on a tractor is a bad match. Just my opinion, but the plow requires higher ground speed to "throw" (cast off) the snow to the sides. You're not going to have that in a tractor. You may consider an angled blade for the FEL and some front chains and give that a try. I would certainly load and weight your rear tires. Do you have turning brakes on that model Kioti? They would come in handy.

The trick is to get the snow pushed back all the way off the roadway (driveway) before it accumulates. Waiting until you have 2 feet or more on the ground (with your current rig) before trying to clear it is a mistake. The snow blower you already have is probably the best tool in your current tool box. I know it's tedius to clear that long of a straight drive with that method, but it "works". Maybe a combo of an angled front blade and the blower on the rear on the tractor you have now. blade when you can, blow when you have to.

If you're looking for upgrades, I would look at something with a front blower so you can face forward, and enough hp to not bog down on 2 feet of snow (probably 70-80 hp for a 7 ft blower).

 

[nyone]

67yrs old and you talking about spending maybe another 20-30k for a machine that's really only needed a few times a year? Pay someone to remove the snow.

 

[leonz]

Did the woodmax people tell you that your tractor was large enough to
power this snow blower???? If they did, they lied to you.


1. You need the right 6 foot cut snow blower for your tractors frame size
2. you need to have the rear tires loaded with liquid ballast
3. you need front and rear snow chains to increase the tractive effort provided to
you by having the rear tires loaded with liquid ballast.
4. The Aquilline Talon snow chains and chain tensioners would work well with your
conditions and increase the amount of adhesion you can use.

A Pronovost P720TRC is a 72 inch cut 2 stage snowblower with rotating impeller drum that
allows the user to discharge the dense snowpack left or right at the tractors 540 RPM
engine speed for the power take off.

The chute and spout for the Pronovost P720TRC is also powered by hydraulics and would
require a bypass valve for the impeller drum rotating function.

By doing this it allows you to make the first pass at the best ground speed and then take half cuts
at a faster pace.

You need to buy a smaller P720TRC snowblower to manage this as the rotating impeller drum
will reduce any chance of clogging the snow blower from heavy snow pack.

Selling the woodmax snow blower will help pay for the snow and ice chains and having the
rear tires loaded with liquid ballast.

Traveling at 1 mile per hour is 88 feet per minute so making 2 six foot passes for a 12 foot wide road
would take 2 hours in clearing time.

 

[ruffdog]

Once the walls are established, it is tough to widen it.

 

[Everhard]

I'm with everyone saying a snowblower is the only way for all the same reasons. So what about a front mount blower? Either frame mounted or on the loader arms? And there's the rear pull-type blower but I don't know how big your tractor is - if it's big enough for one of those for the depth of snow you're typically getting there.

If you go front mount then you can run a blade on the rear for smaller snow-falls.

For the amount you'll spend "upgrading" to a larger tractor you should be able to get a front blower setup. (not to mention you can off-set that cost by selling the rear blower you have.)

E.