Snow Equipment Buying/Pricing Heavy Snow load removal suggestions

[Snowman2764]

I live in northern New York on the Tug Hill Plateau on the end of Lake Ontario. We routinely get lake-effect snow bursts of 1 foot per hour of leaving us with 3 to 4 foot to deal with in the AM. I currently plow with an old F250 and a western plow. I have to plow 550 ft of paved driveway which has a large turnaround.

Can anyone suggest a tractor / loader / blower which can handle these conditions? I will also use this tractor to brush hog app. 15 acres and do small excavations.

 

[RobS]

I live on the eastern shore (region) of Lake Michigan so I know what you live with, though we don't get quite as much as you. For that much snow, I'd shop for a blower first. I've seen some "tall" blowers with two rows of augers. Assuming you can find something, then shop for a tractor to power it. If you can't find a double row blower, look for the tallest one you can find.

I don't have a blower, but try to keep up with it when I know we're getting hammered. It is interesting, for sure.

 

[driver444]

As far as the tractor, I'd look for a good deal on a used full size diesel ag-tractor. They're all over the place, and its the cheapest way to get the required horsepower to run one of those double auger blowers in 4 feet of snow. That absorbs ALOT of power.

 

[RayMunising]

Check out the 960-FM here:

Skid Steer Attachments - Erskine Attachments, Inc.

8 foot wide. 3 foot deep. It'll scare the snow out of your driveway!

 

[john_bud]

Look for a tractor with cab (and heat!) in the 90+ hp range. 2wd will be ok with chains and wheel weights. Auctions, dealers, craigslist, ebay even are places to look. Asking at the local feed mill may be helpful too as they sometimes have a for sale board. Try and get one under 5000 hours and if you would be smart to have a mechanic from a dealer check it over for you. Offer the mechanic 100 bucks cash money for an "after work job". You will be able to get a mower in the 10' to 15' range. Depends on the stuff you mow. Thicker, taller is narrower.

The double row blower would be ideal, but a single row with a board across the top would work too for those days you go over 3' of snow. Or you can just run it twice. The cost difference is not small.

jb

 

[PlumCrazy814]

I would also suggest 4WD in a tractor.

I had a 4WD 30 hp IH284 compact diesel with ag tires, a FEL, and a 7' drag blade that never got stuck. I also used it to mow grass and do small excavations. I wouldn't recommend that tractor now due to parts availability issues. It also only had a rear PTO.
My drive is about 150 ft long and averages 14 ft wide, unpaved.
Four foot snowfalls are rare here, but do happen. When the snow got deep, I would drive along plowing the top off with the FEL and dragging the blade. For up to about 2 ft snowfalls, I just used the blade. I kept the 7' blade to use on my JD2305 and am hoping for the best.

FEL is a pain in the butt to use to clear snow, but it does work. As others have stated, a front end snow blower is better from what I have seen if you have a paved drive.

If you are going to store it outside, you may want to invest in a high BTU kerosene bullet heater. I got water in the hydraulics in the IH that I could never seem to get out and it would freeze up. 1/2 hour blowing on it with a 110,000 BTU bullet heater unfroze it in the most severe weather.

 

[radioman]

Hi - I am familar with tug hill area as i used to go snowmobiling there. One of the best places to go since there is always enough snow. My folks live pretty close there too in the snowbelt area in CNY. To clear that much snow, with a kubota, i wouldnt go anything less then L series with a cab. Or you could go with MF 1500 series. My father has MF 1525 with FEL to clear snow in pennelleville area as they get alot of snow too. He also maintains 30 acres with the tractor bushoggin and finish mowing, cutting firewood as well. Good luck with tractor hunting.

 

[George2615]

I'm a little south of you and would suggest a 30-35 HP tractor / loader 4 WD and a front mount snowblower. I use a Mahindra 2615HST 4WD with industrial tires and had a 64" 3PT blower for my snow removal and it does a great job. The nice part about having a tractor with a loader is that by mid February when your truck has made 8 -10' high immovable snowbanks you can move them back with it. A snowblower would work great on a paved driveway blowing the snow back eliminating banks. I just sold my 3PT 64" PUMA snowblower to another member but only because I plow gravel driveways and shear pins don't get along with any loose gravel that gets into the augur. Check your local area for tractor dealers near you and shop around. Having a close dealer makes it nice for service and parts.

 

[kernal]

Last time I was accross 177 there was an old Massey with a cab and blower for sale. Near the deer farm. Looked as if the owner got a newer one.

The little 2305 and the front blower worked very good on the 2 1/2 foot that fell up there a couple weeks ago. Depending on how fast you want to clear the drive, and your budget, I'd be looking at a John Deere 3000 series, with a cab and front blower.

We have a 6 foot Smyth blower on the back of a Ford tractor and it works very well also.

 

[WayneB]

I live in northern New York on the Tug Hill Plateau on the end of Lake Ontario. We routinely get lake-effect snow bursts of 1 foot per hour of leaving us with 3 to 4 foot to deal with in the AM. I currently plow with an old F250 and a western plow. I have to plow 550 ft of paved driveway which has a large turnaround.

Can anyone suggest a tractor / loader / blower which can handle these conditions? I will also use this tractor to brush hog app. 15 acres and do small excavations.

Short of moving south (below Syracuse) I would suggest that you look at something like the Kubota Grand L 3400 or larger. Then add a front loading snowblower and get a rear blade for scraping. The cab enclosure is certainly nice and it is wonderful (so I am told) to blow snow wearing a tee shirt.

You could go with a rear mounted snowblower and a power angle front blade. During those less than six inch snow falls the front blade works great and is much faster than a rear blower.

 

[scott_vt]

I live on the eastern shore (region) of Lake Michigan so I know what you live with, though we don't get quite as much as you. For that much snow, I'd shop for a blower first. I've seen some "tall" blowers with two rows of augers. Assuming you can find something, then shop for a tractor to power it. If you can't find a double row blower, look for the tallest one you can find.

I don't have a blower, but try to keep up with it when I know we're getting hammered. It is interesting, for sure.

Good Mornin Snowman,
I agree with RobS and Wayne, your definetly in blower territory IMO. As you probablly allready know, with that much snow you just cant push it far enough away from your drive ! We get some significant snow storms, sometimes 3 ft and better but nothing like you get on a regular basis. When the snow on the side of the driveway gets so high you have to remove it which becomes a real job, especially when your drive is 800 ft ! I like Waynes idea on the front mount blower, although lots of guys have no problem at all with their rear mount, it just seems like it would be easier to me.

Welcome to the Tug Hill Region
Tug Hill Plateau is a remote section of upstate New York located a short drive north of Syracuse, between the east end of Lake Ontario and the Adirondack Mountains.

Tug Hill 6 Point​

Redfield Reservoir​

Salmon River Falls​

Spring Turkeys​

Comprised of the eastern Oswego, southern Jefferson, western Lewis and northern Oneida counties, this area is popular in the winter for snowmobiling and skiing due to its large snowfalls that come off of Lake Ontario, in the spring and summer for its numerous trout streams and back roads used for hiking and mountain biking, and its abundance of large and small game make hunting in the area enjoyable in the fall. The area contains many large parcels of state land which are open to the public for many recreational uses.​

The region surrounding Tug Hill contains numerous attractions and recreational opportunities nestled in its many small villages and hamlets. You will find antique shops, flea markets, handmade furniture, gifts and crafts, fishing and hunting guide services, miles of snowmobile trails, restaurants, lodging, bed and breakfasts, campgrounds, boating, canoeing, both down hill and cross-country skiing, pure maple syrup products, numerous roadside produce stands and much more.​

To the south is Oneida Lake, famous for its walleye fishing both in the summer and through the ice, is popular for summer water sports.​

To the west, Lake Ontario, from Mexico Bay on the south east corner of the lake to Sackets and Henderson Harbors is renowned for its sport fishing including salmon, trout, bass and walleye along with numerous panfish. A Fort at Sackets Harbor is a famous reminder of the War of 1812. The salmon and steelhead runs in the Salmon River flowing through Pulaski and Altmar are world famous and draw fisherman from around the world. There is abundant lodging and restaurants along the lake as well as state and private campgrounds, boat launches and marinas.​

To the north Watertown leads into the 1000 Island Region of the St.Lawrence River. Heading east to the Black River valley is Carthage and Lowville. This area is very picturesque with its many dairy farms.​

The eastern portion of the region is bounded by the Black River Valley south to Boonville. The River has numerous public launch areas and contains good populations of bass, walleye, northern pike and panfish. Many portions of the river contain slow meandering lazy water and make for enjoyable canoeing. The remnants of the old canal systems still are present when traveling through this area. East of the Valley leads into the foothills of the Adirondacks. South of Boonville lies the City of Rome, an important point before the Erie Canal when the boats were brought up the Mohawk River from the Hudson River and transferred to Wood Creek to allow travel through Oneida Lake to the Great Lakes. Fort Stanwix, which remains today, was located at this spot to protect this important transfer point.​

Journey back in time on Tug Hill
​

 

[smfcpacfp]

We get similar average annual snowfall totals as to your neck of the woods (15 to 30 feet a year). It is a little colder here so the snow has a tendency to stay all winter with no melting from early December to mid March. 95% of our snow is lake effect. I have only seen a 3 to 4 foot event maybe 3 or 4 times in my 32 years here although it is not uncommon to get a couple of feet at a time.

I have a 30 hp Kubota B3030HSDC tractor and front blower and it works just fine. Prior to this I had a 12 hp snowblower and it worked fine 98% of the time. Getting a big hp tractor for snowblowing a driveway would be crazy. Obviously the people who recommended that don't do much snowblowing. Big hp is big expense, low manueverablity, and big storage requirements.

The key to dealing with big snows is not necessarily big hp, but going slow, taking smaller cuts on each pass, and if you are going to have a 4 foot event, to snowblow every foot or so. When you have a 4 foot event, everything is usually closed so there is no rush to get the job done.

 

[scott_vt]

Good Mornin Steve,
I gotta admit thats a nice lookin setup you have there ! Ive never been a big cab person but when its sub zero out and snow is blowing all over I can see some advantages !

 

[smfcpacfp]

Good Mornin Steve,
I gotta admit thats a nice lookin setup you have there ! Ive never been a big cab person but when its sub zero out and snow is blowing all over I can see some advantages !

The air conditioner is also nice in the summer heat, and it keep the biting bugs out, and some of the dust. It nice in the same way a car is nice.

 

[downslope]

Hi - I am familar with tug hill area as i used to go snowmobiling there. One of the best places to go since there is always enough snow. My folks live pretty close there too in the snowbelt area in CNY. To clear that much snow, with a kubota, i wouldnt go anything less then L series with a cab. Or you could go with MF 1500 series. My father has MF 1525 with FEL to clear snow in pennelleville area as they get alot of snow too. He also maintains 30 acres with the tractor bushoggin and finish mowing, cutting firewood as well. Good luck with tractor hunting.

Are the heaviest snows in that region close to the lake shore or more inland as the elevation rises a little?

Spoke to my niece who recently bought a house in Oswego and she said it had just snowed 12" yesterday (Nov 18) and still some coming down. I don't like driving the area north/northwest of Syracuse as it seems you can go from sunshine to a white-out squall pretty quick.

 

[Gittyup]

While I agree that for just snow blowing 30 - 35 hp would be fine. A cab a must! That B3030 setup is real sweet!

It's all that bush hogging that would have me thinking a bigger tractor in the 45+ hp range so that I could run a bigger mower. It might depend on how open your spaces are, whether a bigger tractor would fit. The front mount snow blowers sure are nice. I wouldn't want to be looking backwards all the time with as much snow as you're talking about.