Is it worth it to change back???

jcmseven · Feb 11, 2008

Fellow Posters:

As you know, I have both a JD 3720 and a Gator XUV. I have been thinking about selling my 3720, which I really do not want to do. My wife has been "less-than-enthused" about it taking up half the garage and leaving her car outside some of the time. That said, I really like the tractor and would prefer to keep it. One problem I have is snow removal. We do get some snow here, and probably based on prior years will get more this winter. The last snowfall we had I used my Gator to plow the main service roads and dangerous areas. I prefer the tractor for the areas around the house as the boom blade I have can reach places I cannot with the Gator and it can handle the heavy piles well. (In other words, I would like to have both machines available for plowing). With the last snowfall our driveway, which approaches 25% gradient in some places, became some what packed down. It is gravel, so I went out with the blade and landscape rake. I, literally, made it to the top and slid sideways for about 60' down the hill. I only stopped by burying the boom blade and LR and achoring myself until the slide stopped. I had no warning. The tractor climbed fine until, within two seconds or so, it lost traction and off I went. I was a miracle I did not overturn, but I thankfully did not hit anything. This truly shook my confidence in the tractor in its current state for any snow removal tasks, as with my location, there are many hills like this--or steeper. I also now do not feel comfortable helping some of my neighbors who have similar situations as mine. This then got me to thinking if R1's which I tried last summer and posted on then, or weights would have helped, or if chains are my only option. The tractor is very powerful, but I really thought it should have done better in this setting than it did. I actually was pretty disappointed that my $20K plus machine did not fair well moving about 7" of snow in this setting. For me to justify keeping it, this is an important component of its overall yearly utility for me. Suggestions are welcome. Again, I use my Gator for the main areas due to its speed, but the landscape rake/tractor combo makes a theoretically nice choice for my personal gravel drive (to get to the main service road). It is, however, not worth dying for. As many of you know, both my wife and I are physicians, and so when on call, etc. we must be able to get out--no matter what the weather. This is one reason why I pursue potential snow removal as being an important item for us (we live in the country).

John M

CinderSchnauzer · Feb 11, 2008

YOUR TRACTOR sits in half the garage.
Let me guess what's in the other half.

YOUR CAR? YOUR STUFF?

My wife would be

"less - than - enthused" as well.

Three simple things and your life will run a lot smoother:

1. Her car in the garage - your tractor outside.

2. Flowers and an apology for Valentines.

3. Chains.

RobJ · Feb 11, 2008

If you are both docs then you can probably afford to add on to the garage, keep the wife happy.

I have a 3 car garage (main house, no tractor or atv's) and can only get one car in because of my shop. I make sure that slot for her is open!!

You know the old saying...Momma sneezes and the rest of us catch a cold!!

kude · Feb 11, 2008

I am assuming you have turf tires on your 3720. Did you have the four wheel drive on? I find using the four wheel drive useful for traveling on hard packed snow. Under the icy conditions of your 25 degree sloping driveway, maybe you should invest in chains. The driveway may be hazardous for cars too, so you may want a spreader for salt or sand too. I've seen a Gator with a spreader on back, and something like that may help the condition of your driveway.

I have a Gator diesel HPX witha Deere plow and usually use it for plowing my flat crushed limestone U shaped driveway. We just had a 14 inch snowfall of heavy slushy snow and that's where I have to use the 3520 with FEL in certain places. I don't like using the bucket as I sometimes dig up the driveway.

I would be unsettled with a 60 foot slide. I think any tractor could slip in those conditions regardless of tires used. I would also use the seat belts in your conditions as well as chains. A bucket of snow can really weigh a lot, so be careful with your angle of attack when moving piles of snow on a 25 degree slope.

The only issues I have are sometimes hard starting in 0 degree temperatures and occasional freezing up of my Gator plow motor. A hammer tap gets it unstuck sometimes. My equipment and truck sits outside all the time unfortunately, but other than occasional hard starting they still work.

I plan to build a new garage this year to house all my stuff and eliminate hard starting problems/blade motor problems.

That's my prescription for your symptoms.

jcmseven · Feb 11, 2008

To responders,

Thanks for the posts thus far. Out of political correctness, I do alternate my vehicle with my wife's in the other half of the garage, but the tractor is ALWAYS under cover. Such as the priority in life. Rob, I wish your statement held always. Yes, we are physicians, but we don't make what we used to and most of what we make we pay in tax (not a political statement--an economic one). We also have a growing family and although the building did/has come up we have not wanted to spend for it due to not knowing how long we would ultimately own this house. Kude, I currently run R4 tires on my tractor not R3's. I do 90% percent of my plowing with the Gator but for our drive, I really like using the LR because it does not displace the gravel. I am reluctant now to use it again for this purpose due to my lack of confidence on the hill. And yes, my wife has slid into the ditch now four times while we have lived here along with countless others attempting to negotiate our drive when slick.

John M

ChuckinNH · Feb 11, 2008

Well Doc, I think you will have to write yourself a prescription for a set of chains. I don't think ( others can step in here) that there is any tractor size, or tire type that will eliminate your problems on slick hard packed snow, or ice without chains. A soft rubber compound, and turf tires would probably work best since most are siped to some extent, but chains are the answer. Next thing to add is a spreader like the Herd to get some sand, sand/salt mix or deicer on that hill. It is a whole lot cheaper, and safer than having people sliding in the ditch. It seems like a waste since it will all be gone in the spring, but that's the way it is in snow country.

Oh, and let your wife have the garage. I'm guessing the tractor was your idea.

ddivinia · Feb 11, 2008

Build an out building or carport for the tractor - keep the wife happy.

D.

the_sandman_454 · Feb 11, 2008

Buy tire chains for the tractor!!! That should keep you from sliding all over the driveway. In addition to the tire chains, you might want to get the rear tires filled if they aren't already.

You really should get a spreader of some kind in order to put a traction adding material onto the driveway so you don't slide into a ditch with the automobiles.

Just throw a block heater into one of the cars, park it outside, and plug in the block heater. Either that, or go ahead and add another bit of space to the garage, since the housing situation is like it currently is most places, you can probably negotiate a good deal on a builder. It is at least worth looking into. You will probably make some of the investment back on the garage if you do go to sell.

RalphVa · Feb 11, 2008

I'll third the chains recommendations. OR, you could try putting some steel screws into the outer part of the tire lugs. Even if you have turf tires, they probably have enough "lug" at their outer ends to put the screws into. The screws would help out on ice.

I have a couple steep places going down the hill through our woods. Have experienced what you did when those spots were too muddy. It's not bad if you slid downhill head first, but when it occurs after you've gone up the hill a ways, it gets a bit scary.

We had a very steep driveway in NJ. Did a 180 in my little pickup one time. Luckily, the pickup missed the very sturdy stone-enclosed mailbox just beside the driveway at the bottom.

Ralph