Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Need snow removal help

[jhasafety1]

I haven't done snow removal in a long time but one of the best tips I learned is always put snow to the downhill side and pushpiles should be placed where they will not melt back over the drive area creating more ice. Good luck and have fun.

 

[gnawbone]

Sorry, I guess I left that part out! Yes, I reverse the blade and go forward with the tractor - I actually did that today just to dress up the gravel a little. I keep the road in good condition and don't let it get potholes (I grade it often enough, I guess) so reversing the blade works for me.

I just recently built a pole barn and added about 200' of road and I've been grading that with the cutting edge of the blade forward because I need to 'rough up' gravel to continue to smooth it out. I do a couple passes that way and then reverse the blade to give it a 'finish'.

Gnawbone, Thxs.

If you see the picture of my tractor I have the rear blade like you said because. the only time I tried was easy to move forward with the blade in that position without getting stuck in the gravel. a couple of the member make me aware of the dangerous to damage the rear triangle with the blade in that position (THXS)and I assume that would be the case if I use it for pushing where the blade should be in reverse, but if I only move forward and I use it as a complement of the front blade may be OK. If I understand correctly that is how you do it.
In summary if I use the rear blade in reverse I should not use it to push, If I need to push snow I should turn the tractor around and push with the front blade. Does it make sense?
BTW my rear blade is very simple and it does not have a floating position like the front one.
View attachment 404004

 

[nybirdman]

Your rear blade will"float"up and down because the three point does not have down pressure.

 

[speedyvelo]

Thank you for all the posts, I have not read carefully the last group of posts yet.

Well.. we had 12 inches of snow and yesterday I used the tractor for the first time. It took me a about 4.5 hours, I know some time was lost due to my lack of experience.
I used the front and real blade, I did not need the FEL. It worked very well and when done the road was completely clean. I followed in one way or another all of your advices.
Initially I have the read blade reverse with the cutting edge backward, the plod was faster but it left a lot of snow in the ground, then I reverse it and the rear blade worked better in my situation.
I tried to push the snow to the side as much as I could as one of you tipped me on that. I believe the road is wider now than before the storm ;-)
Plodding the center of the road was easy, the sides is different because sometimes the blade hooked into a root or rock and I have to backup and lifted, I lost time a lot that I will not next time.
I also plodded a good size parking (dirt) we have in front of the garage and also at the top of the hill where the county road meets. I still do not have a system in how to do this type of spaces so I lost time there.
The snow removal of the road took 4 passes, I think 3 passes will do it next time.
I use low gear all the time, at the end I realized that I could have used middle gear at least when I moving downhill (clueless? ...yes). The dealer told me in this road you will use low gear most of the time and sometimes middle, you will never use high gear. Well I used low.
I had the tractor in fwd and traction seems to be OK (I have rear chains). I do not know if they load the tires, after reading some your messages I search to understand what you meant, and I almost sure they did not add anything inside of the tire. I will talk to them tomorrow.
Should I get chains for the front wheels also?

In summa, the tractor seems to work OK and I think after few more rides I will feel a little more comfortable. The temperature was -4 F so I am glad I got the cabin, this was a hard decision because i could have gotten the L series for the same price but without a cabin.
On the humor side, the dealer also gave a Kubota hat, I thought was just to wear for the looks, then the sun was in front and I realized the cabin does now have a visor, the hat save me.

Tomorrow I will review all of your replies, because now I will read them with a little more understanding.

Thank you all of you again, you are great!

-=terry=-

 

[woodchipper]

Terry, glad to see you are learning well and fast on how to plow such a long laneway.
My laneway is a private dirt road that is 3.1km long. Verry long and steep hills, and many sharp turns. Not the usual set up!
Where I live, we could have our share of snow as well. The way I have been doing my plowing is by using a rear mount forward traveling snow blower. One pass is all I need. Traction is of the utter most importance. Good ice chains a basic pre-requisite as you can imagine! I used to plow with a heavy half ton pick up, with chains on all four wheels, and a 7.5 foot good old fisher plow. I killed the transmission one day pushing lots of snow uphill... Can't beat the tractor!
With your already acquired experience, you have probably realized that your machine could be a little on the light side, when using both front and rear blades.
When I get little snow, I use a rear scraper blade. They are not meant for pushing much snow. your front blade is on the contrary very well adapted to this task. The more snow to plow, the sharper the angle on your blade. Always better to start plowing when the road base is solidly frozen.
If you want to put chains in the front, it will help a lot to stay on track, but keep in mind that if you use the 4x4, then you will exhert more tension/pressure on the front axel and all its gears and components. You have to be gentle, and easy, otherwise something could get damaged. With my experience, if I could stay in rear wheel mode, the better. I use differential lock a lot, and proves to be a saver time after time. Pushing snow with the front blade makes the front end lighter. Only trial and error will dictate the best approach in the many varying conditions you will encounter in a single snow season. Snow that has been pushed hardens like a rock very quickly. Therefore, best to allways complete your run each time you go out.
The worst condition you will encounter, will be melting snow!! Angle your blade to the max, and widen without delay cause it will turn into steel after freezing takes over...
Good luck, and happy TRACTORING!:salute:!

 

[nybirdman]

You will find that High range is for"road travel,unloaded",as you get more comfortable I think you will find that you do most of your work in medium range.Low is good until you get familiar with the tractor and road way.The faster you move the farther you throw the snow.
You did the right thing purchasing a cabbed tractor,not fun doing snow removal with an open station.

 

[HEC]

I think you did quite well Terry with 12 inches of snow and length of drive you have . As you get a good base down things will go a little faster . You were right in staying in low range for now . If you were going to fast and your rear blade got hooked on something damage can occur . As for me I stay in low range for my area and it takes me about 2 hrs. . Once you know where all the problem spots are may be then you can speed up where you feel comfortable . If you get your rear tires loaded it would help with traction for sure . Be sure they use an anti corrosive material , the dealer will know what that is . As for chains on the front be careful with that one . Many on here do it but they are experienced in using them. Take your time and learn as you go , if you try and speed things up to much problems can happen . You have a nice piece of equipment , take care of it and it will take care of you .

 

[Looking4new]

A easy way to check if your tires are loaded or not. Park with the valve in the lower 1/2 of the circle and push in the core (as if you were going to deflate the tire) Liquid will come out immediately if the tire is loaded. DO NOT let all the air out of the tire. Just a little psst, is all you need.

 

[skyhook]

T

Well.. we had 12 inches of snow and yesterday I used the tractor for the first time. It took me a about 4.5 hours,

Thank you all of you again, you are great!

-=terry=-

Be careful terry, that's how it start's, then it's 5.5 hours, then 8 hour's,
next thing you know, the wife says, get rid of it.

 

[speedyvelo]

We have not had too much snow yet except for one day. I have used the tractor a couple of more days and I star to feel more comfortable mainly using the front blade. The tires do not have any ballast I understand for all of your comments the needs for that.

I went to talk to the dealer this past week and he told me that with the type or road I had to cover, he thinks I need a more powerful tractor mainly if I get a major snow storm with significant snow drifts. He suggested to exchange for an L series.
I realized that he may be correct, unfortunately I build a garage for the tractor of 20 x 16 that fits the present tractor with front and back implements OK but it will not fit the L except removing the FEL or the hydraulic front blade. Well that's the price to pay for ignorance about tractors. I am glad I went with this dealer because they are trying to do everything they can to provide me with the best tools for my needs.
I will make a decision over the next couple of weeks and I will post it.

-=terry=-

 

[s219]

If you have the optional larger R4 (industrial) tires on the B3350, that is the same tire size that comes on the L models, to give you an idea of size. The L frame chassis is longer and wider, and much heavier built (as well as weighing more of course). I am not sure it's heavier enough to matter for snow removal, especially since you have not loaded the tires on the B -- that should be the first order of business, as it will have a big effect.

I had a B2920 before getting an L3200, but I never plowed snow with the B. I will say that plowing is pretty easy on the L, and I can plow in 2WD on my flat driveway with no traction issues. But we seldom get more than 10" per storm, and it doesn't add up over time -- usually melts before the next storm.

That's great if your dealer is willing to let you trade up. Maybe some other folks on here can comment with advice. I'd probably stay with the B3350 in your situation.

 

[speedyvelo]

s219. Thank You.

What I noticed with the present tractor (and the present snow conditions)was not as much as lack of traction but a lack of strength on some of the steepest parts of the hill (20%) and I am afraid when the snow is wet (now is very powdery) and a lot I may not have the power to plod it. The dealer suggested the L5460 or the L6060 of course with the chains and weight (either liquid or metal)

 

[s219]

s219. Thank You.

What I noticed with the present tractor (and the present snow conditions)was not as much as lack of traction but a lack of strength on some of the steepest parts of the hill (20%) and I am afraid when the snow is wet (now is very powdery) and a lot I may not have the power to plod it. The dealer suggested the L5460 or the L6060 of course with the chains and weight (either liquid or metal)

Well, stepping up to a Grand L like the 5460 or 6060 is another story -- those would be a significant jump in capability (and size and cost too, so be prepared to handle a bigger tractor and get a bigger chunk taken out of your wallet). Keep in mind however, that some of the added power is going to be offset by the added weight on a hill situation. In fact, my previous lightweight B with 29HP was significantly more of a hot rod on hills than my heavier L with 32HP for this reason. That is probably why the dealer is jumping over the smaller L / Grand L models and pushing you towards the 5460 and 6060. They would have some additional oomph to overcome the added weight. Still, in terms of power to weight, the B3350 is quite a hot rod compared to other Kubotas. Before making any decisions, do calculate power/weight ratio for other tractors you're looking at, as this is probably the best indicator of power on hills.

What gear are you operating in? Are you running the engine at high enough RPM? Are you using the HST correctly? A lot of new users treat the HST treadle it like a throttle pedal, and think that pressing harder makes more power. But it's the opposite -- pressing power means higher gearing, so it's worse. On hills you need to increase the hand throttle and back off the HST treadle to find the right combination. And of course choose the correct gear (medium for sure, and possibly low).

I suspect your problem may be a matter of proper HST operation, as the B3350 should have plenty of power for its weight.

 

[dave1949]

Is having a turbocharger important for power? Black Hawk sits at +8,000 feet.

 

[leonz]

Well, stepping up to a Grand L like the 5460 or 6060 is another story -- those would be a significant jump in capability (and size and cost too, so be prepared to handle a bigger tractor and get a bigger chunk taken out of your wallet). Keep in mind however, that some of the added power is going to be offset by the added weight on a hill situation. In fact, my previous lightweight B with 29HP was significantly more of a hot rod on hills than my heavier L with 32HP for this reason. That is probably why the dealer is jumping over the smaller L / Grand L models and pushing you towards the 5460 and 6060. They would have some additional oomph to overcome the added weight. Still, in terms of power to weight, the B3350 is quite a hot rod compared to other Kubotas. Before making any decisions, do calculate power/weight ratio for other tractors you're looking at, as this is probably the best indicator of power on hills.

What gear are you operating in? Are you running the engine at high enough RPM? Are you using the HST correctly? A lot of new users treat the HST treadle it like a throttle pedal, and think that pressing harder makes more power. But it's the opposite -- pressing power means higher gearing, so it's worse. On hills you need to increase the hand throttle and back off the HST treadle to find the right combination. And of course choose the correct gear (medium for sure, and possibly low).

I suspect your problem may be a matter of proper HST operation, as the B3350 should have plenty of power for its weight.

=================================================================================


Does this unit has cruise control??? That would help him leaving the engine wide open while crawling
but the learning curve is an issue of course.

A Turbo is helpful in all situations, my brothers AGCO ST40 had one for its three banger.
The problem is the air filtration as an oil bath pre-cleaner with a secondary paper element
is preferable for a turbos pressure gradient curve.

 

[speedyvelo]

I had a long talk to the dealer and after considering many factors including extra cost for tractor and implements, have to redo a brand new garage to fit the L6060 tractor etc, I decided to keep the B3350. So here few questions that you raise on these last three messages

Q1. Considering the climb and the added weight of loading the tires should I put liquid ballast or not? I think I am using the HST OK. I have throttle at max and up in lower gear. Thxs for the explanation about HST now it makes sense, until then I was following the instructions of the dealer.

Q2. What do you mean having a turbocharge? Is that an add on or a new engine with turbo charger?

Q3. The unit has cruise control, but the dealer told me not too use it, he said this is for working on the fields nor for this road. So, I have never used it.

Thank you guys

 

[dave1949]

Q2. What do you mean having a turbocharge? Is that an add on or a new engine with turbo charger?

The tractor/engine model is either naturally aspirated (no turbocharger) or has a turbocharger. Which you get depends on the model you choose; it's not considered an add-on or option. The B3350 does not have a turbo, an L6060 does.

Since you are operating at fairly high altitudes, I wondered if turbo or natural models were something to consider. Having lived below 1400', and mostly well below 1000' , all my life I don't have any useful insight about higher altitudes.

 

[DHD]

I had a long talk to the dealer and after considering many factors including extra cost for tractor and implements, have to redo a brand new garage to fit the L6060 tractor etc, I decided to keep the B3350. So here few questions that you raise on these last three messages

Q1. Considering the climb and the added weight of loading the tires should I put liquid ballast or not? I think I am using the HST OK. I have throttle at max and up in lower gear. Thxs for the explanation about HST now it makes sense, until then I was following the instructions of the dealer.

Q2. What do you mean having a turbocharge? Is that an add on or a new engine with turbo charger?

Q3. The unit has cruise control, but the dealer told me not too use it, he said this is for working on the fields nor for this road. So, I have never used it.

Thank you guys

If high altitude were an issue, it seems like your local dealer would have discussed them with you before purchasing your B3350.

Do you and your tractor dealer ever talk about a snow blower unit for your B3350 ?
I believe your B3350 and my B7800 are very close as far as horse power.
I've been using a 64" rear mount blower for the past 9 years on my 30 hp B7800 and it can handle heavy wet snow very well.
I think you'd be pleasantly surprised to see how well your tractor and a snow blower could handle large amounts of snow especially on those steep hills that give you problems plowing.
It would also give you some weight on the rear, that extra ballast you've been seeking to help you when plowing.
The blower is also handy for getting snow banks out of the way when you can't move them with the blade, and the blower can move snow banks much quicker than your bucket.
I've even heard of folks using 72" rear mount blowers on tractors like ours. They just run at a little slower ground speed.
Your snow blade on the front and a snow blower on the back might be just the snow removal combination you need.

 

[doxford jim]

Since you are operating at fairly high altitudes, I wondered if turbo or natural models were something to consider. Having lived below 1400', and mostly well below 1000' , all my life I don't have any useful insight about higher altitudes.

Absolutely - it allows the engine to breath properly. I forget the actual amount, but a naturally asphyxiated engine loses about 5% for each thousand feet in elevation - someone please correct me if I am wrong. Without a turbo, you 100hp engine produces around 50% output at 8 - 9 thousand feet altitude.

So the larger tractor will outperform the smaller tractor by a large amount - like 50%. In terms of horse power output, that is quite a significant amount.

 

[speedyvelo]

We though in a snow blower from the beginning and if I need it, they can deliver it in less than a week. The dealer advised me to try first the front dozer/floating blade (which I also need it for the summer)+ rear blade and the FEL if there is a major snow drift that usually occurs in a very short segment.
We discussed both the front snow blower, and the 3P snow blower. The problem I see with the rear SB is that I have to go backward for 0.75 miles about 3 passes. The seat, rotates and I do not have problems with my neck but I'm not kid anymore;-) and flexibility is one of the first things to go.
The good thing is that in this altitude the snow is not heavy (most of the time).

I'm very aware the benefits of the L6060 but the economics involved in the upgrade of the tractor and implements and having to enlarge a brand new garage are far more than I though initially, so I will try to do the best with what I got and get a snow blower if I need it. At least a have the little experience of plodding the first storm (12 inches) and it was OK with no problems despite of my lack of skills, Then we had small snow fall (4 inches) and my skills were better and the time was less than half of the first time.

I have to thank you all of you for all the help in this thread, I have a copy of every tip and all were key.