Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Pictures of your snow weapons

[RichM752]

My neighbor climbs stairs to blow a large deck area with his Honda blower with tracks.

 

[herringchoker]

Not sure where you are in NB, we're West of Moncton. We lost every bit of snow we Had, also lost all the hard pack on our gravel drive! Ugh

I'm in Moncton....same deal here, ground is frozen again and the gravel driveway is bare. Looks like there might be a little snow again on Wednesday, hope it's just enough to build up some hard pack on the driveway. We'll see. My woodlot is about 50 miles east of here and it has a good swamp I need to cross on an ice road. I hope the melt there wasn't so severe that I'll need another polar vortex to get across it again this winter.

 

[dnw64]

Haven't used 'em myself, but I can see where they'd have advantages. Key would be reliable and easy to use drive-controls. Until you get into really big walk-behinds, tire-chains for wheeled units are a good idea up here, to deal with the limited contact area of wheels.\

I only used a walk-behind for 2 years, but never had one issue with traction (without chains). In fact I intended to buy chains, assuming I'd need them based on 2WD GT experience and the dealer convinced me to try without them.

I always had more traction with the walk-behind (Ariens Pro 32) withOUT chains than my 1972 Case 444 WITH chains (8.00-16 tires - lots of contact area relative to size/weight). Tire technology has come a long ways.

 

[3930dave]

I only used a walk-behind for 2 years, but never had one issue with traction (without chains). In fact I intended to buy chains, assuming I'd need them based on 2WD GT experience and the dealer convinced me to try without them.

I always had more traction with the walk-behind (Ariens Pro 32) withOUT chains than my 1972 Case 444 WITH chains (8.00-16 tires - lots of contact area relative to size/weight). Tire technology has come a long ways.

Tires do improve somewhat over time, and big tires will help increase contact area. Nothing wrong with trying out a new tire for local conditions, you can always add chains later :thumbsup:

We deal with lots of ice here, but I'd expect Vermont to have plenty too :cold: :checkmark:

Rgds, D.

 

[Garandman]

Never having used a walk-behind I have to ask - what is the advantage of the tracks? I usually think of agriculture where they are great for traction and flotation but flotation is certainly not what you are concerned about and I would think a grip tire would give you plenty of traction. Plus I would think the tracks would be harder to turn with.

We also have an Ariens Pro 1124, wheeled.

The track machines require less effort in the End Of Driveway pile as they don稚 ride up. They can also climb stairs. That model Honda is brutal to move with engine off and we keep it on a furniture dolly.

Our new Ariens RapidTrack combines most of the advantages of wheels and tracks. Ariens has a mechanical auto-turn differential so you can turn without any triggers. You can also lock the track bogey wheel up so you can use it like a wheel machine. Has a Briggs &Stratton 420cc engine with 21 ft lbs of torque. The Honda is a good little machine: the chute is smaller but it can throw pretty far.

The problem with wheeled machines is when you lose traction, if you press down on the bars, you lift the housing and it rides up.

 

[NBKubota]

I'm in Moncton....same deal here, ground is frozen again and the gravel driveway is bare. Looks like there might be a little snow again on Wednesday, hope it's just enough to build up some hard pack on the driveway. We'll see. My woodlot is about 50 miles east of here and it has a good swamp I need to cross on an ice road. I hope the melt there wasn't so severe that I'll need another polar vortex to get across it again this winter.

Yep we'd have the exact same weather then lol. Just checked, yes they're still calling for 10-15cm Wednesday. Hopefully as you said, it will be enough to get the hard pack back.

Then next week, back up to plus 6 and 7 for a couple of days ha ha ha

 

[Creamer]

We also have an Ariens Pro 1124, wheeled.

The track machines require less effort in the End Of Driveway pile as they don稚 ride up. They can also climb stairs. That model Honda is brutal to move with engine off and we keep it on a furniture dolly.

Our new Ariens RapidTrack combines most of the advantages of wheels and tracks. Ariens has a mechanical auto-turn differential so you can turn without any triggers. You can also lock the track bogey wheel up so you can use it like a wheel machine. Has a Briggs &Stratton 420cc engine with 21 ft lbs of torque. The Honda is a good little machine: the chute is smaller but it can throw pretty far.

The problem with wheeled machines is when you lose traction, if you press down on the bars, you lift the housing and it rides up.

Thanks for the explanation! I find it very interesting when what feature works and why.

 

[countrybumpkin]

We actually are getting about 2-3 inches right now, I could go out and plow but think I'll wait and let it melt Saturday.

 

[undercoverpoe]

Any amount of snow for my set up. The more the better.

 

[Rustyiron]

undercover, your first pic looks like it might be a graph representing that storm:laughing:
Looks like you had a good day of tractor fun with that one! And :welcome: to TBN!

 

[Mechanos]

Holy crap!! that thing is throwing candy canes!

 

[FatTire]

Guys, I'm dying. Jan. 15 and we have no snow. No plowing yet, no blowers run, nothing. Here is a driveway photo from last year, taken Jan. 24. This year we are looking at bare vegetation. Any sympathy for someone who is chained up with no place to go?

 

[MossRoad]

Holy crap!! that thing is throwing candy canes!

Yeah, that 3rd picture thumbnail is magic.

 

[RichM752]

Guys, I'm dying. Jan. 15 and we have no snow. No plowing yet, no blowers run, nothing. Here is a driveway photo from last year, taken Jan. 24. This year we are looking at bare vegetation. Any sympathy for someone who is chained up with no place to go?
View attachment 535988

Same here. A nice amount of rain so far, but no snow.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I hear you Fat,

We are in desperate need of some snow here. Way, way down on our snowfall this winter. We are going to be in dire straights come summer fire season at this rate. Only a few inches on the ground right now, with maybe 6 inches total for this winter.

 

[Rustyiron]

Guys, I'm dying. Jan. 15 and we have no snow. No plowing yet, no blowers run, nothing. Here is a driveway photo from last year, taken Jan. 24. This year we are looking at bare vegetation. Any sympathy for someone who is chained up with no place to go?
View attachment 535988

You need to hook up with catdriver in UT over a few beers while your sitting on his sleds (on the trailer) looking at the dirt. Sorry 'bout your snow.

 

[leonz]

We also have an Ariens Pro 1124, wheeled.

The track machines require less effort in the End Of Driveway pile as they don稚 ride up. They can also climb stairs. That model Honda is brutal to move with engine off and we keep it on a furniture dolly.

Our new Ariens RapidTrack combines most of the advantages of wheels and tracks. Ariens has a mechanical auto-turn differential so you can turn without any triggers. You can also lock the track bogey wheel up so you can use it like a wheel machine. Has a Briggs &Stratton 420cc engine with 21 ft lbs of torque. The Honda is a good little machine: the chute is smaller but it can throw pretty far.

The problem with wheeled machines is when you lose traction, if you press down on the bars, you lift the housing and it rides up.

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Have you thought about buying the front weight kit and chains for your walk behind? The Armor skids make the auto turn easier to use too accord to the folks that use them from the snow blower forum.

 

[leonz]

View attachment 535945View attachment 535946View attachment 535947
Any amount of snow for my set up. The more the better.

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Makes me wish the LA115 had a single stage snow thrower even more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I could use a single stage motorized snow blower by backing into the snow loads as needed and still have plenty of traction but I would have to import one to do it.

 

[rekees4300]

Any sympathy for someone who is chained up with no place to go?

Nope, if it ain't broken don't fix it. :drink: Haven't touched my snowblower for 5 years and that's a good thing.

 

[bdhsfz6]

Guys, I'm dying. Jan. 15 and we have no snow. No plowing yet, no blowers run, nothing. Here is a driveway photo from last year, taken Jan. 24. This year we are looking at bare vegetation. Any sympathy for someone who is chained up with no place to go?
View attachment 535988

No sympathy here. I used my blower last season for the first time in 8 years. Just to be sure I wouldn't need it again anytime soon, I spent $500 converting the chute rotator and discharge deflector from manual to to hydraulic.



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