Snow Plowing Snow with 2WD

[kbarrett]

How effective would a 2WD YANMAR with appropriate backblade be with Snow Removal? I'd be willing to consider a 2WD model if this works pretty well.

What's the limit in snow depth?

Thanks,

 

[pannell]

Not sure about Yanmar's, but my Iseki TS1910 is 2WD and with the FEL I can move alot of snow very effectively. Ag (could be rice) tires with no chains. 2 weekends ago we got somewhere in the neighborhood of 20" in 24 hours. I drove the tractor out of the garage, cleared 100'+ of driveway (with a slight grade) and didn't even get close to getting stuck once. I had some slippage here and there, but the locking diff got me out every time.

I would be curious to hear what folks say about removing snow with a back-blade, though.

my 2 cents...

Rick

 

[fasteddie]

I have a YM2202 2wd and I use a woods 5 foot blade. With the AG tires on the tractor it will plow 6-8 inches of snow on reasonably flat ground and when one wheel starts to spin just put your foot on the differential lock. If you have a really heavy snow you just remove it in layers. I plan on changing to turf tires in the future and using chains in the winter.

 

[beenthere]

Plowing snow certainly can be done with a 2wd. Lots of people been doing it since the 40's, at least. Just not as well as when you have 4wd. No chains are needed until you get an ice layer underneath (snow pack melts from high temps or rain, and then re-freezes) the snow. Then you best have the chains or you will sit and spin your tires. Then you will go get chains or get someone to pull you out with their chains on their tractor. Some don't mind plowing snow with a rear blade, but I prefer to be facing forward looking at the plow without having to turn around. To each their own.

 

[kbarrett]

Do all Yanmars have differential locks? That would certainly make a 2wd Choice easier.

 

[Youare]

I don't know what size tractor the Yanmar you plan on using, but I plowed snow for many years with a Ford 8N which is
2WD. I used a snow plow mounted in the bucket.

The rear blade probably would work just fine if the drive is not too steep, chains would make a big difference. Also the more weight you can put on the rear wheels the better traction you will have.

It can be done if conditions are right.

Randy

 

[kbarrett]

Is there a front plow attachment? Also, why is it that a FEL is not recommend on 2WD tractors? - I'm assuming that you should be able to get some use out of a FEL, even with 2WD.

Bottom line: A FEL and backblade combo might get me through another w.Michigan winter. We get very inconsistent snow-fall, but when it comes, it comes!!

For example, this year Grand Rapids received over 100" of snowfall. However, it didn't seem like it, because it came in bursts, spurts and then melted away the following week. etc.

Please excuse the elementary nature of my questions. I'm still learning the fundementals.

 

[kbarrett]

I'm not sure what size I'm thinking of either. However, the drive is relatively flat but on the long side - 600 plus feet (yet to get an accuarate measure).

About three hundred feet is in the open where I'm afraid some drifting will occur.

 

[beenthere]

I plowed for several years (25+) with 2wd tractors (TO-30 Ferguson and 420 2wd (2 cyl) JD) with a front mounted plow (6 1/2') off a truck. Mfg a front hitch to accept the plow. Then when I got a JD4300, built a mount for it to accept a 7' Western plow. This outfit has 4wd, and works some better than the 2wd's. Still need chains when road is icy.

Having 4wd vs. 2wd with FEL just makes more sense, but there were front end loaders on gazillions of 2wd tractors for years before 4wd came along.

 

[pennwalk]

Usually the front blade is mounted to a frame that runs under the belly of the tractor. 2WD is OK but 4WD is better. If You do go 2WD you might want to do some of the traction enhancing additions like weights and chains. Weight makes a huge difference traction wise. Some of the 2WD tractors mentioned above are much heavier that most Yanmars. Last year I plowed 6-8" of medium wet snow from the gravel driveway with my rear blade. I have not found the differential lock nearly as useful as 4WD. I could make it work in 2WD with the ag tires but it was easier to leave it in 4WD. I got a snowblower this year so we had no plowable snow./w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif

Chris