Snow Plowing Snow with 2WD

kbarrett · Mar 27, 2002

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 · Mar 27, 2002

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 · Mar 27, 2002

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 · Mar 27, 2002

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 · Mar 27, 2002

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

Youare · Mar 27, 2002

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 · Mar 27, 2002

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 · Mar 27, 2002

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 · Mar 27, 2002

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 · Mar 27, 2002

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

kbarrett · Mar 27, 2002

Chris,

Thanks for the input! - 4WD would be preferred. But if a clean 2WD presents itself, well I might have to bite.

What snowblower did you go with?

Youare · Mar 28, 2002

My neighbor plowed his driveway for a number of years with a small older Kubota (somewhere around 16-18 horsepower) with a front mounted blade. His drive was all of 600 feet long and up hill, moderate climb.

We had some pretty big storms here in New Hampshire and the little Kubota never failed to cut the mustard.
He was retired so time was on his side and he did have a good set of tire chains.

Randy

Soundguy · Mar 28, 2002

Wondering here.... the difference between ag tires? and the rice tires. The pics of my lil'green ym1700 were on the old club.,. don't know if they made it over or not to the group. How do I tell the difference?

Chris

pennwalk · Mar 28, 2002

We used to clear the drive with an International 185. It had a front blade and turf tires with chains. It was 2WD and weighed about 1500lbs. I don't believe the tires were filled. It always got the job done but it took time and sometimes in deep or wet snow it was a struggle. I was always afraid that I was pushing it to hard but we used it for years. Now I have a Yanmar 186D. It weighs just over 1500 lbs. For a tractor this size and weight the 4WD really is nice. We haven't had any deep snow since I got it but it has plowed what snow we have had easily. If you had one of the heavier Yanmars 2WD would probably work. I found a Yanmar YSS 48 snowblower. My wife thought I was crazy cause I really didn't need it. But it goes so well with the tractor and I have always liked snowblowers. Some people collect Hummels./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Chris

couchsachraga · Mar 29, 2002

For 20 years my parents have plowed their driveway (200' or so, up a hill) with a 1965 Farmall Cub (a little smaller in stature than a YM336D, but only 13hp (engine) or so, and gas). It will get the job done, but a few things are necessary:
1) Filled tires and wheel weights
2) Chains
3) If the snow gets over 3" wet or 6" dry, you've got to plow. If you're getting a 36" storm, that's every few hours, which gets a little old after a while without a canopy....

So is it possible? Certainly! But if you can save for a bit longer and get a capable 4wd machine, you won't regret it. Or just purchase a "yard truck" with plow (in the Northeast they are plentiful, and generally under 1k).

Couchsachraga

clifst2310 · Mar 29, 2002

The 36+ inches of snow is one of the reasons I now live in KY. We had an old 63 Willeys cab foward Jeep 4WD for plowing but there was alot of places it couldn't reach. That was when the manuel FEL's were put to work, my parents had 5. Here 6" is the norm and my 2310 with 5' box has no trouble at all.

Soundguy · Apr 1, 2002

Yikes.. small engine...

As for the canopy.. When i got my ym1700... i tended to do alot of box blade and dirt movement, and got tired of the overhead sun all of the time. I got one of those buggy style canvas-over-frame cannopies... Didn't even have to drill a hole.. the mounting bars were parallel with the fender hand bars.. just ring clamped them on.... was wonderful.

Chris

For 20 years my parents have plowed their driveway (200' or so, up a hill) with a 1965 Farmall Cub (a little smaller in stature than a YM336D, but only 13hp (engine) or so, and gas). It will get the job done, but a few things are necessary:
1) Filled tires and wheel weights
2) Chains
3) If the snow gets over 3" wet or 6" dry, you've got to plow. If you're getting a 36" storm, that's every few hours, which gets a little old after a while without a canopy....

couchsachraga · Apr 2, 2002

Greetings...

For years I assumed the hp was higher-it's a 4 cyl engine, takes about 4 quarts of oil with a filter change (old canister type, of course!), and just runs forever. It's a well built, under-powered machine. Kind of like the older Land Rovers and Jeeps....

Couchsachraga