Ready for Winter

[Nuru]

It's a question of speed. With the plow, you fly along in mid or high range. And three passes down a 12' drive way leaves it squeaky clean. With the blower, you creep along in low range. The only time I go to the blower is when there is too much for the plow to handle. That would be about 6" or so. At least that's the way it worked with my last two Kubotas. I'll have to see how it goes with the green monster.

The snow bank problem was not much of an issue the past few years. It seems like a couple weeks of hard snow is often followed by a melt off lately. If the weather was like I remember in northern Michigan in the 70's, it would be all blower all the time for sure.

KB

Same experience for me with my plow. Every so often i consider getting a used blower. but then i go back to thinking about trading up to a 3xxx cab.

 

[Killer_B]

Do you really have to blow in low range? I've never used a rear blower, but with my front blower I go in high range full speed ahead.

JD,

If you are in high range at full speed in 6" of snow, that is exceptional performance. I have had three previous tractors with blowers (all front mount) and none could go over a crawl in 6+ inches of snow. If the snow is higher and/or wet, you can make that a half a crawl.

 

[JDFANATIC]

JD,

If you are in high range at full speed in 6" of snow, that is exceptional performance. I have had three previous tractors with blowers (all front mount) and none could go over a crawl in 6+ inches of snow. If the snow is higher and/or wet, you can make that a half a crawl.

Killer B,

Maybe because my blower is the single-stage snowthrower (there is a technique to this kind of blower where you need to keep the intake chute full by modulating ground speed), but my experience is the faster the better it works. We have been known to get some snow here in New England. But even in 12+" snowfalls, unless it is really wet, it's full speed ahead. Here's a pic of one snowfall accumilation:

Here's a blowing pic:

And another:

 

[canoetrpr]

That's quite the setup!

I've got a rear blower too and about a 200-300ft drive. I don't find doing it in reverse a problem at all. If I had a mile long drive - that might be a different story.

I have to admit though, after blowing last year I think that I might have been better off with a rear blade. Most of the snowfall tends to be under a foot - if that - before I get out there. The blower is really good if you get a big dump of snow but I think for normal snowfalls a blade would have helped me get down closer to the gravel better.

I also have the tendency with the blower to put off blowing "Ah its only 6 inches". That translates to about 3 or 4 once you take the skid shoes into account.

I think I might just purchase a rear blade to handle the small stuff.

 

[JDFANATIC]

That's quite the setup!

I've got a rear blower too and about a 200-300ft drive. I don't find doing it in reverse a problem at all. If I had a mile long drive - that might be a different story.

I have to admit though, after blowing last year I think that I might have been better off with a rear blade. Most of the snowfall tends to be under a foot - if that - before I get out there. The blower is really good if you get a big dump of snow but I think for normal snowfalls a blade would have helped me get down closer to the gravel better.

I also have the tendency with the blower to put off blowing "Ah its only 6 inches". That translates to about 3 or 4 once you take the skid shoes into account.

I think I might just purchase a rear blade to handle the small stuff.

Ahh, gravel. I know a little about that. Before we paved the drive, I used the automatic cannon for ~ 10 years and know the drill. Blow snow and gravel all winter, spend 1/2 the spring raking gravel out of lawn. The really nice thing about a paved drive, is that you can put the tractor hydraulics in float and sit back and relax. Things have even gotten better since last season when I picked up a heated cab. Last winter I put it on, but only got to play in the snow once -- not that I'm upset!

 

[Killer_B]

I think I might just purchase a rear blade to handle the small stuff.

I friend of mine who lives nearby has a TSC rear blade on the back of his small Kubota L and has been able to keep his driveway clear with it. And his tractor has no loader or blower to bail him out. So I think it can be done.