Snow Should I get a better snow setup?

[Olympus]

Olympus, did you have chains on your tractor? I doubt it, but I'm still asking. I know you had problems earlier in the year with your tires spinning on dirt until you had them loaded.

She looks great though!

No chains, but I filled the rear tires with Rim Guard and that solved the traction problem.

 

[Olympus]

If you get less than 100in./year a front plow in combination with your rear blade should do it.Remember snow blowers do have there place where above 100in/year but are higher maintaince and cost.

If I was just doing my own driveway then I'd certainly agree. But this winter I did 10 driveways of friends and neighbors including my own. Everybody lives on at least 3 acres so driveways are longer than average.

 

[nybirdman]

If I was just doing my own driveway then I'd certainly agree. But this winter I did 10 driveways of friends and neighbors including my own. Everybody lives on at least 3 acres so driveways are longer than average.

And a plow would be three times faster than a blower;I do 2 miles of drives and woods road and we get 100+/yr.

 

[Looking4new]

My vote is for a front mount blower. BUT be prepared to shell out some bucks....They are not cheap.

 

[Threepoint]

[snip]This year I started getting neighbors giving me some cash. That got me thinking if I should invest in some better snow equipment and expand a little more. Let's not get bogged down in liability,insurance, lawyers, yada yada. I'm not talking about a business, just found a better job for friends and neighbors.[snip]

Not trying to be provocative, but getting paid cash makes it a business, whether you view it as such or not. Warm apple pie once in awhile is different. I gather you've followed discussions elsewhere on this kind of thing, and we all have our own comfort zones on risk. But if you're doing 10 driveways off your property as you say, even for neighbors who are friends, and are accepting cash for it, it would be beyond mine to run without at least liability coverage. And that would be even if I were comfortable without physical damage coverage (which your homeowner's policy or typical farm policy won't provide in those circumstances).

Just a fer instance, then I'll butt out: Say you plow a driveway for a neighbor on a sunny 34F day, and there's a little more precip, then a refreeze that evening. Neighbor's 15 y/o daughter orders a pizza delivery. Or invites her 17 y/o boyfriend over after telling him the way's been plowed. Delivery guy or boyfriend slides on the icy driveway and wrecks his (or Daddy's) car, and bang's himself up. When the lawyer's demand letter arrives, it accuses you of negligence for failing to clear the driveway properly, failure to put down rock salt, ice melt or sand, and failure to warn of a dangerous condition you reasonably knew would result from the existing circumstances, yada yada. Even suits that end up being dismissed cost thousands to defend these days, and that would be all on your nickel.

Unfortunately this kind of risk exists even for those of us who plow strictly as volunteers. But doing the plowing for hire raises the ante, makes the operator even more of a target, and also makes any insurance he/she does get significantly more expensive :2cents:

 

[Olympus]

Let's say not for hire, but accepts donations and move on to the specifics of the equipment again.

 

[Olympus]

And a plow would be three times faster than a blower;I do 2 miles of drives and woods road and we get 100+/yr.

I'm not worried about speed. I certainly would without a cab, but provided I put a cab and heat on my machine I would be comfortable with taking my time and doing a better job. Like I said, digging gravel out of yards after the snow melts from being scraped off with a plow is not something I enjoy.

 

[DB Pilot]

olympus,

Your set up is the same as mine with both of my Kubota tractors. I am not a fan of snow blowers. I had a nice cub Cadet blower for 13 years. When all conditions were just right it was great. If the wind was wrong I couldn't see, and the cab won't help, I took snow in the face or it was blowing snow into a neighbors yard. On the coldest day It would break a shear pin and I would freeze my fingers repairing it. The PTO to chain drive gave me trouble and over night the chute would freeze so I couldn't change the blower direction for a while. I also like my insulated overalls and Jacket instead of the cab. Because I sometimes work near the road and I like the better visibility to spot traffic on a usually slippery road. :2cents:
The down side so far using the bucket scraper technique has been running out of space to put snow but has not been a huge problem. :thumbsup:

Across the road to my mailbox is gravel so until the ground freezes and in the spring I use the backside of the scraper to move snow. That way the gravel stays in place and keeps a flat surface for the mailman's car.

 

[KennyG]

That cab looks great! What are your thoughts on quality? How hard was it to install?

I find the quality to be excellent. Nothing very complex on the install but there are a few points where things can go two different ways and you have to study the pictures closely. My only advice would be to separate the fasteners very carefully and identify them. Mine had a mix of metric and US sizes and some were very close in size. The initial installation will be 3 or 4 hours for most people. After that, it can be taken off or put back on in an hour or two.

I put on my Carhartts and find I'm comfortable down to well below zero. I think a heater would be an unnecessary luxury for most people.

A blade would probably be faster than the snowblower, but I think the snowblower with skids would do a better job on gravel drives. As far as visibility goes, if you blow into the wind you will be completely blinded. So, don't blow into the wind.

 

[RAYJAY]

go with a rear blower front power angle blade i use the blower 80% of the time the plow is great for back dragging the snow out of hard to get area's and removes 95 % od the snow this way if you have a lot of hills you will need front chains ..