Snow Snow Plow Help

[blackbird]

I have a 2520 with FEL X series. My parking in front of my garage is concreate. 4 cars wide by about 3 deep plus a concrete circle dirve. However the driveway to get to this is about 200 yards and is grass in the center with gravel for the two pathways. In kansas not too much snow but we do get pounded sometimes. What do you guys recommend for clearing the snow. I do have a walkbehind snowblower that could be used for the concreate but it would take quite a bit of time. With that much concreate I am also concerned about tearing it up with the tractor because I am too cheap to want to replace it. What do you guys suggest for this job. Thanks in advance. P.S. I am very mechanical and can weld but I am new to tractors so easy on the acronyms as I proabably won't know what the **** you are talking about. I know, I know newbies are pain. Thanks again guys.

Chris

 

[jonsch]

I use the FEL and a 6 foot rear blade to plow 900ft of asphalt and concrete diveway in Michigan. Works great for me. I used to have a front snowblower for my old tractor but ate too much snow into the wind.

 

[ovrszd]

I have a 2520 with FEL X series. My parking in front of my garage is concreate. 4 cars wide by about 3 deep plus a concrete circle dirve. However the driveway to get to this is about 200 yards and is grass in the center with gravel for the two pathways. In kansas not too much snow but we do get pounded sometimes. What do you guys recommend for clearing the snow. I do have a walkbehind snowblower that could be used for the concreate but it would take quite a bit of time. With that much concreate I am also concerned about tearing it up with the tractor because I am too cheap to want to replace it. What do you guys suggest for this job. Thanks in advance. P.S. I am very mechanical and can weld but I am new to tractors so easy on the acronyms as I proabably won't know what the **** you are talking about. I know, I know newbies are pain. Thanks again guys.

Chris

Buy a rear blade and leave the loader on for piling. You won't tear up your concrete. Your tractor weighs less than your pickup (if you have one). Enjoy!!!

 

[Woody_NH]

While the FEL will be fine on the paved surface, the long gravel section could be a problem if it is not frozen solid and/or of the surface is uneven. You will be constantly trying to get the bucket angle just right so it does not either dig in to the gravel or ride up on the snow. A plow blade with skid shoes is best for a long gravel run.

For a few inches of snow, a rear blade with skid shoes will do fine, clean up with the bucket. You should consider a blade that will rotate 180 degrees so you can pull or push depending on the situation. For real snow on a long gravel run, a front mounted snow plow with shoes is the way to go. I my case it is mounted to the front of my 4wd truck. My 3320 with FEL and rear blade do clean-up duty. You can get front mount tractor snow blades, a lot of past discussion on that topic can be found on this site.

 

[jcmseven]

I am too asking about snow removal equipment for my needs, but in your case, for the paved part I would stick with the FEL. It is probably the least effective snow removal tool, but it sounds like you do not have that much paved area. For me the one question about snow removal I do not have is about my gravel driveway. I use a rear mounted landscape rake. It does and will do great. One can angle it and it will pull and roll the snow off the gravel but not take the gravel with it. For me, it is great as we live at the bottom of a very steep driveway and have the gravel stirred some gives us better stopping traction coming into the house. Before I bought anything, I personally would see if my dealer would let me borrow a landscape rake at the next snow forecast and try it. I bet you will like it. My plan tentatively for this winter, unless I buy another UTV is to get either a used blower or front mount plow and use the landscape rake in back for ballast and for my neighbors who might have gravel drives as I do. It sounds counterintuitive, but it really does work.

John M

 

[KennK]

Do you use chain's on your rear tires?

I have a newish 3320, live in the Chicago area, and am trying to figure out wether I should put chains on. Right now my plan is to try it without chains and see if it works with just the MFWD, though I'm sure chains would do better on icy ground.

 

[Rob-D]

Ifyou get ice and have a hilly driveway then get chains.

 

[jcmseven]

KennK,

I do not think you would need chains where you live. I live in a very hilly area where it can be both snowy and icy. As has been told before in other posts, only chains will do well in ice. I have, not with my current machine, but with the 4310 I previously owned, done a good job on quite hilly terrain without tire chains. They are obviously better and will help some, but are not needed in most cases. The JD you have is heavy enough to move large amounts of snow without them. My biggest problem here is stopping. Chains would offer me benefit for control going down some of my steep descents secondary to the mass of the vehicle. I have plowed without them with good success though, with the R4 tires. They are not great, but only if one has R3's would I consider chains an absolute necessity.

John M