snow removal recomendations

[packman9111]

I have a troybilt super bronco and was thinking I wud just buy a snow blade for it. When I questioned a local dealer, he seemed to steer me away, saying the tractor has a weak tranny and pushing snow with it would not be a good idea. My next option wud be one of the cheeper two stage walk behind throwers for around $600. I haven't been able to find anything good or bad about them, so thought I'd ask. I'll be clearing about 200 ft driveway in nothern MD. Thanks Rick

 

[JDGREEN4ME]

I use a 8HP "walk behind" to clear about 100' of driveway. I live in the Philadelphia area so we only get a few storms a year where we need to use it. Depending on how much and how often you get snow a 200' driveway can be a pretty good chunk to use a walk behind for.

 

[MossRoad]

Welcome to TBN! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

When I was a kid, my dad had a snow removal system for our 300' driveway... me and a shovel. I do rember him having a walk behind two wheel tractor with a blade. The tractor had a high and low gear. High for mowing and low for plowing. He had a plow blade and some cultivators for it. It was only a 6-8HP unit, as I recall and it pushed snow pretty well to the sides. But once it got to about a foot of snow, out came the shovels as there was little place to push the snow and shoveling was faster than multiple passes with the plow.

I would consider a self propelled two stage snow thrower before I would consider a plow for the bronco. Just my opinion. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Boog]

A snow blade on such a small machine will be useless. You'd need weights, chains and then still still not be able to push much heavy snow. What you could push with that you could just leave lay and drive through with your cars. I live in north-central Ohio (we set a snowfall record last year) and I only had to push snow twice for big storms. I just drive on 5-6 inches or less - cars have no problem doing this if it is on top of concrete or stone. And most times some snow melts between storms so I rarely have to reomve any. If however, you like being a 'snow-farmer' get a snow throwing machine or put a blade on something bigger and heavier.

 

[LBrown59]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( A snow blade on such a small machine will be useless. You'd need weights, chains and then still still not be able to push much heavy snow. )</font>

For many many many years I used a 1966 2 wheel drive Bolens 8.25 horse power Garden Tractor with a 48'' wide manual lift front blade to clear snow from my 3 or 4 hundred foot slag driveway.
I've removed several 10 to 14 inch snow falls with that rig.

 

[AZinOH]

I use a 7hp two stage "walk behind" snowblower to clear a 160' driveway. It's a bit of a work-out but I actually have fun doing it. Depending on how much snow you get, a $600 "cheap" model may be ok, but something closer to 900-1000 will get a much higher level of quality in a machine that will last a long time. Consider Ariens, Toro or Simplicity and look for a knowledgeable dealer to provide tech assistance and parts support, rather than a big box store.

AZ