Buying Advice Tractor Advice -The hunt is on.

[hdmyers]

Good evening

After lurking for some time (and posting about my old forklift/snowplow) I find myself needing to maintain my property again.. I'm situated in Ontario... the 'Kawarthas'. near to Haliburton/Minden area. So we get a fair amount of snow.

We have 14 acres..most of it is left alone. I'm not looking to cut grass...but maybe keep a trail or two open.
We have ~1300 ft driveway. Nice gravel base. I'll need to plow/blow it.. and perhaps do some minor grading (not sure how reasonable it is to have gravel delivered and do repair/put down gravel with a machine vs having contractor do that)

So blowing snow, maybe front trip plow as well, loader, bushog...

I've looked at the L2601 and the Workmaster 25... seems the Kubota has cheaper price so far on the quote.. and that's with 2 remotes for the snowblower, along with the bush hog and loader.

Went to look at the L2601 series...it was bigger than I thought it would be. Even the BX didn't look too small.

Welcome thoughts/suggestions.

Cheers

HDM

 

[Peter 315]

You looking at a cabbed tractor if you get a lot of snow ?...........

 

[Diggin It]

I've looked at the L2601 and the Workmaster 25...

LS makes that and if you can find a local dealer that sells the LS version, it should be priced quite a bit less.

 

[Roadworthy]

While you're exploring see which tractors support a front snow thrower unless you don't mind going backward. A dealer nearby is better than a distant one - unless he's a total jerk out to rob you.

 

[stevem5215]

And you should consider a cab on the tractor. Due to where you live. It actually snows. And you'll want to stay warm.

Steve

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I agree on the cabbed tractor.

I wouldn't even consider an open station for snow work.

 

[Bigpuddie]

Look at a Massey Ferguson 1745

 

[rScotty]

A cab is nice for the wintertime, but in our area it sure isn't as handy as an open station with a canopy in the summertime.

Plus to cab or not has a lot to do with the operator's age and finances. I'm still in the "it's better to have a little nicer tractor than a cab." age group.
Bottom line is it's nice to have a winter tractor and a summer one.
rScotty

 

[PEJ5]

Canadians don't need cabs for snow blowing. . I may consider a soft cab down the road, but I am happy to be open station for everything else.

I would recommend a blower vs a plow unless maybe you have deep ditches. Even so, it would be much easier to blow it out of the way. Plowing any amount of snow will require chains. Definitely, a hydraulic chute control and hydraulic or electric deflector are required. I installed skids to reduce blowing rocks, but remove them once the base is frozen and covered. 1300 feet is a long driveway to be looking backwards but front blowers are very pricey and you lose your bucket. Pick up a used rear blower to start and try it for a year.

I have found driveway grading to be good fun (satisfying reaults) and I would certainly not pay someone else to do it. There are some good videos comparing blade types and approach.

Finally, I would encourage you to check out a Kioti if you have a local dealer.

 

[metalbender]

Smart Canadians use cabs for snow blowing. Also older should make one smarter, learn from other's mistakes. A brisk wind even at -15 will take the smile off pretry quick.

 

[hdmyers]

Thanks for the feedback.

When looking at price points for the given tractor size, a cab is a bit out of my range. Canadian pricing makes things interesting vs what one can afford in the US I have no issue with the weather for doing the snowblowing... I have enough gear..and if in 20 years i change my mind, i'll get a different machine.

I'm ok with the rear blowing, to preserve the front loader. Having the loader available to have a blade or bucket is something I feel would be useful should i find myself stuck. (being able to use the loader hydraulic to help me out).

Not a fan of the chains, so blower seems more in tune. I"ll probably put studs on the tires anyway. I had chains on my old skidsteer... i was inept at keeping them on...perhaps i'd be better now?

Went to look at machines yesterday. The Lseries looks quite a bit bigger/wider than the B series...i was surpised by the size...but think L series sizing or similar in other tractors would be what i'm after.

i will never be in a race, but figure this tractor will outperform any walkbehind blower (yah, i did my drive with a walk behind just before..it was doable lol).

I like the feedback on maintaining my drive. I spend ~1500 a year on plowing now (and plow guys can be unreliable here..hence my moving on from a contractor). I spend average of 1500 a year more on road maintenance (usually at 5 year intervals of major work), so believe can get away with 2 loads of gravel a year to do my own maintenance, and save total of 2500 between plowing/road work.


Let alone doing my own minor landscaping, and the usefulness of a machine to move/pull/clear things as projects come up.


As for tractor options near me: Kubota, New Holland and Mahindra and Kioti are within 75 minute drive... i'm in a tractor dealer deadzone somehow.

Thanks,

 

[PEJ5]

Something to dream about as you shop...
Last year we had a snowstorm that was 20cm (8") of snow and then freezing rain that left a tough crust. I blew the home driveway with the walk behind and had a tough time getting it cleared, especially what the city plow pushed in. Then I went up to the property to clear that driveway with the tractor and blower. On the walk in from the road I mostly stayed on top of the crust...it was that tough. I was thinking, it will be interesting to compare. The 6' blower cut though it and spit it out without blinking. You'd think I was blowing powder. Amazing the difference between 8HP and 50HP or was it 200lbs vs 6000lbs. .

You will love a tractor and blower on your long driveway and any worries about looking backwards will disappear when you look back at the walk behind blower sitting in the garage!

After 2 seasons I am finally adding a Princess Auto 12v worm drive to the deflector so I can easily point it down when I am blowing into the wind. I am a few years away from considering a $2K soft cab. One step at a time.

Enough about snow, be sure to get a quick attach bucket and immediately buy a set of quick attach pallet forks. Forks triple the value of your tractor investment. Everything sits on pallets and I rarely have to lift by hand - work smarter, not harder.

I meant to add, between what you paid for snow clearing and driveway maintenance, the ROI on a tractor will be short.

Good luck shopping.

 

[RalphVa]

Banana belt of Canada. Wife and I used to ride our bikes all winter in Sarnia.

Ralph

 

[airbiscuit]

I wouldn't consider any Sub-Compacts (Kubota BX).

Here would be my choices:

• Kioti CK 2610 HST / CK3510HST
  
• Kubota LX2610HSD / LX3310HSD
  
• Kubota L2501 /L3301
  

Spend some time at the dealership looking them over, trying them out, Imagine yourself on your property and long drive.

What is your typical/largest snowfall? Any drifts?

 

[finn1]

Kioti ck series, preferably a 3510 or 4010, with a front blower and a cab. I wouldn稚 consider any tractor without a front blower or a cab.

 

[airbiscuit]

If your snowfalls/drifts are less that 24", I think you would like a rear pull (inverted) snowblower on that long drive - saves the neck. I love mine.

 

[hdmyers]

Well, we do get some big snowfalls, but most would be less than 12" at a time...with drifting to 24". (i've had to walk down the drive with snow up to my mid thigh... not pleasant, but part of the drill sometimes). I'm quoting the CK2610 and the L2510 at the moment. Leaning towards these larger frame with smaller engines.
At what point (ie: how deep would snow have to be?) will the pull behind snowblower not be useful?

We have had ~40" of snow in one shot before..but that's pretty rare. EIther way, i'm usually cleaning up well after the snow dump..(meaning i get to the property, walk in to get my machine going, and plow out the crap)

Perhaps having the pull behind and using the bucket at times would work ok?

I"m leaning towards the 3pth blower (regular model)...and could change that up in later years depending.

thanks for the feedback,
H

 

[powersrp]

The first time you blow snow and you get completely blasted with snow at single digit and below temps, you will wish your tractor had a cab and heater.

 

[hdmyers]

Could be true about wanting a cab, but I'm more into looking at what I need...vs what I want. I want everything, I need much less. cheers,

 

[fruitcakesa]

Could be true about wanting a cab, but I'm more into looking at what I need...vs what I want. I want everything, I need much less. cheers,

Want vs need? With TO winters, I would be leaning towards "need"!