Winter Tractor Tips – How Do You Handle Snow, Storage, and Maintenance?

[Pilloy]

Hey folks,


Winter’s almost here, and I’m bracing for the usual chaos with snow, ice, and frozen fuel lines. I figured I’d start a thread to swap tips on keeping tractors happy in the cold.


Snow Removal:
I usually grab the front blade for big piles and a rear bucket for smaller stuff, but wet snow is the enemy. Tire chains are lifesavers on ice. Anyone got clever tricks to stop snow from sticking or to save your back from constant pushing?


Storage & Protection:
I’ve tried keeping my tractor in the barn (best option) and under a tarp outside (not as fun when frost covers everything). Battery maintainers are my new best friend. How do you guys protect tractors from frost, critters, or just plain winter misery?


Maintenance:
Cold kills hydraulics and engines if you’re not careful. I check fluids, grease moving parts, and start the tractor a few minutes every few days. Seems silly, but it saves headaches later.


Curious how everyone else survives winter with their tractors. Share your tricks, fails, or even funny stories—I’ll take it all!


Thanks!

 

[grsthegreat]

North idaho winters here. Its 24° this morning.

My tractor resides under a covered lean to. All sides covered except for front. I leave it on battery maintainer and i have 3 silicone heat pads to prewarm oil and hydraulic powerpack before use. The heaters are hooked into a wifi activated wall switch. I use a Yolink device from amazon. I can either manually turn it on or have it automatically cycle on as needed.

When i purchased my tractor in 2010, Kioti didnt have a block freeze plug device abailable, and an aftermarket one would void warranty. So i went with the silicone pads. But they work great. Really help with starts.

I have front mounted hydraulic snowblower and front mount plow. Between them and the enclosed heated cab, winters arnt too much of a bother. If snow is too wet, i use plow. Otherwise the blower works great. If i try to blow wet snow it can clog up blower, but being hydraulic, it keeps spinning whether i go forward, stop or reverse so doesnt clog as bad as my old pto powered rear blower on my geared JD870.

Now, this year i have not even put on my chains or snow equipment yet as weve only had 2” of snow. But im thinking about mounting the hydraulic power unit and hoses today in the heated shop. Were supposed to get some snow next week. I may install chains…but may not yet. I dont want to tear up unfrozen ground.

 

[RjCorazza]

Before I forget, I wouldn't recommend starting a tractor for "a few minutes" on any schedule. Start it when needed, and get it up to operating temperature.
My rig usually has a 7' blade on the front and another on the back. The front blade has some side plates I made up for it that makes it a cross between a pusher and a plow. A user here on TBN posted his side plate modification, and I copied his idea.
For large snows (infrequent) I have a 6' rear blower that I really enjoy using. My customer base does not tolerate chains, and in 20 some years I have yet to really need them (I do have a set just in case!)

I pre-heat the tractor whenever possible with a wifi controlled block heater. If it's likely I'll be plowing in the morning, I set the heater to come on about 3-4 hours before use. Tractor is now stored in an unheated pole barn.

 

[grsthegreat]

I plow has folding side panels to become a pusher when needed also. But i dont use them much.

Attachments

• 
  plow left.jpg

  2.8 MB · Views: 320
• 
  plow right.jpg

  2.7 MB · Views: 379
• 
  plow swing.jpg

  3.1 MB · Views: 355

 

[ruffdog]

Maintenance:
Cold kills hydraulics and engines if you’re not careful. I check fluids, grease moving parts, and start the tractor a few minutes every few days. Seems silly, but it saves headaches later.

You might think twice about the practice of "starting the tractor a few minutes every few days". Most of the wear and tear on a engine and hydraulic system is when it is cold so you are doing this more often than you have to. Also, being that you only run it "a few minutes", you are not getting the engine etc up to operating temperature. That has the tendency to add moisture in the crankcase and exhaust through the combustion process, without it being able to burn it off.