Howdy…I live in Colorado at 7100’. First year with a tractor(bx23s) for pretty flat but long driveway. Do I need to buy chains? Using the loader and rear blade. TIA
Snow chains…do I need them?
- Thread starter E. B. Farmer
- Start date
I have the same tractor and live at 5,000 feet in Idaho. I bought chains for mine and don’t use them. I use a front snow blower and a rear blade and have never had any issues. 400 foot drive way that goes downhill to the county road. That’s just my personal experience.
Chains are sort of a Murphy's Law decision. If you need them or not will depend entirely on what the weather does. I have a set for my B7500 but have only used them once.
I used to have chains for my JD1025R with a blower in front. However, when I went heavier with a Grand L5460, the weight equates to no issues. That said, my work is on mostly level areas. If I had a steep drive to do, that would be a different story. I'm fortunate as a larger tractor means larger and much heavier chains to wrestle.
I use my B7500 with a front snowblower. 400ft driveway in Vermont with a short hill in the middle. Last year (first year) with no chains I was marginal. Ice would trip me up and I would have to work my way out at times. It was also an easy winter. I bought chains for this year even though I could probably get by without them. It's going to make the job less miserable and if I ever get stuck by mailbox it's a hike down to get the truck and tow strap, and then driving it back down and walking out again. Chains start to make a lot of sense in that situation.
I am in Colorado at 8500' and with a very steep driveway to plow. I keep the tractor in 4wd full time but don't have chains. Over the years there have been three or four times I could have used them but got by without. Once I checked into them and they are not inexpensive [unless you really really need them of course] and they are quite heavy and I imagine a real job to install. Meaning, I don't plan to get them.
Worst plowing was a couple decades back when we had a once-a-century-type snow storm leaving 60+ inches and I did not have significant trouble from not having chains, though in that case I would have put them on had they been available.
Worst plowing was a couple decades back when we had a once-a-century-type snow storm leaving 60+ inches and I did not have significant trouble from not having chains, though in that case I would have put them on had they been available.
BX23S specifically, I don't foresee the need of chains while having the back-blade as counter-weight. If necessary, you can lower the rear tire pressure to increase traction.
I'm at 7,000' and use my LX with a rear blower and the bucket. I've wanted chains only once - last spring we got 3' of spring cement and I was unable to clear my neighbor's driveway because it was too steep and they had not done any clearing mid-storm - my tractor just couldn't push the blower up into the wet, heavy snow going up the steep grade (probably 20%). I had no trouble clearing my own when there was a foot or so, and no trouble doing others with the full 3' that were less steep.
I have an L2501 HST with R4 loaded tires. I thought I didn't need chains until I almost slid off my gravel road. That could have been bad since it had quite a slope off the road for drainage. I suggest putting chains on even if you go with ladder chains like I did.
This subject has come up before and I believe turf tires may perform better in the snow. I have turf tires on my B2601 and have not felt the need for chains. We (me and the B2601) have cleared a good bit of snow here in Pennsylvania. I kind of enjoyed it.
ajschnitzelbank
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Lifetime Member
Equipment
L4701, BH92, Frost Bite grapple, Logosol M8 mill, Stihl MS661
I’m surprised to see so much discussion without asking what type of tires you have. The tires make a big difference.
I had a B2301 with R4s, and it was laughably useless in snow. I was flabbergasted how easily I got stuck. Chains made all the difference. I mean it, I’m not being hyperbolic when I say it was absolutely useless without chains. Like, spending half an hour with a shovel and sticks and pushing a couple inches at a time with FEL.
Now I have an L4701 with R1s, and I haven’t gotten stuck (yet!).
I had a B2301 with R4s, and it was laughably useless in snow. I was flabbergasted how easily I got stuck. Chains made all the difference. I mean it, I’m not being hyperbolic when I say it was absolutely useless without chains. Like, spending half an hour with a shovel and sticks and pushing a couple inches at a time with FEL.
Now I have an L4701 with R1s, and I haven’t gotten stuck (yet!).
Serious snow removal with a tractor (FWA or otherwise), aside from using a snow blower, will require tire chains, especially in wet snow, ice and/or steep slopes.
Neither FWA nor ballast help much at all on ice and little in wet snow.
Turf tires perform better than R4s or R1s in snow and probably better than R14s but I have no experience with R14s.
Tractors are not designed for snow.
I have been snow-blowing 3000' with turf tires first with a BX22 and now with a BX23S using turf tires loaded with Rim Guard, and a 600#+ weight box on the rear. I have never encountered ice unless the driveway is ice-covered before it starts to snow. My driveway is paved and chains make for a very horrible ride so I don't use them. I tried them once and removed them in less than 5 minutes of use. After I snowblow I scrape the asphalt with a front-mounted blade.
Using a loader for a long driveway is going to be very tedious on the operator to clear the snow. I suggest that you rethink your snow removal methods, because chains or no chains, you are headed for a very long winter using a loader and a back blade.
Using a loader for a long driveway is going to be very tedious on the operator to clear the snow. I suggest that you rethink your snow removal methods, because chains or no chains, you are headed for a very long winter using a loader and a back blade.
I live in CO at 6000' I've never needed chains to plow a gravel & dirt 300 ' driveway to a barn. I have R1, unloaded tires and use the back blade reversed and rotated about 15 degrees while backing the tractor to push the snow. I don't try to scrape it down to the gravel This has worked for up to 2.5' of snow. The only time I've used the FEL and bucket is removing snow next to a barn door that I can't access with the blade
jyoutz
Well-known member
Equipment
MX6000 HST open station, FEL, 6’ cutter, forks, 8’ rear blade, 7’ cultivator
Hmmm. I’ve been using my loader and back blade for years to plow my 2000’ gravel road, with up to 2’+ of snow. I hold the loader bucket at 3” above the road and float the back blade turn around 180 degrees to avoid cutting into and moving gravel. I’m at 6,900’ elevation and we can get a fair amount of snow. The MX just blows through anything.
The MX is a lot different animal that a BX23S. The bucket is larger and so is its lifting capacity. The question asked is in relation to a specific tractor, the BX23S.
BAP
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2012 Kubota 2920, 60MMM, FEL, BH65 48" Bush Hog, 60"Backblade, B2782B Snowblower
Tire chains for the rear of your tractor start out at about $125. That’s pretty cheap insurance to insure that you can get around safely.