Advice on Plowing Snow with Chains or 4x4

[Paluch1]

Greetings,
New to the forum and I am in need of some advice. I bought a BX1880 and plan on using all season. I was wondering what the best options for plowing snow are, keeping it in 4x4 or getting a set of chains for the back? I have turf tires and if chains are my best option which ones are the best to use with that tread.

Thanks in advance and sorry if the question sounds very novice but I figured everyone would know best here

 

[sheepfarmer]

Actually it is both and...

Turf tires are very good in the snow. 4wd is indispensible. You may not need rear chains. You can also consider chains on the front instead of the rear. Loaded rear tires are helpful.

 

[skeets]

I would recommend filling the rear tires it might give you an extra 50 or 60 pounds I forget the tire size that always helps with traction,, yes like sheepfarmer said 4WD. And the main thing to remember is think your job through first,,, where are you going to push your snow to how big of a pile can you make and then go play. Chains maybe but I have heard so much about the turf tires being good in the snow, so that might be a wait and see thing
You will find out that you will spend more time on that little beast than you ever thought and you will wonder where the time went.
OH and dont forget to keep fresh fuel and treat it use your glow plugs for at least 15 seconds,, it will make starting the beast a lot easier when it get cold along the lake

 

[bearbait]

Very good advice so far but it would help to know what size driveway you have to clear, any hills you will have to overcome and if you have room to push the snow further back then the driveway your clearing. If you don't have much room to push it back a snowblower would be the answer.

 

[Paluch1]

Thanks guys. My driveway is about 125 feet and I have plenty of room to put snow and dump it farther using my bucket. I really didn't want chains since my driveway is concrete but I had to use so be it. When you mean loaded rear tires I assume wheel weights? Tire size is 24x12.00 x 12NHS. If so where is a good place to get weights, I live in upstate NY so we can get blasted with snow


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[skeets]

Wheel weights are a bit hard to find for small wheels, around here anyway. I would suggest filling the rear tires, with something that does not freeze. A lot of guys use WWF its cheap and doesn't freeze some use beet juice a lot more money and is if I remember about 15% heavier than water or WWF . And no. filling the tires will not harm your grass when you mow, it will not put undue weight on any part of the machine.
It is not a hard thing to do ,you dont have to take the wheel off or anything, just a little bit of your time. If you go to the main page and scroll down the left side there is a ton of info you will find interesting, and there is an article on filling your tires. It does make a big difference on small tractors like ours.
OH and remember you have a SMALL tractor dont try to use her like a 988

 

[JackJ]

You probably got this, but just in case you were thinking we're recommending hanging overweight wrestlers from your BX, WWF = windshield wiper fluid. The Beet Juice referenced is a product called Rim Guard. More expensive, but heavier, and harmless if it leaks. (Not that the WWF is that bad--it's the calcium chloride that will kill your grass, and potentially rust out your rims if it starts to leak.)

Physical wheel weights are, I believe, an option from Kubota for this tractor, but filling your tires is probably the way to go. Hasn't hurt my lawn at all.

My BX w/ turfs does very well in the snow, even on moderate slopes. But then I've not had to deal with anything more than 6 - 8" at a time. You're way out of my league when it comes to snow volume.

 

[Stmar]

Since you have a concrete driveway have you considered rubber tire chains? I put them on my R4s and did not have any problems last winter, I actually had some ATV chains that I could have used on the front but never had to. The link below is where I got mine, heavy duty. I got the idea from another forum member that used them on turf tires, they would work better on those than R4s because I have to work them around the grooves. Plus they are cheaper than steel chains. 4WD all winter, treat fuel a must, battery tender plugged in when not using, block heater makes starting so much easier.

http://www.rubbertirechains.com/

 

[fruitcakesa]

I have been plowing my steep gravel drive for the past 4 years in my L4630 with loaded R4's and full wrap lugged chains on the rear's and always in 4WD...I hate getting stuck.
This winter I will be using the M6040 with loaded R1 ag tires.
I have never run R1's before so I will likely put the chains on for safety sake

 

[Howling]

I have R4 tires with filled rears. My driveway is basically a sledding hill that ends in traffic.

Most of the time 4WD is plenty. Really needed the chains only once or twice in the past few years. Happen when raining, temperature drops and changes to snow. This creates a slick ice layer on the driveway under the snow.

 

[Paluch1]

Thanks for the help guys. I'm going to check out the loading of the tires and probably stick with the turf tires and maybe add rubber chains if I slip a lot.




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[bearbait]

I have been plowing my steep gravel drive for the past 4 years in my L4630 with loaded R4's and full wrap lugged chains on the rear's and always in 4WD...I hate getting stuck.
This winter I will be using the M6040 with loaded R1 ag tires.
I have never run R1's before so I will likely put the chains on for safety sake

I've found that with the R1 tires I don't need chains with the tractor I have now. I did try to run them the first winter however in the wet snow and it packed up in the chains making like a hard softball which made it almost impossible to drive with them on. They were fine with the R4'S on my other tractor. On the B3200 I owned a few years back which had R1's I studded the front tires mainly because the tractor was so light with the front blower it kept drawing me off to the side of the road towards the ditch. Once studded it was like night and day. Just an option you may want to consider. Here's a link to the studs I used, I believe they were 5/8's in length.



https://www.ebay.ca/itm/KOLD-KUTTER...OTORCYCLE-SNOWMOBILE-ATV-250-5-8/172071072864

 

[200mph]

Regardless of tires (R4 or R3's), recommend planning for the worse and be proactive in buying and installing chains. In the middle of heavy snowfall or when you're stuck is no time to find out chains are needed. Supply diminishes and lead times lengthen during the winter.

I've owned multiple tractors over the years with both turf & R4s, always ended up adding chains to them. Flat land could get away without, but throw in a grade or drop off along the driveway and your glade you have them. Traction improvement is 3x or more with them.

Chain experience centers around: 2 link cross chains, 4 link cross chains and rubber tire chains.

 

[RCW]

Regardless of tires (R4 or R3's), recommend planning for the worse and be proactive in buying and installing chains.

Great advice, especially since the OP is from Buffalo. You said what I was thinking....

Neighbor uses his BX24 to do similar-sized paved driveway with FEL, R4's, and no chains. It can take him a while with big snow, lots of short passes down to bare blacktop. Often has to move snow a couple times, especially in his wide turn-around area.

I often make a couple passes with my blower to make it go faster for him.

 

[NoJacketRequired]

I have a matching pair of B7510's, one on Ag tires, one on turf tires. In deep snow the ag tires win, hands down. in anything that's even a bit slippery the turf tires win.

Oh, by the way, if you really want to make your life easier, especially given the big dumps of snow you can get in Buffalo, just buy the front-mount snow blower and be done with it.

 

[Howling]

Oh, by the way, if you really want to make your life easier, especially given the big dumps of snow you can get in Buffalo, just buy the front-mount snow blower and be done with it.

I agree snowblower is nicer in putting the snow back off the driveway.

If not a blower look at back blade. Can be angled to push snow off to side as you go down the driveway. FEL bucket pushes straight ahead and spills off both side.

The was recent thread about poly cutting edge is you are worried about marking driveway.

 

[Paluch1]

Thanks for all the help and replies. I am going to get s set of the rubber chains for the back of my BX so I don't rip up my concrete. But should I spend the extra $37 and get the 3 link instead of the 4 link. Is there a big difference?

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[RCW]

With steel chains, the general school of thought is the more stringers (cross members) the better.
I have 2-link chains for my tractor versus 4-link. I think 2-link ride better also, since the stringers are closer together.
Assume the same would apply for rubber ones, but guessing.
My picture also shows how chains get down in between the treads of R4 tires, but if kept tight they work well on the other side of the tire. I can’t get by without them. Been thinking of fronts too, but that can be an issue with binding the front drivetrain.

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[200mph]

Yes, spend the extra for more cross links. I have rubber chains and very pleased with them on turf tires. Just get them really tight when installing. I remove all air from tires, tighten chains and then air up.

 

[Paluch1]

I agree snowblower is nicer in putting the snow back off the driveway.



If not a blower look at back blade. Can be angled to push snow off to side as you go down the driveway. FEL bucket pushes straight ahead and spills off both side.



The was recent thread about poly cutting edge is you are worried about marking driveway.

I tried searching for the post but can't find it. I'll have to go through threads I wonder if I could make one up if they don't sell it


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