Cold weather OPEN station snow plowing/blowing.

[Moose7060]

Just curious what the coldest temperatures folks have endured using an open station tractor for snow plowing/blowing. I've always had cabs but have plowed with a quad at the lake in -40 wind chill. Snowmobile suit made it tolerable. What's the worst conditions you have encountered?

 

[johnjk]

Driving sleet and freezing rain with temps around 28. Had to go back and put on my rain suit. Tractor deck is icy, cold wet hands, cold wet face. I’d much rather do snow work in the single digits. Dry is good. If it is too cold I put on ski goggles.
I’m also to the point if it is still coming down hard or crappy conditions, I wait it out. I have a couple drift problem areas on my drive that will hold 4-6’ depending on the storm. Last time we got a good storm it took me 6hrs to dig out 1100’ of driveway.
That being said, I haven’t had to clear snow since 2021

 

[chim]

Been out in some very cold and windy conditions (briefly ) but THE most uncomfortable was pushing slush in drizzle with temps hovering around freezing.

That, among other things prompted a DIY cab on the last tractor and a factory cab on the current one.

 

[RCW]

We had Lake Effect at -8 degrees F. Was windy but don’t recall wind chill.

Was cold indeed.

 

[yorkies77]

The coldest I've done it in was 0 with high winds and blowing snow. I wear a snowmobile suit and a motorcycle helmet. It makes it tolerable.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

We work and play regularly down to -30.
Anything colder than that we just call it a dog day and wait a day or two for the cold snaps to pass over us.
At these temps the diesels run fine but colder than this it seems to be when problems seem to pop up with fuel, hoses, maintaining engine temps, etc..
the snow is not going anywhere at those temps.... it can wait for another day to be cleared is my opinion.
I guess we just get used to where we live. Cold no problems but heat and humidity is more of a problem for me. I can always put on another layer whereas working naked is just plain rude.

 

[mcmxi]

Just curious what the coldest temperatures folks have endured using an open station tractor for snow plowing/blowing. I've always had cabs but have plowed with a quad at the lake in -40 wind chill. Snowmobile suit made it tolerable. What's the worst conditions you have encountered?

I've blown snow using the BX25D when it's in the -10F to -20F range but not colder. We don't often get extended periods with temperatures that low in the Flathead Valley, but when it's that cold the snow is like powder and it's easy to blow. The biggest downside with the BX25D and front mount blower was getting blasted in the face when the wind changed direction! Those days are long gone for me!

 

[ItBmine]

Usually average here is minus 25*C but it does go down to minus 40. I wear Tough Duck insulated bibs and jacket and my green Baffin rubber boots. Up to minus 25*C I just wear my tuque, but in the minus 40 with wind I wear my snowmobile helmet with a heated visor and it works great.
But now that I'm getting old and soft, I use the RTV-X1100C with the Boss plow when it minus 40 or windy, LOL

 

[Rdrcr]

Driving sleet and freezing rain with temps around 28. Had to go back and put on my rain suit. Tractor deck is icy, cold wet hands, cold wet face. I’d much rather do snow work in the single digits. Dry is good. If it is too cold I put on ski goggles.
I’m also to the point if it is still coming down hard or crappy conditions, I wait it out.

Yep, your experience pretty much mirrors my worst experience moving snow on my property in my open station too. I only lasted about 20 minutes last time this happened. Even wearing good gear. Often times I wait it out and clear the driveway the next day.

Moving forward, I think I’m gonna buy a plow for my SxS. It’s much more comfortable and warm, lol

Mike

 

[jimh406]

Around 0 to -10 F, but I'd never plow with the tractor in strong wind. I find I get a lot of heat off the engine when there isn't a strong wind.

I have a cab on my Polaris Ranger that has a plow on it, and that's used in the worse weather. I use the tractor mostly to make the road wider or to move heavier snow out of my parking areas or if the snow is extremely deep. No heater in it, but the engine is basically under the seat/cab.

Sometimes I use the tractor for the community road because there are big rocks embedded in it, and I find the rear blade on the 3 pt takes those hits better than the snow plow on my Ranger.

 

[IanB]

-30C in the dark with the wind howling, full snowmobile gear and ski goggles, but when the forecast isn't calling for anything better anytime soon, you gotta get it done.

 

[bird dogger]

In the beginning.....with a JD750 with rear blower....January temps would often dip below -20° F (we don't count wind chill up here ). So it was mandatory to dress with good snowmobile suit and helmet. That eventually got restricive (the suit shrunk) and like @chim and a few others I built a removeable cab for the JD.
Then the B2650 replaced the JD and a new removeable cab built for winter duties. It didn't take long to decide to add its own heater plumbed into the tractor's water pump. Now, even with outdoor temps in the -20° F and below, it's shirt sleeve weather inside the winter cab. It's just about...well maybe....enjoyable to blow snow. Only have a dusting of snow outside yet. Blower still parked and waiting to be mounted.

 

[PHPaul]

No idea what the temperature was, but 0°F was not unusual. Main reason I paid for a cab when I bought the Cabota.

 

[mikester]

I've cleared snow at -22oF on the thermometer in an open station tractor. Experiences like that are why I bought a heated cab. I can clear snow in my jammies now...

Windchill would make that temperature "feel like" -800oF. If I add the Humidex then the temperature would "feel like" +5oF.

 

[chim]

Some quality time in the weld shop made a huge difference. Here's a short video doing a neighbor's driveway with the L3200/DIY cab. When the L3200 was replaced it was an opportunity to have year-round comfort in a factory HVAC cab.

Sold the blower with that tractor because it wasn't the best tool for my applications. Front blade on the L4240 is way better.

 

[Moose7060]

Some quality time in the weld shop made a huge difference. Here's a short video doing a neighbor's driveway with the L3200/DIY cab. When the L3200 was replaced it was an opportunity to have year-round comfort in a factory HVAC cab.

Sold the blower with that tractor because it wasn't the best tool for my applications. Front blade on the L4240 is way better.

That DIY cab looks like you could go into business selling them. Nice job!

 

[chim]

That DIY cab looks like you could go into business selling them. Nice job!

Thank you. It was a fun and challenging project a dozen years ago:

DIY Cab - Finally decided it was time

Much of the time I enjoy the open air and nothing around me. Then there are those times when my feet and fingers are freezing and it isn't that much fun anymore. After reading about numerous homebrew cabs I decided it was probably something I could handle. What I need is some guidance /...

www.tractorbynet.com

 

[Bearcatrp]

Usually average here is minus 25*C but it does go down to minus 40. I wear Tough Duck insulated bibs and jacket and my green Baffin rubber boots. Up to minus 25*C I just wear my tuque, but in the minus 40 with wind I wear my snowmobile helmet with a heated visor and it works great.
But now that I'm getting old and soft, I use the RTV-X1100C with the Boss plow when it minus 40 or windy, LOL

Didn’t know about the heated visor on a snowmobile helmet. Will have to look into one. My goggles press on my glasses so sometimes I plow with my glasses and use the force to guide me. Haven’t hit anything yet (thank god). Thanks for posting this information. I usually use snow pants but have super thick carharts I use when it’s around zero. Hard to move in them. Trying to find a solution to good thermal gloves. Contemplating battery heated gloves. Dam thing are expensive.

 

[nbryan]

After a snow dump here in SE Manitoba it's almost invariably wicked fuckin cold the day after. The clear skies arctic NW winds descend behind the Colorado lows and Alberta clippers and always create a challenge staying warm on the Kubota open station.
I've been out every winter in the coldest conditions we get here because of this, once a -25C day with a stiff N wind, and I must say that the thought "is this really the worth $80 for a neighbor driveway clearing?" does enter the picture at those times.
I've stopped doing trailer runs for snow blowing the neighbor's. They'll have to find someone else to freeze up out there for a few bucks.
Now only our immediate next door neighbor gets the 'bota blower love after I'm done our place. I'm just too old for that cold anymore. Not worth it.