Sun is up and last cup of coffee drunk

[MapleLeafFarmer]

Well.... time to lace up the boots and hit those snow drifts. Driveway and approaches not going to clean themselves.
I have to admit that the Kubota L3301 is the best winter starting tractor I have ever owned.

 

[#40Fan]

When you're done there, come on over and warm up a bit (6°) and move some snow for me, please.

 

[yorkies77]

We are having a heat wave here in Idaho, It's only 20 below here.

 

[McMXi]

Well.... time to lace up the boots and hit those snow drifts. Driveway and approaches not going to clean themselves.
I have to admit that the Kubota L3301 is the best winter starting tractor I have ever owned.



View attachment 148274

And here's me thinking that yesterday's -16°F with a high of 10°F was cold!

Is your 3301 on a block heater or in a heated shop/garage? Currently mine sit outside until I have the barn built, but the blockheaters seem to really help when the temperatures are below freezing. I leave them plugged in for a few hours when it's really cold and both tractors start as easy as could be.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

And here's me thinking that yesterday's -16°F with a high of 10°F was cold!

Is your 3301 on a block heater or in a heated shop/garage? Currently mine sit outside until I have the barn built, but the blockheaters seem to really help when the temperatures are below freezing. I leave them plugged in for a few hours when it's really cold and both tractors start as easy as could be.

I keep the 3301 in an unheated machine shed (pole barn) with a gravel floor and a couple of very small open windows to keep moisture out.

It does have a block heater and in the shed where there is no wind, 2 hours on the heater is plenty and it starts up just fine. W/o the heater I doubt it would start though.

If left outside where the wind could get at it and at -30 I would let it sit on the block heater for 3 hours.

Warm up time 10 minutes before I start moving it then light weight movement for another 10 minutes. Not really what the book calls for but I be impatient kinda guy.

I also replace the chaff screen that sits in front of the rad. with a full size piece of cardboard same size as the metal screen. I sometime think about side curtains but have never used them (maybe I should??). Temp gauge gets up to same level as it would during summertime work and don't notice any more regen's than I would in summer. So never forced the side curtain issue on any of my tractors.

This is got me thinking though maybe I should consider making some side curtains?

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

Oh my, thats impressive. I suspect mine would be clicking together like marbles at that temperature. At that temperature I think I would need a more powerful beverage just to be safe (I’m thinking grandpop’s cough medicine might be appropriate up there…it works wonders down here)

Where on the thermometer do you draw the line, throw in the towel and say time get a cabbed machine? (What’s your limit?)

I’m not there yet, but I’ve come to terms with I’m not going to get younger, and I don’t foresee moving south in near future, at some point i got to set my limit…

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

Where on the thermometer do you draw the line, throw in the towel and say time get a cabbed machine? (What’s your limit?)

I’m not there yet, but I’ve come to terms with I’m not going to get younger, and I don’t foresee moving south in near future, at some point i got to set my limit…

Well.... I really don't know at what temp. a person or machinery gives in? I guess its combination of needs and wants.

I "matured" during a time that if we didn't make the work then the work didn't get done.

- if the lane way isn't cleared then getting in / out in an emergency wouldn't be possible. Kids couldn't catch the school bus, in case of fire the vol. fire dept. can't help, ambulance couldn't get in, etc...
- if the cows weren't miked and fed there would be no money to pay the bills and raise a family
- if the watering system didn't stay running cows need 25 gallons of water each a day and lactating sows another 5 gallons each and watering by buckets in winter sucks!! chickens and turkeys turn nasty after a day without water.


i would love a gp cabbed tractor for barn and yard work but given my situation the extra height and any chance of keeping the glass intact is just not in the cards. Field equipment 100% cabbed. (love my a/c, heat, filtered air, heated seats/heated floor mats to keep the feet cozy and heated cup holders to keep the drinks warm, )

once I age out i guess a cabbed RTV or skid steer with another set of accessories may end up in my yard but today too cheap for a whole new set of stuff.

 

[ctfjr]

Now I feel bad we came south for the winter. I missed all the good stuff. 84 degrees here today in FL