First time ever considering a tractor. Looking at primary using the tractor for snow blowing. Will be using the tractor in the heart of the snow belt in the lower peninsula of Michigan. Storms can be decent so up to a foot or 2 but 2 feet being pretty rare. I have basically pulled the trigger of a 2026 LX4020 with the commercial front snow blower. I also added the Box scraper to maintain my gravel drive. I have watched many videos of 2610’s blowing pretty decent snow and am thinking the 4020 is a good choice for long term. I don’t want to have regrets in a few years that I am under powered. Is this a good choice?
Never owned a Tractor
- Thread starter LOTN
- Start date
It’s a cab opinion as well which I think is abvious. I was set on a L6070 and then reality and price hit me. The 6070 is great but it’s bigger and will take up more room in the barn which is losing space by the second. 40 horse seems like a lot of power and will be plenty in the future
Forgot to add "Welcome to OTT"!! Lots of good info and people ready to help spend your money with the advice given!! 
Your 40HP tractor would be like my B2650 on mega steroids!! Yet my B2650 and rear blower has never met a hard snowdrift that it didn't like to send flying here in our North Dakota winters. I don't know if you'd ever get hard packed drifts in your location, but with the HP you have....you should be able to send that snowfall pretty near outta sight!!
And you'll have all summer and fall to get acquainted with its safe operation and techniques of using it efficiently. Be sure you understand the manual and follow the safe operating procedures. If you have questions.... someone on here will be sure to give you sound advice.
Post some pics of your new "Mechanical Steed"!! Please!!
Your 40HP tractor would be like my B2650 on mega steroids!! Yet my B2650 and rear blower has never met a hard snowdrift that it didn't like to send flying here in our North Dakota winters. I don't know if you'd ever get hard packed drifts in your location, but with the HP you have....you should be able to send that snowfall pretty near outta sight!!
And you'll have all summer and fall to get acquainted with its safe operation and techniques of using it efficiently. Be sure you understand the manual and follow the safe operating procedures. If you have questions.... someone on here will be sure to give you sound advice.
Post some pics of your new "Mechanical Steed"!! Please!!
I had to just check online and make sure my dealer rep was not BS’ing me. I have watched the popular YouTube guys with the 2610’s and they look like they do an incredible good job in the snow. I can see that this may have been a dumb question to ask in the first place but maybe I should be asking what would be the negative of a 4020 for blowing snow?Forgot to add "Welcome to OTT"!! Lots of good info and people ready to help spend your money with the advice given!!
Your 40HP tractor would be like my B2650 on mega steroids!! Yet my B2650 and rear blower has never met a hard snowdrift that it didn't like to send flying here in our North Dakota winters. I don't know if you'd ever get hard packed drifts in your location, but with the HP you have....you should be able to send that snowfall pretty near outta sight!!
And you'll have all summer and fall to get acquainted with its safe operation and techniques of using it efficiently. Be sure you understand the manual and follow the safe operating procedures. If you have questions.... someone on here will be sure to give you sound advice.
Post some pics of your new "Mechanical Steed"!! Please!!
Congratulations on the 4020. I went from a LX3310 to a L5460 and you will not have a downside of the hp over a 2620 for both the front blower and pto implements.
I have a LX4020 cab with the front commercial 64" snow blower and the larger R14 tires (filled). I can tell you I have yet to meet a bank of snow that was even higher than the blower inlet that it would not throw far into the woods. Traveling uphill blowing snow makes me glad I have the 40 hp. You will love it.
Only one downside: price. Buy once, cry once. You'll never regret it. But if you're cash constrained, pushing down to lower HP wouldn't probably impact all that much - LX3520 would probably be fine.
A different point. I see you're getting a box blade for driveway. I got one for my MX, and I'm disappointed. It doesn't surface gravel like I see people doing with a land plane on the internet. I'm wondering if I should have got a land plane instead. I don't think it's a talent issue (although I know box blades take a bit of getting used to). I think it functionally doesn't pull the gravel to the surface the same way a land plane does.
More info on this would be great because I have no clue about the Box Scraper. My drive slopes so all the water from snow melt and rain do a number on the bottom of the drive. I figured why pay someone to fix it when I am buying a tractor. Is the Box Scraper the tool I need to level out the driveway or should I be looking at something different? The deal is not yet so I can still change the order. I also would like to scrap up the melting slush during the melt downs of the snow.
For my LX4020 I have a LandPride GS1560, which LandPride calls a grading scraper and others call a land plane. I have no experience with a box scraper. After seeing many U-Tube videos of both types of implements being used on driveways I chose the land plane for use on my driveway and I'm pleased with its performance.
Like many here I have a box blade, rear hydraulic blade and land leveler (grading scraper/land plane). Without a doubt the least versatile of the three is the land leveler but it's the best tool for maintaining a gravel driveway (that I've used). Sure, a box blade can be used but they're designed to move material from A to B rather than lift material, mix it up and redistribute it evenly from A to B. I have an hydraulic 3-way blade which will soon be a 4-way blade, and it would be my second choice for maintaining a gravel driveway based on what I have. A rake (which I've never owned) should also be in the mix I suppose.
Whatever we end up with, we're trying to achieve what a road grader does but with some significant disadvantages. So here's my take. If you have an established gravel driveway, a land leveler/grading scraper/land plane perhaps in combination with a rake would be the way to maintain that driveway. If you have lots of material to move around then a box blade or rear blade is better, and if that material needs to move left to right or right to left in relation to the driveway then a rear angle blade is best.
Many of us could use four implements but we typically try to get by with one and often we want to do other things with the implement so we have to compromise. Take a rear angle blade for example. It can move snow, dirt or gravel and cut (pull) material away from a wall, bank etc. If I had to sell two of the three that I have it'd be the land leveler and box blade simply because I can do things with the rear hydraulic angle blade so easily and efficiently that I could never do with the other two.
Runs With Scissors
Well-known member
Equipment
L2501 TLB , Grappel, Brush Hog, Box Blade, Ballast box, Forks, Tiller, PH digger
I also have a Box Blade.
Although I kinda wish I had known about “land planes” before I bought the BB.
I’m torn…..Part of me wants a Land Plane, and part of me is OK with the BB.
From what I gather, the LP has a smaller learning curve, but it appears to be a “one trick pony” ….But it does that trick VERY well……
Damned if you do, and damned of you don’t.
Although I kinda wish I had known about “land planes” before I bought the BB.
I’m torn…..Part of me wants a Land Plane, and part of me is OK with the BB.
From what I gather, the LP has a smaller learning curve, but it appears to be a “one trick pony” ….But it does that trick VERY well……
Damned if you do, and damned of you don’t.
A rear hydraulic connection or two can make a lot of difference!
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Welcome to the tractor world!
I have a land plane and rear blade, if I was to add another it would be a York Rake, long before a box blade, for my place ...
Here is my land plane in video action Land plane working!
It's kinda hard to see, but once the blades are full, it carries quite a good load of gravel, I just stopped at the end of my run, and lifted the land plane, then pulled ahead a little . . . I usually will then turn around and back over this pile, and start pulling it the opposite way
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I use my rear blade to pull the migrants back to the driveway!
Rear gauge wheels and hydraulics would make mine easier to use!
I’m also in the snow belt in northern Michigan, you will love having a snowblower, and I’m jealous of the cab!
Box blades are a jack of all trades. Maintaining a driveway with a box blade is doable, but it takes a bit more time and skill then a land plane depending on how OCD you are about the finish. As I understand it a land plane you just drive over and it works, while with a box blade I am making tiny adjustments to elevation and angle to get a decent finish. I did not know about land planes when I got my tractor and wish I would have gotten one instead of the box blade.
it sounds like (if you are willing to spend the money) you would be best served with a land plane and rear blade. The rare blade can do all sorts of dirt work and is good for cleaning up snow as well. You can find rare blades used pretty easily as they have been around for a very long time.
Box blades are a jack of all trades. Maintaining a driveway with a box blade is doable, but it takes a bit more time and skill then a land plane depending on how OCD you are about the finish. As I understand it a land plane you just drive over and it works, while with a box blade I am making tiny adjustments to elevation and angle to get a decent finish. I did not know about land planes when I got my tractor and wish I would have gotten one instead of the box blade.
it sounds like (if you are willing to spend the money) you would be best served with a land plane and rear blade. The rare blade can do all sorts of dirt work and is good for cleaning up snow as well. You can find rare blades used pretty easily as they have been around for a very long time.