The right equipment to move snow??

[bobs]

I am moving to Vermont and purchasing a place that includes a 23 hp, diesel, FWD, Kubota with a 60" snow blower that looks like it is going to be great.

According to the current owner, the problem is that the county plows the road and leaves the bank of snow across the driveway entrance. Apparently you can clean it out, without breaking too many shear pins, if you take your time, but I am wondering if there isn't a better way.

Can I put a push blade on the back that I could use to break up and push this out of the way?

Other suggestions?

 

[Scottinvt]

Living in Vermont also ( near Killington ) the banks created are easy to snow blow through if you can get to it fairly soon after the plow. I just take a small portion and work my way slowly through it. I have a bx2350 and it works very well !!! Welcome to VT !!

 

[bobs]

Thanks for the info. I am still a little nervous just based on the comments of the current owner.

Just out of curiosity -- how much snow do you need before the county starts plowing?

 

[hodge]

Do you know what model tractor you are getting?
Lots of folks use a blade on the back- is your blower front or rear mounted? If it's rear mounted, it will be a pain switching out implements in the cold. We don't get as much snow as you do, I would imagine, but the state still plows the driveway shut, and usually when the stuff is laden with chemicals, slushy, and full of pea gravel. Once it is bermed up, it freezes like a rock overnight. So, I stay ahead of it. I keep the driveway blown or plowed as its snowing, before it accumulates a lot. I also clear the end of the driveway out to the other side of the road, so when the plow goes by my entrance, there is very little material to get pushed onto my driveway entrance. An ounce of prevention.

 

[Yoda 7030]

Hodge has the best advice so far. I live in Ski Country up in Ontario and we get quite a bit of snow. I live on a back road but it's plowed on a regular basis. Even with an M7030 I try to stay ahead of the game. I even blow down the road so by the time the plough gets to my drive ways, there is not much left for me to deal with .... In the case where I can't get ahead of the game and it's four feet deep and ten feet into the driveway, the extra HP really takes care of things..... Maybe look at a larger tractor? Used ones provide pretty good value thses days... .

 

[Eric McCarthy]

I stay so far ahead of the game I'm ususally down to asphault road long before the county trucks come threw and open up the neighborhood. I get out there with my tractor and clean streets in the hood just to keep whats left of my sanity and gets me out and gives me something to do.

You could get a blade depending on your set up and keep the driveway open or actually clear the street infront of your house so when the truck does come there wont be anything atleast the length of your property line to plow.

 

[half_full]

I'm here to read and learn. So my question, and I know we need more info from the OP.
If the blower is rear mount would a FEL not be very useful in snow removal at the end of the drive?

 

[hodge]

I'm here to read and learn. So my question, and I know we need more info from the OP.
If the blower is rear mount would a FEL not be very useful in snow removal at the end of the drive?

Yep, that's what some folks do.

 

[skeets]

Yea bob there is I will give you my push blade and take that darned old blower off your hands that way you aint gota worry about any shear pins down time and the like,,, See we are always ready to help around here

 

[Scottinvt]

Bob, they plow about 2" or more, problem being the driveway entrances get hard as a rock soon. My bx2350 with my front mount blower does a great job and chains are a must or a weight box. Good luck moving here in Vermont !!

 

[bobs]

Do you know what model tractor you are getting?
Lots of folks use a blade on the back- is your blower front or rear mounted? If it's rear mounted, it will be a pain switching out implements in the cold. We don't get as much snow as you do, I would imagine, but the state still plows the driveway shut, and usually when the stuff is laden with chemicals, slushy, and full of pea gravel. Once it is bermed up, it freezes like a rock overnight. So, I stay ahead of it. I keep the driveway blown or plowed as its snowing, before it accumulates a lot. I also clear the end of the driveway out to the other side of the road, so when the plow goes by my entrance, there is very little material to get pushed onto my driveway entrance. An ounce of prevention.

It is a 2350 with a front mounted snow blower.

 

[Kubota_Man]

Yea bob there is I will give you my push blade and take that darned old blower off your hands that way you aint gota worry about any shear pins down time and the like,,, See we are always ready to help around here

Skeets is always ready to help a friend in need

My bx2350 with my front mount blower does a great job and chains are a must or a weight box. Good luck moving here in Vermont !!

With my BX24 I usually run with my front blade or snowblower and rear blade. I have R4 tires with beat juice in the rear tires and chains are not needed. I live on a hill and travel down to help my neighbors out during the winter. But thats just me

 

[Dave_eng]

One issue to consider when one talks about breaking shear bolts is to understand which one. On a two stage blower, which most are, there would be one for the auger and another on the pto shaft. Which one is breaking?
People often fail to replace the shear bolts with the correct grade (strength) and buy a handful of the cheapest bolts which will fit.
Grade 5 in SAE or imperial bolts (3/8" for example) is a much tougher bolt than a non graded bolt. Going too high in strength, say grade 8 is a mistake and may break the blower.
Please try and provide more details to the forum.
Dave p

 

[Gundoctor]

You got some great answers here. You will have no problem if you get out there before the truck goes bye. Last year I never plow once but the year before we had 138 inches . I now have a M7040 to go with my BX2230.

Welcome to VERMONT

David Pidgeon
New Haven, Vermont

 

[bobs]

Thanks for all the comments.

I am getting a BX2350 with a front blower. I was thinking that a blade on the back would help push the hard stuff and break it up.

I will probably wait to see how it goes before I make a move to buy anything else.

 

[Kubota_Man]

I am getting a BX2350 with a front blower. I was thinking that a blade on the back would help push the hard stuff and break it up.

Sounds like a great idea to me.

 

[bobs]

One issue to consider when one talks about breaking shear bolts is to understand which one. On a two stage blower, which most are, there would be one for the auger and another on the pto shaft. Which one is breaking?
People often fail to replace the shear bolts with the correct grade (strength) and buy a handful of the cheapest bolts which will fit.
Grade 5 in SAE or imperial bolts (3/8" for example) is a much tougher bolt than a non graded bolt. Going too high in strength, say grade 8 is a mistake and may break the blower.
Please try and provide more details to the forum.
Dave p

That is good info about he bolts. The ones I am getting with the blower came from a John Deere dealer and I assumed (bad thing to do) you just asked for shear bolts.

The blower has three shear bolts -- basically one at each end of the main reel and one on the shaft that goes to the gear box that drives the reel. At least that's what my memory says.

 

[andre53]

After living on a country road for over 20 years in snow country near Buffalo, NY, my tractor mounted snowblower has always been able to bust thru the snow pile left by the plows. Note: All of our town plows are equipped with wing plows so they push alot of snow into the empty spaces created by driveways. My advice is this.

1. Always have spare shear pins on hand.
2. If possible, snowblow an unloading zone for the plow upstream of your drive before a major storm hits. i.e. cut into the snow bank 12"-18" deep by 20-25 feet long. This cut allows the wing plow to unload a significant amount of snow before your drive opening and really reduces what ends up at the end of the drive.
3. Mark the edge of the road with 3-4 reflectors on fiberglass rods for 50 feet on both sides of your drive. This really helps the plow driver find the "edge" of the road. This will also help save your mailbox! Most of our plowing gets done at around 5 am in the dark.
4. If you live close to your town garage and you really want to score points with the plow drivers, drop off a gallon of coffee and a box of donuts from Tim Hortons some morning during snow season... with a thank you note with your name & address. You will be surprised at the extra care that results.

So that's all I got. Good luck this season.

 

[hodge]

After living on a country road for over 20 years in snow country near Buffalo, NY, my tractor mounted snowblower has always been able to bust thru the snow pile left by the plows. Note: All of our town plows are equipped with wing plows so they push alot of snow into the empty spaces created by driveways. My advice is this.

1. Always have spare shear pins on hand.
2. If possible, snowblow an unloading zone for the plow upstream of your drive before a major storm hits. i.e. cut into the snow bank 12"-18" deep by 20-25 feet long. This cut allows the wing plow to unload a significant amount of snow before your drive opening and really reduces what ends up at the end of the drive.
3. Mark the edge of the road with 3-4 reflectors on fiberglass rods for 50 feet on both sides of your drive. This really helps the plow driver find the "edge" of the road. This will also help save your mailbox! Most of our plowing gets done at around 5 am in the dark.
4. If you live close to your town garage and you really want to score points with the plow drivers, drop off a gallon of coffee and a box of donuts from Tim Hortons some morning during snow season... with a thank you note with your name & address. You will be surprised at the extra care that results.

So that's all I got. Good luck this season.

That's awesome! I know that they get paid for what they do, but their jobs are long, tedious, and risky- showing some consideration for them is a great thing to do.

 

[skeets]

Hey bobs Im still waiting for you to let me know when I can pick that junk snow blower up