I think I need a bigger snowplow...

[Will]

I strapped two bags of tubesand (60# each) onto the fenders of the tractor and it still woln't plow, just gets a few feet and starts spinning....

Where I took that picture I had cleared a couple times... the parts I haven't cleared yet it's up above my knees....

I told you that thing wouldn't plow very much snow back in the tire chain thread.

I filled my tires with windshield washer fluid. You need >>this<<. Your tires are the small lawn tractor size I believe. On the garden tractor 23"x10.5" you can get 6 gallons in each tire and the iron wheel weights are 50# or the plastic ones are 40#. You should be able to get 3-4 gallons in yours--the extra 30# per side right on the ground helps. I assume you have wheel weights too?

One of my problems was the snow pushing the front of the tractor around. That's really aggravating. And then the blade doesn't raise up high enough to mound up much snow. Mine was a pretty heavy 16" high Craftsman dozer blade, but if you did get the snow on the sides of the driveway banks up, it would fall over the blade--not enough speed and power to blast the snow back like you can do with a truck.

I put that blade on my Bobcat M371 and it's much more suited now. My garden tractor is relagated to mowing and such now, much more appropriate for it.

 

[Frank The Tank]

well, just be thankful that it didnt snow 5 inches, rain and ice for 8 hrs, then put another 4-8 inches down on top of that, makes for some slick driving

yeah, last year.......
no power for 3 weeks.

Frank

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I told you that thing wouldn't plow very much snow back in the tire chain thread.

I filled my tires with windshield washer fluid. You need >>this<<. Your tires are the small lawn tractor size I believe. On the garden tractor 23"x10.5" you can get 6 gallons in each tire and the iron wheel weights are 50# or the plastic ones are 40#. You should be able to get 3-4 gallons in yours--the extra 30# per side right on the ground helps. I assume you have wheel weights too?

One of my problems was the snow pushing the front of the tractor around. That's really aggravating. And then the blade doesn't raise up high enough to mound up much snow. Mine was a pretty heavy 16" high Craftsman dozer blade, but if you did get the snow on the sides of the driveway banks up, it would fall over the blade--not enough speed and power to blast the snow back like you can do with a truck.

I put that blade on my Bobcat M371 and it's much more suited now. My garden tractor is relagated to mowing and such now, much more appropriate for it.

Yep, I never expected it to plow this much snow anyway. Which is why I made an effort partway through the snowstorm to clear the driveway, but that proved to be an exercise in futility. Once I got a main path clawed through I was able to chip at the edges and start to push it out, but it was just taking too long and snowing too hard to keep up with that lil thing.

I have 22x10.50 tires on it, I've toyed with the idea of trying to get some AG type tread tires for on it but not sure how well that would help things. Both tires have ok turf tread on 'em but both slowly leak air. Haven't really had much of a problem with the snow pushing the front of the tractor around, but even with chains I have a traction problem. I don't have any wheel weights (the guy we got the plow from had a set of plastic ones and wanted $150 for them - used and beat up and missing the bolts), so we didn't bother. I did strap a pair of tubesand bags on the fenders though, lol. Bit redneckish I suppose....

I did think about filling the tires with calcium like a big tractor but wasn't sure how effective that would be.

Our skid steer needed the glow plugs fixed, the seat replaced, and the fuel pump replaced. Our neighbor that is a mechanic was going to fix it but hasn't got it completed yet, we could have really used that thing. With 2' of snow, that's about the only thing that seems to be effective at clearing driveways, I took a lil tour of the neighborhood this morning and almost all of the driveways have tracks from equipment in 'em, lol

 

[feellnfroggy]

Do you have water in the tractor tires? NVM shoulda read the whole post huh?

 

[Frank The Tank]

Calcium can cause a world of corrosion........ alcohol base is the new standard.

Frank

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Calcium can cause a world of corrosion........ alcohol base is the new standard.

Frank

Yeah, that crap is nasty stuff.

How big of a blade do you have? With chains and 500# of fluid in my rear tires, 300#'s of cast iron right above my front wheels and my 6' rear blade was steering my tractor with the last heavy 12" snow we had, there was times I was dragging a rear tire with the differential brakes and was more or less going straight.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Do you have water in the tractor tires? NVM shoulda read the whole post huh?

lol, might be helpful...

Calcium can cause a world of corrosion........ alcohol base is the new standard.

Frank

Hmm... I only thought of calcium because I have a whole skid of bags sitting here, lol. But I hate corrosion so I guess I might have to look into alcohol base. Thanks for the heads up.

Yeah, that crap is nasty stuff.

How big of a blade do you have? With chains and 500# of fluid in my rear tires, 300#'s of cast iron right above my front wheels and my 6' rear blade was steering my tractor with the last heavy 12" snow we had, there was times I was dragging a rear tire with the differential brakes and was more or less going straight.

48" I think... how big of a tractor did you think I had?

 

[Frank The Tank]

Yeah, big drums of methanol....... you should be able to get a shot of it at any big tire shop, they deflate the tube (on the rim) and fill it about 50% up with the valve stem to top..... you'd want about %80percent mixture.

That's a lawnmower......... you guys are killing me with this whole calling lawnmowers tracors thing!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj-kIvJKIQo this is our smallest crappiest tractor that we actually work......... I took this video.

But as cheap as "lawn-mower" rims are.......... this is what I would do. Our local garage has a huge contract with the coal-mines, they fill tires solid with rubber for the mine cars, and light trucks....... I would get a set of junker rims and tires at a yard-sale or something and fill them suckers up, and run them in the winter.

just a thought.

Frank

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

48" I think... how big of a tractor did you think I had?

I knew it was a smaller one, just giving you a referance that my tractor weighing over 5,000 pounds was being steered by a 72" blade... which is only 2' wider than yours and I have more extra weight on it than your tractor weighs. There were times I had to cheat with my brakes to hold it straight and steer. Chains made a big difference for me though, now it only reliably does it when I am moving the windrow along the edge of the driveway.

BTW, you can see the tell tale sign of calcium cloride on the rear rim, that rim looked brand new 4 years ago. I need to strip it, repaint it, and retube it this summer, still undecided if I want to try some other kind of fluid or start hanging wheel weights.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Yeah, big drums of methanol....... you should be able to get a shot of it at any big tire shop, they deflate the tube (on the rim) and fill it about 50% up with the valve stem to top..... you'd want about %80percent mixture.

That's a lawnmower......... you guys are killing me with this whole calling lawnmowers tracors thing!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj-kIvJKIQo this is our smallest crappiest tractor that we actually work......... I took this video.

But as cheap as "lawn-mower" rims are.......... this is what I would do. Our local garage has a huge contract with the coal-mines, they fill tires solid with rubber for the mine cars, and light trucks....... I would get a set of junker rims and tires at a yard-sale or something and fill them suckers up, and run them in the winter.

just a thought.

Frank

It is classes as a lawn tractor... thus why I call it a tractor. A lawnmower is the lil thing you push around the yard, lol.

I wonder if liquid filled or rubber filled would be better... liquid might give a better ride in cold temps.

I never tubed these tires yet, I have a pair of tubes just never got around to puttin 'em on.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I wonder if liquid filled or rubber filled would be better... liquid might give a better ride in cold temps.

Rubber would NEVER leak though, I have heard of people doing that for their skid loaders. I think they do it more for that reason than for more weight though.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Rubber would NEVER leak though, I have heard of people doing that for their skid loaders. I think they do it more for that reason than for more weight though.

Yep, I've run skid steers with solid rubber tires... over the wrong terrain and it can feel like a midget is punching you in the kidneys with every bump you hit.

 

[TheTopher]

That sounds like a very unique experience... I want to try it. Which is easier to find, a midget or solid tire slid steer?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

That sounds like a very unique experience... I want to try it. Which is easier to find, a midget or solid tire slid steer?

The skid steer...

The ones that have flat-free rubber tires with the air holes through each tread chunk are slightly easier and new skid steers that have the floating seats take the punishment out of it too. But solid rubber tires on a machine with the axles welded to the frame... not fun.

 

[Frank The Tank]

Solid rubber tires on a skid-steer eat up chains.......

We went to air tires only, with tracks........ much better!!!! (we also unhooked the front drive chain to keep it from binding, runs like a dream now!!!!)

you can actually work a skid-steer with tracks.

Frank