Plow with SUV or Tractor Snow Blower?

[Kingdom Commoner]

I just bought a new Kubota L3400 w/ bucket w/ forks. Also bought a FARMI 351P winch. We have a Classic Outside boiler (5036) and have our own woods to supply our needs.

My question deals with snow blowing. I live in the northeast section of Vermont where winters are long and snows aplenty. At present I have a 1996 Nissan Pathfinder with a Meyer TM-6.5 plow to clear my 1000' driveway. This vehicle also serves as a second vehicle. It does a great job but eventually it will rust away and then I will need to replace it. I have been toying with the idea of selling the Pathfinder w/ plow (since it is in great shape) and buying a PRONOVOST PUMA-64 snow blower which will have a much longer life. The local dealer sells the PUMA-64 for $1950. What I would do is buy a second vehicle that is smaller and much better on gas mileage and get the new tractor to “earn” its keep. I don't know much about snow blowing with a tractor. Should I just stay with my present situation or get the for sale sign ready? Any suggestions, comments, ideas? I am new to this forum so please bear with me if I break any protocols.

Thanks

 

[bczoom]

Welcome to the forum!!!!

I am new to this forum so please bear with me if I break any protocols.

Don't worry, we don't have many rules.

A couple thoughts come to mind.
It appears that snowblower attaches off the 3-point hitch. If so, just be aware you'll always be driving backwards. It can/does get a bit tiring on the body being twisted for long durations. Even more difficult when loaded with winter clothing. The loader mounted blowers alleviate the issue but cost a bit more.

For supplying the wood stove, is the wood right next to the boiler or do you need to trailer it? I'm just wondering if you need the tractor to get wood to the boiler. I'm assuming the winch isn't used much in the winter but if you need to connect a trailer it can be a bugger taking the blower off to haul wood then put it back on several times per winter.

If your area is prone to drifting due to wind, you'll find the blower will work much better than a plow since it can dispurse the snow. The blower also won't create the big piles that are probably generated with the plow.

 

[MadReferee]

I have a Puma 64" on my "little" B2710. My drive is only 250' long (two lanes) and I have a 75' x 75' parking area. I was paying $400-$500 to have my drive plowed each year. That came with the associated problems of piling up snow that eventually blocked my parking area. With the blower I can move the snow from my entire area in about 30 mins not counting time to move vehicles around.

I figured my initial "payback" period was about 5 years. Based on how many itmes I have used the blower vs times I would have had to plow, my payback will actually be 4 years and ends early this winter.

I also think, at least for me, the BS about moving backwards is a load of crap. I sit sideways and have no problems and neither will most people.

I could still sell the Puma for about $1500 today. Based on everything the blower purchase was the right move, both financially and convenience wise.

 

[DaveNay]

Last winter we got snowed in due to blowing and drifting snow. I was plowing with the FEL and a rear blade on my JD855. The large manmade drifts (about 2' tall) on either side of the drive created a canyon down the drive that was filled in with snow once it started blowing. I paid almost $300 to have someone come plow out the drive three times in two days. The last time, he broke the CV joint on his truck, and couldn't finish the job. On the recommendation of FF member Bob Skurka, I bought a Buhler Farm King 600 3PH snowblower. It was a couple hundred less than the one you are looking at, but probably about the same spec wise. As bczoom pointed out, the ability to blow the snow away from the drive helps to prevent drifting. This is especially important on a driveway like mine which is 1800' of completely exposed Illinois flat land, surrounded by thousands of acres of open corn fields.

 

[Melensdad]

As Dave pointed out, he has a Buhler Farm King blower. His and mine are identical (except I paid less ). My favorite thing to do with a tractor is use the snow blower. It is a cold job and snow gets all over your, but I enjoy it so I would not have it any other way. My drive is very short, but I also use my blower to get a couple other neighbors drives cleared out when we have big snow falls.



You could easily go with a larger snow blower on the L3400 if you wanted to get one. 72" would not be any strain on your tractor.

The upside to using a blower is that you can usually wait for the snow to stop before you go out and clear it off the driveway. A blower will easily cut through a 15" snowfall without any problems. When using a blade, be it on a truck or on a tractor, it is often best to do the job in smaller bites, the net time to do it several times is going to be longer than just one pass with the blower on the tractor. Of course you will be in a heated truck cab and far more comfortable than on the exposed tractor.

The nicest part of having a blower is that you don't end up with mounds of snow that have to be constantly pushed back each time there is another heavy snowfall. The blower can typically move the snow about 30' off the side of the drive.

 

[Kingdom Commoner]

Thanks for the quick response. Supplying the wood boiler will be pretty much, bucket pick-up and drop or simple dolly runs from the log length pile next to the wood shed. The winch will be used for the most part during the summer and fall months. With my present 6.5 foot plow, it takes me about 20-30 mins. to clear my 1000' drive and 50x50 driveway. I don't mind the banks in my driveway if I don't tear up the lawn too much. However, when a tough snow storm rolls in with sustain winds, plowing is tough by Feb. when the road banks have me a bit boxed in. Even though I start off the winter with as wide a swath as possible, during the heavy snow winters, I still need to get a bucket loader (from my brothers' sawmill) to clear some of the banks. An inconvenience but still not a big problem.

The decision that I have to contend with is if I do “convert” to a snow blower, will it take me just a little longer to clear the drive or a great deal of time causing me to have to get up at 4:30 am to be ready to get kids to school and my wife and I to work at 7:30. I do not mind being turned as a rear mounted blower would require. I do not mind getting out into the cold weather to load the boiler or plow/snow blow the drive. I just have to make sure that a switch to a blower is a good economical decision. Also, that it a step forward in snow removal. I do appreciate your comments about some of the benefits of snow blowing and they do address some of my problems with plowing.

One quick question to end my rambling. What about plowing with or without some cab protection?

PS - this is a great forum!

 

[Av8r3400]

One quick question to end my rambling. What about plowing with or without some cab protection?

Get yourself a snowmobiling outfit with helmet. A heated visor on the helmit will make the cab option *almost* unnecessary.

BTW: My drive is about 2300' long. I use a chevy 1/2 ton beater plow truck to keep it clear. With a little speed, you'd be surprised how much a plow disperses and throws snow. Nothing compared to a blower, but they both have their place.