Snow Blower versus Plow on Lawn Tractor/Mower

[NFATrustGuy]

I recently moved from a pretty normal neighborhood house to a more rural situation in unincorporated Adams County. The new place has a bunch of concrete including a 50' x 70' slab near an outbuilding and a pretty large driveway... somewhere around 2500 square feet.

I really like my 28" Honda 2-stage snowblower, but I'm wondering if I would rather have a plow for either my John Deere D140 lawn tractor or my Walker C19 zero turn mower. My first choice would be the blade setup for the Walker zero turn because it's very maneuverable and I'd eventually like to sell the John Deere just because I don't want to store 2 mowers.

Is anyone running a plow setup on a Walker or a little lawn tractor? How well do these smaller plows work? I like my snowblower, but even with today's relatively light snow, I found myself throwing the same snow more than once because my concrete areas are so big.

Thanks in advance,

Rod

[00tec]

Perfect solution

https://denver.craigslist.org/grd/d/morrison-26-horsepower-john-deere/7008743085.html

Otherwise, most of us out this way just wait for it to melt...

[DFBrews]

Plowing snow is very hard on lawn mower transmissions especially the newer ones unless the unit is built for it

[ray1970]

If I had a big enough place I?d invest in a small tractor with a front end loader for moving snow. If I couldn?t justify the tractor for anything other than snow removal I?d probably just stick a blade on one of the atvs.

[Bailey Guns]

Front loaders suck at snow removal. They work, eventually, but they're very inefficient. Either of your options would work better than a loader bucket. Even a rear blade on a tractor is far superior than a bucket up front.

[Bailey Guns]

Plowing snow is very hard on lawn mower transmissions especially the newer ones unless the unit is built for it

Listen to this advice. Especially the box-store type tractors like the Deere D140. They're made for cutting grass. That's it. Some of the higher end X300 series are the probably the minimum you'd need, X500 series would be better. But for that money you're well on your way to a 1023 or 1025.

[brutal]

Heavy significant snow is tough to plow with an ATV as they tend to ride up. I've watched my neighbor struggle with his for years.

Pushing backwards with a blade on a 3-point is tiring.

Old plow truck or Skid loader is the way to go. Loader at least is quick and more maneuverable than a tractor. Downside is expense.

Or perhaps a 3-stage blower as they can usually throw snow farther and are better at moving twice blown snow because they come with larger engines.

[Bailey Guns]

Pushing backwards with a blade on a 3-point is tiring.

I just pull it for that very reason.

[ChickNorris]

I'm about done with my old truck & plow. Just don't have a need for it anymore.

In my experience for a larger pad/driveway, you'll often end up moving snow more than once with an atv & as already stated it generally becomes more difficult each time.

[ray1970]

Front loaders suck at snow removal. They work, eventually, but they're very inefficient. Either of your options would work better than a loader bucket. Even a rear blade on a tractor is far superior than a bucket up front.

When I do snow removal at work I usually use the rear blade on the tractor to move most of it but the bucket lets me pick up large amounts of snow and dump it wherever. I have pushed a fair amount of snow with the bucket and I thought it worked quite well. Once I figured out that I had to float the bucket anyways.

[buffalobo]

Front loaders suck at snow removal. They work, eventually, but they're very inefficient. Either of your options would work better than a loader bucket. Even a rear blade on a tractor is far superior than a bucket up front.

^^^Pretty much this unless clearing blind alleys and corrals, have to pile snow or have a BIG loader. Open areas or roads need plow/blade/blower.

Typical 4' deep, 40' wide drift across my driveway takes nearly 2 hrs with my little tractor(same size as link 00Tec posted) to dig out.

Four foot wide, front/bucket mounted, hydraulic snowblower would be the bomb(I have remote hydraulics to drive it).

[ChickNorris]

When I do snow removal at work I usually use the rear blade on the tractor to move most of it but the bucket lets me pick up large amounts of snow and dump it wherever. I have pushed a fair amount of snow with the bucket and I thought it worked quite well. Once I figured out that I had to float the bucket anyways.


Find yourself a manhole cover, material seam or . . . ?

[Irving]

Nothing worse than chipping a tooth, cracking a windshield, and inhaling hot coffee through the nose all in one event.

[buffalobo]

When I do snow removal at work I usually use the rear blade on the tractor to move most of it but the bucket lets me pick up large amounts of snow and dump it wherever. I have pushed a fair amount of snow with the bucket and I thought it worked quite well. Once I figured out that I had to float the bucket anyways.

Used JD310 on sites to push alot of snow but it is much bigger/heavier/more HP than our little farm tractors. It would clear the drift I described above in 15 minutes.

[buffalobo]

Find yourself a manhole cover, material seam or . . . ?

or tear up grade of road/ditches/landscape around site if not frozen.

[FoxtArt]

1) Tear out concrete pad
2) Make new forms it, 5.5" deep for cars, 8" deep for semi
3) Put in owens corning pink foam, 1.5" thick for normal car traffic, 2" thick for semi
4) put in pex and coil, loop it around against the bottom of where the concrete would be, zip tie to rebar, try to get 9" spacing give or take, and if it ever crosses over itself, insert a spacer where it crosses itself
5) Pex loops should be no longer than about 300 feet, if longer, put multiple loops in, all loops need to be equal length
6) Run ends of pex into home
7) Pour concrete, 4" for normal cars, 6" for semi
8) Hook into condensor boiler.

Since we're talking about plow trucks and skidsteers just for snow.... this is cheaper [mop]

And yeah, I DIY this myself once. And I don't even have east slope levels of snow.

[gnihcraes]

15 horse cub cadet lawn tractor has done 22 years of plowing for me and my neighbors. Quick and easy when it's not more than about 12 inches deep and not really wet. Have large snow blower for deep stuff if not really wet.



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[kwando]

It’s my understanding that those mowers don’t have enough weight and the tires don’t have enough traction for plowing. The people I know who use a mower uses chains or weights. I personally have a Polaris ATV with a blade. Two passes today and i was done. Still use a snow blower in the concrete slab.

I have a JD blower attachment that I will sell. I’ve never used it, so I cannot tell if it’s complete. But if you’re interested send me a PM

[gnihcraes]

It?s my understanding that those mowers don?t have enough weight and the tires don?t have enough traction for plowing. The people I know who use a mower uses chains or weights. I personally have a Polaris ATV with a blade. Two passes today and i was done. Still use a snow blower in the concrete slab.

I have a JD blower attachment that I will sell. I?ve never used it, so I cannot tell if it?s complete. But if you?re interested send me a PMChains and 70 pounds of weight on back, helps a lot. :) forgot about that.

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[BPTactical]

After 24 years of this: [Plow]

I dont give a shit anymore. 4x4, the sun will come out again.

[encorehunter]

Case 311b with a 7 foot back blade, filled tires and chains has worked pretty good so far. I used our little Kubota bx2660 this last storm with the front bucket and the back blade. It sucked last year plowing, but this year it has an extra couple hundred pounds on the back and worked great. It took about 20 minites to clear 1/4 mile of driveway. I got the Case out to do the main road.

[Great-Kazoo]

I recently moved from a pretty normal neighborhood house to a more rural situation in unincorporated Adams County. The new place has a bunch of concrete including a 50' x 70' slab near an outbuilding and a pretty large driveway... somewhere around 2500 square feet.

I really like my 28" Honda 2-stage snowblower, but I'm wondering if I would rather have a plow for either my John Deere D140 lawn tractor or my Walker C19 zero turn mower. My first choice would be the blade setup for the Walker zero turn because it's very maneuverable and I'd eventually like to sell the John Deere just because I don't want to store 2 mowers.

Is anyone running a plow setup on a Walker or a little lawn tractor? How well do these smaller plows work? I like my snowblower, but even with today's relatively light snow, I found myself throwing the same snow more than once because my concrete areas are so big.

Thanks in advance,

Rod

light's the key word. I had a 48" plow on an older craftsman 22ish hp mower. Once you get wet heavy snow you'll work the unit. There was no issue moving up to 4" 6 became some work. Wet heavy and the neighbor with his commercial snow blower and plow did it for us. Forget the walker, unless you want to walk back from who knows where on the property, eventually. it will be easier putting chains and weights on the 140. But, owning one of them, i wouldn't count on it working for more than 3-4 times of decent snow.


2500 sq. ft and rural property? get a decent sized workhorse. This way it works year round, not just for snow.

Buy once, cry once.

[encorehunter]

Our little bx2660 is a subcompact that can have a belly mower or a brush hog on the 3 point. Yes, the up front cost is high, but it does a ton of work around the homestead. I have forks for the bucket and use it to move hay, branches, logs for the sawmill, maintaining the road, garden work and cleaning stalls. There is a used one on Pueblo Clist for around $14k with mower. They last thousands of hours with proper maintainence and all kind of fun gadgets to attach to them

[asystejs]

Snowblower attachment for a Skid Steer

https://www.quickattach.com/p-35934-quick-snow-away.html

[NFATrustGuy]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I feel like I'm in between a normal household lot and a real rural lot size. I've got more concrete than normal at around 6000-7000' of concrete area, but I don't have all the needs of a big rural lot because I'm just under 2 acres.

I'll probably use some combination of BPTactical's suggestion of waiting until it melts and my existing Honda 28" 2-stage snowblower. In reality, snow tends to melt pretty quickly around here. The only thing I'll really need to clear is the driveway and even that isn't truly a necessity because it's flat and I drive an SUV in the winter.

The big 3500' of concrete by the outbuilding can just take its time melting. It faces west and has a pretty unobstructed view of the afternoon sun so it'll melt fairly quickly anyway.

I'll probably just tough it out this winter and see what tractor weaponry I end up acquiring before next winter season. I was really hoping someone would just tell me that the Walker mowers are fantastic with a plow blade and I'd end up buying that attachment. Oh well. I'd rather know before I spend $$ on the Walker blade.

Thanks again!

[Bailey Guns]

Something to consider if you feel not plowing is an option.

Many deliveries can't be made if you don't plow...propane, UPS, etc...

Emergency vehicles may have a hard time getting to your home.

I can tell you, if people don't make an effort to plow their driveway, I don't make an effort to get propane to them. I DO NOT put on chains just because someone chooses not to plow. It's one thing if someone leaves in the morning for work and it snows afterwards. But for the people who think driving up and down their drive with their SUV or Subaru = plowing...I hope you have a backup plan for heat if you run out of propane.

[Gman]

In the same vein as BG mentioned above, I'd also be concerned about liability if someone did try to make a delivery, etc. and fell and hurt themselves on my property due to inadequate snow removal.

[Irving]

In the same vein as BG mentioned above, I'd also be concerned about liability if someone did try to make a delivery, etc. and fell and hurt themselves on my property due to inadequate snow removal.

People talk about that as a scare tactic for lawsuits, but the chances of something like that coming to fruition are pretty minimal.

By the way, in Colorado, there has never, in the history of Colorado been a successful lawsuit about someone slipping on the sidewalk in front of your house, because it's not your responsibility. The city says you have to shovel it, and can fine you if you don't, but the liability of it does not exist as the homeowner.

[gnihcraes]

Only wish I'd bought a model or two bigger with some hydraulic options.

Cleared about 300ft of driveway in 20 minutes.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191030/bd847a64402c3c3193ce2cfd12814ac2.jpg

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[Gman]

People talk about that as a scare tactic for lawsuits, but the chances of something like that coming to fruition are pretty minimal.

By the way, in Colorado, there has never, in the history of Colorado been a successful lawsuit about someone slipping on the sidewalk in front of your house, because it's not your responsibility. The city says you have to shovel it, and can fine you if you don't, but the liability of it does not exist as the homeowner.

I was speaking of my property (aka driveway and steps to the front door), not an easement or sidewalk.


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[Irving]

I was speaking of my property (aka driveway and steps to the front door), not an easement or sidewalk.


I know you were, but I've been trying to squeeze that into a convo here for years. Regardless, I still think chances are slim for a big lawsuit; not that any lawsuit would be good.

[stodg73]

They both have their place. Using a snowblower for deep stuff, plow for fair to decent depths.

They both work better than using the old standby, the snow shovel...

[encorehunter]

If you have a 4x4 truck or suv, they have some lightweight snowplows that go into a 2" receiver that mount on the front. New, they can run around $1200, i have found several used in the $500 range.