Archive through November 23, 2004

[rpatton]

Steve B ,that post is a classic ,I think I better head down and get my blade on the 1650 ,I left the cab on last year but took the blade off to plow the garden . I have ags and fluid on it that I have used the last couple of years . there carlisles which I`m not real crazy about ,I have a set of power tracs on the 169 I thought of switching . maybe I`ll switch and try chains . I really think it did o.k. with the old z bar type (old snow tire tread) turfs and 2 link chains that I always used . I switched to the ags because my Dad blacktoped his part of our drive and I didn`t want to spin on it with chains .
heres my snow removal crew from last year

 

[digger]

What Bryan said!
Skinny tires are the wave of the future!!!!!!!!
Course some of us still tryin for the COOL tractor look leave the WIDE ags on gotta go with tons of weight, chains and hope for the best, grin

Truth is, I'm to damn lazy to get one of the other tractors out!

 

[chuntington]

I'm ususally a faithful lurker and sometimes poster. I've been traveling a lot lately and just signed on for the first time in almost a month. I like the new look. One question are the ads archived?

 

[digger]

Just to keep this Charlie thing goin!

 

[bmcmeen]

Charlie H. -

Welcome back.

No, they're not. Just like your local paper, which gives you a set time period for your ad to appear, ours roll off after a time, never to be seen again.

Charlie -

Sorry to ruin the series...

Guess that's why I opted for "middle-of-the-road" 8.5 ags on the 169. Not too wide, not too narrow, just right?

 

[wcompton]

Steve-
Plain 6-12 Titan ags for me will still "do it" on ice, I absolutely love them in the winter. They look funny on a wide frame tractor, but so far I've never been stuck. On a 169 I don't have much of a problem at all, given I might have more "operator ballast" than some, and in my area we don't get ice like you guys might. PLUS, with the narrow stance I can fit the 169 in through the doorway from the garage to the shop so I can still get the pickup in the garage (have to drop the 54" blade at the back of the garage though).

Since I'm thinking of it; I can't remember which tires they were, maybe the BF Goodrich Silvertowns, but some turf tire I've seen out there (likely no longer in prodution) had holes for ice studs. Anyone tried that route?

 

[krandall]

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE....
S.B.
I never had chains on the 782 for plowing snow..Only because I was'nt smart enough to install them right and after about 20feet the chain would be hangin off to one side...
THE WORST DAY PLOWIN SNOW STILL BEATS GOIN SHOPPIN DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING !!!!!!!

 

[bmcmeen]

Kurt R. -

Amen, brother!

I'm thankful for the local grocery store having things on sale today so I DON'T have the fight WalMart tomorrow

Tedd -

FYI, tomorrow is a go!

 

[pbrouillette]

Hey everyone, just thought I would post an in progress pic. I am currently working on the engine and all the white parts. Happy Thanksgiving! Later, Paul

 

[till]

I have to say that Spot never got stuck with her 6X12 ag's filled and with two sets of weights on.

I'm going to set up Stinky the same way. BTW is there a preferred wattage for the magnetic heater for the hydro?? I plan on picking one up this weekend for Stinky.

Bryan, how'd you know I would be reading this morrning???

Lots of branches down here. ComEd spent a lot of quality time out this way lastnight. Nothing like watching the sparks and flames from the safety of your living room.

 

[bmcmeen]

Tedd -

Lucky guess?

Where are you keeping Stinky? Shed? Garage?? Haven't needed a heater in the garage, but I'd imagine it wouldn't be a bad idea if you're keeping it in the shed.

While you're at it, pickup a trickle charger...

 

[babrams]

All this talk of blowin snow takes me back to 1969.
When we had a 125? 12hp hydro anyway. The only he-man way to blow snow is without a cab! Ah the feeling when you blow that powder with a head wind comin at ya! ice cream headache yee hah!.

As for traction in the snow....skinny tires = more psi on the ground. And when we first got our tractor in 1969, we took the tires/wheels off and went to the Firestone store. There they broke the bead off of one side and shoveled in 100lbs or more of POWDERED LEAD. It was like pink flour.
No masks on the shoveler of course. And everytime you checked air pressure in the future, you got a puff of lead dust in your face. I bet you can't get that stuff any more thats to the EPA.
Ah the memories.

 

[till]

Stinky will be out side this winter.

Plans for in the shed next winter.

I'll look into the charger too. I remember the install you have on the 1450. I think that will work real nice too. It's on your page right??

 

[dkamp]

I've run studs on my snowplow beasts... they don't have the go-for-broke bite of good tire chains, but they don't fling off and get wrapped around the axle, either... they're okay for highway speeds (a serious concern for cubs!)

 

[digger]

Tedd,
Back before my days of the heated Cub garage, I used this, 200 Watts, bt they do make a 300 if ya feel the need and it's gonna be settin outside. Just my 3 cents.

 

[tmanley]

We missed the snow/ice show here. But I need to get something together for the big one. Still a little nervous about using the snowthrower on a gravel driveway, maybe I will just put on the blade this year. But I agree - I will switch the tires off the 73 with the loader to the 105, they are 8.50 turfs, filled, with chains.

 

[wheinsohn]

I agree, narrower is better in snow and ice. I ran my 106 with the 8,5's and chains 2 years ago with a 48" blade and had very little trouble moving even the largest piles of snow. Last year I went with 10.5's thinking it would get more bite. Boy was I wrong. I would spin out before even working the engine. Unfortunately, I gave my smaller chains to my brother and being unemployed as of last month, I will have to run the wider tires again this year but I put an additional 60# in each rear wheel. I will see what does better this year, the 106 with 10.5 turfs, 270# of weight, and chains, or the 149 with 10.5 ags, 180# and fluid, and chains. I tried running the 1650 with QA42A snowthrower and ags last year without chains. It was OK going forward but I had trouble backing up. I put the chains on and I could go anywhere. Of course my yard is gravel which does help a little when running without chains.

 

[wheinsohn]

Torin, I use both snowthrower and blade on my gravel drive. Anything over 3" I use the snowthrower first. I have it set about 3/4" off ground to prevent picking up any stones and having them find any breakable items. Of course this gives me more seat time because then I go over the whole drive with the blade to get it down to the gravel.

 

[rpatton]

Wyatt I have a set of 10.50 Z style tread with the studs in them ,they were on a 149 parts tractor I picked up this summer . I should try them and see how they work .
I think I may try chains on the titans also.

The neighbor had some logging done in the woods next to our farm and they gave us permision to cut the tops for firewood so my Dad ,sons and I went out at 9:00 this morning to get a couple dump truck loads ,by 10:00 we couldn`t hardly see from the snow ,not sticking yet but the temp is dropping.

 

[sblunier]

Just for clarification.....

My 240# butt, plus fluid filled Firestone 8.50's and 150# of weight and my 149 was a pig last night.......chain it up and watch out. I know about "narrow is better", but CHAINS are KING!!!!!