Transform your Compact Tractor into a Snow Plowing Machine
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- Опубликовано: 7 янв 2024
- In this video we set up our Kubota L2501 Compact Tractor for optimal snow plowing. Plowing snow with a compact tractor can be a real chore if attempted with the wrong equipment but with trial and error, we've found our best solution for plowing snow with a compact tractor.
We discuss tire chains and if they're a good fit for your compact tractor. The specific tire chains we purchased can be found at this Amazon Affiliate link: amzn.to/3Qmmigq
Rear Tire Chains for a Compact Tractor are indescribably beneficial.
The snow plow we use on our compact tractor was purchased from Everything Attachments and is a 72" WD Long Hydraulic Angle Plow. We couldn't recommend this tool enough if you rely on your tractor to plow snow regularly.
I've got the same tractor with R14 tires. They are unbelievable in the snow! You'll never need chains again with R14's on.
Thanks for sharing! It's not so much the snow that gets me, it's the ice/slush. When I wear out these R4s I'll look into the R14s or whatever else is trending at the time 😅
@@Academy_Farm, definitely check them out. I couldn't believe the difference. R4's are the worst on snow and ice! I couldn't even get up my own driveway with them.
Where do you buy a blade like that ???
@@georgedavidson1221 I got this one from EverythingAttachments.com
You’re speaking the truth. My neighbor has r4s on his compact and I have r14s on mine. 18 inches of snow on slope I was moving snow no problem in 4x4, he couldn’t move.
Great video! I have basically the exact same setup on my L3901, used it for 3 years, Works great! Thanks for the down to earth videos that an average person can use.
Awesome! I figured I didn't discover some great secret but it sure works slick. Thanks!
If you put the chains on the top of the tires then drive over them then hook them. You are correct in the fact you need chains for any deep snow. Nothing is a substitute for weight. In our logging country, they leave chains on year around cause they are cheaper than tires. Your chain type are a very good choice.
Thanks for the perspective! I try only put the chains on once per year; might give it a whirl without the jack next year...
OK Arron, you were well prepared fer that "Snow Delivery". You had some "Good pointers", I liked them ALL, except your choice of "fuel conditioner-deicer" ( l us Howes or Power-Shot). I first used the same "stuff" you are using, but with "Feable results". Your "Chain-drive" Suggestion IS "Spot On". ( most people don't know that the "front wheel-Asist" is NOT "True 4W.D." & is an Overdriven by 5-10%)....this keeps the front wheels pulling the Tractor straight & allows for the outer-radious turning compensations; to "some-degree ". ( front chains are for EXTREAME Traction difficulties Only).The Rear Drive System IS 4 times Stonger( than the front drive system) & This is WHERE you want the WEIGHT-TRACTION-COMPONENT to be AT.! My "Wimpy" 1988 2010 2 WD M.F. 21hp turf-tire tractor with a 6 foot plow-dozer blade is TRANFORMED to D-9 Dozer with the Application of TIRE CHAINS. Your "Weight Box" is "Spot-on" also & quite "variable"( have a "home-made" Cadillac version fer my rigs). I Do Have some "State-of-the-Art " Skid-shoes that Do "Miraculous-Things"....had the Pieces made at a "Machine-Fab Shop" ( kind of top-secret)- not really! They are Longer on one side of the piviot-swivel & can go under the blade or trail behind. When "Under the blade" they keep the blade up 5/8" for gravel drive suspended use, the Can be "flipped around& down all the way " in 2 seconds . Just wish l had a 6-7' offset grader-blade instead of my "measly 5 footer" that is WAY Too small for my "Bigger-Rigs" ,but OK fer the aforementioned "little-rig". You Sir; are "Right on Track" & keep up with these Excelent-informative Vidios. Best wishes with all your endeavours.
Thank you, Sir! I'll re-evaluate my additive choice after some research. This bottle's almost gone anyhow. Take care!
I don't get snow where I live but just wondering how well that plow could push the silt out of my livestock ponds
@musicgroopie1 I believe these are marketed for dirt work as they're manufactured "down south". No personal experience in the dirt but the cylinders are very robust.
You made it look so easy. I have the L3902 with R14 plus chains front and rear...without them I would not be moving anything but I am also on about 2"-3" of ice right now with more snow coming. Wish me luck!
Good luck! It sounds like you've got a pretty ideal setup for the conditions!
We have an L 47 and a back blade for our ¾ mile driveway. 500 feet of elevation gain and several tight steep switchbacks so chains are a must! We went with the diamond pattern Trygg chains.
Sounds like you might have quite the view from up there! Thanks for sharing!
Hey, an old farmer taught me this, lay out the chains then place a small piece 4x4 block of wood, say 4-5 inches. Then drive on them and chain will be loose. Easier than jacking it tractor. I do this exact set up, and yes yiu need chains. With a blade you can move snowceaier.
I bet that'd work just fine! Thanks!
Great info, keep up the great work. All info is great!!!
Thank you! I sure plan to.
Great idea on the spacers, it also moves your center of gravity farther out on each side as well, that really helps stability. The tensioners, really it help to keep the chains centered if you spin tires. I too have a long, twisting and hilly gravel driveway. I started with no front chains but with rear chains it pushed the plow sideways a bunch. Got front chains, no more slip and been running them for 4 years now. I put fluorescent poles on each plow edge, really helps know where the plow is in heavy snow.
I sure appreciate the extra stability. Sounds like you've got a bulletproof setup. It's nice to not have to worry about big snow and ice storms. 👍🏼
Also broke down and got a HURD 3 point salt/sander. That works very well when ice is a problem.@@Academy_Farm
You forgot to mention the free float use on your tractor. It will really help when plowing your driveway.
Good point! I figured that was a standard feature of tractor loader hydraulics! Float is great!
Im running a blade on the back and keep my bucket on the front, works awesome. Considered a front plow or snow pusher up front but the rear blade works great
That's great! That is probably the most cost-effective way to clear snow efficiently for sure.
I prefer the rear blade with front bucket set up. First, I can bucket off and pile snow, and second, there's far less stress on the loader arms if the blade hits an obstruction.
Great video. I have a similar setup on my L2501. Loaded R14 tires but no chains or spacers. I have a 550ft flat gravel driveway with open spaces. Cheap Titan ballast box with approx 400lbs. And the magic lies with a 7 1/2ft truck plow fabricated to a ssqa blank plate. I used pieces of the truck frame so the plow hooks up with the pins. This allows the plow to float as it is designed and therefore less wear and tear on the loader.
That sounds magical, indeed. This plow wasn't cheap, $3,600 +/-. I think that scares a lot of folks away. I don't have the skills to re-fab + re-purpose a truck plow...
@@Academy_Farm Oh my dad has the skills and helped me out. In any case your set up is a perfect
Great content, very helpful.
Glad to hear it! Thanks!
I always had rear wheel weights along with rim guard in the rears, never needed chains, not saying they're not needed, it just depends on your conditions and preference. Also, with front loaders, you want rear weight regardless, that loader adds a lot of weight on the front axle and takes away from the rear more than what people believe they do. Great video, cheers :)
Good point! My rear tires are filled too and I can still tell how "light" the rear end is just traveling about. Thanks!
In my area ( SE PA ) the dealers always install rear wheel weights on the new compact tractors.
@@janking2762 Any more, most dealerships, you have to special order the wheel weights when purchasing the tractor. Dealerships will not however add any "fluid" ballast to the tires. If you are lucky, it's possible from the factory though but, extremely rare. Rim guard, or Beet juice is best option as ballast.
*whistles* that's some pricey chains! I don't slide side to side but I wish I had a bit more traction some times...gonna have to add it to the "want" list! Nice setup and great explanation. So smooth! Cheers, Alex
Whistles indeed! It was an impulse buy for me after being stuck in the ditch for 30 minutes at 10pm one night. No regrets! Thanks, Alex!
Look up chains R us. On line I brought the H type chains love yes they are expensive worth every penny. Down hill driveway gets icey
I, too, have a Kubuta, you need to spend $30 on a fuel pump that goes in the can. Runs off 2 AA batteries, Amazon. It will change your life. Great vid.
Good point! I've seen those; might put one on my Father's Day wish-list this year. Thanks!
Nice Vid, I do same with Kioti CK2610, Get a box blade for back also, Its awesome
Glad to hear it! I've got a box blade, but like this carry-all better. Can carry shovels, buckets of sand, etc. Thanks!
My experience has been that R4's are terrible in the snow I use AG tires and no problem's. My driveway has a rise to it and and is gravel. Good vid.
R4s are not great in the snow, for certain. When the weather cooperates there are stretches where the driveway is ice; so the chains come in handy then too. Thanks!
@@Academy_Farm My rear tires are also loaded so that helps. Thanks.
I have a L3130DT and added a plow on the front to be used with my bucket....I do not have a quick attach.
chains on the rear and not on the front will introduce binding in the drive train. its strongly recommend to keep the overall ratio the same I.E. what you do to the rear you should the to the front. these tractors are open diff front and rear and locked in the center.
Thanks for the insight! That's the first I'd heard that.
The chains wont last running on dry ground! Would be awesome ,especially in heavy snow.good luck!
I sure try not to... Good point though.
Had beet juice in my rear tires and kept my backhoe on only needed chains on the front tires as those R4 front tires are not good in snow and ice. Got a bigger heavier cab tractor this year no beet juice yet but I got the R14 tires first time was able to plow in 2 wd no chains up hill did need to put it 4 wd going of a 300 foot elevation. Have the same plow 84” as you seems to be heavy duty works well.
That's awesome. Sounds like the R14s have a lot of advantages. Very impressed with the plow.
@@Academy_Farm Used to plow with bucket took hours in deep snow fill the bucket backup turn go forward dump repeat first snow last week with that plow and 20 more hp tractor took 18 minutes to do 1.5 miles of dirt road and no damage to the road unlike when the bucket would sometimes dig in.
On my flat drive way I run a Kubota B2601 with a concrete filled Kubota weight box on the back. This gives me enough traction to plow a foot of snow. Without the weight of the concrete fill box it wont go anywhere.
Ahha. Great anecdote; thanks for sharing! The weight is a must!
Jd 5320 over 12OOO hrs ,ran chains front,back never had problem .If you run chains on front you will be amazed.not every one needs chains.
@dalerector8491 🫨 that's a lot of hours! Glad it's held up fine!
you know what would make it an efficient snow moving machine ? a snowblower .
I've studied those quite a bit and came to the conclusion they're not the correct solution for my scenario. No desire to backup for several miles each storm as most tractors this size don't have a mid-mount PTO.
I don’t think you mentioned it, but how far do you go when you begin pushing the snow before there might be a bog down on the tractor? Can you go the entire length of your drive or are there shorter “push off” areas which you may not have filmed? That plow looks great and if I still lived in Wisconsin I would probably have something like that - along with a cab on my tractor. We rarely get more that 2-3” at a time here and my bucket works fine for that little amount of snow. Great use of ballast with the carryall
Thanks! Most of the time I leave the loader in float mode and have no issues with a continual push for the whole half mile. When snow gets too heavy going up hill I'll lift the blade an inch off the ground to reduce strain; but no push offs most of the time. I've got a couple pull-off spots so folks can pass each if need be.
As you said ballast is Important for traction. However it’s also important to relieve some of the weight that heavier implements; like snowblowers as they can extended quite far beyond the loader pins. Nice setup you have btw. Im gonna try R14 tires this year without chains. I’d rather have turf tires as I clear snow on pavement. However my dealership ordered the hybrid. I guess this is a lucky mistake because if I’m not happy then I get the turf tires come spring. I suspect I’ll have my answers shortly as we have a large nor-easter coming. 😊
That's great! Good luck with the cleanup; hopefully the R14s are everything they're cracked up to be. Thanks!
I have r14’s and love them. Great in snow and mud. You can easily drive over hearty lawns with no damage. I would not make tight turns though. I personally would not use r14’s if I needed to finish mow my lawn with the amount of tight turns that is required.
@@andrewstarbard535 well currently I’m not doing any mowing. At worst I’ll be driving around the perimeter of my backyard to get to my small wood lot. Thanks for the info.
I have r14s on my ck2610 with a 6 foot dozer blade on the rear and it did ok until the gravel driveway iced up. Our driveway is on a hill and I had few scares almost sliding off into a ditch. I added tires chains this year and the difference is night and day. I have to much more traction and it feels much safer plowing.
@@ianreynoldsir1 night and day is the best way to describe it. Seems like literally spinning your tires trying to do this without chains. Thanks!
The only thing I think I’d add is a cab with heat!
That sounds lovely 🥶
Wish you'd shown more of the chain installation. Always fight mine twisting and they don't look as evenly spaced as yours. Looks like you have Auto-installing chains!
Ohhh I filmed it. It's just not quick, no two ways about it. It's like putting a sweater on a cat, a lot of wrestling.
My cat usually wins...
Try using cargo straps to take out slack and hold the chains while you attach the fittings.
One question, do u put the FEL on float position when u plow?
I do; when the ground is frozen and the snow isn't too deep/heavy. If the snow's real wet/heavy I need to bring it off the ground just a touch to keep traction.
Can you give us a rough idea of what the plow cost? I'm have a Deere 3046R tractor that I'm currently not using for snow removal, but a plow like yours could be just what I need.
This one was about $2600, delivered. But it's quite rugged. A dealer near me has them on clearance now from IronCraft at $1,700 for a 6' hydraulic angle plow like this.
Are you in float mode while plowing ?
Yes! Unless the snow gets too heavy/wet, float works great.
Get a blower for the back and youll really be set. Cheers
I don't want to be heading backwards all that time. If we were regularly dumped on, it'd make more sense.
Are your rear tires filled with liquid?
Yes, they sure are!
Where did you say you got the lights?
RopsLight.com
Great, small Canadian business.
На этом тракторе полный привод??
I don’t know why R4 tires are so popular on compact tractors. I’d never buy a tractor with them for all the field and woods stuff I do. R4s are bad in the snow, bad in the field, and the rims aren’t adjustable for changing the rear tread width. I feel like the only good things about them are their durability/wear resistance, performance on sand and gravel and being a little softer on turf than R1s. I guess that matters if you like a nicely manicured lawn…but if I wanted that I’d keep up with the Jones in the ‘burbs and wouldn’t need a tractor. R1s bite in snow great but are bad on ice (not much contact area and the lugs can’t engage). I hear the new R14s do better with snow/ice but I have zero experience with them. If I were buying a new tractor, they might be my tire of choice if they came on adjustable rims. Can’t understate the value of being able to adjust the tread width on a tractor for stability and the demands of the task. I think the manufacturers changed their thinking when they started selling compacts more to residential people than farm people. My 1981 Ford 1700 compact has a couple nice features you don’t see on compact tractors today that I wouldn’t want to be without.
Wrong tire choice is an expensive lesson to learn... I don't have any complaints on the R4s; I think all tires will struggle pushing on snow/ice/slush, granted some more than others. Thanks for the anecdotes!
I've been super happy with r14s in the winter when plowing. Way better than r4s I've used
How much for the rear chains? Are u floating the bucket?
This set was $750. Link in description. Yes, unless the snow is too heavy/wet, I'll leave the loader in float. If I need more traction, adding the weight to the front end helps a lot.
What rpm do you plow in?
Pretty darn high. At least PTO speed but WOT if we're moving a bunch of snow.
Great vid. Would love to be your neighbor.
It's a good piece of mind being able to dig out of just about any amount of snow!
Where are you located NH or Maine ?
We're in central NH!
@@Academy_Farm I love it up there I live in MA just over the boarded
Step 1: get a cabbed tractor
The most expensive of the steps!
Those chains are JUNK!!!!!!
Fisher price quality!!!!!
That's great! Thanks for sharing.
Seems to work well to me.
New England or northern Minnesota?
Those are the only 2 options!? I'm in New Engalnd...
😂
Not a good idea just putting chains on just the back. Screws up the transfer case if you put it in 4 wheel drive.
Thank you, Sir. I hope my transfer case isn't too damaged because of this. Do you think chains on all 4 tires is the best bet?
@@Academy_Farm if you need the traction. If not put a weight on the 3 point.
You lost me when you lifted your tractor off the ground instead of simply driving over them, putting them on then driving a bit and adjusting. 🤦♂️🤦♂️
This was the simplest way I knew to accomplish the task. Thanks for watching!
Chains are much easier to adjust with the wheels off the ground, in my experience.
@@janking2762I drive over them then use cargo straps to keep out the slack while I secure the fittings. Takes an hour to do both tires. I run a MX5800.
Way earlier putting the chains on when the tires are off the ground
I too have found chains for plowing are a huge game changer. Just one set on the back. I had them on my Honda four wheeler for years. Allows me to back up with ease if I push snow over a bank or get too far into the ditch. Sooo important to get the exact fit when you buy. I jack up my tractor or Honda but I also let air out of the tires and this makes it easier to get the chains hooked on the ends. It also allows play and ability to adjust chain tension using air.
Terrific video and appreciate your kindness to shre!