pfrederi 17,147 #1 Posted November 27, 2017 Looking at all the WHs set up for winter i got to wondering how much they all have to do. There is some impressive equipment out there..520s with 2 stage blowers and cabs etc. I get by with a Charger 12 on Plow duty and an Electro 16 with a short chute single stage blower. ( I have a back Blade on my DC3 Case but haven't used it much in the last few years. Hard getting on and off to re-angle the blade and having to twist around to see what you are doing, Horses are easier.) The yellow circle to the extreme right is where the horses spend their "off" season. Looked at google map and figured out the old Horses have to clear about 1,150 linear feet. Road down to the barn (larger yellow circle). Then in front of workshop and around to the basement door on the end of the house so the L107 can haul in coal and take out ash. The barn is about 35 feet lower than the house and the open fields mean your plowed path gets refilled frequently. The two horses cleared that whole thing last year after the blizzard dropped about 28". Also real men don't use cabs 12 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldredrider 2,547 #2 Posted November 27, 2017 (edited) I use a GT-14 with a 54" blade. Weights front and rear and loaded rear tires with rubber chains. My driveway is only about 125 feet long so it's a quick job. However, I usually get antsy and plow the street from my house to the main road; about 100 yds. Then, if the accumulation is good, go thru the subdivision and save the shovelers some work. Can usually pick up some good money and people will pay $40 at the drop of a hat. I get my seat time and their driveway is clear. Everybody wins! Totally rebuilt a short chute blower in '10 but never had enough snow where I needed it. Sold it yesterday. Edited November 27, 2017 by oldredrider 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FatJackDurham 318 #3 Posted November 27, 2017 I have a double driveway, about 75' long. I have my GT-14 with a 56" plow, and my 416-8 with a single stage 41" blower. Going to use the blower today, just 3 inches of snow. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jerry77 1,218 #4 Posted November 27, 2017 I have 3500 sq ft of drive that I clear and about that much again for 3 neighbors with the plow on my 516H1100. If it is like last year I won't even have to take it out of the barn...had zero snow...In 77 we had a blizzard...They even had tanks from the National Guard to service sick people at that time..Southern Indiana weather is fickle..the only thing you can count on is you can't count on it... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dclarke 4,011 #5 Posted November 27, 2017 I have a double driveway that's only about 40' long, I also usually take care of several driveways on our block and several scattered across town. You sure have a nice place there, Paul. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kurt-NEPA 755 #6 Posted November 27, 2017 (edited) I have a 250 ft double wide drive with a turn around. My 520H with a two stage and cab makes quick work of it here in NE Pennsylvania. I also have a backup 520H with a single stage and a 522xi with a double stage. Can't have enough backup. I hate working on tractor during a snow storm. Nice place you have to play in. Sounds like you are close to me. Edited November 27, 2017 by Kurt-NEPA 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elcamino/wheelhorse 9,046 #7 Posted November 27, 2017 I really hate to say this but I use the snow blade to push piles of leaves to the back of the property and to hall branches etc in the cart that I hook to the 416-8. If it snows I stay home ( being retired does have some advantage). Sometimes if we get any snow , the old snow shovel clears a 25 ft path to the mail box. Surprising how much the weather is different only two hours west in oleredrider's area of the state from me. 3 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 38,928 #8 Posted November 27, 2017 (edited) 1267 with Ed Dog 5 pos. 48" blade, all 4 tires loaded with RV Freeze, weights and reinforced chains for the limited slip transaxle: 520 with tall shoot and cab Loaded AG's. Sorry Paul but my blood thinners have gotten to the point my body temp drops like a rock in the cold wind. Need to keep the snow off my legs. My knees almost stop working! Hate gettin in and out of a cab and don't like the limited vision but what ya gonna do! And for when the state piles the snow over 4 ft. high, it's Elvis: Edited November 27, 2017 by squonk 5 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,147 #9 Posted November 27, 2017 1 hour ago, Kurt-NEPA said: I have a 250 ft double wide drive with a turn around. My 520H with a two stage and cab makes quick work of it here in NE Pennsylvania. I also have a backup 520H with a single stage and a 522xi with a double stage. Can't have enough backup. I hate working on tractor during a snow storm. Nice place you have to play in. Sounds like you are close to me. We are close 40-50 miles at most. Yes backups are super important. You use 50 year old stuff you have to expect problems. i have a back up plow ready to go another Charger 12. Back up for the blower would require waking up a summer worker. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KC9KAS 4,741 #10 Posted November 27, 2017 I usually use my GT-14 with 54" blade. I have tire chains on the rears with (inside) wheel weights. I have also used my B-80 with 42" blade. The tires have chains and are filled with windshield washer fluid. I may try to add my C-160 to the mix this year and store the B-80 set-up at my brothers house across town. I don't have much driveway myself, but I do mine, dads, my brothers and in front of the firehouse (was a VFD member for 31 years). I also plow about 10 blocks of town streets as wide as I possibly can, as the town with their 8' blade only make 1 pass each direction...Then I take over....at least my neighbors appreciate it! 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 63,137 #11 Posted November 27, 2017 3 hours ago, FatJackDurham said: just 3 inches of snow. you go ahead and keep it over there... 2 hours ago, Kurt-NEPA said: Can't have enough backup. I hate working on tractor during a snow storm. Yes !! My uncle once told my father - If it's important enough to have one of them, it's important enough to have 2 of them. Specifically that was a snowblower, but he used a similar phrase to describe his lawn tractor later. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WVHillbilly520H 10,369 #12 Posted November 27, 2017 Since we're doing maps I'll give 2, the first one of my home (parents) in WV the blue circle is my parents house the yellow line follows the 4 tenths mile stone dirt driveway to the red circle state maintained county road and yes we used to push snow with an old cub cadet original for years then a bigger CC 1200 then my 520 with single stage now a Kioti ck20 and never a cab, but now I'm prone to pneumonia/bronchitis so on to my new home in Staunton VA pic #2 again yellow line represents where I plow 520 no cab or blow snow 520 cab single stage now 2stage, with my house blue circle in laws' green circle and BIL red circle, so probably 1/2 mile total here too, Jeff. 6 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jerry77 1,218 #13 Posted November 27, 2017 2 hours ago, elcamino/wheelhorse said: I really hate to say this but I use the snow blade to push piles of leaves to the back of the property Don't feel lonely - I use my blade to push leaves, dirt, branches and anything else in my way to the back of the property...don't get much chance to use it on snow. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JAinVA 4,619 #14 Posted November 28, 2017 (edited) I have over 600' of drive to clear.I usually clear some of the neighbors drives as well as the culdesac.The single stage and 416h do me well.We don't have a lot of snow here but when we do it is a bear to deal with.When it gets bumper height on a 4wd with 33" tires plowing is not an option with a GT.Some folks look at the blower and shake their heads until the snow gets deep.Just another day in a WHs life I guess.Be safe,JAinVA. Edited November 28, 2017 by JAinVA 2 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldredrider 2,547 #15 Posted November 28, 2017 Jim, seriously? 600 inches? 1 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JAinVA 4,619 #16 Posted November 28, 2017 (edited) Paul we all get as much seat time as possible, even if it is only fifty feet. Hope you and yours have a good holiday.JimAnderson Edited November 28, 2017 by JAinVA 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 24,130 #17 Posted November 28, 2017 The C-105 does our double drive and two neighbor drives... Down from 8 when my son was doing his lawn / snow business... 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ohiofarmer 3,157 #18 Posted November 28, 2017 (edited) I use a Bobcat 853 with a 66" blade. bucket You can push, pull, drag,pile up,carry away, or load it into a truck if need be. I hate to scoop up any gravel, so I try to keep 4" or so left behind and then back drag it to pack it down. Once it freezes , you can really take the new snowfall away very quickly. i never even got a snow shovel out last winter, but we usually get at least one 10 incher with occasionally 16 to 20 inches Edited November 28, 2017 by ohiofarmer 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ClassicTractorProfessor 5,261 #19 Posted November 28, 2017 Snow??? What's that??? Lol I look at everyone's setups for winter and actually get a little bit jealous and wish we got more of the white stuff so I could join in on the fun. But what little snow we do get can be handled with a shovel...though I do have a blade for the 701 if I ever get it out back together 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rjg854 10,737 #20 Posted November 28, 2017 I clear the circle that connects the house, the barn, and the shed, with additional 800' of drive way. I have the 73' 12hp with a snow thrower on it and a 68 Commando with a plow and a back-up 68 Commando that I can either put a plow on or a snow thrower. Depending on the depth of the snow, usually takes about an hour and a half. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Retired Wrencher 4,876 #21 Posted November 28, 2017 pfrederi Nice picks. looks it is a 2 to 3 day job when the big one hits. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pollack Pete 2,273 #22 Posted November 28, 2017 17 hours ago, oldredrider said: Totally rebuilt a short chute blower in '10 but never had enough snow where I needed it. Sold it yesterday. Probably get record snow falls since you sold the blower.That would be my luck anyway. 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 38,928 #23 Posted November 28, 2017 12 hours ago, rjg854 said: I clear the circle that connects the house, the barn, and the shed, with additional 800' of drive way. I have the 73' 12hp with a snow thrower on it and a 68 Commando with a plow and a back-up 68 Commando that I can either put a plow on or a snow thrower. Depending on the depth of the snow, usually takes about an hour and a half. Now that you have a cab, you'll probably do your whole yard! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rjg854 10,737 #24 Posted November 28, 2017 Not the whole yard, but at least around to the cellar door to get to the basement to fill the coal boiler and dump the ash. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 51,682 #25 Posted November 28, 2017 Our driveway is about 600 feet long and has an elevation change of about 80 feet (we live in the forest half way up a mountainside). In a couple of places it is close to a 100% grade (45 degrees) which can be a challenge. I have to plow down hill then return to the top and make another pass. Fortunately we only get snow a couple of times a year and it is usually sunny after the snowfall so the driveway dries once plowed. 9 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites