Let’s talk snow clearing traction both front and rear wheels

[Charbs152 254]

As the title states, let’s discuss traction in the snow

 

my situation is:

 

it’s my first winter at my new home. I have a 500ft asphalt driveway that is uphill with slight curves and has an extra steep part right before the top landing

 

the Asphalt is old and has been sealed so much all the “pores” are filled in which has made it pretty “smooth”

 

all this works against me for traction 

 

this morning we woke up to 3 inches of wet heavy slushy snow.

 

Ive got 2 horses

 

c175 auto with plow, wheel weights and chains 

 

c160 auto with tall chute snowblower, wheel weights and chains

 

i had The plow tractor out this morning and it did ok except for once the snow got heavy it kept pushing me out of the bank when angling the plow to push it all

to One side.

 

front wheels hardly get any traction and they just push a lot of the time especially with an angled blade or pushing a lot of snow

 

rear wheels…well blacktop and especially smooth blacktop is not what chains are made for but I feel like without the chains I’d really have issues when in anything other than cleared blacktop…

 

what are some ways to combat these issues? I’ve seen people run one strip of chain down the front tire…will that chew up asphalt?

 

what about full On tire chains for the front wheels?

 

share your thoughts!

 

pictures here https://imgur.com/gallery/uWpxfPA

 

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by Charbs152

[JoeM 7,873]

Good question. 

answer is weight weight and more weight.

I have a drive on a pretty good slope that is partially mine and it to is sealed what I call slick.

Those front tire chains will tear up the surface. and on the sealed slick slide too. (rear chains just as bad)

 

 

The best results have been with these tires on the rear and weight. I am thinking the rubber chains would be an option too. 

[Tonytoro416 1,034]

These tires do have pretty good traction in my experience. 

[ohiofarmer 3,265]

  Well,I might not be the best guy to talk to,butmy go to for a very smooth gravel drive is ATV tires. i can plow really deep snow with a very lightweight 520 with the light Harbor Freight repower.. I tried ag tires first and i couldn't push anything. Those ATV with open treads just bit like crazy to the tight and sometimes ice covered gravel. I rarely use the swing feature of the push blade and instead go through the center of the snor pack and then peel a skinny bit off the edge to keep it moving to the pile. I use no weights at all even though I have some.

   Those ATV tires are not cheap, so as an alternative you might try rubber chains,,

[midpack 862]

I have rubber chains and they do work well, except when there's ice. I swapped back to steel chains and just be careful I don't get wheel spin on the driveway.

I have chains wrapped around the fronts, really helps the steering and I haven't noticed that they were doing any harm to the asphalt. 

I have weights front and rear. I found an old set of Craftsman smaller rear weights for $15 that fit on the 8" fronts on one of my tractors. Much cheaper than finding the steel ones but they stick out some

[peter lena 8,615]

@Tonytoro416  morning , how about dropping that 416  off at my house , so I can bring back that paint for you , the condition of that , is PERFECT FOR AN OIL RECOVERY ,  after bring it back , always finish with a 6" electric palm buffer , paint on these , were in exact same stage . cleaner wax finish , eat a lot of turkey / good family day , pete

 

[ri702bill 8,316]

AG tires up front, fluid filled and homemade 25 pound barbell weights. Vastly improves steering, particularly with the plow angled...

 

 

[squonk 41,073]

Weights all the way around and fluid filled. 

[Ed Kennell 38,150]

In order to clear my steep blacktop driveway,  I had to first clear a path down to the road in the grass.  Then I could return to the top using the path in the grass and push and blow the snow going down only.  With 2 link steel chains and the blower raised I could not drive up the cleared driveway without spinning so I had to use the grass path.

 

Then I bought a 312H that came with rubber chains.     What a difference, I can now push snow up and down the steep driveway without spinning.

The rubber chains work on loose snow and bare blacktop.     The steel chains work better on ice and hard packed snow and on my gravel road.

I never used the ATV tires, but they look like they should be as good as the rubber chains.      Weight is the key to increase the traction.

Filled tires, wheel weights, and rear and front weight.

 

 

 

 

[Ed Kennell 38,150]

Front weight.

[JoeM 7,873]

one thing about ice if possible best to pre-treat with salt or calcium. 

the sloped driveway is in the back ground of the tractor. It is 9 degrees and 200' to the crest. 

I only use it to get up to my shop. but it has proven problematic for the handful of folks living up in the flats. Has been a proving ground over the last 39 winters for trying different things.

I will have to share. my neighbor bought a new kubota bx 4x4 with R4 tires. He tried to plow and had trouble making it to the top without plowing. I ran up it with the 2 wheel drive loader with atv tires and he was not happy. of course it is mostly the driver. lol

 

[Brockport Bill 1,661]

my suggestion will not make major difference but does have a benefit -- rust on the plow blade causes friction -- snow sticks to it as well as does not peel off very well when blade on angle -- Therefore I have cleaned rust from my plow blades and painted them to create smoother surface reducing friction from rusty surface then of course i coat surface - either a spray like WD40 - or cooking pam etc -- or use car wax -- Good luck !

Edited November 22, 2023 by Brockport Bill
photo added

[Charbs152 254]

If I wanted front wheel weights what should

i be looking for and where can I find them?

[JoeM 7,873]

you have 8 inch front rims, place an ad in the wanted section. keep an eye on the FB marketplace too. 

[ML3 1,197]

As everyone had said- weight! However, tires are just as important. Last winter I plowed with a C105. Original turf tires. I had 95lbs on hitch. Overall it did  pretty good. My driveway is flat & brand new cement so I won't use chains! This year I put snowblower on C105 & in addition to the 95lbs I found set of rear wheel weights. I'm gonna plow with my 654. Put 85lbs on hitch & I have front wheel weights. It has turf saver tires which should bite better than ag tires. 

 

Lastly, use the fine implement adjustment. On plow & snowblower I have it adjusted so they barely touch the pavement (again easy for me as my drive is flat) My snowblower has the roller wheels as opposed to the drag skids. I found a noticeable improvement reducing most the friction of plow/snowblower 

[littleredrider 409]

Tires and weight. I haven't done the front chain trick, but I should. Every winter I b!tch about it and never do it lol. I had tri ribs, Vredestein ribs, turfs, none is an all around tire IMO. The tri ribs slide pretty easy, even with the blower up. The Vre's are almost worthless, I have them on my JD425 and the front just plows, I have to do K turns. I have bout as aggressive as you can get for ATV tires, and it's amazing what they can do and go thru. Couple years ago had over a foot of snow, just messin' around and tried going thru the yard. The front would kinda stay on top of the snow, but the rears, they would keep digging till they got traction and just kept pushing forward. They have water in the rear, can't remember if the fronts do. But I need weight up front, it's not heavy enough. But, if you can get the blacktop, really any tire will get traction. Back when I had the plow on the lawn ranger, if it got traction it would lift the front off the ground lol. Gotta love the torque of a Kohler!!!

[peter lena 8,615]

@Brockport Bill agree with you on the blade slick  / slide  finish , been doing that for years , just about anything with a lubrication factor is better than rust . used open chain oil , very good , also found a can of graphite spray , for mower decks that also works well . with the added 100+ LBS  on my plow tractors / chains , the plow deflection is ridiculous. with our regular snow fall , the plow is the dominate  mover . clear driveways , to the sun angle , melt start goes right to drains , have a great turkey day ! Pete 

[Wild Bill 633 845]

On 11/23/2023 at 5:28 AM, Charbs152 said:

If I wanted front wheel weights what should

i be looking for and where can I find them?

These are called mushroom weights.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/385602565382?hash=item59c7b43506:g:fxsAAOSwSQFkWoXo&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA8ABgsj4HZ5AJi5LVYMDF6aNkSrXCbkkFAa79fomdjrGRqZZftRwvhbsa8CNUuoovP6sw26GNoWkHqIRjvrpRAVGvSM1FVoiB7NYshhbNbRpoElb6j4oqRscUHyMSpVltGETYLWwoosP2w%2FJdwtYS0wrjMFaf758tjUFZtukVBvGKKr9hDxmA16ndX2TOJILtv7hlZEJTZez1ON%2FOUZfj6Fa4Lb1CxmTSagUPm%2FFAaaJJMfFlrjT9TvlzY7WQLDbPljhGXhUw9RIGHKzV1HIG9y6kdwhvL%2BzIpXSTOJO1mU%2BCuZuttlCjsTpAPxNCPtDCcA%3D%3D|tkp%3ABFBM2p3VlYBj

They also come in a flat version.

I need to change my investments into cast iron.

[Wild Bill 633 845]

Does anyone here use a rubber scraper on their snow plow. I have used one for a few years now and I really like how is cleans my concrete driveway, wears great and does not tear up the grass along the edge like a steel scraper blade. It also works great plowing a walking path on grass to my toy shed. The rubber scraper is made from recycled conveyor belt, keeping it out of the landfill. The only down side is the rubber is 1" thick and snow does accumulate along the top edge.

https://chalmersinnovations.com

[Jon Paulsen 290]

5 hours ago, Wild Bill 633 said:

I need to change my investments into cast iron.

[Ed Kennell 38,150]

5 hours ago, Wild Bill 633 said:

change my investments into cast iron.

Don't forget old rusty skillets.      $

 

                                                                 $258 on the jungle.

 

 

[Charbs152 254]

On 11/24/2023 at 7:49 AM, Wild Bill 633 said:

These are called mushroom weights.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/385602565382?hash=item59c7b43506:g:fxsAAOSwSQFkWoXo&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA8ABgsj4HZ5AJi5LVYMDF6aNkSrXCbkkFAa79fomdjrGRqZZftRwvhbsa8CNUuoovP6sw26GNoWkHqIRjvrpRAVGvSM1FVoiB7NYshhbNbRpoElb6j4oqRscUHyMSpVltGETYLWwoosP2w%2FJdwtYS0wrjMFaf758tjUFZtukVBvGKKr9hDxmA16ndX2TOJILtv7hlZEJTZez1ON%2FOUZfj6Fa4Lb1CxmTSagUPm%2FFAaaJJMfFlrjT9TvlzY7WQLDbPljhGXhUw9RIGHKzV1HIG9y6kdwhvL%2BzIpXSTOJO1mU%2BCuZuttlCjsTpAPxNCPtDCcA%3D%3D|tkp%3ABFBM2p3VlYBj

They also come in a flat version.

I need to change my investments into cast iron.

thats absurd.  theres got to be something more reasonable

[Tonytoro416 1,034]

On 11/22/2023 at 8:20 AM, peter lena said:

@Tonytoro416  morning , how about dropping that 416  off at my house , so I can bring back that paint for you , the condition of that , is PERFECT FOR AN OIL RECOVERY ,  after bring it back , always finish with a 6" electric palm buffer , paint on these , were in exact same stage . cleaner wax finish , eat a lot of turkey / good family day , pete

 

Believe me Pete if you were closer I wouldn’t hesitate dropping it off at your place 

[P3x 56]

I use a rubber scraper on my plow blade made from conveyor belt trimmings. Purchased a couple of strips from Surplus Center.

Works well and saves your pavement.

[peter lena 8,615]

@P3x  regular for us to have a snow mix, all my blades are oil slicked , snow slide is amazing , you can even try used oil , just brush it on , wipe it down if you wish , cold snow and oil , make for fun plowing , pete