Snowblowing driveway...funny story but need advice!

[Kevbo 80]

Sorry Kevbo put I could not find my invoice for the rim guard. I think it was between $2 & $3 a gallon.

No prob bud thanks for looking! I defiently considering rim guard. Hey I might be looking at a C-160 soon with wheel weights and a plow attachment...I see you are a fan

Yes I like my C-160's. Grew up on my dad's that he bought new & he still has it. They are a tough worker tractor and who doesn't like a K341 THUMBER under the hood.

What would one in good conditon that runs well with the wheel weights and plow run in price in your opinion?

[Wheel-N-It 2,968]

Kevin check the electric winches at Harbor Freight. I'm thinking they have a brake on them. If so, you can use the winch for a brake as you plow down the driveway.I apologize if I am off base on the brake thingy.To tie off the winch to the garage you can drill down in the slab and epoxy bolt some kind of anchor to connect the winch cable to.I know this is getting complicated but we don't want you sliding down that hill again and this time in the path of an oncoming vehicle.

[smoreau 658]

Kevbo

If your interested in a hitch, I am starting another build this month. They should be ready to ship by the end of the month and they can handle a a LOT of WEIGHT! I put 300#'s on the back of my tractor with a blower on front. Here are some pics of the hitch.

The weight box is made of 1/2 plate steel and I fill it with 3/4 hex rods from old conveyer center rods. It weighs 300#'s when its full.

[whc160 74]

It is hard to say without pics & knowing what TLC it needs. I got one for $75 & it ran, but needed alot of work. Another I paid a little over $1000 for, but it had a one year old 46" deck with it.

[jusjeepn 59]

I really don't think all that weight is really going to help you in this situation. It more than likely will cause more problems with chains, on your paved driveway, at that angle. Those chains will more than likely just slide and the weight will just push you down the hill faster. Your tractor weighs 600lbs+. Snow blower is 125 give or take. You weight how much? Your talking about adding another 300lbs? On an ashalt paved, ice/snow covered STEEP slope? Have you ever seen an old time Red Ryder sled with its steel rails? You can ride one of those down a wet asphalt slope with no problem and not leave a mark. Just use the walk behind snow blower that you can just let go of if it gets away from you.

[Kevbo 80]

smoreau sounds good! I'll PM when I'm ready

I really don't think all that weight is really going to help you in this situation. It more than likely will cause more problems with chains, on your paved driveway, at that angle. Those chains will more than likely just slide and the weight will just push you down the hill faster. Your tractor weighs 600lbs+. Snow blower is 125 give or take. You weight how much? Your talking about adding another 300lbs? On an ashalt paved, ice/snow covered STEEP slope? Have you ever seen an old time Red Ryder sled with its steel rails? You can ride one of those down a wet asphalt slope with no problem and not leave a mark. Just use the walk behind snow blower that you can just let go of if it gets away from you.

Ugh...I fear you are right...Should I try though?

[WheelHorseSteve 56]

My driveway is about the same slope but gravel for the sloped section (paved up top on the flat section). Once it ices over, it is very, very scary... conjuring up images of when my parked 4Runner literally starting sliding down it from a standstill (as I was sanding/salting below it, by hand). Yours being paved makes me think that you'd experience this uncontrolled sliding phenomenon even with a little bit of ice/snow pack. You don't have the exposed gravel bits to grab onto for traction.

If you're dead set on using a Wheel Horse and not ripping up the driveway w/ v-bars... would you consider a WH plow setup w/ downforce vs. the WH snowblower? Only the craziest snow accumulation will stop you on the way down and you could apply downforce if you start to slide... hopefully catching some traction in the process. I have a walkbehind, tracked Honda snowblower for the 12+" storms... and those aggressive tracks always seem to find traction.

This idea does imply that you'll need a WH w/ hydraulic lift. Could an electric lift handle downforce??

[Kevbo 80]

Steve I like your idea! I am picking up a 42" blade this weekend actually. Could you explain what you mean by downforce? My 414-8 has a hydraulic lift. Do you just mean lowering the blade all the way when I start to slide??

[953 nut 54,996]

I have a real steep drive way and what I do is raise the blade up and drive to the top and then pow down hill, A double set of chains and 30 pounds per wheel works great and I use rubber bungies ( one inside and one outside ) to keep the chains tight. I wouldn't hang any weigh off the back, too much extra strain on the rear axil bearings.

[MalMac 1,331]

I tend to agree that more weight is not going to help once you start to slide. Here is an example, though it maybe like comparing apples to Orange's. Years ago I was up in the High Serra's cutting fire brakes with a Cat D9 Dozer, I was on a very steep slope when the ground under the dozer just started sliding. Even though it was only about 45 yards with dropping the blade it was still on hell of va ride. Once that all that weight on the D9 got sliding it was hell bent on going somewhere. It took digging that blade in deep to finale get it stopped. Like I said maybe this is not a good comparison but the finale out come will be the same. I was lucky that all I did was get a thrill ride of my life and skid marks in my shorts. I did not have a road that I might have ended up sliding out on. Just my perspective on slick slopes with equipment.

[JackC 617]

"Could you explain what you mean by downforce?"

Putting down force/ pressure on the blade (plow) will lift the tractor. A solid link is needed between the hydraulic or electric up/down unit and the plow frame. Without the solid link it will be the same as pushing on a rope.

[ericj 1,578]

this is what you can do with down pressure a solid bar from the upper lift lift arm to the lower lift arm on the tractor[ were the chain attaches to the deck lift arm ]

eric

[Kevbo 80]

Interesting thanks guys! I feel like I will be going the plow route...MalMac that is one thrilling story...what an experience!

[Wheel-N-It 2,968]

The more I read about uncontrolled sliding, the more I'm liking my winch idea :eusa-think:

[WheelHorseSteve 56]

Steve I like your idea! I am picking up a 42" blade this weekend actually. Could you explain what you mean by downforce? My 414-8 has a hydraulic lift. Do you just mean lowering the blade all the way when I start to slide??

Like the others have said, it's all about having a solid lift link instead of a chain to lift the plow. With this setup you can actually lift the front of the tractor very easily... guaranteed to stop you or at least slow you down quite a bit. I had my plow setup this way a couple years ago but with the gravel driveway it will totally dig... so I switched over to the chain lift. With a paved driveway like yours solid is a nice option... besides stopping you could use it for really scraping the snow/ice. Give it a shot!

[Lane Ranger 10,943]

Kevin: That drive does remind me of something -the Incline Railway on Lookout Mountain. About 70 degee incline even though you may have a little less!

I kind think the rubber tire chains that I have been using might be an added benefit to the grade issue on your drive with the added weight. If you get ice or ice packed up on your drive sliding is an issue.

I do not have a grade issue on my concrete drive but the rubber tire chains sure surprised me how well they grip.

Here is a photo FYI. Just an added thought!~

Edited January 6, 2013 by Lane Ranger