My Tractor Forum banner

X540 with 48" Blade for snow

13K views 27 replies 15 participants last post by  n1as 
#1 ·
Got the green light for a X540 but can't afford the blower now, what a great wife hay. Anyway, how much weight do I need for the back of the tractor for pushing snow with HDAP tires and do I need chains as well. I live in S.E. Wisconsin so snow does seem to come often.


Thanks for any advice you might have.

John
 
#2 ·
That is great news on the approval "green light." It is always better if mama is in agreement. That way she want lock the door on you when you are out pushing snow! :biglaugh: Welcome to MTF and I would look into some chains because of all the snow you get. Is your drive on a slope? You do have traction control on the X540, so if you have flat terrain you may get by with out the chains if the snow is not too deep. Personally... I would rather have the chains and not have to worry about it. :fing32:
 
#4 ·
Congrats on the new ride.
I'm from SE Wisconsin too.

I do not have chains. But I do have a blower and a 749, so its 4 wheel drive all the time. I have blown snow 4 times now and have not got stuck once. That includes going down a hill to my burning barrel on grass about 100' away from the back of the house. Also going through a lot of drifts, my property is really windy.

However those HDAP tires are really sweet and get really good traction. I have not had to lock up the rear end yet either, even with all of that wet heavy stuff we had Monday morning of last week.

I also run 6 suitcase weights and have the cab too so that is some more weight also.

My advice is try with out chains and if you need them go buy them. Or buy them right away and not put them on and see what happens. If you need them you can put them on, but if not see if your dealer will take them back.

IMO, I would really see what you can do to get a blower. You will not be disappointed.

good luck
 
#8 ·
One think to check on if it is important to you.

The X540 has hydraukic raise and lower for the blade. At least my 355 did and I think that is the X500 series now.

When I looked at the GR's a few years back they were manual raise and lower.
 
#7 ·
I echo the above, stuck is stuck and very unhandy!:D My GX is probably around the same weight and chains are essential for any snow over 4" on my rounds. Some jobs require all the snow to be pushed to one side and heavy stuff piles pretty quick. Backing up, especially with a blower/plow raised will reduce your traction LOTS. There's always some snow left after a plow and it gets slippery quick running over it on pavement. Unless your jobs are dead flat go chains absolutely AND weight.

Lock in the rear axle for more control when blade's angled BEFORE wheel slippage starts. Don't hit the pedal when the wheels are spinning, bad for transmission...:) I envy that "new tractor smell"!:)
 
#9 ·
Harold I throw and don't push but I'll only spin if I can't remove the snow close to the pavement-which is almost never an issue so far. The only other time I had a minor traction issue is if it's slushy and cakes the treads of my turf tires. Do you find it necessary to run chains with your thrower? I really don't like chains after I saw what they do to paved surfaces.
 
#11 ·
Harold I throw and don't push but I'll only spin if I can't remove the snow close to the pavement-which is almost never an issue so far. The only other time I had a minor traction issue is if it's slushy and cakes the treads of my turf tires. Do you find it necessary to run chains with your thrower? I really don't like chains after I saw what they do to paved surfaces.[/QUOTE]

Here's a couple of shots of my driveway showing the hill. Since I had the driveway "painted" I can't get enough traction going up to plow/blow snow no matter what the conditions. If I stop on the grade going up and try to start again Johnny sits there and spins (Need another case or 2 of Oreos!:D)

Also across the street I do 2 neigbors who have downhill sections just off the road. I have to clear one about 1 car length deep and back up and so on until they can get the cars out for me to finish. No way I can get traction to back out of there with the attachments raised and no room in front of the first car to turn around. I've told all my "customers" the situation and they made the plow/no plow/scratches decisions themselves. I plow, they sit inside warm and dis-shoveled.:)
 

Attachments

#12 ·
Price quote

How does this price look to you guys. This is from a local dealer.

X540 54” Deck HDAP Tires $6800

48” Blade $739.00

Angle Kit $230.00

4 Weights $180.00

Set-Up & Del $100

Halogen Headlight Kit $ 51

Total $8100

Tax $413.31

Total $8513.10
 
#16 ·
I say spend the extra $$$ and get the blower, you're not going to be happy with the blade with heavy wet snow.
If you get the blade, you'll always wish you got the blower.
 
#17 ·
I say spend the extra $$$ and get the blower, you're not going to be happy with the blade with heavy wet snow.
If you get the blade, you'll always wish you got the blower.
I wouldn't say that. I use the 48" blade on my X500 and wouldn't even think of replacing it with a blower. I just got done plowing my drive and part of the street, and the snow was about as heavy as it gets.

On occasion, I might have a little trouble with traction but I'm only using the turf tires and 50-lb weights inside each wheel.

The blade (with the "angle kit") does a LOT for me. I still have and use two different walk-behind blowers. The way I figure it, if I need a blower then the walk-behind units are better than a tractor-mounted blower because I can maneuver them a lot more easily around parked vehicles, sidewalks, etc. The blade lets me blast a lot of snow off my driveway very quickly and that's why I like it.

The blade also comes in very handy for landscaping work that I've done and plan to do. A snow blower certainly could not do that.

John - my suggestion is to get the blade, angle kit, and rubber blade edge (or make one). I assume you already have a walk-behind blower if you live in this state (I live in the Grafton area north of Milwaukee). If you'd like to stop over and check out what I've got, you're more than welcome. PM me for a phone number.
 
#19 ·
Bottom line "Plow vs. Blower": A plow has a definite snow depth limit for each tractor/weight. A blower will handle a dusting to over 2' in one full pass w/drift cutters. Any dealings with settled side of the road highway plow leavin's and it's blower hands down.

Once you learn how to use a blower for different conditions of snow the advantage over a plow becomes very evident. Snow will only push so far so deep until you spin or angle off it. Previously plowed snow or frozen slush is no match for a JD blower, 1 or 2 stage and neither is 4" or more of wet "gray slush".

If at the time Wifey bought my GX I had to make a choice between plow and blower I would have chosen the blower. I spent too many hours shuffling along behind my Snapper 8/26 at a creep to clear heavy 12" snowfalls. But she graciously got me the plow as well to play with.:)

BTW, ain't they got a nerve charging that price for a "manual angling kit"? Nearly half the price of the plow and frame... but they do get laziasses like me who don't want to leave that nice cushy seat to "pull the pin" to spring the gold!:ROF
 
#20 ·
I am going to throw a couple of cents in here.
I was talking to my Cub dealer one time and he mentioned he refuses to sell blades for plowing because the customers who bought the blades end up coming back and want to trade the blade for a blower.
Of course, I live in Buffalo, so we get more snow than most anyone else (except this yr. so far!). Without chains on, I can plow about 3 or 4 inch snow max- and I have to use momentum to chase it off the pavement. I am sure with traction lock you will do better but you may not be able to turn.
So my plow tractor gets chains. But my blower tractors don't.
Pushing snow takes a lot of traction where blowing doesn't.
I like the fact that I can just putt around quietly when plowing snow at low rpm, but if we get much snow, out comes one of the blowers.

One of my buddys has a 4wheeler with 4wd and a blade. He bought a walk behind the do the driveway apron for removing the pile from the plow trucks. Even though he can push lots of snow, even making a hill in the backyard, the berm at the street is too much to overcome.
 
#25 ·
Like everything else, every tool has it's best uses and adequate uses. Big, med & small screw drivers, etc.
From the people I've talked & listened to, it appears the blower will handle 7 out of 10 jobs. The blade will handle the 3 the blower won't, but struggles w/ 7 out of 10.
The blade can be used for minor summer uses, like leveling lite dirt & gravel.
The blade needs chains & weights. The blower could use an enclosed cab.....
Bottom line from my view point is, do what your wallet allows.
 
#26 ·
I have the x540 and am also considering a blade for it.

My prior tractor was a Toro 520. I had a blade for it and used it to clear snow from my driveway for many years. There were only a few times when the snow was too much. After one of those times, I bought a walk behind snow blower. Then I got lazy one year and didn't put the blade on the tractor but just used the snow blower. That was a few years ago.

I find I freeze my tail when using the snow thrower and have to wrestle it around a lot. I miss my times in the seat plowing and not having to deal with power snow swirling around me from the win. I also know that the blade won't do it all, so I'd need to have a blower of some type.

- Keith -

p.s. Skip D - Are you one of the moderators of POTN? Your name looks very familiar.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top