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Winter storm, Jonas *the clean-up*

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#81 ·
Wow here in north dakota we got a LOT of snow i just got in from cleaning it off of the driveway

how much snow you ask.... a dusting :sidelaugh:ROF:thThumbsU
 
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#82 ·
Justy37 said:
That's one nice thing about a bucket. Not really ideal for small cleanups. I tend to feel they are slow compared to a blower or blade. But when you get 30" of snow, that bucket is pretty hard to beat. May take a while, but you are no where near stuck at home.

Justinh595 those 430's were one of the best deere's made, at least for it's time. When the 430 was out, I was always hoping deere would make a 4wd version. Anyhow, it's a keeper.
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That would have been one heck of a tractor. A 4wd 430, sign me up!
 
#83 · (Edited)
pete504pvd said:
The blower can handle the very deep snow.
This is 26" of heavy snow from last year. It was compacted and very difficult for the blower.
On the first pass snow will come up over the blower housing. Wheel weights, suitcase weights and chains are needed to keep the tractor moving.
Great posts here from some pretty tough plow drivers!
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That is some nice work you did with the X540 and the 47 Blower. Impressive machine!:thThumbsU

This is a great thread. As another plow driver, I thought I'd pass along my Jonas Clean-Up report, with apologies to the O.P. for jumping on board.

My experience in cleaning up from this storm was similar to Jere39's, except scaled down to 24" of snow and a much smaller machine (JD 140).

Based on prior experiences, I knew the forecast storm totals would be too much for the 140 and Model 48 4-way Blade. So I went out from roughly 10-11 pm on the first night of the storm to clear the first +/- 6". That went well and I was able to do the neighborhood sidewalks and a few of my neighbors' driveways as well.

BUT, by the time I headed out the next morning at around 8 am or so, another 12-14 inches of EXTREMELY dense snow had accumulated. Not as deep as what Jere was facing, but it sounds like we had a similar snow consistency. I have plowed through deeper snow with my 140, but this snow was different. It had a certain cohesiveness to it that made it very resistant to being budged by a blade.

I ended up struggling to punch out of my own driveway. The first cut through was the toughest of course. Eventually I did make it out -- but only barely. I almost gave up a few times. And I did give up on the neighborhood sidewalks and neighbors' driveways.
 

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#84 ·
It continued to snow all that second day, and we ended up with a total of around 24". After breaking through in the morning, I plowed several more times during the day to keep it clear. This is what it looked like when the snow had nearly ended. That's our mid-size SUV parked on the street, and that meter stick is inside the Model 80 Cart, not on the ground:
 

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#85 ·
This wasn't the first time I barely made it out of my driveway with the snow blade. But after this latest debacle, I resolved it won't happen again. Yesterday I made a trip to PA and came home with this: :fing32:
 

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#86 · (Edited)
I also forgot to mention that one of the reasons I gave up on trying to help my neighbors, is that I took a running start at one neighbor's snow bank and ended up misjudging the curb. I hit so hard that I blew out the seals in the blade's angle cylinder!! :hide::hide:

That took me out of commission for a while, until I pirated the lift cylinder from the 3PH and was back in action (for my own driveway, anyway.):thThumbsU

P.S. It was an expensive lesson on having the right tool for the job. The replacement cylinder arrived on Friday -- money that could have gone toward the snowblower if only I had not been so pound foolish.:dunno:
 
#87 ·
I hear you--UT! The man needs something--a valid NEED--and it gets done!
Viola~!:fing32::fing32:


glenn
 
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#88 ·
That WAS a lot of snow UT. Credit to your 140, plow, and don't forget the "operator", as I know that you had to do some creative thinking in order to accomplish what you did with what you had.:fing32:

Congrats on your new Berco! It looks brand new, and well made too. I have watched the Berco vid, and was impressed by the way it performed.

Now all you need is another tractor to mount the plow on ("a tractor for every attachment":fing32:) and you'll be all set. I'm sure that mrs. UT would understand.:D
 
#89 ·
Does that blower have the brackets to hook up to your 140 or do you have to fab them up? Looks like it will be a good fit for your 140.

Adam
 
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#90 ·
Thanks Glenn and Dave. Yes, it did take some creativity and patience to get through. The whole process was pretty messy. :( But the 140 is a beast for its age and continues to impress, even when attempting what it shouldn't be asked to do.

aquist06 said:
Does that blower have the brackets to hook up to your 140 or do you have to fab them up? Looks like it will be a good fit for your 140.

Adam
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Adam,

No, I don't have the correct subframe (yet). It has a subframe for a much newer GT/GX-Series JD machine (I think maybe 225/235/245 or 325/335 etc). So I will either be fabbing or ordering the correct subframe/muledrive. If I had welding tools/skills, I think it could be done. But alas, I will likely be paying the piper instead....

The size is what sealed the deal for me. I had been watching for a JD Model 49 for quite a while, but hadn't found a decent one within striking distance. However, I had misgivings about the Model 49 due to its 46" width. I have many tight spots where that blower will not fit.

This Berco is the 40" 2-stage Deluxe, Model 700210-1 (nla, but Berco currently offers a different 40" "Compact" model.) I am hoping it will prove to be an ideal size for the sidewalks in my neighborhood, and for the weight/power limitations of the 140.
 

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Discussion starter · #91 ·
UrbanTractor said:
I also forgot to mention that one of the reasons I gave up on trying to help my neighbors, is that I took a running start at one neighbor's snow bank and ended up misjudging the curb. I hit so hard that I blew out the seals in the blade's angle cylinder!! :hide::hide:

That took me out of commission for a while, until I pirated the lift cylinder from the 3PH and was back in action (for my own driveway, anyway.):thThumbsU

P.S. It was an expensive lesson on having the right tool for the job. The replacement cylinder arrived on Friday -- money that could have gone toward the snowblower if only I had not been so pound foolish.:dunno:
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You're right. It IS expensive. I did the same thigh once but on my own property.
 
#92 ·
Sometimes it takes just one good storm to make folks reconsider their equipment needs. UT, you didn't waste much time thinking about it. Congrats on the new blower. It will make the job much easier next time. :fing32:
 
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#94 ·
APinNY said:
Sometimes it takes just one good storm to make folks reconsider their equipment needs. UT, you didn't waste much time thinking about it. Congrats on the new blower. It will make the job much easier next time. :fing32:
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Thanks, Al, and I sure hope so!

No, I didn't waste any time. I actually tried to make this deal work before the big storm, but it was just a bridge too far. Better late than never, I suppose.

It will probably be 20 years or more before we see snow like this again, but I'll still use the blower a fair bit. Snows of 6+ inches are not that uncommon around here, even up to 12-15", so I'll be using it for anything in that range.


PA318Guy said:
UT congrats on the Berco, will of course need to add this: :wwp:
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PA, it will probably be a few weeks before this puppy is spinning. But I'll be sure to show photos when I put it in action. However, with my luck we won't get anymore "blowable" snow this winter! :(
 
#95 ·
lightsOUT said:
You're right. It IS expensive. I did the same thigh once but on my own property.
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Nice to know I'm not the only knucklehead -- you know, misery loves company.

It was actually warm enough to paint the new cylinder today. Install tomorrow.

Lifetime lesson learned: Snow removal ops should be slow and deliberate. With the right tool, there should be no need for running starts or anything else that could result in high speed collision!:hide:
 
#96 ·
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