In a couple of years we may decide to buy a tractor for snow removal.We have talked to dealers,and think a good start would be a 80-100hp tractor.We would most likely buy an older tractor to start and I am wondering what brand of tractor do you guy's think is the best???Which brands have you have trouble with???We would probably have a blade on the front and a blower on the back.What's your favorite brand?????
80 HP is kinda overkill for plowing don't you think? If you gonna blow it, 50 hp would be plenty. I would recommend 4-wd though. It really comes in handy if you are using chains. If you want a snowblower, I would also recommend getting a tractor where you can put a 3 point hitch on the front. That way you can run your 3 ponit blower on the front. If you get a blower, hyd. would be the best for a front mount blower. John deere 7000 series offers a front pto but those are a little pricey. My recommendation for you would be a 50 or 60 HP John Deere tractor with 4-WD, front 3 point hitch, hyd. blower, and a cab for your tractor. Add a blade on the rear and you've got a serious snow moving machine. This system works. We've got a 27 HP 4-WD Kubota with the front blower and a 6 way rear blade. In 4-WD and with chains it will go anywhere. Plenty of power. Blows snow 45 ft. Good Luck.
I'm not shure where you live but up here in CANADA we get snow BIG TIME!I would be using it for both commercial and only for the ends of residential drives.I would not want to put that much weight on a residential drive.Up here there are guys using tractor in the range of 50-60hp for commercial parking lots,but I would need somthing that I could depend on for 3 foot storms.Thanks for the input.What's you brand of choice??
As far as using it for snow I have no clue. I live in Mississippi and around here if the weatherman mentions snow everybody goes home to sit by the fireplace. As far as tractors in general goes I like Kubota. I have a M8200 which is a 80hp that I use to pull a 15' batwing bushhog. It has plenty of power and I have had no problems with it. Jay
i like the new holland tractors which are bi directional, you could have a snowblower on the back and a plow in front. It has a pto on back for a snowblower, i think i've seen the tractors made by brown bear. Chuck smith mentioned the neck strain, with this tractor you just turn the seat around so u don't need to hurt your neck. I''d look into a bi-directional one because they seem versitale. Scag48- an 80hp tractor is not overkill for what it's going to be used for. Until you use something don't call it junk. my friend had a 9010 and a 9020 excavator and loved them. bryan
John Deere or Kubota. I think that is your best bet. I thought you were talking about parking lots when you said plowing snow. Then you should get a bigger tractor.
I dont think that question can really be answered,I have a JD,Ford,Agco, and have run case tractors.They all are of good quality but if you are buying used you will find a major cost diff between the brands.Here in Iowa we joke alot about green paint and the extra cost especially in used.Also in used each brand has its star and its dog,you will learn some of what these are from cost.Trouble some machines do not hold their value and good ones do.Here Case make a good reasonably priced machine as long as you do not go to old.Ford also has a very good product that can be found for good prices.As for HP, 80 to 100 is what I would choose, anything smaller and you might as well buy two decent pickups instead.I'm assuming that you want this machine for those times when less just won't do.
I didn't see the 2wd part,if your going to buy used get 4x4.You will get much more performance out of the machine, and for pushing large quanities of snow it is a must or at least a want.Lots of guys here push snow with 2wd but I can only assume the wish they had 4x4.It needs to be a real 4x4 not front wheel assist.
Thanks for the info diggerman! Can you tell me which brands are expensive/cheap when it comes to parts???Do the john deere's hold up longer or do people favor them just becouse they use to make excelent machines and have stuck with the brand.
