Hi Guys, I have a cabin up north and a Case 480c. What would I need to plow with it? My situation- Machine is stored in an unheated garage. No power but I could run an extension cord out there. Temps most times are teens and 20s, but could go as low as -20f for a short time. Driveway is fairly flat and have plenty of area to dump snow. Driveway is about 300’ long. Things I think I need- - rear tire chains. What kind to get? - block heater. I think the type that screws into the block would be best? Where to get one? - fuel treatment & kerosene to prevent fuel gel? - WiFi power plug to turn on remotely (I already have one) - anything else? Thanks for your help!
I like the tank type that hooks into a 3/4" coolant hose. 1500 watt for your engine size.
It should be very easy to install a block heater on that machine. I like those better than the in-line coolant hose versions. As far as chains, not sure of the 480’s fender clearance but suspect it would be tight. Your fuel should be winter fuel but I always put a little Power Service in mine anyway. As for a WiFi receptacle, I have one from Ministon that has been working for 3 years and even scheduled it to come on for an hour every early morning during the winter. It comes in handy if I’m away from home and know I need to use it, I will turn it on an hour before hand as my Case will not start in below 40 degrees without some help.
Posted a pic of my machine. Looks like there’s clearance. Will have to measure next time I’m up there.
The clearance that you have to look at is between the tire and the frame on the inside of the tire. I think you can flip the tires around and put them on the other way to gain enough for chain clearance. The offset is a little different from one side to the other. This is what we did when we had to chain them up.
Are you going to use a pusher box device or maybe hang a snow plow on the bucket ?
Thanks. I don’t have a good pick of that area. I’ll have to look at it next time I’m up at the camp.
I was hoping I could scoop it up in the loader and dump it. Possible or a bad idea?
Got double ring chains on my 580C, use chain "tightener" springs inside and outside to remove slack. Plenty of room. Keep in mind I've got a gravel driveway, wouldn't recommend with blacktop, but if for a cabin probably gravel anyway. Also fan of block type heater as opposed to canister style, plug my machine for an hour or so, sometimes longer if temps get to single digits fires right up. If I know big storm coming plug in overnight. Would highly suggest GFI outlets so if something goes tits up you don't burn anything else up. If using extension cord would also suggest at least 12 ga, preferably 10ga depending on length. Block heaters suck a lot of juice and can create a lot of heat.
Thank you my friend. You gave me some hope this might work.
Yes, gravel driveway.
My driveway is 700ft and regularly get 2ft. or more, 4 ft. is not out of the question, (Buffalo lake effect machine) drop bucket and push entire thing, end of driveway gets pretty heavy after plows have come through, take small bites, no biggie. Best part is cab surrounding me with heat, priceless....
I've plowed the "neighborhood" (maybe a mile or two of country road the township didn't get to quickly enough) a few times with my backhoe. Granted it hasn't been more than a few inches thick, maybe 8 at most. I do not have chains but do have 4x4. What happened for me, on generally flat roads, was that snow would fill the bucket then I would push a growing pile of snow, with a lot of it spilling off the sides. I found that filling the bucket, then pushing that wave of snow was much more effective than getting scoops and dumping. I have a driveway of about 300 feet as well and it works great for that. The only time I wanted chains was when I was trying to clear the very edge of the road and I slipped off a bit and it felt sketchy.
Good info. Mine is 2 wheel drive, so probably better to have chains. Also will probably need them on hilly terrain clearing land in the spring. Thanks!
On my Case the outside of the fender has plenty of clearance. It‘s the frame for the cab and on one side the heater hoses going up to the cab, that would pose the problems with chains. Yes you can flip the tires or get spacers. Because of the length of my driveway, I chose to mount a 10’ power angle plow because I like the banks to help keep us on the driveway on the corners and hills. The first year in our new house, I just used the bucket and I just had piles of snow every 50 feet or so and ended up tearing up quite a bit of expensive gravel. So I ended up buying a 100 dollar 8’ Curtis plow with the forward tip style trip as from experience a bottom trip plow sucks on gravel and I slit a 2” galvanized pipe and extended the sides a foot and welded the pipe to the cutting edge. It has lasted 3 years and it finally wore through on one edge, I have to fix before winter. With the pipe on, I can plow asphalt fine and you can plow right over grass, without tearing it up.
The problem I have is when it get's deep, the roll back from the sides makes the road about 6' wide. Push boxes are very popular around here.
Yup, that sounds about right. My road is only about a lane and a half wide and I had to take 2 swipes in either direction to get it cleared off well. I've thought of attempting to rig up a sheet of plywood that I could angle using my forklift bars, to cover the entire loader bucket and use it like a legit plow but I haven't done that yet.
I watched some YouTube videos about people using big tires cut in half and mounted on skid steers. Amazing how much snow they can move with them.
Round part facing out I assume? That seems like a pretty slick method! Hanging on the edge of the road would push the snow right off!
Nope, open part out, two half moons pushing. They used similar setup with loader tires at Waste Management transfer stations to clean-up concrete dumping floor at end of day. Lot less wear and tear than loader bucket.
Lots of people with gravel driveways like to pack the first couple of snow falls to save the gravel. Unless you routinely get snowfall over 6 inches, you don't need chains if you plow the snow early after a snow storm. If you have steep hills or want to drive in ditches, then you'll want chains. Duo-grip are the most common chains. Standard cross chains will get pulled between the treads. I use duo-grip on Ag tires without bungee cords to tighten them. I found the bungee cords pulled the chain in-between the lugs. It also helps when the chains flop a little as it makes them self cleaning. Get them as tight as you can by hand and they should be good. I usually have to drive on them a little and then can tighten them a little more.
It'll do the job, just it's slow. Bucket doesn't hold that much and have to lift and dump constantly. Vs a blade, at most you're just lifting to stack the snow. Plus 8-10ft wide.
Interesting, Dave, about having the chains a little loose to be self-cleaning. I have chains on the back tires of my mower that are loose and flop around a bit, now I can say it's on purpose.
They can't be too loose or they'll come off but a little floppy is good. With bungee cords once the tires slip a bit the cross chains get pulled between the lugs and the bungee cords hold them there. Not having bungee cords let's the chains come out of the lugs and self clean.
If you do get a pusher blade, get one that slides into your bucket. That way you can still use your bucket. We used to have New Holland backhoes with power angle pushers. They had the side parts to keep the snow in like a straight box. They were great to help steer. Never ran chains on them as most of our plowing was on asphalt.
Double ring chains will not get pulled between the treads or clog up and are the most commonly used chains around here, have never seen "duo grip" chains on any farm or plow tractor, ring chains are the norm and are a fraction of the price. Use of tensioner "devices" is mandatory on Case hoe or you're gonna lose paint. Any incline + coating of ice + no chains = 12,000 lb. hockey puck.
...curling stone" fixed it for ya....
Most won't have a clue about that reference, we'll stick with the puck.
I find it thrilling and excruciating at the same time, sliding my backhoe down an incline and on a 4 to 1 slope twirling around 180 to 360 degrees, dropping the bucket, hitting the brakes and wondering where I’ll end up. Lol, jumped a few banks and almost ended up in the pond. Fun times. Thinking of just running a plow truck.
You must not have seen a lot of tractor tire chains. Leclede Duo-grip or comparable are the most common chains sold for tractors. Some people do use bungee cords on them. I just found the cross chains got pulled into the lugs. They H pattern chain connecting the cross chains doesn't get pulled in the lugs but I found they work better without bungee cords. Slight floppy does keep the chains clean and prevents them from icing up and packing. On R4 tires like on a backhoe bungee cords would be fine.
Never mind that plow truck, Coney Island can't match that kinda ass-pucker.
Looked like the wannabe VP at the debate, I did. Lol
Update. I’m at my camp and measured the space between the tire and the frame. A bit more than 3/4”. Would that work with 3/8” size chain? Trying to avoid ordering and having to return them. Also hoping to avoid using spacers or turning tires around. Thanks!
I wouldn’t… that seems pretty tight!
Thanks. Back to the drawing board
No, need a couple inches at least. Would flipping the wheels make it wider? I've done that on a couple things.
I’m not sure about flipping the wheels. I’m new to heavy equipment. I’m still weighing my options. Maybe I pay to have someone plow this year and try the backhoe out without chains on d see one areas behind the garage that are not plowed? Plow with my 4 wheeler?
I have a Deere 310 L, and use it to plow snow in Massachusetts. Lately, winters have been on the mild side, but we can get 15-24 inches in single storm. First, chains are a necessity. I bought Trygg chains from White Mountain. They had great discounts off MSRP. They are heavy, a PITA to put on, but work amazingly well. One year, I got lazy, and decided to skip them, and even with 15,000 pounds of backhoe, traction was not great. Sliding a 15,000 pound hoe sideways on a hill is not pleasant. I did have to install spacers between the axle hubs and the rims on the rear to offer up enough clearance for the chains. I tried to find plans to make a set, but ended up having to pay Deere's ass rape prices for the spacers and the new lug bolts. I also had to buy a tool to get the old lugs out, and the new ones in. That went fairly smoothly. Second, I do not use a bucket to plow. Buckets pack with snow, and are heavy enough that they dig up driveways if you are not super careful. I have a quick release, and found a used quick release plate upon which I mounted a used, very old, (cheap) fisher plow. If you float a bucket, the pressure of the snow will lift the front wheels off the ground, eliminating the ability to steer. Allowing the plow to pivot by itself allows you to lock down the bucket arms, and keep the steering front wheels from lifting. After snow blowing driveways for 30 years, having an enclosed, heated cab with a radio is a wonderful luxury.
I appreciate your advice. My camp is close to the Canadian border so I could get a lot of snow (although last season I never even took the snowmobiling bike out :-(. ). I’m’m running out of time. It’s getting cold here. Snow will be coming soon. Probably shelling out some $ again to have someone plow.
I'm sure you'll be able to move a fair amount of snow without chains. You could look into special studs for the tires too.
I have been removing snow with a T/L/B for years without chains, and I never will buy chains. I rarely gouge the gravel driveway with the bucket. If the snow is very deep, I go until the bucket is full and raise it up and dump as far as necessary off to the side to clear a path. Pushing very far will create windrows on each side of the bucket and that is not something I would want. Once you spin the tires you won't move much unless you use the front bucket to push the tractor backwards until you can get traction again. It is easier than using the backhoe. Tires with a decent amount of tread makes a big difference to. I found that out the first winter after I bought new rear tires.
You could look in to Grip Studs. They can be installed with a cordless drill so easy to remove too.
Just let the first snow stay if your ground isnt froze up and then it makes a good frozen base till spring. My Dad puts a pipe on the cutting edge of the plow on his tractor. Here the ground is normally froze before it snows.
I happen to be cutting the old pipe off and installing a new one on my 10’ Curtis plow this weekend. The first pipe lasted 3 seasons and I plow 3/8” of a mile with 70% gravel. Emmet, do those flat bars help the plow from riding up. I was going to try and rig up some sort of piston or gas strut to keep down pressure on the plow but i don’t like my front tires off the ground. I don’t have chains but I did just buy new tires.