Snow removal

wyoming556 · Dec 10, 2013

I am having some snow drift issues at my house and am looking at different options to remove the snow from my driveway. I don't get a large amount of snow in my area but I do get large drifts because I live just far enough from the NF and on top of a large hill that the drifting has become a problem. Sometimes I even get drifts 8-10 ft tall in my driveway but most of the time they are 3-5 ft high and extremely packed in.

I purchased an old backhoe last year and it works pretty good as long as it is not really cold which for me is below 0. When it gets that cold the old backhoe has trouble running correctly and I am tired of working on it. I simply don't' have the time and I don't' enjoy mechanic work as much as I used to.

I am thinking of purchasing a new tractor with a cab but thought I would hear what you guys are using for your snow. Any thoughts?

TLC · Dec 10, 2013

have children. boys preferred, but girls can do the job.

snow fence will take care of most of the drifting problems. orange plastic is the easiest to work with. once you have that, a good snowblower will get the job done.

mrmedora · Dec 10, 2013

Hey Wyo,

A skidsteer is the best way to go IMO. You can get endless attachments, including a nice snowblower, but even a 5 or 6 foot bucket will do everything a smaller tractor with a cab will do. I work at an implement dealership here, and it's hard to believe the number of attachments you can get for a skidsteer!!!
Hope that helps.
Scott

Jwill · Dec 10, 2013

Have you considered moving?

Maybe shifting your driveway or putting up some snowfence would help.

1_pointer · Dec 10, 2013

Trees, of the right type, can make a living snow fence. I like the skidsteer suggestion as well. The number of attachements for them really is boggling. Plus, I think they'd be fun to operate!

putm2sleep · Dec 10, 2013

http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/trnews/rpo/rpo.trn115.pdf

8-10ft drifts? might need a dozer! trade in the POS for something that works.

Burm your driveway with landscaping and go natural could help maybe?

wyoming556 · Dec 10, 2013

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like snow fence could help the situation.

Here are a few pics of what I am talking about. Note the drift on the basketball court is about 8 ft high. That was the first big storm of the fall this year.

1_pointer · Dec 10, 2013

I'd so have to try to dunk off that drift!

Dinkshooter · Dec 10, 2013

Kids need to pick up their bikes.

RobG · Dec 10, 2013

Wow, you could dig some serious snow tunnels in those drifts!

In addition to snow fences, the hwy department also digs trenches in the snow before the road so that the snow tends to deposit there.

noharleyyet · Dec 10, 2013

Are your walls EIFS? Nice house.

I'm thinking a poma lift and Starbucks.

Bambistew · Dec 10, 2013

Move to an area with a few more trees. Sheesh its flat and desolate.

Is the drift caused by the house?

Arctic site design 101... don't put your driveway or front door on the prevailing down wind side of your building.

Elkmagnet · Dec 10, 2013

Now that's a drift!

What specific problems are you having with the hoe? Fuel or hydraulic?

wyoming556 · Dec 10, 2013

noharleyyet said:
Are your walls EIFS? Nice house.

I'm thinking a poma lift and Starbucks.

It's an old country school with stucco over the original exterior. We converted it into a house last year.

wyoming556 · Dec 10, 2013

Bambistew said:
Move to an area with a few more trees. Sheesh its flat and desolate.

Is the drift caused by the house?

Arctic site design 101... don't put your driveway or front door on the prevailing down wind side of your building.

Only 2 miles to a couple of hundred thousand acres of public land including National Forest and state WMA's along with some walk in land. I have Antelope, MD, WT, Elk, and BH Sheep within 5 miles. A little windy but it works for me. My wife won't let me move to Alaska.

The big drift beyond the backhoe is caused by the house. The drift on the BB court is caused by the cedars next to the court.

You are correct that the layout could have been better. Was build in the early 30's with an addition in the 90's.

wyoming556 · Dec 10, 2013

elkmagnet said:
Now that's a drift!

What specific problems are you having with the hoe? Fuel or hydraulic?

The kind of problems caused when equipment is old and worn out. I have done' quite a bit of work on it. It runs good and starts in sub zero temps but this last cold spell caused the hydraulics not to work correctly. I am assuming there must be some moisture in the fluid in the lines (replaced the fluid in reservoir recently) and when it goes down below 0 it must cause the fluid not to flow properly. I'm getting tired of spending my time working on it so I will likely be replacing it with a new tractor or skid steer. Just got back form the bobcat dealer in town.

Elkmagnet · Dec 10, 2013

Fair enough. Did you put winter weight hydraulic Oil in it though? Not to insult you but a lot of people don't realize that there are different weights of hydraulic oil.
You may also consider a hydraulic reservoir heater. And in place of a cab you could man up

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