Just lost my plow guy to retirement and I have a M with a back blade now but I would really like to just have a dedicated plow tractor. I live on a private road that is half flat and half good size hill, I see cubs with plows on youtube but that's mainly on flat surfaces. I have thought about using the M but I hate to beat it up, any suggestions? I know of a Farmall A locally that I might get cheap but I'm afraid of it being to light. Any insight would help, thanks, Anthony
- Thread starter BigTone
- Start date
Janicholson
Well-known Member
An A makes a great plow tractor. It has surprising power for its size. With a hydraulic pump powered by a belt drive, or the PTO, it will be very fine. (they do not have a Hydraulic system from the factory if an A. Super As did. With chains and loaded tires and a set of weights, they are unstoppable. A Cub is too small. Jim
Red Dave
Well-known Member
Any Farmall will pull a plow. The question is how much ground do you need to plow, and how fast do you want to get it done.
In average ground, an A will pull one plow, an H will pull two, an M will pull three, a 706 will pull four, etc, etc.
There has been a whole lot of dirt turned over the past 70 or so years by Farmall H's pulling two bottom Little Genius plows.
It's all comes down to what equipment you have available and how many acres you want to plow.
In average ground, an A will pull one plow, an H will pull two, an M will pull three, a 706 will pull four, etc, etc.
There has been a whole lot of dirt turned over the past 70 or so years by Farmall H's pulling two bottom Little Genius plows.
It's all comes down to what equipment you have available and how many acres you want to plow.
Ellis Kinney
Well-known Member
Anthony; I pull a 2 bottom John Deere 4B with my M with excellent results. The plow will not be hard on the M or trash it. I like plowing with my M because it sits high and gives a perfect view of the plow. Mailed your support bar Friday morning. Ellis
Old weldor
Member
I thought he was talking about plowing snow from driveway, since he mentions his private road.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
If you mean for plowing snow, Then I would go with a 4x4 pickup, Will plow better than a 2 wheel drive tractor and your inside with a heater.
notjustair
Well-known Member
You are talking snow plow, right? You mention a back blade so that has I be it.
I like using my M for snow. I use the front loader, though. I have loaded tires and have never had a traction issue with it. I think you would find a smaller tractor a little light. I do have an 8N that I blade with if it isn't too deep, but I keep chains on it all winter.
The narrow front on an M makes them great because they are so maneuverable. You will want to set the front wheels out one notch as they will slide and push snow if it is a heavy wet one.
I like using my M for snow. I use the front loader, though. I have loaded tires and have never had a traction issue with it. I think you would find a smaller tractor a little light. I do have an 8N that I blade with if it isn't too deep, but I keep chains on it all winter.
The narrow front on an M makes them great because they are so maneuverable. You will want to set the front wheels out one notch as they will slide and push snow if it is a heavy wet one.
PretendFarmer
Well-known Member
If you are refering to snow plowing, I plowed with my A last year. Up to 1 foot it was ok. After that I just couldnt get enough traction even with chains. This year I am going to plow with my 140. In addition to having loaded tires, I fabricated a rear weight rack for suitcase weights. It should weight plenty after about 500lbs of suitcase weights.
gene bender
Well-known Member
How are you going to beat it up plowing snow it will do good unless the snow is over a foot deep then back blades will have trouble unless you have an 8ft one.
Old weldor
Member
I lost my snow plow guy a couple years ago,he moved. Anyway I use a 300 farmall with a loader that has a hydraulic bucket control. Has one set of weights and a 3 point on the back which probably helps for weight. It works well for me because I can pile the snow in one or two places. When it was plowed with a pickup I had to rake gravel back into the driveway from all over the place every spring!
If you have an M with a back blade and money is tight, why not use that? A bit of weight, a set of chains, some warm clothes, and you will be in business. I grew up plowing snow for my father's little business using a MF 165 with a loader and we always got the job done and without beating anything up either.
If someday you have the resources for something else, buy it then.
Zachary Hoyt
Well-known Member
i have been plowing with an H and now a 300. I have an old loader that someone removed the bucket from and put on a 6' blade instead, it will plow a lot of snow. 2' at a time is fairly common here but it is light weight fluffy lake effect snow mostly. Prior to that I ran a back blade and then a loader on a Massey 35.
Zach
Zach
Yeah, if money is tight, use the M with the back blade. You know it works already, right?
It's only going to get as beat up as you beat it. If you OPERATE the tractor instead, it will be no worse for the wear.
How much snow are we talking about? What's the worst snowfall you've seen in a while?
It's only going to get as beat up as you beat it. If you OPERATE the tractor instead, it will be no worse for the wear.
How much snow are we talking about? What's the worst snowfall you've seen in a while?
Everything works, I have not fixed/crowned the road yet so it's sort of rough. I'm not concerned about my operation, I'm concerned about catching the blade on some frozen ground and doing damage. As far as snow fall, lately we have been getting 4-8" with the occasional 12" but a few years ago it was not unheard of to have a 14-16" snowfall and a freak 24".
Al L. in Wisc.
Well-known Member
"BigTone"; It tickled me so many folks didn't READ your post; it is obvious you were talkin' snow!
If our late poster Hugh MacKay was with us you can bet he would be pontificating the power of the off-set IH tractors; here, his Farmall 130.
The photo from 'Bob M from NY' could inspire you to plow snow going forward; no neck cramps.
Being you have your setup, I would use that. Wheel weights plus chains, wear 'long handles' under your bib overalls, a warm pot of coffee waiting in the kitchen...your most economical, common sense answer. Enjoy!!
https://photos.yesterdaystractors.c...arameter=m snow&w=tphotos&cc=2&s=
If our late poster Hugh MacKay was with us you can bet he would be pontificating the power of the off-set IH tractors; here, his Farmall 130.
The photo from 'Bob M from NY' could inspire you to plow snow going forward; no neck cramps.
Being you have your setup, I would use that. Wheel weights plus chains, wear 'long handles' under your bib overalls, a warm pot of coffee waiting in the kitchen...your most economical, common sense answer. Enjoy!!
https://photos.yesterdaystractors.c...arameter=m snow&w=tphotos&cc=2&s=
With some weight on your M it should do okay. I have a 240U with a FEL and rear blade. With dry snow it works fine, in wet heavy snow I have trouble getting traction. I added a set of rear wheel weights which helped some, but I could use more in heavy wet snow.
Dad had a 2500 4wd Chevy pickup with a 4 spd and front blade. He was not rough with it, but it would wear out a clutch almost every winter. He should have had a Ford, but he did not like the closest Ford dealer.
Dad had a 2500 4wd Chevy pickup with a 4 spd and front blade. He was not rough with it, but it would wear out a clutch almost every winter. He should have had a Ford, but he did not like the closest Ford dealer.
the tractor vet
Well-known Member
Something that has a HEATER and a cab. But since you want to use your M then may i seguest making up a ft. mount and installing a snow plow off and old pick up . I did this on my S/H as i had a seven and half foot Western plow and with some angle iron and some 4 inch channel iron some pipe and 3/8th x 5 flat i made up a sub frame , cut down the A frame a bit and in about four hours of gas axe some Lincoln ready bolt and the drill press it was a done deal. easy on and off . The sub frame was made wide enough that the narrow ft. would turn lock to lock . How well did it work ?? well at first not so good so i added four sets of do nuts to the rear wheels , not much help . then made up brackets to bolt to the draw bar and hung 1200 lbs of ft. weights , little better , then loaded the tires with a max CC mix that helped but still would spin the tires . The big help came with CHAINS between the weight and then the CHAINS it would move snow . The down side was still the belly pump hyd. AND NO CAB . I have since gave up on usen it for my snow removal needs . Now when it snows and the WAR DEPT needs to get up the drive or down she can turn the little switch on the dash . IF it gets bad enough then i will go fire up my high dollar snow blower IF it starts and do the drive and sidewalk . May just have to work on the blow this year but really hate putting any money in it as i already had to buy chains for it and now have over a hundred bucks in that thing .
Correction: He does NOT want to use his M.
What's the budget number here? You're going to need to shell out at least $3000 for something decent with a front blade.
Winter's here in some places already. You don't have time to spend a couple months fixing up an old heap and building a plow frame. Time you get all that done it'll be spring again!
What's the budget number here? You're going to need to shell out at least $3000 for something decent with a front blade.
Winter's here in some places already. You don't have time to spend a couple months fixing up an old heap and building a plow frame. Time you get all that done it'll be spring again!
The budget, realistically, not enough lol Like I mentioned, I know of an A that I think I get for around $1,500 w/o a plow. We have a plow that used to go on the SMTA but I would need to fab. a frame and I don't have any welding skills so I'd have to get the guy down the road to do it, so your right $3,000 total sounds about on the money. I'll probably end up paying someone this year until I can get the road fixed then maybe the A loaded down with weight would be fine, just add another project to the list!
Just read on the "tractor talk" page that a guy added a 2x12x10 to his back blade for snow so he could push snow without going into the ditch. Got me thinking, maybe I could rig something on the blade to protect it from catching on any frozen ground, if nothing else it sounds clever to use the board to push the snow further into the ditch...anyone do something like that?
Janicholson
Well-known Member
Wood has been used to make emergency snow plows for years. They work for a while but have few followers after the first one breaks or wears to no value. Back blades operated when turned arond so they push going backwards work well (if a 2" PVC pipe is cut long ways to slip over the edge (2 cuts needed) it will keep it from digging into gravel or frozen dirt/lawns. Backwards is OK but will tweak your neck and back from looking at what you are doing in one speed.
A loader on an M with a snow bucket, or blade set at a 15* angle will push and pile snow 5 times better and 20 times more comfortably than a back blade. Chains are needed in all cases where a hill is to be mounted. Weights and filled tires are dramatically better than light rear end. Five forward speeds are better than one (reverse)
The little A tractor discussed will move snow for you easily and the chains cost 50% as much. And would allow you to keep the M for other applications. Jim
A loader on an M with a snow bucket, or blade set at a 15* angle will push and pile snow 5 times better and 20 times more comfortably than a back blade. Chains are needed in all cases where a hill is to be mounted. Weights and filled tires are dramatically better than light rear end. Five forward speeds are better than one (reverse)
The little A tractor discussed will move snow for you easily and the chains cost 50% as much. And would allow you to keep the M for other applications. Jim
Brian Schmidt
Member
I use a Farmall C with a factory front blade. I also have a 3 point out back. I put chains on when the ice gets bad. I can move anything. Only thing that would make it better is a cab or a heat houser.
Tom Fleming
Well-known Member
I have been plowing snow here in western Pa for 20 years now with a Farmall Cub. Rear wheel weights, chains. I like it because it is small and maneuverable, and will push alot of snow for it's size. it is NOT a D9, but if you use it right, it does a good job. Deepest snow I have pushed with it was 24" of medium (meaning wet) snow. I had to take smaller passes at first, but once I had things cleaned out, I just kept pushing it out of the way.
Now, the down side of a Cub or a Super A is that the blade will only go so high. If your snow gets too piled up, you are limited by traction and power to push a large pile of snow over and out of the way.
The Super M we used on the farm had a 14" x 7' long H channel that bolted onto the manure bucket, and with chains, would push all the snow that Lake Erie could dump on us.
I didn't quite catch where you are located, but how much snow you get will dictate what tractor you use.
Now, the down side of a Cub or a Super A is that the blade will only go so high. If your snow gets too piled up, you are limited by traction and power to push a large pile of snow over and out of the way.
The Super M we used on the farm had a 14" x 7' long H channel that bolted onto the manure bucket, and with chains, would push all the snow that Lake Erie could dump on us.
I didn't quite catch where you are located, but how much snow you get will dictate what tractor you use.
Denny ('60 Lo-Boy)
Member
Don't knock it 'til you've tried it. :wink:
gene bender
Well-known Member
Been using a B with front blade for yrs move tons of snow.
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