snow removal

I'm in need of some advice. I'm sick and tired of shoveling snow drifts and paying some one to plow my drive way and barn yard. so I'm gonna buy another tractor somthing kinda small but with enough guts to move snow well. I was thinking of an 8n with a step through hydraulic loader and a 6ft blade. I have found a few for resonable price but don't know enough about the n series to make up my mind yet. i do have a ford 1965 4000 but I don't want to put a loader on it. Would an 8N be enough tractor? I live in central Indiana and I don't get tons of snow normally but it drifts up to 4 or more feet tall right in front of the garage and the barn door. And this year is rediculous snow snow snow ice snow ice snow I'm tired of moving it by hand. would an 8n work with weights and chains with a hydraulic loader and a 6ft blade or do I need to look for a 600 series

With 4 ft. drifts an 8N would be ridiculously slow. In your case a snowblower for your 4000 might be a good idea. Don't know what your budget is but maybe you could find a decent older skid steer or an industrial loader tractor. You don't want to be out there all day long, esopecially without a cab. Most smaller AG tractors would have pretty slow hydraulics. Dave

After a 4000 = live hydraulics + independent pto I think you would be unhappy with an N = no live anything.
I would suggest a 600/800 which would have at least live hyds and possible LPTO and PS.
If you could swing it money wise a 3000 would be a good choice. Same great 3 cylinder engine and 8 speed tranny that you already know and trust but nice small size.
None of the small Fords are ideal for loader tractors though due to the light front ends.
A 2000 or 4000 (4 cyl) light industrial would be a good choice too as they had that heavy non adjustable front end that was suitable for loader work. Basically the same tractor as a 600/800 but with several refinements and the first Fords to be painted Blue.
Pic is of a 64 2000 light ind that belongs to a friend of mine. Note the heavy front axle on it.
I think it's better to hold out for the right machine than to jump impulsively into one that you'll afterwards find is a little skimpy.

I live in the country near Terre Haute, Indiana. I have a 1944 2N with chains and a rear blade and I move snow all the time . I plow a 1/4 mi lane as well as the circle drive in the yard and back to my barn. My garage faces west and I too get big drifts in front of the door and I'm able bust thru them with the 2N. The only thing I wish I had was a front dozer blade

Barry N Indiana
1944 2N

I use an 8n with a pipe loader for a long driveway, with a 6 foot bucket and it works good. I do have pie weights for traction, but be prepared to learn to steer with the brakes without power steering.

I've got an 1953 Jubliee/NAA with a 6 foot rear blade and one loaded tire. No problem with clearing snow on my gravel drive or neighbors paved drive. I get stuck once a season, mostly on ice, but bucket of sand from the kids sand box and jumps right out. Of course the NAA is diff than the 8n in many ways. Hope this helps.

Northern Indiana here

8N with loaded tires & chains -- FEL & 7' blade.

I move snow from a gravel drive -- the county roads & our parking lot.

Would it be easier with a little bigger tractor with LPTO?

Yup -- but then I would have nothing to gripe about.

:lol:

With a 4000 already in the stable, I'd sure be putting that to work. I don't like front end loaders either, and for most snow work they are too slow. So my solution would be to rig a front blade 7.5 to 8 ft older Western blade works fine, and use either a 7 ft rear blade for pulling snow away from the garage and barn doors, and have a 7 ft rear mount blower available for the "100 year storms" we seem to be getting pretty often.

I have rigged our TW 10 up in similar fashion, but with 9.5 ft front blade and 9 ft H.D. rear Kewanee blade. It does not have loaded tires, and no chains. With the front and back blades, that baby moves snow!! We keep another bigger tractor with FWA rigged with an 8 ft double auger 2 stage blower. It is a 170 Hp tractor, and can probably put near 150 Hp to the blower. We do ~30 snow removal accounts each storm. The blades are fast, compared to the blower being very slow.

We will be building the front blade mounting later this year for my younger son's 1975 4600 SU tractor. Currently he is using only a light duty 7 ft rear blade. That setup is good enough for his own drive and pole barn area. The 4000 series has good weight, PS, and a tranny with 2 speeds in reverse. It is built very stout. No way would I buy an 8N, if I had the 4000 sitting and waiting to be used.

Paul in MN

I would not go with any thing less then a 601 and an 801 series would be even better. I use a 841 with a heavy duty loader and a V plow I built. This last snow we got I had to have the chains on and there where times I had to back up and take another run at the drifts we had. Tires filled with fluid and a heavy duty back blade with 6-85lbs suit case weights and a 150lbs wheel weight on the blade and still spun out at times and powered out at other times. Blade sits at about 3 foot tall and is 8.5 foot wide

I've been using my 52 8N with a front mounted, cable activated blad for years. I clear our whole road- aboput 1/3 mile long.
Snow plow

Thanks for the advice I really appreciate it. I think ill just get a 7ft rear blade and some chains and weights for now. But now I have to come up with a new reason to get another tractor
thanks again for your help

By the time you screw around fabricating, buying hoses valves and who knows what a lot of times you can find an old rusty non road worthy plow truck for 1000 or less. There's lots of them around. I've got lots of tractors but I use an old 79 Ramcharger to push snow.

we"ve prolly got about 4" so far this year in the catskills, which is about normal and i have moved it all off my very steep driveway with my 8n equipped with chains and a 5" backblade. used to dream about a frontloader, still do but I dont really need it for snow

strike " and insert ' for feet

I agree with Paul. Better yet put a blower behind that 4000 and help eliminate the pile problems.

Why not just use what you have. The blade on my 4000 can push the snow up 4'to 5'. Why not buy a front or back blade for your 4000, wheel weights or loaded tires and chains.

Kirk

Hey that looks like Minnesota snow!!

Did you buy it and have it trucked in to NJ?

JK, of course!!

Nice picture, and nice setting to show what can be done with a front blade.

Good Day!!

Paul in MN