lsmorr

Member
Restored my 8n in 2007 have never used it in snow. My question is now that I have moved to northern Ohio will it move snow without chains? (Rear blade)
 

We used to move a lot of snow with a three point blade with bare tires-two wheel drive and no added weight. Once FWA tractors became very popular two wheel drive tractors lost most of their traction. Two very big factors are whether the driveway is paved or gravel, and how cold it is. It all depends on if the tires spin and melt the snow and form ice. That stops you quickly. Many people will tell you that you need to put pipe over the cutting edge of your blade to stop it from grabbing and pushing pebbles. That pipe will make the blade ride up over some of the snow, packing it and making ice if the temperature is not low. If the temp is cold it all goes nicely because the snow will be dusty and won't tend to pack and traction is maintained. Added weight for traction will help, but when the 3 point is in use your weight options are limited to wheel weights or calcium chloride. Many people who are not greatly familiar with farming are very strongly against calcium chloride because under the right conditions it will rust the rims rapidly. But it is very easy to make the rusting impossible.
 
this was one heck of a snow mover.
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I moved snow for years with a back blade on a 2N. It had loaded Ag tires. Tires cracked enough to not hold pressure (inner tubes would break in the cracks). Bought some new turf tires as this was also my mowing tractor. Unloaded turf tires needed chains to work well. They were usually OK without chains but not always.
 
For best results you want chains And ballast - either wheel weights or fluid in your rears. If you have both your tractor will move a surprising amount of snow.
 
(quoted from post at 04:10:43 09/03/19) Restored my 8n in 2007 have never used it in snow. My question is now that I have moved to northern Ohio will it move snow without chains? (Rear blade)

I ve used a back blade to move snow for 3 winters now in a Idaho. I donn t have chains but have all 4 brand new tires. I focus first on my driveway about 600 feet on an hill. Secondly I focus on the 1/2 mile from my driveway to the nearest 2 lane highway where the county starts plowing.

What I ve noticed is that most of my plowing is downhill, not a very steep hill. If I try to move snow going uphill, I have to fight every inch, I give the old 2N hell in second gear and when she starts spinning, I ll have to use the left/right brakes to try and keep her going since my tractor lacks any kind of locking differential or limited slip....

So instead of fighting and clawing for every inch, I adjusted my style so that I plow downhill, and then raise the blade while going uphill. It means I can only plow snow half the time, but I m only plowing half a mile anyway and it takes more time this way but a lot easier than trying to plow snow uphill without chains. So the technique is slower but much easier and better results.
 
I put Canadian Ring Chains on my 2N for plowing snow using my front mounted dearborn plow. I can push a heck of a lot of wet snow with only the occasional wheel slip. I do not have loaded tires or wheel weights. HOWEVER. I plow a frozen gravel driveway. If you are plowing on pavement, the Canadian Ring Chains are a killer on your machine and back. They are super aggressive. If you want to try a slightly less aggressive chain that would probably work on both pavement and gravel without wheel weight, try getting regular studded ring chains that will not drop down between the tire lugs. New chains are ridiculously expensive, so keep looking for used. Good Luck, Larry.
 

I started plowing with my 9N and back blade with unloaded ag tires. That was awful so I added chains and that was better. Then I switched to loaded turf tires thinking the added weight and tread contact would get me by without chains. Wrong! So now I use the loaded turf tires with chains. The ride is terrible but the tractor will climb a tree. Chains and weight are the best combination by far.
 
(quoted from post at 22:29:02 09/03/19)
I started plowing with my 9N and back blade with unloaded ag tires. That was awful so I added chains and that was better. Then I switched to loaded turf tires thinking the added weight and tread contact would get me by without chains. Wrong! So now I use the loaded turf tires with chains. The ride is terrible but the tractor will climb a tree. Chains and weight are the best combination by far.
ust live where there is not snow??? :idea:
 
I have several tractors so I'll put chains on some and not on others for plowing. Depending on the conditions i can hop on one tractor or another. If your driveway is not flat you will probably need chains. If you get a lot of snow per season you will probably need chain. Front plow, need chains, scrapper blade maybe not depending on snowfall and depth of snow. Weights might help a little but once you get a little ice you will need chains.Something to consider when buying chains is what tires you have on your tractor. If you are buying ladder style chains they will be good if you have turf or 45 degree tire tread. But if you have 23 degree tread they might fall inbetween the lugs make them almost useless. See photo, not my tractor. If you have 23 degree tires best to go with an X or H design chain

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(quoted from post at 00:22:44 09/04/19)
(quoted from post at 22:29:02 09/03/19)
I started plowing with my 9N and back blade with unloaded ag tires. That was awful so I added chains and that was better. Then I switched to loaded turf tires thinking the added weight and tread contact would get me by without chains. Wrong! So now I use the loaded turf tires with chains. The ride is terrible but the tractor will climb a tree. Chains and weight are the best combination by far.
ust live where there is not snow??? :idea:

And miss out on plowing, shoveling, scraping, frostbite, shivering, numb body parts, sliding off the road, frozen pipes and falling on my arse? Where's the fun in that?
 
Snow has never been a problem for me,1/8 inch of ice under the snow is a big problem.
 
(quoted from post at 19:22:33 09/09/19) Snow has never been a problem for me,1/8 inch of ice under the snow is a big problem.

I deal with up to 2 inches of ice on my steep driveway, there are too many trees that block the sun from melting it. I have to use V-bar chains.
 
I've been moving snow with the N for 24 years here in No. In. Four with a rear blade and 20 with a front blade. As been said here, the surface your driving on makes a huge difference. Loose gravel,concrete or asphalt are going to require weighted tires and wheels and of course chains IMO. Glad I don't have to deal with any of those conditions. I got crushed limestone that's tailgated with fines, when that dust gets wet it sets up like concrete, but still allows the chains to slightly dig in. I put a 265 pound weight on each rear wheel one season for S&amp;Gs; that was a total waste of time. No weighted wheels either, Duo Grips are all I need.
 
I have always fed hay in rings. Started unrolling hay last year, and I am hooked now. I bought a pull behind hay unroller this summer, and haven't used it yet. My hope is that my 8n will pull it. I feel like it will do less damage to the ground, than my loader tractor (it gets boggy here in winter). Considering chains for the 8n. Useful in those conditions?
 
(quoted from post at 16:30:16 09/10/19) I have always fed hay in rings. Started unrolling hay last year, and I am hooked now. I bought a pull behind hay unroller this summer, and haven't used it yet. My hope is that my 8n will pull it. I feel like it will do less damage to the ground, than my loader tractor (it gets boggy here in winter). Considering chains for the 8n. Useful in those conditions?

I've never seen anyone use an N to roll hay but that's not to say it can't be done. Somebody on here knows the answer.
 
I have a place on a hill in CO. We have gravel drive and then paved lead in to the garage. I can go downhill with back blade and no chains. I can't go uphill blading at all without chains. With the tractor in the garage, I put the chains on and have no trouble dragging plenty of snow down the hill. Then, back up with the blade up and take another swath. Even with chains, going uphill is a chore.
 

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