# Had Some Snow but Tractor Wouldn't Blow!



## DeereBob (Sep 16, 2003)

Yep,
Had about 4" of snow yesterday but I couldn't use my tractor to clean the driveway since it still has the Power Flow Unit on it. I was forced to use my humble 5HP Craftman Snowblower to clean the driveway. I traditionally take my deck off and mount my snowblower Thanksgiving weekend since we almost never get any snow before then. Well I sure was wrong this year plus there still are some leaves left to clean up on the grass. What's a guy going to do!


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## Michael (Sep 16, 2003)

Get caught unprepared, We have all done it and it has happened to you How do you know when the snow is going to fly. DeereBob I do have a question for you, Where is Darien, Il. I was sent to Rantoul when I was in the Air Force several times for intial training and later advanced training when the Air Force used to have a base there that has since closed.


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## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

It snowed here today...actually it isn't done yet...lake effect, you never know where it's going to take you....I never blow until I've driven over it for a couple of weeks so I can pack it in real good.


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## memmurphy (Sep 18, 2003)

We had flurries for the first time this morning. Just enough to whiten the roof tops for a bit. 

Mark


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## Sergeant (Sep 16, 2003)

Well Deerbob I was able to use My dozer Blade for that wonderful slush. Boy how long has it been since we have had snow in November in the Chicagoland area.


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## johndeere (Sep 17, 2003)

We had about 1'' maybe a little more.But not enough to try out my new Simplicity snow blower.Besides it was a real wet snow and over night it turned cold and it was as hard as a brick.I did not want to try it out on this frozen mess.Hopefully the next snow will be the one I get a practice run in to try it out.


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## DeereBob (Sep 16, 2003)

Sergeant,
You sure got that right - when's the last time we had any snow accumulation in Chicago by Thanksgiving! 

Michael
I can remember walking in some snow on Thanksgiving but that was in the '50s so being a man of averages, I just don't count on snow by Turkey Day! Rantoul is near Champaign-Urbana which is about 150 miles or so South of Darien. If you ever have drive I-55 to or from Chicago you literally drive right past my house which is visible from the highway.


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## DeereBob (Sep 16, 2003)

*Now Bring those Flakes On!!*

Changed the tractor over just now so I am ready for anything Mother Nature can throw at me this winter!NANA On Thanksgiving I had to use that little guy to clear the snow off the driveway since we had people coming over for dinner. A whole lot more work than using the tractor let alone the size of the bite 46" vs. 22"!:dazed: 

<img src=http://www.tractorforum.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=69068.


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## DeereBob (Sep 16, 2003)

Here's another view of my snowthrower. For those of you who have had to mount this snowthrower to a 400 series tractor like I use to, there have been exponential improvements in the X Series that cuts the time by 75%. The first is the PTO bracket snaps on instead of bolting on to the frame of the tractor. The second is the weight bracket on the back of the tractor now snaps in instead of having to be bolted onto the frame. JD made some really good design improvements for attachments with the X Series compared to the 400 Series. My driveway is not nearly the length of Keweenaw's but extends for another 100' around the curve in the background and forms a circle around the area directly behind the tractor for a total surface area of 5,400 sq. ft. which takes me about 20 minutes with the 46" snowthrower.

<img src=http://www.tractorforum.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=69071>


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## Sergeant (Sep 16, 2003)

DeereBob I notice you have a JD pushmower. Do you have a JA62 or a JX75 with the blade brake clutch or is it an older model. I can't decied which push mower to buy. I currently have a high wheeled Craftsman Push mower which has been falling apart since the day I bought it. And since I have never used a snow blower on either my JD425 or My X485 do you have to remove the angling cylinder from the quick hitch to use the snow blower? And how is the snow blower shoot rotated manualy or electric. The reason I ask I'm thinking or getting a snow blower next year Though I am running out of room in the shed to store all my toy's as well as all my attachment's for my X-series. I have a Cub Cadet 106 with a snowblower for it But it mostly throws the snow right on top of the unit when shoot is angled left or right. Plus it's rusted and I want to restore it anyways this coming summer.


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## DeereBob (Sep 16, 2003)

Sergeant,
Keen eye, it's a JX75 and is absolutely the best "push" mower I have ever owned although it is actually self-propelled. Always starts with just 1 pull of my left hand but does have the blade brake. You have to hold the bar down before you can engage the blade. If you let go, the blade stops. My dealer told me they have changed the design of the JX75 from what I have, and not for the good so check it out carefully. This mower has a pressurized oil system which I need since I have a number of steep hills on my property. Without the pressurized system, it would stall or hesitate going up hills.

As far as the angling cylinder, I don't have one on my hitch but I imagine you would have to remove or disconnect it since the the second set of hydraulic couplings are used to turn the chute. The bottom lever raises and lowers the blower while the top one turns the chute.


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## Old_Nodaker (Nov 1, 2003)

DeereBob, you are correct, the blade angling cylinder is disconnected so the chute twisting cylinder can be hooked up. It's important to tie the hoses out of the way so they don't get pinched when raising the plow. (Ask me how I know.)


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