The Trials Of Personal Snow Removal.

I have a John. Deere X360 with a 44" blade that I use to clear my driveway. Also, I outfit it with 160lbs of back weights and tire chains. Today casualties include two broken hitch pin fasteners, broken tire chain, broken Scraper blade with 3 missing screws/nuts and a missing screw and nut for one of my runners.

No skiing for me today.

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A few weeks ago, a yoke and pin for hydraulic lift of the blade were lost in the snow. I bought a nice snow blower (26" Cub Cadet with tracks) as a supplement and to get me through until the new parts arrived. It was a special order from Home Depot. When delivered, the two reverse gears did not work, and the left front light was broken. I returned it for a refund. Piece of shit.

I ski pow, then i go to the office, then come home after dark and shovel a lot. I tend to sleep well when it snows.

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Originally Posted by schindlerpiste

I have a John. Deere X360 with a 44" blade that I use to clear my driveway. Also, I outfit it with 160lbs of back weights and tire chains. Today casualties include two broken hitch pin fasteners, broken tire chain, broken Scraper blade with 3 missing screws/nuts and a missing screw and nut for one of my runners.

No skiing for me today.

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What did I tell u about letting the teenagers use it?

You said not to.

What did you do?

I let the teenagers use it.

I call it Snow Wars. Was chained to my desk today from 0630-1500. No skiing yet today but might rally here in a moment for a lap in the backyard bowl if visibility improves.

Between my 3 parking spots, the deck and camper, it’s been a truly epoch year of snow wars. Here’s one current pic and one from last week.

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Originally Posted by jmedslc

I call it Snow Wars. Was chained to my desk today from 0630-1500. No skiing yet today but might rally here in a moment for a lap in the backyard bowl if visibility improves.

Between my 3 parking spots, the deck and camper, it’s been a truly epoch year of snow wars. Here’s one current pic and one from last week.

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Brooooooooooooooooooooo. This in the Wasatch? Looking like Mammoth Lakes with that amount of snow! Lots of shoveling here in CO, but damn...That's a lot of snow.

That's ridic

Yeah, we had water coming through the roof last week. Ice dam and a leaky vent boot. Good times.

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yeah .... no.
I'll live down in the lowlands and just visit.

We had no snow. Then it snowed every other day for 2 weeks. I was also trying to groom fat bike trails at the same time.

A typical storm day would go like this:
- Wake up early
- Shovel my deck
- Snowblow my driveway/yard
- Snowblow my other driveway
- Snowblow the old man across the street's driveway
(after February 7th) - drive up the road and snowblow my parents driveway

- Work all day

- Go out on the snowmobile and clear trails for the night. Usually involving lots of shovelling and sawing and swearing.

Luckily things have stabilized and I can now ride my bike on nice trails.

I deal with less snow and i only have a 24 " craftsmen so when it dumps big I am better off doing the drive way twice so in the middle of the storm than trying to get it all apres storm cuz I can go way faster with less problems and i think its easier on the HW

Be glad you have snow to work/play in this year.

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Big year on the east side of the cascades has me thinking about a blower or tractor…. Neighbor has heavy equipment and does the driveway but just keeping the rest dug out was exhausting during December and January


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get the equipment, a 24" snow blower is the entry level so not very big but it was cheaper and can maneuver thru gates and around stuff

also coming under " snow removal "I had snow & ice build-up from the vents of 2 apts on my roof so I instaled heat trace on the roof and gutters

Yes I’m in the Wasatch. Spent some time yesterday digging out the heater vent, which is already 12’ off the ground. Great skiing to be had tho!

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Oh to have a smidgen of those problems. #fukkthiswinterinpennsylvania.

I had to start my snow blower yesterday to see if it works

Six inches total so far… I don’t think I will need it..


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I have an older snowblower and this year I bought a used 45 inch wide blower thinking it'll solve all my problems.

First storm the big blower stops moving. I took it apart, found the axle is broken (this isn't what caused it to stop moving) so I've set it aside and will decide if I want to fix it in the spring.

2nd big storm the smaller snow blower stopped moving. Luckily this just required a new belt, but that was not fun to acquire and replace in the middle of a snow/ice storm.

I think I have the wife convinced to go all in for a sub compact tractor with a blower and loader for next year.

I am thinking of changing my blade for a blower next season.

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Originally Posted by schindlerpiste

I am thinking of changing my blade for a blower next season.

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That's what she said.

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Originally Posted by schindlerpiste

I am thinking of changing my blade for a blower next season.

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Serious question, what do you do if you go away for a couple of weeks? I have a long driveway in snow country (120" per year?) and I pay $65 per push. I've thought about the math of break even on buying equipment, maintenance, time etc., but I always come back to leaving for a while during winter and we get big snow/wind.

Man, I admire you guys still willing to DIY. And no fucking way am I shoveling off the roof.

I never shovel the roof and they don't usually say you need to except for a few yars ago when we got a snow event followed by a rain event in late October, there was a big snow/ice load so when at least one house collapsed they recommended shoveling the roof

same event ^^ completely saturated the water table/ flooded many basements , I kept mine at bay with a shop vac, I vacumed every 15 min all night long, since I was up all night anyway I was 1st in line at the rental shop to rent one of their 2 pumps everyone else was SOL

I upgraded to an Ariens SHO blower last year and I'm glad I did. It will throw 2' of wind slab snow 50 feet without breathing hard.

But if we get off our asses and build an ADU and separate garage like we've planned that will double the driveway size and I'll need to get a compact tractor with blower attachment to fight that battle.

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Originally Posted by zion zig zag

Serious question, what do you do if you go away for a couple of weeks? I have a long driveway in snow country (120" per year?) and I pay $65 per push. I've thought about the math of break even on buying equipment, maintenance, time etc., but I always come back to leaving for a while during winter and we get big snow/wind.

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House won't be empty during the winter for more than a day or two here and there. In winter, if we go away, either my daughter or son will will come over to watch the house and dogs. If you don't mind shoveling/plowing/blowing your own driveway, I bet that you can contact a local guy to plow it during the 1-2 wks. while you are away.
Which brings me to: l2s' comment, "Man, I admire you guys still willing to DIY".
One of my strongest memories of my dad is shoveling snow. I am one of the middle of 4. Every time it snowed, he made sure that the five of us shovel the driveway and walk of my house 2 or 3x during a typical storm. I really enjoy it. I wish that I instilled that into my kids, but no such luck.

We've been getting pounded this winter. Peggy, our 2005 Silverado HD with a 8' Boss V plow has been doing an admirable job on the road and driveway (about a mile with a steepish s-curve thrown in). The 6.0 gasser has been plenty powerful so far and the tranny seems solid, even with ~150k. It's nice that it starts in those sub zero temps without having to be plugged in. I threw Timbrens on the IFS to try to mitigate wear and added an HD alternator for the plow, so we'll see how that goes. She eats wiper blades but I'm reluctant to try the heated ones...seems rife with potential problems.

I did confirm that the Toro snow thrower I bought in a pinch last year is a piece of shit. Blew a belt in maybe 6 hours of use, and it's weak and cheap feeling. Upgraded to a similar sized Simplicity and couldn't be happier. It is always easy to start (even when wife left it out in sub zero temperature), and it eats snow like a champ. Feels beefy and it's easy to use.

It was a big enough winter to call in my buddy's skid steer with a blower to hollow out a few corners in early January. A plow can only throw snow so far and when the walls get around 3 to 4 feet, the snow just starts falling back in and wind drift gets stuck.

Lesson: In snow removal equipment, spend a little more and it pays off big time. Don't fuck around if you live in the mountains.

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My shovel collection hasn't even come out to play this year. I might get some snow over the next week or so but the 2" total since Thanksgiving has been a non issue. I sort of enjoy shoveling, at least until the snowbanks reach shoulder level.

Foot of snow plus a layer of freezing rain on top today. Was supposed to ski. Nope, shovelled for three plus hours instead.

My current situation. Augers not spinning. Turns out the bolt that attaches the impeller shaft to the impeller pully wheel sheered off. This thing only breaks when used lol fml.

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This it's second breakdown this season, couple weeks ago it was a (65 F'ing CA$) belt.

Last season it was a bearing. Not too bad, at least that part was only 25 CA$.

Six years ago I had to put a new engine on it, but that was completely my fault. Had an oil leak that I didn't notice in time..

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Originally Posted by gravitylover

My shovel collection hasn't even come out to play this year. I might get some snow over the next week or so but the 2" total since Thanksgiving has been a non issue. I sort of enjoy shoveling, at least until the snowbanks reach shoulder level.

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I'm with you. Shit winter around here, haven't even moved the snowblower from the summer storage spot in the garage to the in-use spot. Guess I should start it up sometime in the next few weeks and run a little gas through it before I re-store it until we see if next winter happens or not.

ROOF RAKIN'!

woot.

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House has a case of Irritable Ice Dam Syndrome.

Didn't think we were going to get nearly as much snow at the new place as we have. Thought we'd get maybe 6" at a time, and that it'd generally melt off between storms. 7100' in SWCO, right on the edge between desert and mountains, with no trees (plenty of sun). Oh boy was I wrong. I think this is a bit of an unusual year but still - pretty clear I need to invest in some machinery.

Bought a 26" 2 stage Cub Cadet blower cuz I needed something ASAP and it's.... fine? It's good for what it is. If I were clearing 6" of snow from a 50' driveway every couple of weeks it'd be sweet. For a 400' driveway that regularly drifts in 2'+ deep it's a little lacking. Gets the job done, but slowly and I'm getting beat up wrangling it. Only one shear pin casualty so far so that's nice.

Have a lot of other shit that needs doing that a tractor would be useful for so pretty sure a compact tractor with a loader is in my near future. Unfortunately the used market isn't great.

This winter in SWCO is more like the norm 20-30 years ago. The bonus is excellent skiing right out the door…..after the snow removal.

In 2019 records were broken as an outlier. 6’ plus on the roof was challenging and a bean bag attached to a cord as a homemade Rutschblock worked well for under cutting snow to get it to slide vs shoveling only and a no go with a snow rake.

Wait until your 400’ drive is entirely saturated San Juan slop for all kinds of fun.


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400 ft driveway? Time for a plow blade on the front of whatever you drive.

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Originally Posted by liv2ski

400 ft driveway? Time for a plow blade on the front of whatever you drive.

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After you snow blow. With just a blade unless you overplow the width of your drive, eventually there is no where to push it. Throwing or lifting the snow is must. Some years anything works.

If you have the choice, move snow to the north side (not south) to let more sun hit the drive.

Edit:
-with an almost 30 temperature swing each day and intense sun, getting after it sooner than later is generally easier. Especially after the road gets plowed to reduce dealing with heavy consolidation.

-it's a marathon not a sprint so plan ahead on where you are going to put snow when it does come.

Try plowing this for 200':

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This is my chicken coop, I can stand up in it. We’ve had 300+” of snow this year. By the honda and you won’t have all the trials.

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Originally Posted by Alpinord

After you snow blow. With just a blade unless you overplow the width of your drive, eventually there is no where to push it. Throwing or lifting the snow is must. Some years anything works.

If you have the choice, move snow to the north side (not south) to let more sun hit the drive.


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You could find an ass old tractor with a PTO and a blower on it for around the same price as a used HD truck with V Plow. I used to have one. If you have even a few acres, it's crazy how useful a loader is.

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I member the yearwe rented a Tahoe ski rental at lake level and my brother and another guy decided we should save the $500 each and clear the driveway(it was only big enough to fit two cars next to each other with little room in front or back) and walkways / decks ourselves. I was the only one who regularly went up mid week and they would all show up late night after I’d shoveled. One day my brother had the audacity to complain that I’d only shoveled one spot out in the driveway. I must have moved 2-3 semi trucks full of snow that year by hand.


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Snow stopped on Tuesday and the wind started. steady 30s from the east and by Wednesday well below zero and still windy. Suppose to reach the mid 20s today so I will plow. Didn't need to go anywhere anyway and most of the new snow is now in the backyard.

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Originally Posted by liv2ski

400 ft driveway? Time for a plow blade on the front of whatever you drive.

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Yeah I don’t think so. If you get any decent amount of snowfall y’aint gonna push it that far. Will need to blow it. Honda 1132 track blower will eat that up just fine, but will take some time and you’ll get your steps in.


Edit to add now I see all the other posts. What they all said! Hahahahaha

Not as much as most of you, but the snow plow did me dirty, and it was too icy and wet for the snowblower. Good workout though.

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Originally Posted by jmedslc

Yes I’m in the Wasatch. Spent some time yesterday digging out the heater vent, which is already 12’ off the ground. Great skiing to be had tho!

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I know exactly where you are. Buddy of mine lived in that hood for 6 or 7 years. Sooooooo much snow to move around……