Can I Plow Snow With A John Deere 455D Track Loader....

[Frankdozer]

Well, In preparation for the up coming winter snow, I figured I'd ask about any knowledge about plowing snow with my track loader. Do you do it? I also heard that the snow was trouble for the tracks. What about steep grades of my driveway? Thanks, frank

[Scottyb]

You will need something for traction unless you like sliding out of controll down icy slopes. Welding ice traction bars on your grousers is a option but then they might make a mess of pavement next summer. Your pads likely have 5/8 holes that you could put hardened bolts through for increased traction. This works but, it makes for a rough ride on hard surfaces though. As far as the cold my Deeres seem to run strongest on a very cold day.
Scott

[Tigerhaze]

Read this thread:

http://www.jdcrawlers.com/messageboard/ ... hlight=ice

[Scottyb]

Did this guy freeze up?

Looks to me that the driver just rode it out without trying to straighten it out. I have been in a few slides ( on snow ) that I was able to get out of with braking on one side and driving on the other. I will admit that they were small slopes with no cliff coming up to panic about. Although I did get half sideways recently on steel ramps loading on my trailer and straightened it out while sliding down. You should have seen the face on the seller that was watching me load my new crawler. (it won't happen again, learned my lesson)
The guy in this dozer could have gone right off the mountain if It had not stopped where it did. I need some advice, shouldn't he have made an attempt to get it straight while sliding??

Could be he bailed out??


Stay off the side hills would be best, but, what should one do when you are in a slide like the one in the photo?



Scottb

Scott

[Tigerhaze]

I would try to dig the blade or bucket into the ground to slow me down, and that mightnoteven help. Hindsight when you are sliding is 20/20.

[JWB Contracting]

I would go with some ice lugs or bolts thru the pads for traction and install and angling dozer in place of the bucket. We put a lug on every 4th or 5th pad, which is enought to keep 2 or 3 of them on the ground on each track at all times. A bucket will work but very time consuming and difficult to do a good job.

You already have plumbing for the 4 in 1 bucket. An angle dozer works very well on loader machines, we have had 2 on 350C widepads for 30+ years.