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I don't like waiting until winter is here before I get my snow removal equipment ready. How about you all in the snow belt states? Do you wait and make the mad dash after the snow flies or do you have your machines ready and waiting? Maybe you could share your ideas and tricks that you do to get the job done.

I have been using a snow blower for the last many years. I find that blowing snow I get a lot of snow blown into my face. So this year I bought a snow blade for my ATV. Don't know how well it will work compared to the blowing snow but will find out???

I don't do snow removal but in my area we quit mowing in October and normally don't do snow until December/January. Lots of time to get ready.

What do you lawn care professionals do when it's the off season if you do not also clear snow? Do you have another job or source of income during the winter or do you simply take the winter off?

Almost everyone does snow removal but we don't get much snow here. 25" a year average. I on the other hand am a Network Engineer by trade and mow nights and weekends to clear my head of all the crap I do during the day. I also work on Cars, lawnmowers, and anything else I can get my hands on.

snow equipment was put away ready to use. Glass installer by trade, mow nights and weekends. little snow removal but mostly Ebay in the winter

Changing the oil and shoes on my snowblower soon, then I'm pretty much ready. I also need to go look for some new snow shovels right when they come out because I needed them last year after I really wore them down and they were no where to be found after a snowstorm!!

I'm ready just checked to make sure the heater in my truck worked. is that what you meant?

Been splitting and stacking wood for next year. Already moved wood to house for this season.

What do yall do in Florida for the winter time? Since it doesn't snow lol I'm trying to get some ideas, I pressure wash a little bit.

I think I will buy a snow shovel.
We have not has even one hot day this summer. I think we going to have a cold winter with some snow.

It should be on the high 90s now and we have not got out of the 80s.

I hate snow and there is no need for it.

Carscw said:

I hate snow and there is no need for it.

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I hate snow also with all the cold and stuff, But if it did not snow in the north and then melt in the spring and flow into the rivers we would have some very dry places in this country. You must remember the drought some time back, no water for the lawns, lakes and rivers levels were very low, hydro generation plants putting out less electricity, etc. We need snow whether we like it or not. And there is money to be made when it snows. "But thats just me"

zmister11 said:

What do yall do in Florida for the winter time? Since it doesn't snow lol I'm trying to get some ideas, I pressure wash a little bit.

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I don't know where in Florida you are or if you are but we mowed lawn all winter. Always have people calling to have lawns mowed. It slows down and it's not like summer but we stay busy. There's also plenty of mulch work.

Yes, I'm thinking of getting ready for winter. I'll be ordering a load of propane in a couple of months.

Ric said:

I don't know where in Florida you are or if you are but we mowed lawn all winter. Always have people calling to have lawns mowed. It slows down and it's not like summer but we stay busy. There's also plenty of mulch work.

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I live in tampa fl. Mulching is a good idea, thanks

I plow using my 35 HP Kioti tractor, with a 9' power angle front blade and 7' rear blade.
I will wait till Nov. to put the chains and snowblade on.

Up here in NH we start getting ready now. Need to check my plows, sanders, and dump trucks to see if the are in proper working condition. give my snow mowers a tune up. Start buying sand and salt.


God I hate salt!!!!

But still make some good $ during winter

gfp55 said:

I don't like waiting until winter is here before I get my snow removal equipment ready. How about you all in the snow belt states? Do you wait and make the mad dash after the snow flies or do you have your machines ready and waiting? Maybe you could share your ideas and tricks that you do to get the job done.

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Ready and waiting...

lawn mower fanatic said:

Changing the oil and shoes on my snowblower soon, then I'm pretty much ready. I also need to go look for some new snow shovels right when they come out because I needed them last year after I really wore them down and they were no where to be found after a snowstorm!!

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Got to change the oil and belt in one of the Ariens.

LazerZLandscaping said:

Got to change the oil and belt in one of the Ariens.

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Is that a walk behind? How many " path?

gfp55 said:

Is that a walk behind? How many " path?

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Both are walk behinds. One is a 28" path and one is a 30" path.

reynoldston said:

I have been using a snow blower for the last many years. I find that blowing snow I get a lot of snow blown into my face. So this year I bought a snow blade for my ATV. Don't know how well it will work compared to the blowing snow but will find out???

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If you have never plowed snow with a blade before it is much faster then using a snow blower. The only thing that you may want to take into account when using a blade is after you push the snow off the driveway/sidewalk what have you is that you need to push the snow back far enough so every time it snows you will have some place to put the new snow.

I have to put belts on the toro 521 and I have to put belts and shoes on the toro xl824 powershift, i'll get it done in the next couple weeks

A little early, don't think about until the leaves drop.

Maybe mid November.

But when it does it doesn't take long to get ready and this year we have a new JD 4720 with a cab - HEAT.

must be nice to have that rig.

View attachment 23350 I have two more, just in case.

I run 2 snowblowers for my property. A primary and a spare. My old spare I didn't care for as I prefer Ariens brand machines. So I sold the off brand older machine and hunted for another Ariens to back up my 30" machine. I found a 28" Ariens snowblower for $800, but the carburetor was in need of repair. The machine was lightly used otherwise.
I went thru the machine. I replaced the spark plug, added fresh engine oil, and ended up replacing the carburetor and I removed the original light and I added a head light that works like a head light should. Then I added a set of my custom "rolling skids" to the machine. I drove it around the driveway making believe I was cleaning the driveway last month and everything seems ready for snow duty. I felt a little silly but with the rolling skids up front, it rides on 4 tires. You need to be careful if you walk away from it, if you park it on a hill, she will roll down the hill. The roller skids don't wear out and that was the reason I put them on. I formally would replace a set every winter. I have long cement walks and the basic skids just rub down to nothing in a few months. If you have the "auto steer" Ariens machine, these rolling skids will help the machine track straight on your paved driveway. (Another reason I use them on the 30" machine).

On my larger Ariens, I added a snow cab. I'm not sure if I will like it, but it removes easily so I will find out.

Here are the pictures

tigercat,
You are making me envious of all the nice orange machines that you have!!! Ariens makes some nice machines!!
I gave up doing snow removal for my customers the year before we had the Biggie snow storms!! I used to haul around two Ingersoll GTs, one with a 48" snow blower, the other with a 54" plow. I'm now down to one GT, but I still have the blower and the plow and only do my place and several neighbors. My place has crushed stone on the driveway, but my neighbors have pavement, so I sometimes swap out the plow and the blower.
One customer that I had years back has a long dirt driveway, but approaching the house was a $70,000 fancy paver deal. I installed Ariens carbon fiber skid shoes on the Ingersoll blower and rubber tire chains on the tractor rear wheels to do this driveway and I would use the other tractor with the plow to do the 700 feet of dirt driveway. One day he told me that he had a better price from someone else, so I got paid and left. The "better' price guy came in with a 4 wheel drive truck with a metal plow and proceeded to tear up the big dollar pavers!!! The property owner called me and asked me to come back, but when I doubled the price, he hung up on me and that is what I wanted him to do!!! A friend lives next to this place and I can see that the pavers are still piled up!!! There was a time that I actually liked snow, but back then I was a young energetic crazy Scotsman, now I'm just old!!!!:confused2:
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:

Just got done getting my snow blowers ready. New oil, plug, belt, and fuel filter. Cleaned it up and waxed the chutes.

Filed my shovels down so they are flat again

Today I will be changing the oil on the snowblower, and replacing the shoes. Then it's ready to go. Some forecasters are saying we will get hit hard like last winter, others are saying it will be mild. Yeah, those are pretty much the only possible things that can happen!

did mine a few weeks ago new plug new belt new oil etc shes ready to rock u never know when we will snow here :confused2:

Still havn't found winter tires for the truck, snowblower still in storage and shovels under deck. I don't like winter. Only for the drifting.

It is already down in the 40s.
I am not happy at all.
I do not like the cold and would be happy to never see snow

Boots are waxed, wool socks, under armor good to go. All I need to do is spend an ungodly amount of money on de-icer

Carscw said:

It is already down in the 40s.
I am not happy at all.
I do not like the cold and would be happy to never see snow

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We hit 38* overnight last night here:thumbdown:.... But warming back up :thumbsup:.... I also would be happy to never see snow either.. So am I ready, nope.

Not ready yet. Still cutting grass over here.

Already had to scrape my car windows in the morning this fall, I think about 3 or 4 times.

Bad sign that winters coming.

X-man said:

Not ready yet. Still cutting grass over here.

Already had to scrape my car windows in the morning this fall, I think about 3 or 4 times.

Bad sign that winters coming.

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We are being told we aren't getting a bad winter ugh

Was in the 80s all last week.

70s today

I believe we will have a very cold winter not happy about the cold at all.

Still mowing here as well..In the 70's for daytime... Weatherman 'predicts' a mild winter :laughing:.. So we'll probably hit record lows & have snow.. I hate snow.

we're still cutting grass and removing leafs. I'm mentally prepared though.

Is spring here yet?

Last week of Oct is last week of mowing then comes fall work till snow

exotion said:

Last week of Oct is last week of mowing then comes fall work till snow

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I think that's exactly what's gonna happen over here. Grass has pretty much stopped growing.

Same. Even tho it can't stop raining, lawns are not growing much. Nights are at about 0C or -2C. The days are at about 2-5 C. If I am correct, grass grows at 5 C.

Just had 15 cord of fire wools delivered.

Just picked up a good condition used 3 point snow blower.
So this year I will be using a Kioti DK 35 with a 9' power angle front blade and a 63" 2 stage snow blower.

Two 44", one 38" shaft drive 2 stage snow blowers and a 48" snow plow.