# switching from skid steer to tractor. Crazy?



## grsp (Oct 19, 2008)

i just want to know what everyone thinks. I am trading my Bobcat s250 for a Kubota m7040. I am keeping the Blizzard 8610ss blizzard plow that i used on the Bobcat, and putting it on the Kubota. My main reasoning is simply this. Ease of operation. After almost a decade in that Bobcat every winter, i want something more comfortable to operate. The Kubota has better visibility and a smoother ride. I know first hand that there aren't many machines that will outperform a skid steer. But isn't not beating the hell out of your body year after year worth something. And yes, we can use it all summer long.


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## xtreem3d (Nov 26, 2005)

i'd say ,,congrats and good luck w/ the new toy !!!


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## BlackIrish (Dec 22, 2007)

If the plow is for the loader arms, careful that you don't bend the arms. My tractors have blowers hanging off the 3 pt hitch.


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## magnatrac (Dec 22, 2006)

I spent a couple of hours this morning in my brothers N.H. tc45 w/cab and this afternoon a couple more in my L 175. I just told him today that I would like to try plowing in his tractor. It is very roomy and the view is great ! I don't have a cab on my skid but I still get tired of sitting in it after a while. With the tractor even simple dirt work is nice sitting in the cab looking around ,and listening to the radio!!! It won't do what the skid will do, but then again I can't do half of the stuff the tractor can. They both have their strong points. I think plowing with the tractor sounds like a great idea. Good Luck ,shaun


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## PBinWA (Jul 5, 2008)

I think it all comes down to weight, power, and speed. That M7040 is a big tractor. It will make a good snow mover. I think it might not be a "nimble" as a skidsteer though. Fine for big pushing.


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## grsp (Oct 19, 2008)

*made the switch!*

so i have made the decision to trade the bobcat s250 for the kubota m7040.

the next decision is on how to outfit it. i took the advice of blackirish, and did some research on those loader arms. and he was absolutely right. the arms have a tendency of bending with a plow on them. this mainly happens when the plow is angled, and puts extreme pressure on one of the arms. and kubota will not warranty the arms if this happens.

my options are: put a snow pusher on the loader. the straight forward plowing eliminates the one sided pressure you would see with a plow. and i have an extra 10 foot snow pusher laying around.

or my blizzard dealer has mounted a truck mount right to the tractor. its very slick. now i wouldn't spend the $6000 on the loader for the tractor, but instead buy a new plow. so it is kind of a wash. money is not the deciding factor here.

let me tell you where the tractor is going to be used. on 3 very large apartment complexes, and they are right next to each other. i leave the tractor there all winter. it took 1 truck and 1 bobcat with a blizzard plow 9 hours for a basic 2 inch push. parking on both the left and right side. carports to go under. garages to plow in front of. and parking spaces to clean after the storm.

i hope this is enough info for an educated opinion. any advice would be greatly appreciated.


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## PBinWA (Jul 5, 2008)

These guys make nice frame mounted plows:

http://www.michironandequip.com/custompage.asp?pg=PlowBlades

You can check out http://www.tractorbynet.com for lots of other tractor based plow options.


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## mercer_me (Sep 13, 2008)

It should work good but you should put some weight on the back tires.


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## magnatrac (Dec 22, 2006)

mercer_me;624950 said:


> It should work good but you should put some weight on the back tires.


 What should work good? The pusher or the frame mounted blizzard plow?


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## framer1901 (Dec 18, 2005)

Go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BxJ8RwjB0g or search youtube for kubota tractor with snowplow - they sell a ton of them over here. The Daniels/Blizzard dealership looks like a freakin kubota dealership, and they keep coming and going............ I just wish they'd get them things outa the way so that Jim could get my plow done.


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## snowandgo (Oct 26, 2008)

It's nice to be able to angle the plow, but if you have a truck plowing with you, you might not miss that part.

I think the skidsteer is the way to go for cleaning parking spaces.

I don't know how well a pusher works for backdragging if you need to drag the carports.


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## Ropinghorns (Oct 16, 2008)

Sounds smart to me too. We have both. Also enclosed or bobcats and adapted all loaders to the quick attach .


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## DP Property (Dec 1, 2007)

I got a Horst welding snowblade 66 " coming for my B7510. It will be a direct mount to the LA302 Loader. Now you guys are scaring me with this- I don' t want to bend my loader arms...argggg. Do you think a 5.5 feet blade should be small enough that the loader will be ok?


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## framer1901 (Dec 18, 2005)

As long as you don't hit something - doesn't Horst make frame mounts to eliminate the arms?


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## DP Property (Dec 1, 2007)

Not sure I was trying to save a few dollars - the Kubota blade was direct mount but cost around 2600.00 plus tax the Horst blade cost about 1900.00 plus tax. I felt that was a large enough saving to go with the Horst.


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

DP Property;630605 said:


> Not sure I was trying to save a few dollars - the Kubota blade was direct mount but cost around 2600.00 plus tax the Horst blade cost about 1900.00 plus tax. I felt that was a large enough saving to go with the Horst.


The Horst is better then the Kubota and you'll be able to buy the frame mount at a latter date if you want.


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## 6090 (Sep 15, 2003)

I would be concerned mounting the Blizzard on tractor loader arms, especially with the carrying capacity that the 8610SS has. When running it on a skid steer loader, you run the loader arms down against the boom stops on the front of the skid steer. I am not sure that you've got the same "protection" with the loader and I would be concerned with "racking' the loader arms. I am certainly not an expert but that is the one thing that stood out when I first read the post. Many of the larger tractor blades are frame mounted, and this method is particularly common in Europe. Just my .02 worth.


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