johndeerefarmer
New member
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2023
- Messages
- 1
We have a vacation home in Westcliffe CO.. Our driveway is about 1000' and fairly steep. For now we try to visit two or three weeks during the winter months. So far we have been able to make it up the driveway.
When we bought the place I brought a Deere skid steer and a BL7B snow blade there. Weather data for the place said 7' annual snow fall but since 2018 the most we have saw is about 18" total for the year and usually 2-4" at a time
The skid steer stays in the unheated barn. If we happen to go there and can't get up the driveway, I would have to warm up the skid steer for about 30 minutes before using as Deere says to warm up the hydraulics before using. It has an engine block heater but I can't leave it plugged in all of the time and I doubt it warms up the hydraulic fluid.. I guess I could see about buying or making a wifi controlled outlet the turn the block heater on before we got there.
I keep anti gel additives in the fuel but not sure how good it will start when it's really cold.
My other option is to put the SxS in the barn and move the skid steer to the garage. It's not heated but never gets colder than about 40 in there so the skid steer wouldn't have to warm up much.
Finally, I just have regular skid steer tires are chains needed?
Speaking of chains I could just put the tire chains on the truck or car if we get stuck in the driveway.
Thoughts? Suggestions?
Merry Christmas from TX and CO...
When we bought the place I brought a Deere skid steer and a BL7B snow blade there. Weather data for the place said 7' annual snow fall but since 2018 the most we have saw is about 18" total for the year and usually 2-4" at a time
The skid steer stays in the unheated barn. If we happen to go there and can't get up the driveway, I would have to warm up the skid steer for about 30 minutes before using as Deere says to warm up the hydraulics before using. It has an engine block heater but I can't leave it plugged in all of the time and I doubt it warms up the hydraulic fluid.. I guess I could see about buying or making a wifi controlled outlet the turn the block heater on before we got there.
I keep anti gel additives in the fuel but not sure how good it will start when it's really cold.
My other option is to put the SxS in the barn and move the skid steer to the garage. It's not heated but never gets colder than about 40 in there so the skid steer wouldn't have to warm up much.
Finally, I just have regular skid steer tires are chains needed?
Speaking of chains I could just put the tire chains on the truck or car if we get stuck in the driveway.
Thoughts? Suggestions?
Merry Christmas from TX and CO...
