[kalebevans]

I'll weigh in for fun. I've got a 169 with Carlisle All-Trail 2 tires on it. When I put them on I loaded them with RV antifreeze and they're pretty heavy. I use the 169 as my main machine for mostly mowing and blowing snow. If the blower breaks down I'll push with the blade, but my place is full of hills and I can't push far before I run out of room to maneuver our truck and car in the driveway- the drive is S-shaped with hills and the house requiring me to get the snow completely out of the way, making the blower the best option. I have steep areas on the lawn as well, so I'm happy with my loaded tires in the summer to stay stable and not spin tires. I used to take my single set of IH wheel weights off for the summer, but I can't tell a difference in turf damage between this heavy old thing and a newer, much lighter John Deere I use at my dad's place for just mowing. I do like tire chains once it gets icy, but I'm on a very steep hill. They allow me to work across the slope and push into snow moving uphill without issue; I spin a bit trying to back up uphill on the cross-slope with the blower raised without the chains. The city street in front of my house is 13 percent, and parts of my drive aren't much better. I could probably get by without the chains for most things, but I'd have to use the city road to get up the hill and then blow down the sidewalk instead of up, and with the poor visibility of the hill I avoid getting out where a car might hit me. Oh, I do have a weight box I made out of scrap c-channel that hangs off the back that holds a five-gallon bucket full of steel and lead scrap. That probably adds 150 pounds and is a lifesaver when it's slick. We're getting our first snow right now, so I'm excited to get out soon for the first run of the year.