Go BottomPushing snow - which setup
 | Chas
Join Date: Posts: 1 
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1999-05-01 3369
I just posted a previous message about my dilemma about which tractor + transmission to get. Now I need to seek input regarding pushing snow.I will have 600' of rock lane to plow in the winter. I live in Eastern Nebraska and can get snows from an inch or two up to a foot or more depending on year. What setup works best for pushing snow? My hunch is to have the front loader for moving piles, digging drifts, etc. and then have a rear blade (#45) for scraping/pushing snow. Or would you go with the front blade with full hydraulics and no loader? Then there is always the snowblower but think that may be overkill?What do the rest of you use for snow? Your preferences?Thanks again,Charlie
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| guest
Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 0
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1999-05-02 3376
I am sure that opinions will differ, but here are mine. Based on 20 years ofclearing about 500 feet of steep driveway in the Rocky mountains. The loader is useless in snow. You have to dump it every few feet(impossible, as the snow sticks in the bucket). A rear blade is good if the tractor has chains and weighs more than5000 pounds (Ag tires) If using turf tires, it needs to be heavier. The troublewith rear blades is that you are driving in snow while pulling more snow. Thistakes weight. In deep snow you only get to make one pass until you can't push any more snow sideways against what is already there. Still, I end up usinga heavy rear blade for moving snow and it does the job. For a light tractor it is hard to beat chains plus a dedicated front blademount. Unless it is a snow blower. I think that they do the best job....but then I've never used one. Before I tried a loader, I thought that they were theanswer to moving snow as well. Another tool that I have never tried is one of the hydraulically angledblades that can be fitted in place of a bucket. I plan to add one of these tothe rig this year. ....
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| guest
Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 0
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1999-05-02 3378
Chas,I purchased the boom mounted blade from JD. You remove the bucket from the loader and this blade attaches in its place. Both are quick attach, so it only takes a few seconds to switch. It is manual angle, but it will be easy to attach a cylinder to do it.Chris ....
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| al
Join Date: Posts: 1
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1999-05-02 3398
i have used a rear blade, loader setup for about three years, we get about 4 to 5 heavy snowfalls per year in NW pa.i just let the bucket of the loader fill with snow and push it where i want itthe dump it, i use the rear blade set so i can back into the piles to push them where i want to. i have plowed 1 ft of snow like this without difficulty.i plow about 300 ft of drive. ....
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| MichaelSnyder
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 0
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1999-05-04 3465
The snowblower is definitly number one over the other options mentioned.Take a trip to an area that sees incredible amounts of snow, you will see very large blowers mounted to the front of a large loaderor grader. Of course it should be, Snow is why the device exists. Problem is, it doesn'tdo anything else. Not to mention initial cost,storage, plus moving mechanical parts=higher maintanance costs.Front blades tend to have greater pushing ability, normally due to thedirectional ag tires on most tractors. But rear blades add weight over rear wheels & allow you to use a loader at the same time.My personal opinion would opt for the loader, and rear blade (Money permitting)A note for Roger: I never saw anyone pull a rear blade over snow (dirt, YES), normally, the blade is turned 180 degrees and you plow in reverse.A tip for the loader/blade guys:Snow seems to stick to the loader/blade/shovels for two reasons: friction & temperature. A warmer than outside(Garaged)loader/blade/shovel will cause snow to stick. Leaving the loader/blade outside (covered) will eliminate quite a bit of this. Secondly, spraying Silicone on a CLEAN loader/bladehelp(sprayed at least the night before). And my personal favorite, use a small torch to melt one of your wife's candles(or SKI WAX)over the surface workswonders. Obviously Wax/silicone doesn't last forever, but you will be suprised at the results. ....
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| MichaelSnyder
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 0
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1999-05-04 3466
Rocks & stones don't mix well with snowblowers, not to mention how far a blower can throw a rock (at your neighbors house,kids,ect). ....
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| dick
Join Date: Posts: 1
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1999-05-04 3474
Lots of conflicting advice for you. I guess what it shows is that a variety ofsolutions can work. Put me in the loader and rear blade category.I have about 800 feet of driveway (half asphalt/half gravel). We had a 3 foot storm a few yearsago and my setup worked well for me. I have installed "shoes" on the rear blade.They look like 6 inch skis with tips up at both ends. These fit over the bottom of the bladeand attach via a hold drilled in the blade. Purpose is to keep the blade about 1 inch over the gravel so I don't move it all off the driveway. The loader did tripple duty.First I put the loader in a 3/4 down angle position about 2-3 inches off the ground and used it to pushas far as I could to rough clear a path down the center. Then I used the rear blade while pulling towiden the cut. I then used the loader to pile the snow I cleared off the parking area downhill from the houseto avoid a large melt area near the basement. Third use of the loader is to help move the tractorwhen bogged down by putting the loader in the full dump position then all the way down. Once in contact with the ground I use the hydraulics to rock the bucket to the up position while at the same time applying reverse gear.That little extra force has gotten me out of a lot of trouble.One caution about using rear blades in the 180 degree reverse position is thatthe 3 point was engineered for pulling not pushing. Although it's going to work you are putting strains on the unit itwasn't designed for. ....
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| JOHN MYERS
Join Date: Posts: 1
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1999-05-04 3483
I have used a front hydraulic blade to push snow in the Rocky Mtns for 7 yearsnow..It is best if used with a hydrostatic transmission, weights and chains on the rear wheels and what is referrred to as a "weight bucket" containing rocksover the rear drive axle.....I have also found that on a steep driveway usingaa chain on at least one front tire helps with pushing snow on a slope.... Withthis set up I handled a 22 inch blizzard when everyone else was snowed in. ....
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| guest
Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 0
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1999-05-07 3565
I live in eastern Nebraska also. I use a combination of the loader and a rear blade to move the snow. The loader is rarely needed since we don't getthose major storms too often. The majority of the time, the rear blade is all that is needed. You do need to be careful about moving too much rock offthe road. The idea about skid plates makes a lot of sense. This combination worked great for me with a JD870. ....
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