Go BottomBlade to replace front bucket
 | Roger L.
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 0 
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1999-10-30 9286
Well, Winter is coming and I'm thinking it would be fun to try out a front blade on my 33 HP Yanmar. Has anyone ever used one? How do they work in deep snow? Any hints? Should I build one or buy one? Roger Loving
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| Jack in IL
Join Date: Posts: 1
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1999-10-30 9288
I'm considering one as well. JD is now offering a quick tach blade for their 420, 430, and 460 loaders. Curtis has been offering them for many other loaders for several years as well. (See www.curtiscab.com). My concern is how easy it is to keep the tractor on course when you have the blade angled at say 30 degrees. With the blade side load acting so far in front of the front wheels, it may be very easy to push them sideways makeing it difficult to maintain course. Anyone out there with personel experience using a Curtis Blade on a loader??? ....
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| Bruce Lahmayer
Join Date: Posts: 1
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1999-10-30 9290
I would like to try this too. I asked my dealer today and he mentioned how he has a number of people who run a 3-point blower on the back and the loader-blade on the front. Real handy for running back and forth if you have to clear a large area such as a parking lot. He wanted about $2000.00 to put one on my L4310 Kubota.Bruce Lahmayer ....
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| bo pikas
Join Date: Posts: 1
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1999-10-30 9292
Have no experience with blade in snow but have recently acquired a curtise hydraulic angle blade that would replace my loader bucket. On and off is dirt simple. Two pins and hook up two hydraulic hoses. We get some respectable snow here and last winter I had to bring in payloader to move the snow piles to get more room for more snow. {I gotta move to florida}. I presently use a blade on my cubcadet and it does a decent job except it can't pile snow too well. At times I haul out a 8hp-27 snowblower but at times I lose it and the snow blower won't touch the piles. Hence the payloader. Last winter at my place of business I saw one of the grounds guys running a brand new ford 1920 {with heated cab} and a curtise angle plow. He was pile snow at least 9 feet high. He actually was driving up the pile and shoving it left and right with the angle. I knew that I had to have a curtise plow for my JD870. Got one. Hate to say this but am looking forward to about 2 feet of snow to try it out. All of my neigbors are in awe of the setup and so am I. Better work or I'm out $1700. In about a month or two I'll let you know how it works. When I asked the grounds guy how he liked it, he just grinned himself silly. When I asked him if I could run it he said "nope, they bought it for me and it is my toy" Would have fought him for it but my wife was with me and couldn't understand why I was ready to drag him from the machine and hauled me out of there. Heard about it the rest of the way home,too. If it works half as good as the 1920, I can't miss. ....
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| Roger L.
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 0
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1999-10-31 9298
Bo, that's real interesting. May your sandbox be filled with tons of snow this year......... I'm concerned about the same thing that Jack is. In that the blade might force the tractor's front end to skid to the side when the blade is angled. It sounds like the guy you saw using the loader blade might of been using it mostly in the straight ahead position on a wide flat surface like a parking lot. Then he wouldn't have to push with the blade angled so much. My application is a long and steep dirt driveway with a hill on one side and a drop-offon the other....with a couple of wide spots to put snow. So I know what you mean by "using up" your snow storage area. I hope that you will post on how the loader blade works out for you this winter. And I do hope it snows on you early and often..... It is way past time for me to get another new toy for my tractor and I sure have been eyeing those loader blades. Roger L. ....
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| bo
Join Date: Posts: 1
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1999-10-31 9307
Roger, the guy pushing the snow just finished doing some wide sidewalks. He also had ag tires mine are turf. Don't know if it makes a difference. Sounds like if you get a blade and start moving snow with the angle and slew around towards your drop off you just might have a small problem on your hands. Understand your concern. I personaly prefer to push snow as I do now with my cub cause my 27 inch snowblower is a lot of walking and time and most of all with the wind in the wrong direction more gets on me then where it is supposed to go. Snows early and often? Give me a break all I want is 2feet once. If it went to 65 degrees and stayed there I couldn't be happier. Will let you know how it works out. Bo ....
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| FRED G.
Join Date: Posts: 1
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1999-10-31 9313
I HAVE A KUBOTA 2710 AND WAS LOOKING FOR A CURTIS PLOW. MY BROTHER LIVES IN NJ AND SAID HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW HAD A FRONT PLOW FOR HIS TRACTOR. HE SAID IT ACTED LIKE A RUDDER IN DEEP SNOW 12"+. MY BROTHER JUST USES HIS LOADER FOR HIS 500' GRAVEL DRIVEWAY. I BOUGHT A 6' GRADER BLADE AND WILL USE FOR MY 750' GRAVEL DRIVEWAY.I LIKE THE IDEA OF USING THE BUCKET IF THE SNOW GETS TOO HIGH.I LIKE SNOW SO I PRAY OFTEN.LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LIT IT SNOW......FRED ....
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| Roger L.
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 0
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1999-10-31 9317
Someone is going to have to help me to understand how to move snow with a loader bucket. I hear about it all the time, but everytime I try it I can get about five or ten feet forward and then the bucket is packed solid with snow....I end up pushing a wedge of snow that stops the tractor. Then I need a jackhammer to get that compacted snow out of the bucket because it sure won't fall out on its own. And even if I could get it out, where am I going to dump the snow? The only place that I can drive is the short swath that I've just cleared, and it is too narrow to turn around in. I can't drive through the new-fallen snow, it is so deep that the tractor just can't do it. Besides, if I COULD drive around in the white stuff then I darn sure wouldn't be out there moving it around with the tractor! I'm thinking that I need some lessons here. ....
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| john
Join Date: Posts: 1
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1999-11-01 9319
I bought a loader blade from www.easternfarmmachinery.com for $900.00 (84")It isn't spring loaded and has mechanical angling but on my paved driveway it works fine. They show one that is spring loaded and hydraulic angle but it was out of my price range. ....
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| Ted
Join Date: Posts: 1
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1999-11-01 9327
As a landscaper who uses 6 Kubota's (as well as a fleet of trucks and bigger equip.) for snow removal, I will let you in on a little secret. A blade in place of the loader bucket will move snow many times faster than a regular front-mount blade can. The reason is the loader mount is in the middle of the tractor, so weight is distributed front to rear, and also, the weight is standing on the front axle. Besides the reach of the loader is unbeatable for detailing and stacking. If you want extra traction, put an old 3pth fertilizer spreader full of sand on the back. Best of luck. ....
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| Paul in Alaska
Join Date: Posts: 1
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1999-11-03 9380
Hi...I have a JD 670 with a loader and a long drive and lots of area around the house/barn and the first year I had it I used the bucket only and it took a loooong time to do it all. Next year I bought a full-size (7 1/2 ft) used pickup snowblade from a guy and made a bracket that is identical to the bucket attachments for fit and other adjustments. The blade pivots left/right and can move up/down/tilt like the bucket. It worked really well and my little JD could push all that snow (with all four tires chained), but when it was angled and I got too much "bite" on the blade edge, it would sometimes push the front away. Also, I was afraid with all that blade out there that the arm created too much side stress on the loader arms when I hit the occasional frozen rock on the outside edge. Before last winter I cut 12" off each side so now the blade is only 5 1/2 ft. It works like a dream and doesn't have any bad habits at all. I can pile snow higher than the blade can reach. I might put small side wings on this year to help keep snow from spilling out the sides. I have a small blade on the 3pt for trimming. The moral of the story...make sure the blade is the right size for the tractor and don't ask more from your equipment than it can do. Also, make sure the blade has adjustable skid plates on each side so it won't allow the blade to dig when you free-float the blade and make sure the blade has springs that allow the blade to release if you hit something really hard. DON'T USE A BLADE ON YOUR LOADER THAT DOESN'T HAVE SPRINGS!!! Something other than the tractor must have give. I would never run a blade without these on anything! All said and done I probably have $300 worth of materials in it plus two-three days time making it all work. It was fun to build, works great and is better than anything I could have bought for 5 times the money. I hope this helps and good luck. ....
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| Chuck
Join Date: Posts: 1
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1999-11-07 9493
Can you give me a lead on info about blade for 430 loader? My dealer claims JD does not make anything like that so I have a Curtis Blade on orderThanks ....
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| Jack in IL
Join Date: Posts: 1
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1999-11-07 9496
The JD order number is BW14677. The JD Sales Manual shows an incorrect photograph, but the information is correct. The complete blade is shown in the Parts Catalog for JD 420, 430, and 460 Loaders. It connects easily using the quick-tach points. It is 6 feet wide and is manually angled. ....
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| Roger L.
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 0
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1999-12-17 11202
We started this thread when we were hoping for snow....Anyone have enough snow to try out their new front blades? How about you, Bo - Did you get your
2 feet of snow yet?
Roger L. ....
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| bo
Join Date: Posts: 1
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1999-12-17 11207
Roger- No snow yet, They got a foot of the stuff south of us. Have the two tractor's blades mounted and ready. Huge disappointment. I think your post is in response to Cliff's who can get a hyd. Meyer blade for $200 and wanted to know if he should. I'll address the rest of this to Cliff, I would buy the blade for a couple of reasons. One, I always plowed snow with the smaller cub and prefer it to a snowblower and I suspect the JD870 with the curtise 6.6 foot hyd mounted blade can only be an improvement. The second reason, is that the curtise blade costs 1800 for the Jd. Your Meyer can be easily adapted to fit the method of attachment of the bucket by any good welding shop or your self if you have basic welding skills and access to a welder. The frame work on my curtise is simple angle iron, avialable at any scrap yard for .15lb or new. You didn't mention the brand of tractor you have but if the mounting is any thing like the 440 loader, I wouldn't hesitate. You might have to get creative and scrounge up a picture of a blade the would fit your tractor and get an idea how the attachment is made. You could probably pull of the deal for about $500, might have to buy some hydraulic line extensions,but the savings would hefty. bo ....
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| Paul ni Alaska
Join Date: Posts: 1
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1999-12-18 11209
No real snow yet, maybe 4 in. Kind of depressing actually. We live for snow up here and just have enough to cover the grass. Tractor is chained up and ready. ....
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| Roger L.
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 0
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1999-12-18 11210
Bo, the message was sure enough for you, as I recalled that you had "broke the bank" to buy that Curtis front blade and were eagerly awaiting the first snow. In Oct. it was...
In Colo. one sees used snowblades for pickup trucks for sale often. They have a subframe of some type. Plus a small amount of angle and lift capacity. I haven't looked at one for years. I recall that some were 12 volt electric/hydraulically operated, and one brand used a 12 volt electrically driven threaded rod - like a motorized turnbuckle - to do the job. Used price around here is five or six hundred dollars. Like you say, Bo. One of these would be a nice starting place for a home loader blade project. ....
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| Roger L.
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 0
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1999-12-18 11211
Hello, Paul. Its the same down here. Except that we do have a foot of snow on the ground - long since turned to a sheet of hardcrust and ice. Not the stuff for plowing with the compact. I guess that my larger old two cylinder JD with the Servis back blade (about 1000 lbs) could deal with it, but it would tear up the ground a bunch.
I'm glad to hear that someone besides me runs chains! Do you have them front and rear? Over turf or ags? Did you make them yourself or have them made? What do you like or not about them? ....
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| Paul in Alaska
Join Date: Posts: 1
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1999-12-19 11280
Hi Roger...
I have turf tires up front and really wide Goodyear Traction tires on the back. I really don't know quite how to describe them other than the tread design looks like someting that you would see on a four-wheeler. More agressive than turf, act like bar tires but also float like turf. I got the chains from the local JD dealer as part of the original purchase. I remember they had to order them but they were reasonable. They are really well made and fit fine. I've seen some negative comments about chains on this board, but I have none. As a matter of fact, I don't know how anyone could efficiently run a compact 4WD without them. I really like mine and just about makes the darn thing unstoppable. If there is a negative, they work so well that when I do get stuck, (happened twice) I am REALLY stuck! I got myself out the first time by working the hydraulics on the blade and pushed my way back out inch by inch. The second time I was buried and had to pull it out with my truck. Some say that it changes the diameter of the tire and will screw up the tractor somehow. I really don't follow that. That may be true for cars/trucks, but my front tires are much smaller than the rear, so that doesn't seem like a valid arguement. The tractor is built to run in 4WD in this configuration. Plus, I'm always running on dirt/gravel/snow, etc. and that would take care of any other possible situation. Hope this helps. ....
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| Cliff
Join Date: Posts: 1
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1999-12-19 11305
Bo....I can't hardly pass up that deal on the meyers. Unfortunately
my New Holland doesn't have the quick attach loader bucket. I called the NH dealer yesterday to see if they offered one and no luck. After thinking a little bit I really don't think it is going to be to difficult to get this thing mounted. Wish it was right now, just had around 3-4" of the white stuff here in NW Missouri this evening, could be out there trying the 'ol kid out!
Came up with another idea I'll run by you guy's. The welding instructor at our VO-Tech school said some guy's have used old propane tanks (500 gal. at least) cut in quarters or halves to make front blades with. I got to thinking a guy could probably make a bracket to fasten a blade to the bottom of the loader(simular to mounting pallet forks), bucket with pivot points, leave approx. 4-5 inches below the bottom of the bucket edge and then rig up a couple of heavy springs on the top side for break aways. Can you guy's picture this or am I way out there! You would be able to level the blade and then float the loader to lessen the damage factor. Wouldn't have the angling capabilities but would be able to push snow and decrease the possibility of damage to the loader by having the springs mounted on the top. Still in the thinking process and design stage. Any thoughts welcome. ....
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| Paul in Alaska
Join Date: Posts: 1
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1999-12-20 11320
Cliff...
Read my message dated 11/03 in this thread, it may help. It works great for me. ....
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| Cliff
Join Date: Posts: 1
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1999-12-20 11333
Paul,
Read your post. That is what actually inspired me to go this route. I don't suppose you have some pictures you could share. I am looking forward to getting this set up. One question. Does the blade do a good job of back dragging the snow. I figure I'll be mainly doing driveways. I have been using my loader bucket and back dragging the snow out and then pushing off after I have pile a up a sufficient amount. Only problem is catching corners and the like or digging in with the scoop, I always float the loader going forward but still tends to dig in once in a while. Thanks again for your impute and your knowledge!
Cliff ....
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| Roger L.
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 0
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1999-12-20 11344
Cliff, I'd probably get a used or second hand back blade before I'd use the section of a propane tank...But it does sound interesting. I wonder how they cut up a 500 gallon tank? You might want to ask the shop teacher. Even if the tank has never had combustibles inside they can be hazardous to cut with a torch. Does propane leave a flammable residue coating the inside of the tank like some liquids do? ....
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| Cliff
Join Date: Posts: 1
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1999-12-20 11345
Roger....I saw a section that they had cut. They used a torch. The tanks had been setting for some time with open ventilation. I'll have to ask if they flushed them with water before hand. It was indeed a cheap way to make a blade. I priced moldboards from a steel didtributor and you can pick up a 6 foot molboard 24 inches tall for $60.00. That would be money well spent without the risk of ingesting shrapnel!
Cliff ....
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| ridge runner
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2000-12-18 22556
I have a 6' Curtis snow blade mounted on a 430 JD loader with a quick mount rig that my JD dealer made. It's on a JD 4300 with a concrete rear ballast close to 800 pounds. Works good. My dealer told me the weight of the blade and angling hydralics is about the same as a full bucket of gravel. I been using it about two winters with no damage to the loader but I understand the concern for all that weight hanging out in front. Take her slow... As mentioned on another thread, I'm have some trouble with skid shoe adjustment on a crushed rock road but other than that so far so good. ....
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| Halsey Green
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2000-12-18 22566
I have also seen snow plow blades made from the ends of 275 gallon oil tanks. You have to reinforce with angle iron and make a blade from flat iron. They work good. You just have to be careful cutting them up. ....
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