How do I keep gravel out of my yard when plowing snow??

[NICKB304]

I added skid shoes from tractor supply to the back of my 6ft rear grader blade. I just run them an inch below the blade and it works fine. no gravel or asphalt millings in the yard.

 

[Looking4new]

I back blade the first few snowfalls with the cutting edge of my front mount blower. It works, kinda sorta.

 

[Otto Syracuse]

If you have the room for it, just pile your snow in an unused section of driveway. When the snow melts, at least you'll have them on the driveway and it will be easier to spread them back out in place. I made my gravel drive wider than I needed for access to the barn or for parking with that in mind.

 

[Paul Thornton]

The other thing I've done is improve the shoes on the blade. I had large 10" disks made from plate steel that float on the mushy gravel when needed. The original shoes sink deep into the gravel when it's soft during the freeze/thaw cycles. The guy that made my shoes used a hydraulic press and a short piece of 8 or 10" pipe for a die. He pressed the center of the plate down into the pipe an inch or 2. They aren't pretty but they do a great job.

How about a picture of the new shoes please?

L2800 w/FEL - 72" Land Pride rake

 

[brewdog]

I tried a split piece of PVC pipe slid over the cutting edge and it worked but eventually did split up. Last year i split a piece of 3" steel pipe and welded on two tabs that matched the mounting holes for my tooth bar. That one worked great!

Heavy down pressure on the bucket will push the gravel into the grass but overall it floats over gravel nicely.

 

[vtsnowedin]

If your gravel turns to mush or mud when wet then it is a poor grade of gravel or it has gotten mixed with the topsoil beside the drive which turns it into poor grade. Either top dress it with some good clean stony crushed gravel or remove the top six inches and replace it.

 

[Ford850]

How about a picture of the new shoes please?

L2800 w/FEL - 72" Land Pride rake

I tried but my plow is stored too deep in the barn right now. I'll try to get pictures when I pull it out next month. But they are nothing fancy, so I'll describe them in more detail. The shoes that came on the plow are the mushroom style, similar to most on this page: Shoes + Shoe Assemblies | Snow Plow Replacement Parts | Snow + Ice Removal | Northern Tool + Equipment
Rather than the 6" skid you see on those, picture an old 10" disk blade with the post welded to the inside center. They look like an upside down umbrella. If I had a disk that size I would have tried it, but I didn't. To get the correct diameter, I put the original skids lowered to where I used them the most. Then I measured out to get the largest possible diameter without contacting the back of the plow blade edge. They are rough cut to a 'roundish' shape, and are rough and crude, but they work much better than the originals.

 

[psdx]

Here's my answer to this problem. I can move the spacers to adjust the height of the blade for big steps and adjust the top link (hydraulically with my rear remote) length to scrape concrete and go right back to gravel. I never have any gravel to move in the spring.

 

[94BULLITT]

Here's my answer to this problem. I can move the spacers to adjust the height of the blade for big steps and adjust the top link (hydraulically with my rear remote) length to scrape concrete and go right back to gravel. I never have any gravel to move in the spring.

I may do something similar for a FEL snowplow. Do you have a problem with snow clogging the wheels and the wheels not turning?

 

[Arc weld]

Let the first few snow falls pack on the driveway.