Moving snow with bobcat tractor

[roadhunter]

Hello,

New member who just purchased a new CT 445. For some reason I am having difficulty moving snow around the house with the factory bucket and a box blade. I am sure it is operator error as I am not an experienced tractor operator by any means and am just gettign used to the machine. I previously had a IH 2500b series backhoe and when it was running it could move some snow. I think there was enough slop in the pins where it would adjust to my somewhat uneven gravel/dirt driveway and I could put enough down pressure to pick up the front tires and ler her rip. Anyhow back to the new tractor. On the front end it seem that I either tilt the blade so far up that it mashes the snow down instead of picking it up or tilt the blade too far down and it digs in and I end up taking chunks out of the driveway.

Any advice from fellow Bobcat owners on techniques they use to move snow over gravel/dirt/grasswith the factory bucket?

 

[jrpat]

On the right side of your front end loader there is a rod sticking up through a tube that is used for gauging level of your bucket. Check your owner's manual for an explanation of how to use it.(Better you read it than I try to explain it here.) Eventually you will get a feel for level. But until that time you can use the rod. JP

 

[k0ua]

Did you try the float function of the loader?. Get the bucket about level using the rod as suggested, and throw the loader valve into "float" by quickly going past the detent in the lower boom position of the joystick. In otherwords shove the joystick forward with some authority past the detent. This will float the bucket. You can still make adjustments to the angle of attack of the bucket by pushing the joystick left or right while in the float position. To take the bucket out of float, yank backward (raise boom) past the detent.

This may or may not solve your problem, but it is worth a try. This is what I use on my driveway, but it is asphalt and concrete. The portion that is gravel, I use the rear blade.

 

[MESSMAKER]

The best method I have found is to curl the bucket up and push in the float position. the snow will just wad up and then start filling the bucket. It will skip over dips and humps and leave about 1/2" of snow remaining. You can go back and touch up the remaining pretty easily once you can see what you are doing.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

I level my bucket with the guide, drop it to the ground and put it in float mode. You might want to tip it up a smidge if it's planing off gravel or dirt from the drive, or down a bit if it's riding over too much packed snow. I use the backblade angled. A box blade stops working for snow removal once the box is filled.

 

[roadhunter]

Thanks for the responses. I have used the tilt gauge on the loader but have found that it plows best when the shaft has disappeared in the tube so finding the sweet spot takes a bit of adjusting. I have also used the float function on the front. I wish there was a float on the rear for the boxblade. I may fabricate some skis for the boxblade so it can stay on top and not dig into the gravel when removing snow.

Again thanks for the Reponses. I have already learned a bunch on this site.

 

[roadhunter]

I'll have to give that a try.

 

[k0ua]

Thanks for the responses. I have used the tilt gauge on the loader but have found that it plows best when the shaft has disappeared in the tube so finding the sweet spot takes a bit of adjusting. I have also used the float function on the front. I wish there was a float on the rear for the boxblade. I may fabricate some skis for the boxblade so it can stay on top and not dig into the gravel when removing snow.

Again thanks for the Reponses. I have already learned a bunch on this site.

Boxblades are not ideal for snow, but keep in mind when you adjust your toplink you are adjusting the angle of attack of your boxblade's blade. The 3pt is free to float up but the weight and attack angle of the boxblade determines what it does.

 

[pwright]

I have used the tilt gauge on the loader but have found that it plows best when the shaft has disappeared in the tube so finding the sweet spot takes a bit of adjusting.

The tube is adjustable. You loosen the clamps holding it and slide it up and down such that the rod is right at the top when the bucket is level. Or you can get the bucket set to the angle you want and then adjust the tube to match so that you don't have to fiddle too much to find the right position.

 

[Fred Barbour]

Hello,

New member who just purchased a new CT 445. For some reason I am having difficulty moving snow around the house with the factory bucket and a box blade. I am sure it is operator error as I am not an experienced tractor operator by any means and am just gettign used to the machine. I previously had a IH 2500b series backhoe and when it was running it could move some snow. I think there was enough slop in the pins where it would adjust to my somewhat uneven gravel/dirt driveway and I could put enough down pressure to pick up the front tires and ler her rip. Anyhow back to the new tractor. On the front end it seem that I either tilt the blade so far up that it mashes the snow down instead of picking it up or tilt the blade too far down and it digs in and I end up taking chunks out of the driveway. View attachment 367272