Front counterweight - snow is coming

[zmansmac]

I have a B7500 and converted my back blade to attach to my loader arms for snow plowing here in Michigan. I put it in 4 wheel drive and have chains on all tires. This setup has worked well for me for several years now. However, once in a while when the snow is deep and my gravel driveway is a little slick I can have problems with the front end shifting to one side. My thought to help this situation is to add some counterweight to the front end since the blade is in a float position and it's weight doesn't help. My tractor came with a substantial brush guard as part of the loader frame. My thought is to use the horizontal tube and bars on the guard to secure a concrete weight that can be formed with something like one of those rectangular oil drain pans. Anybody out there done anything like this and does this sound like a reasonable idea.

[Reg]

Originally Posted by zmansmac

I have a B7500 and converted my back blade to attach to my loader arms for snow plowing here in Michigan. I put it in 4 wheel drive and have chains on all tires. This setup has worked well for me for several years now. However, once in a while when the snow is deep and my gravel driveway is a little slick I can have problems with the front end shifting to one side. My thought to help this situation is to add some counterweight to the front end since the blade is in a float position and it's weight doesn't help. My tractor came with a substantial brush guard as part of the loader frame. My thought is to use the horizontal tube and bars on the guard to secure a concrete weight that can be formed with something like one of those rectangular oil drain pans. Anybody out there done anything like this and does this sound like a reasonable idea.

No and no.
The back blade doesn't work at the back because why ?

[zmansmac]

I'm too old to keep craining my head around to see what a back blade is doing. Doesn't sound like you're there yet. I'm jealous.

[RobS]

Unless your blade has trip springs, you could be setting yourself up for loader arm problems. As Reg asked, why not keep the rear blade on the rear? Also frees up the loader for "stacking" duties when the blade won't cut it.

[RobS]

Originally Posted by zmansmac

I'm too old to keep craining my head around to see what a back blade is doing. Doesn't sound like you're there yet. I'm jealous.

Ah, you were typing as I was. I suffered from the pain-in-the-neck syndrome too until I realized I could just look forward and the back blade did it's job just the same. I occasionally look back when I'm doing detail work, but for the long, straight passes of my driveway it's eyes forward.

[Reg]

I do like to keep my loader bucket on while using the rear blade to move snow around.

Here's what I suspect happens;
With the front end in float the load on the front wheels is relatively light, as you said.
When the snow is deep/heavy the resistance to pushing increases, the tendency of the tractor to rotate about it's rear axle (wheelie effect) also increases, further lightening the load on the front wheels.
Subjectively, the steering gets "light", the front wheels plow sideways, etc.
This doesn't happen when back dragging, in fact I clear out tight corners by back dragging the bucket tipped nearly vertical - no quite, I don't want it to snag.

So yes, adding weight to the front grille would probably solve the individual annoyance that is caused by doing something in a way that could be done differently, where "differently" is (subjectively) better for several other reasons, having the bucket on for stacking being one.

If you do this I think you should pay some attention to NOT blocking your lights, or air flow, but most importantly lights.
It seems I always have to clear snow when it is dark, or half light.
I use my 4 way flashers and take an amount of care to keep the bucket low enough for the headlights to shine over it.
A plastic mortar tub would probably make a good mold and in my opinion might be worth keeping on as a soft shield to protect tractor paint, grille, etc. Maybe set eye bolts, or whatever you will use to mount it, through the bottom of it before pouring ?

Yeah, I'm old enough for that problem, but if I don't move I'll seize up entirely.
I've been trying to turn around and look over my LEFT shoulder to ease it, which helps, but that isn't easy either.

The BIGGEST problem I have with looking back is having my wallet and check book escape from my rear pocket, but at THIS age it would be much better for my back to not carry wallets and check books in my butt pockets anyway (-:

[zmansmac]

Thanks for the advice. Problem is I don't have room in the garage where I have to keep the tractor in the winter to have both the FEL bucket and back blade on at the same time. One of the reasons I put the blade on the front is to be able to 'lift' the snow at the bottom of the drive into piles 6-7 feet high. That was a good point you made about lighting. But lighting is not a problem as I have lights at the top of the cab that provide better illumination under these circumstances than the regular headlights. The picture shows my winter configuration. It's mostly blocked in the picture but there is about a 3 inch diameter tube at the lower part of the brush guard that I think would be a good place to have the weight rest by using half moon metal straps embedded in the concrete. A couple of straight straps with pins could then secure the weight at the top of the guard. My only problem now is trying to figure out how much weight I should shoot for.