Advice on Back-Blade to FEL mount for snow removal?

   / Advice on Back-Blade to FEL mount for snow removal? #1  

SensibleNick

Gold Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Messages
452
Location
Ystad, Sweden
Tractor
Foton FT254
Hi there.
This year I'm stuck with FEL Bucket and Back-Blade for snow removal, but for next year I want to have the Backblade mounted on the FEL with a tilt funtion to allow me to shove the snow off to one side.

I just want to confirm one thing..

Most snowplows have a "trip" to protect the FEL when the plough snags on an unforseen obstacle... But I'm not sure I'll be needing one, and this is why.. I just want to make sure I'm thinking along the right lines.

1. I'll be using this on our driveway (dirt track about 150m in length) and there are no obstacles that could ever get in the way.
2. There are shallow ditches to either side of the drive: this means I'm going to be moving slowly - just incase snow-load becomes too much and I end up scooting off to one side.
3. I'll be running the blade on the slider-plates to ensure the bottom edge won't catch on the ground... I don't want to be removing my gravel/dirt.

So... in my mind, I have the perfect scenario for "not" tripping a plough.. besides, the usage is more as a pusher than a plough, and I aim to compliment it with a snow-blower.

Does that sound reasonable? :confused:

Cheers,

/Nick
and his new chains.
 
   / Advice on Back-Blade to FEL mount for snow removal? #2  
You MAY be ok,but that's the chance you have to take.Worth a try but I would'nt reccommend it.Lots of reading here about Front snow blades,maybe you can pick up a few ideas.(Used truck plows ect.)
May help if you put your FEL in float,go slow,wear your seat belt if you have one!
 
   / Advice on Back-Blade to FEL mount for snow removal?
  • Thread Starter
#3  
You MAY be ok,but that's the chance you have to take.Worth a try but I would'nt reccommend it.Lots of reading here about Front snow blades,maybe you can pick up a few ideas.(Used truck plows ect.)
May help if you put your FEL in float,go slow,wear your seat belt if you have one!

That's pretty much the way of using it that I had in mind... I'm not aiming to peel snow off the ground, but to leave a little on the surface... with float and the skids, that should give me a pretty good safety margin I reckon. :) ... but I'll take all advice.

I'm half expecting people to say that it's an unnecessary risk, and that I'd be a fool to *not* build in a trip... and if that's the case, I'll go with it! :D
 
   / Advice on Back-Blade to FEL mount for snow removal? #4  
Probably only take once and you'll wish you added a trip!
 
   / Advice on Back-Blade to FEL mount for snow removal? #5  
Nick,

Moving the back blade to the FEL will increase the weight on the front and be low in the rear vs your set up today is more balanced for traction, so I would advise against that solution.
I use a FEL and back blade and can get by with out chains but when we have 12-18" or .3-.5M of snow I user a blower first to clear two paths up/down the drive, and clear out the woodpile, access to the grill and bird feeders etc. This minimizes the amount to push to the side of the driveway.

As you know the rear blade doesnt do well when the snowbanks start to get high on the edge of the drive and that is why I do the snow blower approach first.

Others have adapted/modified an angled plow set up in the FEL bucket, or remove the bucket and get a purpose built blade for your tractor. I think the snowblower and existing setup may be the best solution as you can still use the FEL to create piles without removing the blade from the bucket. (I dont like changing implements in the winter cold weather).
 
   / Advice on Back-Blade to FEL mount for snow removal? #6  
I don't think a back blade would work very well and woud be hard on your loader. A real snow blade is push from low (close to the ground) so the blade does not dig in very much. With your rear blade, the high connection point will make the blade dig very hard. If you curl it back (bucket curl) to lower your relative push point then the blade will not be very effective.
 
   / Advice on Back-Blade to FEL mount for snow removal? #7  
I once plowed with an old jeep that had a rigid plow mounted on it on the premise that it would not be hitting anything solid -- as someone else said, one hit on something solid and you will wish for the spring setup. I too would look for a truck type set up and adapt it rather than the back blade. I do use the back blade occasionally turned around and I back up to plow
 
   / Advice on Back-Blade to FEL mount for snow removal?
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Yup.. the overall sound appears to be "make a trip system"... and I'll be doing that then. :) Thanks all!!!!

***************

To allay some fears... when I talk about "Fitting the backblade to the FEL" I mean taking the blade itself, and fabricating a Euro bucket mount and tilt-able frame to it - much like the frame that any snow plough is fitted with. The blade is a relatively light one weighing in at 100Kg/220lb, meaning that once I've removed the bucket, I'd have a weight-gain on the FEL of only 50lb plus whatever tilt mechanism I come up with. (My Bucket is 85kg/185lb)
This'll give my back-blade the ability to be fitted to it's intended bracket (low push etc) and to the FEL attachment I'll make for it - Double the use.:thumbsup:

The snowblower (that I hope to build during the coming year) will probably weigh more than the back-blade ever did, and I guess that the result will be the same Front/rear weight distribution I have now. :thumbsup:

I'm eager to avoid simply bolting a blade into my bucket: Not only do I see it as unnecessary weight-gain, but the longer the implements are from the front wheels, the more likely it is to slew the tractor to one side when I have the blade at an angle. That's something I'm really eager to avoid.

Carl_NH, the blower/pile action is exactly what I imagine: It's just that my bucket is particularly small (not as wide as the tractor) and this year's experience so far has made me believe that a "left-right tiltable" blade will be *far* more use on the front - even without a snowblower. (If I don't get round to building the snowblower, a counterweight will definitely be on the cards.

Not as wide as the Tractor.... but it's a quick-release bucket-mount :D
IMG_2057.JPG



Does this more accurate description of my plans help to clarify? :)

Thanks again for the comments and suggestions! "Trip" it is.

/Nick
 
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   / Advice on Back-Blade to FEL mount for snow removal? #9  
No trip springs..could/would be heck of shock to loader also frame,even in float mode your taking heck of gamble.

There's a number of different plow setups offer on TBN.
 
   / Advice on Back-Blade to FEL mount for snow removal?
  • Thread Starter
#10  
There's a number of different plow setups offer on TBN.

Agreed, yet none have really tickled my fancy yet. :ashamed:

I have a design in mind that effectively dramatically shortens the moment of leverage that the plough has over the tractor when it's canted to an angle. I'm sure it has been done a hundred times before, but I've not seen it yet.

Anyhoo.... time to wrap xmas prezzies by the fire with the missus :thumbsup:

Watch this space etc. :)
 
 
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