Need guidance on tools for constant snow removal

[Sprinklerman]

Maybe consider wintering in Key West

 

[George2615]

That's what I have now. A 7 1/2' front plow and 7' rear blower.
I had a 7' pusher box and sold it after first few uses. When the pusher box is full of snow I could no longer steer unless I used the steering brakes or raise the loader arms slightly. It always wanted to go straight if the pusher is on the ground.

 

[FatTire]

Around here you would need explosives or an excavator to move the always frozen windrows. My front mount blades all bounce off these windrows like off a guardrail.

Front blade mounted on what? If I need to move re-frozen piles I usually able to use the v-plow in scoop mode and knock it down layer by layer. I would not be able to move it at all down low, but starting at the top does OK. This is using a Kubota MX5100 which isn't very big. We have a dryer environment than you have which probably means the piles don't start out as hard, but we have bigger daily temp swings than you do.

 

[RjCorazza]

That's what I have now. A 7 1/2' front plow and 7' rear blower.
I had a 7' pusher box and sold it after first few uses. When the pusher box is full of snow I could no longer steer unless I used the steering brakes or raise the loader arms slightly. It always wanted to go straight if the pusher is on the ground.

This is the setup I use, but a little less wide. 7' SSQA blade up front and a 6' blower on the rear. We don't see nearly the amount of snow that the op does. I simply cannot be without my loader bucket being immediately available. Cabs aren't cheap, but plowing / blowing 4+ times a week would make it a requirement imho.

 

[ArlyA]

If it was us, we'd get a plow for a 1/2 or 3/4 truck and use that setup most days. Then get a cabbed tractor with a front blower. Second choice might be a rear blower (tractor still with cab), then leave the loader and standard bucket on all the time for snow moving. Still using the truck and plow most days.

 

[confused8122]

Hello from Marquette.
My opinion is to go with a rear blower, and keep your loader of some sort on the front. You get way more lake effect than we do here, so everything is different. Pushing snow leads to piles, and banks on either side of the drive, which leads to drifting closed quickly if you are in the open at all. With a blower you get less banking along driveway edge, thus less drifting closed. And I have a huge shovel on the front of the tractor to scrape, stack, push, or break. That's how it works in my yard.
My father in law has a house on superior, east of munising. He has a smaller tractor, longer driveway, and more wind. His drive ends up as a 6 ft deep drift. His front mounted blower o his bx, won't touch the cement like drift. And he can't use the loader because of the blower. So he uses a hand shovel to break the drift into chunks, then blows the chunks away. Crazy to me to have a power shovel that you can't use. When he is done his 100ft drive is lined with 6ft snow on either side, and since he's on the beach, it fills in within hours when the wind is right.

 

[Coyote machine]

Cab for sure. HLA, all angle plow, made in Canada, where the REAL HUGE snow falls. Their plows have a single large piston, and a crossover valve system to keep jolts to the blade from wracking the loader arms. With the snow amounts you'll be pushing, an important factor. Very heavy duty construction and excellent design overall. Aquiline chains as detailed in my signature will help with traction on ice, etc. Your ideal tractor would be your old DK-40, but you have to work with what you have available.
I push snow up a bank and climb up it while raising the loader/plow. I tend to plow to a couple of spots over and over so I don't have to have huge banks everywhere to deal with. YMMV due to volume. Explosives sounds like a possibility, or making friends with heavy equipment operators in your area.
As far as blowers, I'm sure thy are great for what they can do, but backwards travel, not for me, and the front mounted ones on a sub-frame- wicked expensive, and a pain to get back to one's loader when needed. JMHO. Let us know what you decide, with pics, of course.

 

[PILOON]

Any make of tractor, heated cab, blower (frt or rear*) but hydrostatic transmission for sure.
Probably about 40-50 hp range.
FEL optional depending on other usage.
Brand more dependent on local dealers due to service issues.

*frt is nice but added $$'s could be an issue. Also frt is generally limited to lower HP tractors. (side saddle is not all that bad plus U can always add a camera system at a modest cost)

 

[Z-Michigan]

Thanks for all the replies. While *I* want to go the blade route, based on replies here and my wife (who basically insists on a snow blower), I think I'm going to start out with a snowblower. If budget allows and it seems useful after finishing this winter, I may add a front angle blade for next winter.

As far as traction, I'm getting R1 tires, and having experience with both those and R4's at my last farm, the R1s seem to have good snow traction. The dealer can install carbide studs on the treads if necessary, which they routinely do on R4s but not so much on R1s.

I'm looking at a Woods SB64S since that's what my dealer carries and Woods seems to generally have a great reputation. Any reasons for concern with that model?

 

[buickanddeere]

Blower , a blade does not get rid of snow