Best snow removal tool for this winter

[jcmseven]

Well, it is 40 degrees outside and cloudy. The locals are calling (again) for a bad winter. So far, my wife and I have lived here three winters, and not much snow so far. People keep telling us it will be bad one winter soon, and they tell tales of chest deep snow at times at the higher elevations. Many of us come from snowy areas, and do not think NC gets snow. I suppose that depends are where one lives. Here, we have had some pretty mild winters, but when it snows it does a lot and I am concerned THIS is the year. My question is this: I sold my HPX Gator about four months ago and I used it to plow with (72" blade) and it did a great job. I am looking at a new UTV style vehicle but am not 100% sure I will be able to get one for a while. I have a 3720 and had a 72" boom blade I sold. It was nice, but due to space considerations both with storage and usage I sold it. I have briefly seen the front mount plain blades for my tractor and they seem quite nice but pricey. I have used rear blade in past with fairly good results, but I plow a lot and I am not sure whether it would suffice (it might). I plow 300' of drive and about one mile of side road to get to the main road. I would like opinions on which way I should go here for this winter. I want to make sure we do not get hit and me not have anything to plow with. Money is not a major issue, but of course I would prefer to keep the cost down as much as possible. I have an idea or two, but wanted to know what the group thinks.

John M

 

[JDFANATIC]

jcm,

For 300' plus 1 mile, I wouldn't want to be craning my neck rearward all that time! I would be looking at a front blade or blower. They are not cheap choices (especially the blower) but they do save on trips to the massage parlor!

 

[kennyd]

You had the best tool for snow IMHO, The FEL mounted blade.

 

[jcmseven]

Kenny,

I really liked my boom mounted blade also. The only reason I sold it at all was due to space and storage. Also, it stuck out pretty far in the front, which made the tractor feel a little tippy on some of the steep hills we have. I offset this by putting the box blade on the back for more ballast, then I had a "semi". Fine for long runs but if a neighbor wanted a driveway plowed a little cumbersome. I do agree cost for cost it did quite well. I am probably going to buy another one but wanted to see if the standard and more expensive front blade would be a better choice for me.

John M

 

[jcmseven]

One more quick thing: I would not be against a blower, and in fact would be quite interested in using one. My problem is that I have never used one, and am not sure how much snow one needs to have to justify owning one. We get on average since I have lived here six to seven snows per year, but the locals have noted as many as twenty in years past. The most snow at once we have gotten where I live is eight inches but at the top of our mountain I plowed out neighbors with fourteen during the same snow. I like the blower concept, but I wonder if it would be overkill for my situation, so I also ask the opinion of some snow belters who have had experience with them. I can say the 60" blower seems a better deal than the front blade which is almost as expensive on the JD website.

John M

 

[megotatractor]

My ideal of a snow plow is a twenty series cab tractor - 3320-3720 ?? with a hydraulic front blade, maybe a blower if I lived someplace where I have no room to pile snow.

 

[BloomingtonMike]

John, I knew this thread was coming when you switched back to the 3X20.

I bought John's blade and I absolutely love it. It is my snow removal weapon of choice on a rocky lane like I have.

John, for what you are doing I am thinking a bronco/full size truck with a big blade would not be out of the question. Find some land and park it each year.

Did you ever get the shop built to store the toys?

 

[jcmseven]

Mike, I am glad you like the blade. It is a great piece of equipment. I really liked plowing with my Gator last year. It is a great plowing machine. Since I sold it (again mainly due to lack of space), I am debating about getting a UTV and blade to replace the Gator--again, limited by space-- or going with something else for my tractor. I would go back with another boom blade, but some of the plowing I do is tight and too much movement one way or another is a long fall with a hard painful landing. I essentially am responsible for all of my drive and the road upon which I live which is a little over a mile in length. I also frequently am asked by my five neighbors with whom I share the road to plow their drives. With the boom blade and a rear BB to ballast it, I cannot turn around in or on these areas. Other than that, it would be fine. I could probably rope the neighborhood plow guy into doing the road but he does not like to secondary to concerns of crashing on the steep slopes. I really like doing it though. Few things on a tractor are a fun to me as moving snow and being outside in a pretty winter scene as we can have here. To me, the BEST combination for plowing I have seen is the Gator and plow, but that also takes up a lot of space and costs more. It also makes me feel as though I am not getting the "most" from my tractor. Also, Mike, I have not yet gotten the building going, I am planning to do that in the spring if time allows.

John M

 

[pekabu]

My ideal of a snow plow is a twenty series cab tractor - 3320-3720 ??

I'm not a Deere guy, but boy was I drooling over a 3520 with a cab! Nice job. I also saw a 400cx loader with MSL. Very slick! I have used a rear blade, and a rear blower. Big snow storms the blower works best, but I like the rear blade. I am hoping to try out a front snow plow blade (picked one up, need to make a mount) someday.

 

[Nuru]

You had the best tool for snow IMHO, The FEL mounted blade.

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I got a 54" blade and it works wonders without weights. I moved 24 inches of snow out of my 120' driveway at my last house without any issues two years ago. Now thatt I have my tires filled, if will be even easier.