FEL snow pusher on 4x20, anyone?

[JB Farm]

I am looking at buying a 4520/4720 to use for snow removal on parking lots. I want to mount a 8, 9 or 10 foot snow push box on the front loader via the skid steer q/a. I was wondering if anyone has done this and might be able to answer a couple of questions. First off, what size can you push? I think 8 foot would be fine but want to go as big as I can. Next, can you still turn when pushing a box of snow? I don't need to turn on a dime, but do need to maneuver around parking lot islands. I also need to get thru a drive lane that is curved with a curb on each side, kind of like a fast food joint drive up lane. Lastly, would you expect the loader arms to hold up with this kind of use?

Thanks

 

[RoyJackson]

Try looking in the Snow Removal forum.
I doubt you find specific answers to your questions, but you should be able to glean enough information to determine if the tractor is the best choice.

 

[jd2420]

This is a relative question. Souther Buff NY response is going to be different than say St Louis, MO....

 

[AKfish]

Alot depends upon where you live and plan to work a commercial snow removal business. If you push snow in those states that are under the unbrella of the "Lake Effect"; i.e. Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York - you might only want to have a 7ft. push blade. That heavy wet snow piling up 2'-3' at a dump might be alot more than the 4x20 series tractor can handle with a 8'-10' blade.

And, depending upon how many locations you have contracted with - a tractor might not be fast enough - especially if the snow accumulations are significant.

Most commercial operator's in my part of the country have gone to Skid Steers. Bobcats and Caterpillar mostly. A few Deere's.

Personally, I'd rather move snow from the comfort of a cabbed, 4x20. But, I know it won't clear the same square footage in the same amount of time as a SS.

AKfish

 

[JB Farm]

I am in central Illinois. I am already part of a commercial snow removal company. We run a fleet of Deere 644's, backhoes, skid steers, trucks and motor patrol. The amount of snow we get will not matter to me. If we get too much snow for it will be left behind for the day.

What I am looking at doing is buying the tractor for the farm. Mostly food plot farming, mowing roadsides and waterways, general FEL work, etc. It is hard to justify the cost for only that. So I am looking into putting it into the winter fleet so it can help to pay for itself.

I do need to know if it will be able to turn with the pusher, howwide of box I could expect it to push, and if the loader arms will hold up. I would imagine it could handle an 8' box just as well or better than our smallest skid (Bobcat 763) as it will be heavier all weighted down.

Thanks for any help

 

[tomd999]

Hiya,

In my experence in NH you want to stay away from using a CUT for snow removal if your doing commercial because it's just not fast enough. Think of it, your going to be competing against pickups with plows, skidsteers with snow pushers and for the big lots, articulated wheel loaders with huge pushers or giant buckets.

Customers want the lots cleared fast in commercial and even quicker in retail locations, A CUT is not goint to cut it in heavy snow areas. What works up here is a PU with a plow to haul the SS and crew and to get the edges, a skidsteer with a 10 to 12 foot pusher for the small to med lots, for the big lots you bring a full size TLB (Think Case Terrex or Cat, not CUT based) with a 14 footer and wheel loader with a 20 foot pusher for the mall sized lots.

I can't imagine doing a lot with a CUT, too slow, too long, too hard to turn and honestly you would beat the snot out of it and the loader with all the side loads and catches the pusher will snag on. A skidsteer is a lot tougher than a CUT.

If your serious, get at least a bobcat s185 or better yet an s250 or 300 and a 10-12' pusher with a trip edge. If you find the market would support it, get the high flow hyd option and run a 5 foot blower for the properties that the owners have sidewalks and/or want edges blown instead of mounded, not a lot of contractors offer that so you have a different service to seperate yourself from the others. Forget the CUT, get the skidsteer.

Tom

 

[AKfish]

I am in central Illinois. I am already part of a commercial snow removal company. We run a fleet of Deere 644's, backhoes, skid steers, trucks and motor patrol. The amount of snow we get will not matter to me. If we get too much snow for it will be left behind for the day.

What I am looking at doing is buying the tractor for the farm. Mostly food plot farming, mowing roadsides and waterways, general FEL work, etc. It is hard to justify the cost for only that. So I am looking into putting it into the winter fleet so it can help to pay for itself.

I do need to know if it will be able to turn with the pusher, howwide of box I could expect it to push, and if the loader arms will hold up. I would imagine it could handle an 8' box just as well or better than our smallest skid (Bobcat 763) as it will be heavier all weighted down.

Thanks for any help

Well... you've pretty well made up your mind! You're just looking for added support for your decision...

If you've been working heavy equipment for some time and moving snow - you already have a good appreciation for fulcrums, levers, balance points, length of beams and how those factors affect machine operations.

Look at the loader arms on your 763. Look at the loader arms on a 400X (or better yet - 400CX). What are the differences? Dimensions of materials... 3/8" and 1/4" welded plate versus 1/8" and possibly 3/16" stamped metal in some locations? Length of the loader arms and points of attachment?

Quick attach loader is not as strong or as durable as a fixed loader - IMO. Neither the 400X or the 400CX loader will stand up to the same level of abuse or continued use as the loader on the 763.

The length of the loader boom arm on the 4x20 tractor makes it a great "target" for lateral force... especially at the outward edge of a large plow blade or pusher bucket. Catch a curb or a parking barrier or any number of "hidden" objects buried in the snow and be prepared for a real lesson in "length of lever arm" and "fulcrum point" as the kinectic energy rearranges the dimensions of your loader! (Of course, if you've plowed snow for a few years - you know exactly of where I speak!)

If you're really determined to put the 4x20 to work in the "snow fleet" use a smaller push blade - not the biggest possible. Or go with a high volume, materials bucket and use the tractor more for loading trucks or building berm piles than actual clearing work.

A good rear blade with hydraulic angle, offset and tilt would be a good addition as well. Heavy duty models are stout enough to provide great ballast for loader work and you can work the snow - forwards as well as in reverse!

AKfish