Buying Advice BX25 Snow Removal?

   / BX25 Snow Removal? #1  

JUBILEE1953

Bronze Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Messages
91
Location
Ohio
Tractor
MF 1742 TLB - Ford NAA
I am debating whether to purchase a Kubota front mounted snow blower or a front mounted blade for my BX25. Advantages or disadvantages of either?
 
   / BX25 Snow Removal? #2  
Plow works in all types of snow. In deep, heavy, wet snow, plow can push the front end sideways. Plow works great for 2" snowfalls too.

Blower is much slower on smaller snowfalls, but can end up being faster on large snowfalls. Blower doesn't work so hot on 2" snowfalls.

If you get the front blower and a rear blade (for the smaller snowfalls), you'll be able to easily handle all the storms. I ran a rear blade on my subcompact for a few years, and it made quick work of the small snowfalls.
 
   / BX25 Snow Removal? #3  
I'd say it depends on how much area you gotta move, and kinds of snow you always get. Do you have the room to push the snow somewhere if it a plow? a blower will blow it where ever you want... no piles. For me, I got quite a bit to move, big area but I have room for it . If I run out of room, I always can switch back to FEL and move chunks of snow out of the way and dump over the banks. But to me - I used a truck mount plow on my FEL arms so its a win win for me. I can push snow up and over the banks.
 
   / BX25 Snow Removal? #4  
Well, I can tell you I've been struggling with this same decision for a few years. This year I finally made the decision and am going with the front mounted blade. I'm waiting for it to come in. I don't know if this will be helpful, but I'll share my reasoning and you can take it for what it's worth. :2cents:

In the past I've used a front mounted blower on a little lawn tractor. I really liked the way you can just blow the snow out of the way and not leave snow banks on the side of the drive. I have a crushed rock driveway, so come Spring I did end up with a lot of stones blown all over the yard that I would have to power rake back onto the driveway.

I finally wore the thing out completely. It bellied up half way through one winter. I had a snow blade for the front of my ATV that I had never used, so I got that out an hooked up and have used that ever since to plow snow. I was trying to decide to go with a front blower for my BX or front plow for it.

Snow blower pros:
-Blows snow completely out of the way, no snow banks.
-Don't ever have the issue of snow banks or piles building up to the point it's pinching you off.
-Don't have to get the loader out to move banks/piles back if they do start becoming a problem.

Snow blower cons:
-Leaves rocks all over the place unless you have a paved driveway.
-Much more expensive (if you get the options which I would have.)
-Can get snow all over yourself and the machine unless the wind is blowing the right way (or you have a cab.) Wasn't ever that big of a deal to me.
-Slower to get the job done.

A plow will be pretty much the opposite of these. You leave snow banks that can get problematic if you get enough snow fall and/or you didn't push the snow back far enough in the beginning of the season. With a stone driveway you'll still end up with some rock pushed off into the yard, but much more localized and closer to the drive edge - easier to clean up. Much less expensive, quicker, and don't have blowing snow all over.

Having said all that, if I had a paved driveway I would have gone with the snow blower for sure (it really is nice to have that snow just disappear) - and I still may if I'm not completely happy with the plow after trying for a season or two. With hydraulic lift and angle I'm thinking I may be fine.

If I decide later to go with the blower, I figure I had to get the quick hitch subframe in either case so that's not wasted money, and should still be able to use the plow on occasion for light duty dozer type work. If I really don't find any use for it, I'm only out the $1400 for the plow itself and could probably recover some of that by selling it, though it's likely I'd keep it.

Hope I didn't make your decision any harder! :eek:
 
   / BX25 Snow Removal? #5  
I think alot of it depends on how much snow you get. I used to use a plow and I ran out of room to pile snow. (That was my first year in the country) I had to call a farmer I knew that had a blower on the back of his tractor. He moved my piles and made room for the rest of the winter. That made my decision easy for me to go with a front mount blower. If we got less snow, I would go with a plow.
 
   / BX25 Snow Removal? #6  
I use the 2nd tractor for snow plowing and the 1st tractor for moving snow piles if needed.
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   / BX25 Snow Removal? #7  
JUBILEE1953 said:
I am debating whether to purchase a Kubota front mounted snow blower or a front mounted blade for my BX25. Advantages or disadvantages of either?

I used a loader on my BX2200 for a lot of years but had the "running out of room to put it" issues so when I got the BX 25 I got the blower. Haven't used it yet but I'm looking forward to not having huge piles of snow to deal with. I'd be concerned that if you got a couple of feet of heavy wet snow you might have some trouble moving it with a plow on the BX based only on my experience with the loader.
 
   / BX25 Snow Removal? #8  
jUST BUY A USED 3PT REAR BLADE OFF OF CRAIGSLIST. tHERE ARE ALWAYS DOZENS FOR SALE FOR 200 BUCKS AND UNDER
 
   / BX25 Snow Removal? #9  
jUST BUY A USED 3PT REAR BLADE OFF OF CRAIGSLIST. tHERE ARE ALWAYS DOZENS FOR SALE FOR 200 BUCKS AND UNDER

Living south of Dallas, it's hard to imagine having so much snow in a season that you need to plan where to put it! But your reply made me think of something I've been wondering about: I have a compact tractor (New Holland TC30) but no FEL - just can't afford it, and doubt that I'd get that much use out of it. But there are times when I'd like to just push stuff around. I do have a rear blade, but driving the tractor backward doesn't work very well for me - When you suggested the rear blade, did you intend for the tractor to be driven over the snow and then pushed aside by the rear blade, or were you suggesting that the tractor be driven backward INTO the snow?
 
   / BX25 Snow Removal? #10  
Hi Jubilee,
Welcome to TBN.
I have a front mounted snow blower and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I have a long, narrow drive way(400' +) with trees on both sides and a large parking area at the other end. It is gravel and I do get some rocks in the yard but not enough to complain about. I keep the blower skids set about 1.5 - 2" off the ground. I use this as a base and let it pack down. After the second snowfall the gravel is no longer an issue.

We get a fair amount of snow every year (5-8ft). If the snow is heavy/wet I have to go a little slower, but I don't mind and it doesn't take much longer than it would if the snow is light/dry.

The blower works really well for me as I have no room for the banks that would be left by the plow. A back blade is also very handy to have and it can be used for may other things as well, besides moving snow around.

Hope that hepls.
 
 
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