Snow BX2200 Front Blade or Rear for snow removal

[Anonymous Poster]

Looking for some input - Back in May I purchased a BX2200 w/ FEL, MMM 60" and the Front Mounted Hydraulic Blade w/ quick hitch. I am about to put on the blade for the anticipated nor'easters (yeah right) however I now have had second thoughts on permanently removing the FEL for the entire winter (from what I gather swapping out between the Blade and FEL is no picnic). Initially my dealer tried to persuade me to go with a rear blade for snow removal but I was not overly keen on driving in reverse or driving over the snow first with the blade in tow. I have 200 feet of circular drive with both entrances on a "main road." I am now thinking the FEL would be more beneficial after the town trucks kindly push the main road stuff back on my drive coupled with the fact that if we are lucky enough to get some sizable snow depth the areas around the drive "to push snow to" will become hard to find. I am still skeptical on the ease of use of a rear blade especially since the drive is circular. Before I use this brand new front blade and quick hitch I would like to get some insight - any experiences or recommendations are greatly appreciated.

JimCT

 

[Charliebrn]

There is a thread from not far back in which Woodstock came up with an excellent mod to facilitate changing out the FEL and blade. Check it out, it's definately worth considering, I know I'd do it in a heartbeat if I could afford the front blade.

As it is, I use the FEL and the rear blade simultaneously, driving forward over the snow, the FEL cleaning off where my tires would otherwise compact the snow, the rear blade cleaning up the spillage from the FEL. Worked great last year! And it the FEL is just the ticket for that heavy slushy stuff the snow plows dump in my drive. I'm ready for it, and here we are, 54 degrees on Dec 2...../w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif C'mon snow!!!!

 

[frank_f15]

Like charliebrn i use the fel in conjunction with the back blade. for deep or wet snow i mostly use fel, but for light dry snow i will just use back blade and just drive over snow to be removed. i find this set up to work well for me, the town plows really throw the snow up the drive and i need the fel to move it.

 

[rgd]

I use a rear blade and plow 1500 ft of drive and cul-de-sac.
I like the FEL for weight and working thru deep snow. However I have plowed 6" of wet snow without using the FEL. I did use it to move the piles of snow I created. The rear blade also adds some rear end weight and does a great job in dry or wet snow at an angle. I would spend money on fluid in the rear tires. Weight is important, the BX2200 is light in the rear. The front blade was just too many $$$. Have fun!

RGD - BX2200 owner

 

[wdn]

I have used a front blade with my old tractor, and before that I had a walk behind Toro snowblower. The BX2200 with the FEL is a lot easier to manage with wet snow. The problem with a front blade is the further you push the snow the more it piles up and it becomes harder to push. My old blade wouldn't lift that high so I would stick it into a snow bank and have to dig it out with a snow shovel. Not sure if that applies to the BX.

My rule #1 is: after I sit down on that tractor to clear the driveway I want to remain seated until the job is finished!

With the snow thrower it would always clog in any kind of decent storm, and it did not clean the snow down to the blacktop. It would leave 1/2" of packed down snow that would quickly refreeze. Then you have to sand and salt it what a pain in the neck, especially if it snows more later and you blow away that $50 worth of salt you just layed down.

I used the FEL for the snow storm we had over the weekend. I can see the attraction of using a rear blade to clean up the runoff from the sides of the FEL. It took a couple extra passes with the FEL to clean up those 'stripes'. But the FEL does the job by itself, it just takes a bit longer.

Where the FEL really pays for itself is digging out the blow ridge at the end of the driveway that is left by the town snowplows. With either the plow or the snowblower I would have to dig it out with a snow shovel which is pretty ridiculous when you think of all the money we spend on equipment. So I would be out their cussing and breaking my back anyway.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I appreciate the input and seriously reconsidering this approach. As I said I was initially skeptical on a rear blade but the town plows and possible snow piles are now a primary concern. My thoughts are to acquire a rear blade and try it. If it works to my satisfaction I will sell Front Blade. Should have listened to my dealer in the first place.

 

[r0GuE]

AMEN I SAY!!!!!
WHy is it for the past 10 years that I shoveled my old drive and walks, we had PLENTY of snow.
Get a BX2200 with loader , and we get NO snow, heck... hardly a frost.

Rogue