Snow Snow removal: bucket, blower, plow?

[diulin]

My new MF 1705 is being delivered tomorrow with a bucket loader. I definitely wanted the loader, but I was hoping to be able to plow the long, steep road to my camp with it. Now I'm worried that it will take forever to fill the bucket, turn to the side, dump, back up, turn, and repeat. But if it's not too bad, I might do it and save the $3500 for a blower or $2500 from a plow from the MF dealer.

So what do the experienced tractor users have to suggest? How bad is it to plow with a loader? Are there any significantly cheaper options for loaders or blowers (like after-market or other tractor brands)?

Thanks from this soon-to-be first-time tractor owner,

Don

 

[LD48750]

My first thought, not knowing where you are or how much snow you get, would be a rear 3 point grader blade.
$300 & up new or $100 & up used. (Pretty hard to damage these things so used is usually good enough)

 

[diulin]

Plowing with my torso twisted 180 degrees has me a little nervous about my back (I'm getting close to 60 and already have some lumbar issues). But you're right. For $100, it wouldn't hurt to try. I could still use the blade for smoothing my road in the summer. Thanks.

 

[frugalangler]

Welcome, and congrats to you on the MF. I'd agree, twisting to use a rear blade is a challenge, I've got lower back issues and know first hand, but the amount of time it will take w/ a FEL in the cold might offset the pain by eliminating extended hours doing it w/ a FEL - being older I'm also much more susceptible to frigid temps so whatever I do I try to minimize the time in the cold. You might consider a ROPS mounted camera w/ monitor on mag mount on hood to 'monitor' and then only turn when needing to re position? Those cameras (back-up) can be had for less than $100, might be worth the experiment?

Good luck

 

[coldsteelva]

If you set it up right, you can drive over the snow forward and then blade behind you as you go - it usually does a decent enough job, you won't ever blade down to the surface right?

 

[Budweiser John]

A loader bucket will move snow and is light years better than a shovel however, a dedicated front mounted snow blade is more efficient and convient to see what’s going on.
For years, I used a rear mounted three point snow blower and admittedly the blower moves an impressive amount of snow but constantly looking backward and being covered with blowing snow gets old real quick.
Very early on, my only option was a rear mounted three point blade and again better than a shovel but constantly looking backward and not having hydraulic angling the whole set up was not very efficient.
If you live in an area that gets large amounts of snow fall I think a cabbed tractor with a front mounted snow blower would be the ideal set up.
B. John

 

[diulin]

Thanks for all of the suggestions so far -- please keep them coming! Can anyone say how versatile is the MF 1705 as far as taking non MF implements -- especially in terms of connecting hydraulics and PTO? I've seen other used blowers out there, and I'm looking at a plow that was built for the John Deer 3320 (pretty equivalent in size, I think, to the MF 1305).

 

[Langanobob]

Almost all of the snowblowers are built by the same company, so a front mount blower for a John Deere is probably the same as a MF2360. The difference is in the mounts. If you have a shop you may be able to adapt the adapter and driveshaft. Another alternative is to buy the MF mounting bracket sustem but it’s pricey. There’s a thread here titled something like Orange on Black that touches on adapting different colored blowers.

 

[LD48750]

Thanks for all of the suggestions so far -- please keep them coming! Can anyone say how versatile is the MF 1705 as far as taking non MF implements -- especially in terms of connecting hydraulics and PTO? I've seen other used blowers out there, and I'm looking at a plow that was built for the John Deer 3320 (pretty equivalent in size, I think, to the MF 1305).

Three point stuff is pretty universal.
Plowing snow with a rear blade only requires turning around to do the detail work & clean up.
The road is just drop it & drive down the road.By the end of the first snowfall you'll know how you have to work your drive.
The blade will also come in handy to maintain that road in the summer. (& ballast for loader work)

 

[nybirdman]

A rear blade is way more effective than the bucket;just get one wider than the tractor when fully angled.
It also depends how much now you average;less than 100 in./yr. a rear blade/bucket should be enough.
Front blades are nice;I have an 8ft.er+a 7ft.rear blade.Mine is an adapted truck plow.