Snow Plowing snow

   / Plowing snow #1  

Clarence

New member
Joined
Nov 19, 2001
Messages
3
Location
Michigan
Tractor
TC 45D
I have never used a bucket for plowing snow...do you recommend? or should I purchase a blade. I have looked into a "snow pusher" brand, however I don't want to spend $1500+ on a blade.

I have a TC 45D with a 16LA FEL and a HD quick detach bucket. Will do 3 driveways at approx 25k sq ft in Michigan.

Suggestions please.

Thanks,

Clarence
 
   / Plowing snow #2  
Sounds like almost a half a mile of driveways? and you're in snow country - get a blower. No snow banks, you handle the snow once, no need to plow wide for future snow storage and you don't have to plow every 6 - 12". I plowed with a truck for 10+ years, switched to a blower 3 winters ago - and will not go back, although a heated cab would be nice.
 
   / Plowing snow
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Thanks JJT. I don't think I'll make the jump to a snow blower just yet, however you are probably right about being the best choice. Price will keep me away for awhile. I guess I'll use the bucket for now until I learn different. Thanks again.
 
   / Plowing snow #4  
Clarence,

How about a 7' rear scraper blade, plus keep the loader on. Using the loader is going to get old fast - the snow doesn't really come off the loader, it just builds up in front so that after a bit you will have to pick up a few buckets full and dump them off to the side. Maybe this doesn't sound so bad, but it will get tiresome. A rear blade should be much quicker, though you'll end up doing quite a bit of work in reverse for the heavier snows.

Rob
 
   / Plowing snow #5  
Clarence,

I have a TC40D that I used for snow removal last year. Have a gravel driveway that is 1/4 mile long. Used a combination of FEL and rear snow blade. Every snow fall of significance (6+ inches) last december cost me about 4 hours of time. In January I broke down and ordered a snow blower. Drastic difference in time. Can now clear the driveway in less than half an hour and its just so much fun seeing the snow fly that I end up doing my parent's driveway to their house and hay barn (close to 1/4 mile), do some of the road between our driveways and just generally have fun goofin' around (for the first hour).

Guess that was a longer answer then just saying that if you are going to spend some "real" money then spend it on a blower, otherwise just get a rear blade (preferably 15" high to prevent snow from going over the top of the blade). Either way you will probably end up with cold teeth from grinning too much /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif...

DaveV
 
   / Plowing snow #6  
If money is an issue right now, I would go with a rear blade, but a blower is the real answer. I live in Upstate NY and we get snow. When I was younger my parents had a nice Ford 8N with a rear blade for their driveway. About 400FT plus a parking area and a seperate "U" Shaped driveway. I actually had fun plowing the snow, but I can agree that it gets old fast. Especially when you get snow piles.

Now that my wife and I are planning our new house for next year and our driveway will be about 400FT with a 30x30 parking area I plan on a nice new tractor with FEL & Rear blower. I just don't have the time to move snow all the time. Besides it gets cold and old outside.

Good luck.
 
   / Plowing snow #7  
Clarence, I've been using a rear blade for over 18 years in the Jackson, Mich area and have only wished a couple of times I had something better. If your quite a bit further North or near Lake Mich, you may want something like a blower to get the snow out of your way, but otherwise I think the rear blade works quite nice. You'll have to experiment with it a little depending on if you're clearing a gravel or dirt drive or paved and whether you want the blade to dig in or not. On un-paved, a lot depends on whether the ground has froze or not. If not, the soil, once full of moisture, seems to move just as easy as the snow, so you can tear thing up pretty good if your not careful. The blade tilt, and sometimes even plowing with the blade turned around,(even though your moving forward) can help to keep it from digging in to much. Like I said, it just takes some getting used to.

If your expect lots of snow, just start the year with pushing it of your drive a little farther. Good luck, I think once you've tried it you'll really enjoy getting out and into it.
 
   / Plowing snow
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Thanks guys. I will wait on the snowblower for now, I'm going to use the FEL and a rear blade this year to see how it goes. I'll have fun for the first few snow falls, but I'm sure I'll see the snow blower light soon after. Thanks again for your replies.
 
   / Plowing snow #9  
Clarence, Good decision. I live in northern Vermont next to a ski resort. Get LOTS of snow, but nothing my L3010 with FEL and rear blade can't handle. I mostly use the rear blade reversed and angled, but drive forward over the snow. This keeps the gravel from being "donated" to the town road. I only use the FEL when running out of room to put snow.

Experiment. I think you'll do well without a blower.

Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com
 
   / Plowing snow #10  
Boondox: Are you near Jay or Burke? If Burke, are you related?

My wife and I are moving near to Jay next year.
 
 
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