N.E. Blizzard of 2013

[CJONE]

Your tractor is heavy enough. I was thinking about a 6' pusher but for this depth we just got (27") it would have overwhelmed the tractor. I think a 5' pusher is all I should be thinking about. A 24" high and 24" deep pusher can bundle up lot of snow and seeing how my tractor weighs around 3000 lbs, that might also be a chore at this depth even at 5' wide. I'm sure one of our math guys lurking in the forum could probably come up with a graph of some sort. Could be tricky considering a cubic foot of snow could go from a pound to over 20 depending on its moisture content. What does the your 50 weigh?

The tractor,loader,loaded tires should be at about 7k but the chains make all the difference in the snow. I agree with you on the pusher, keep it as narrow as you can. For snow I think a loose meterial bucket and a pusher would be a great combination. Of course a blower would eliminate the need for either. But for me the pusher is way faster. When the snow gets deep you have to make shorter runs and be able to pick it up and move it. CJ

 

[vtsnowedin]

The tractor,loader,loaded tires should be at about 7k but the chains make all the difference in the snow. I agree with you on the pusher, keep it as narrow as you can. For snow I think a loose meterial bucket and a pusher would be a great combination. Of course a blower would eliminate the need for either. But for me the pusher is way faster. When the snow gets deep you have to make shorter runs and be able to pick it up and move it. CJ

There is bound to be a study on it around here somewhere but I'm pretty sure the most fuel efficient and time efficient way of moving snow is with an angled blade with a power angle allowing you to quickly change from right to left or center being the best of all. Just the fact that you can keep going indefinitely ahead while clearing a path the width of the plow doubles the square yards per minute cleared as time stopped and backing up to grab the next pass is eliminated or drastically reduced. Snow blowers use a lot of horse power and fuel to chop up ,lift, and throw every bit of snow it processes. This is OK if you need to spread it out flat without banks or want to blow it into a truck to haul it away but it's not cheap. There is a good reason the state DOT has four hundred plow trucks that push it to the right, It is the cheapest and fastest way to go as long as there is space to put it on the side.

 

[Egon]

When the snow gets deep or wet or packed into hard drifts and falls/blows frequently the snow blades are best left at home.

The angled blade does work well in lighter snow conditions.

 

[RFB]

There is bound to be a study on it around here somewhere but I'm pretty sure the most fuel efficient and time efficient way of moving snow is with an angled blade with a power angle allowing you to quickly change from right to left or center being the best of all. Just the fact that you can keep going indefinitely ahead while clearing a path the width of the plow doubles the square yards per minute cleared as time stopped and backing up to grab the next pass is eliminated or drastically reduced. Snow blowers use a lot of horse power and fuel to chop up ,lift, and throw every bit of snow it processes. This is OK if you need to spread it out flat without banks or want to blow it into a truck to haul it away but it's not cheap. There is a good reason the state DOT has four hundred plow trucks that push it to the right, It is the cheapest and fastest way to go as long as there is space to put it on the side.

You are correct. Gravel roads (miles) are all that I plow and blow, and the blower I use routinely and effortlessly throws softball sized rocks. I try to plow the first few snowfalls (after getting a good snow/ice pack) and then start blowing when the berms close in making plowing difficult. I cut the berms back with the blower, hurling rocks, snow and ice chunks. after the berms are cut back, the roads are read for the next series of snows with the plow. It gives me the ability to quickly get the roads open and then make room for plowing when access has been restored and time is not an issue.

I would triple my time if all I did was snowblower based. The plow (Curtis 7.5 power angle) is a good blade but the FEL mount needed a lot of reinforcing after the first couple of seasons; lots of stess cracks and one major "wanna fall off of the tractor" fracture. All of this was in the QA portion of the mount; the corresponding steel attached to the bleade was significantly thicker and stronger. I have had no problems since I did a major reinforcement on it. If I were buying new I would examine the Horst HLA Snow 3000 series.

The blower is a Loftness 841s; very strong.

 

[DFB]

When I worked for a landscape company who's major winter business was snowplowing we had a vast array of equipment. No truck was smaller than a one ton and all blades were 9ft V blades and we had a 12 ft pusher for a Komatsu loader plus 2 skidsteers and JD 110 TBL with cab. We had all kinds of accounts the biggest were supermarket plaza parking lots thats where the pusher box shined. Obviously you could only roll it to the side so far with truck blades before it piled up to much and pushing straight on with blades left trails on either side even in a foward scoop postion. Time was money and my ex boss would have fits if you left side trails and had to keep going back over it.

 

[vtsnowedin]

When the snow gets deep or wet or packed into hard drifts and falls/blows frequently the snow blades are best left at home.

The angled blade does work well in lighter snow conditions.

The town and state plow drivers learned long ago never to let it snow all night before starting to plow. They try to get to it by the time there is three inches on the road which is when drivers with all season tires will start getting stuck and add to the problem. That way they can plow along at a good clip and throw snow twenty to thirty feet off the high end of the plow and keep the banks low. Still need some loaders and graders with wings or a big snow blower or two for when things don't go as planned. You can get real behind if one truck has to go help another out of a ditch and they both lose two hours while it's coming down and blowing.

 

[vtsnowedin]

When I worked for a landscape company who's major winter business was snowplowing we had a vast array of equipment. No truck was smaller than a one ton and all blades were 9ft V blades and we had a 12 ft pusher for a Komatsu loader plus 2 skidsteers and JD 110 TBL with cab. We had all kinds of accounts the biggest were supermarket plaza parking lots thats where the pusher box shined. Obviously you could only roll it to the side so far with truck blades before it piled up to much and pushing straight on with blades left trails on either side even in a foward scoop postion. Time was money and my ex boss would have fits if you left side trails and had to keep going back over it.

Big parking lots are a different beast and a pusher box on a large machine wins out there. Got to hand it to guys that can keep a big lot clear in a good storm with the stores open for business. Seems there is always a little car with a seasoned citizen driver right under the counter weight every time you go to back up.

 

[arrow]

with a seasoned citizen driver

I like that phrase "seasoned" That's what i am….seasoned. And just like good wood, soon to be thrown into the firepit. I wonder how many btu I am?

 

[vtsnowedin]

I like that phrase "seasoned" That's what i am….seasoned. And just like good wood, soon to be thrown into the firepit. I wonder how many btu I am?

I'm about three quarters dry myself and begining to show some cracks on the ends.

 

[CJONE]

There is a good reason the state DOT has four hundred plow trucks that push it to the right, It is the cheapest and fastest way to go as long as there is space to put it on the side.[/QUOTE]

Your last sentence says it all. They also have road graders that wing the snow back so the plows can remove it from the road. Once the banks get over 2' or so you have problems with a plow. I have a 9' 4" v plow that has only been used 1 time this year, the snow pusher is what is on almost all the time and I don't run out of room with the pusher. Plowed commercial for over 20 years most with a v plow and snow pusher. I like the plow for 6" and under but with some of the snowfalls we get the pusher is just more effective [quicker]. CJ