Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Clearing Snow

[jfdlaw]

I hate to admit when I was wrong and you guys are right, but you were right.

So far this year I've used my expensive front mounted snowblower for exactly 22 minutes. I've used the relatively inexpensive Bushhog 60" rear blade almost exclusively. I know it will change when the heavy snow hits later this month, but so far this year the blade has been the better tool.

I do want to thank the person who suggested leaving the pin out of the tilt adjustment so that the blade "floats" on the driveway. That tip made all the difference.

If I had to do it again I would save $3,000 and buy a 72" rear blade. I'd probably leave the FEL on the front and between the two handle anything that fell.

So for those of you on the fence with snowblowers, try a blade first and see if you really need one.

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue"> If I had to do it again I would save $3,000 and buy a 72" rear blade. </font>

I would not be too quick to make that statement...

I don't have a snow blower or need one for the little I have to plow, but I have seen my neighbor's in action on the rare occasions that we get enough snow to warrant a snow blower...and I learned the meaning of lust...covet...and a few other feelings... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Be sure to report back after you get your first big snow! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[kozak]

I've never used a blade (don't have one) & am considering getting a snowblower for my NH TC35D. We can get quite a bit of snow up here & alot of drifting. My old snowblower for my small tractor worked great. My question is, do you not have to drive through the snow to use the blade ? If so, if you had any appreciable snowfall or drifting, your euchered. That is if I understand how you would use the blade for snow removal.

 

[RoyJackson]

It seems to be a universal law that if you buy an expensive piece of equipment as a result of conditions (such as snow), those conditions will not re-occur for at least 5 years.

Sure seems like it, doesn't it?

Anyway, I'm sure you'll make great use of that blower sooner or later...just seems like other areas are getting the heavy accumulations this year. But, if I recall correctly, your area got something like 7 feet of snow in a week a few years ago. And, I expect you'll see a repeat of that...if not this year.

 

[caddison]

I got in my first wee bit of snow removal with my DX33. I used my 5' box scraper and my FEL and made pretty short work of the snow....only problem was the ice lying under the snow. I have a front mounted plow that I just haven't had time to get mounted as it needs a little renovating.

 

[dicker]

Between a 6 Ft back blade and the FEL, I have found that I can handle any amout of snow or drifts.
Richard

 

[ronjhall]

I bought a 47" snow blower for my front mount mower. We have had 3 heavy snow falls that have required snow clearing. It's a nice toy. Shoots snow about 20 feet out.
My Curtis FEL mounted snow blade does a much faster job of cleaning up my drive. I like the large snow piles I can make with the blade. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Paddy]

I have used nothing but rear blades. When the snow is deep, 6"+, you need to set a real steep angle or the snow will just fall over the blade. Consider your first pass as "making room for the next pass. What I mean is, if you only clear the road, where will the snow from the center go?? I work the drive real wide keaving room for the center and most important...the next snow. I have seen guys quickly clear "just enough room" for a car. The next day 4 or more inches fall and they have no place to move it, a wall of snow.

When the snow is 10+ inches drive the tractor backwards. This places the tractor on the drive at all times. Kinda like angle parking. This gets all material off the road and the tractor on.

This is the statigy I have used for many years. This might change when my KAMA 454 takes over

If she snows during the day, keep up with it. Don't wait untill it stops. Its much easer to remove two 4" levels than 1 8" heap.

good luck

Patrick

 

[RoyJackson]

"If she snows during the day, keep up with it. Don't wait until it stops. Its much easer to remove two 4" levels than 1 8" heap."

That's a good point. However, with a 12" moldboard on my rear blade (all I've ever used), I've little trouble pushing 8" on the first pass (20° to 30° angle on the blade). There are normally three or four pushes off the drive (when it starts coming over the top of the moldboard, I start piling the snow) for each pass clearing the drive (150' or so).

 

[sassafraspete]

I second what Henro says....your day will come. I was humbled a couple weeks ago when we got 20 inches in a 24 hr period....blades got the job done, but I bet a blower would have done a great job in a third of the time. The other plus has to be the ability to get it further off the drive. We were lucky in that ours melted and didn't have to deal with the tunnel effect for weeks. Downside....turning into a snowman.