Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Bucket vs Snow Pusher

[Karl2]

Can you lift it with a pusher or just push it so it builds up? I didn't think you could lift with a pusher ???

Push-pulls can be turned into scoops but that requires an independent hydraulic pivot on the FEL to allow for 180-degree on-axis rotation. It's quite expensive and mostly used when switching implements on-the-fly is not practical, like when you're on a snow run miles away from base.

 

[Karl2]

allot of times when the snow isn't that deep I just push it with the blower attachment. It acts as a box blade and will pile the snow up.

I do that sometimes as well, but I'm careful to clean the blower afterwards in case of a sudden hard-freeze. Impeller encased in hard ice is bad news for shear bolts. Once it even stalled my 105 hp tractor when I engaged the PTO 'cause none of the shear pins gave, for some reason. Only damage caused was a panicky owner.

 

[CJONE]

Snow pusher hands down. The only thing a pusher does not do better than a bucket is lift up and carry snow. CJ

 

[Piperflyer]

I do that sometimes as well, but I'm careful to clean the blower afterwards in case of a sudden hard-freeze. Impeller encased in hard ice is bad news for shear bolts. Once it even stalled my 105 hp tractor when I engaged the PTO 'cause none of the shear pins gave, for some reason. Only damage caused was a panicky owner.

I'm fortunate to be able to put mine in a heated garage when done

 

[Karl2]

My JD 4720 fits in the garage (2 inch clearance above the beacon on the cab after I modded the door) but my JD 5105M does not

 

[Karl2]

Can you lift it with a pusher or just push it so it builds up? I didn't think you could lift with a pusher ???

The way to use a pusher to stack snow is to push back the top of the pile each time you put snow at the base.You can dispose of a lot of snow this way

 

[tessiers]

I had both, since I got the plow I sold the pusher. I have a plow that mounts in place of the bucket and angles with aux hyd. I have a long drive and with the pusher I would get part way down and run out of steam, with the plow I can angle and go all the way. I can stack just as high with the plow as the pusher and clean up just as fast. Real advantage is being able to angle for the long straight sections. When I did parking lots pusher was much better for carrying snow a long ways through the lanes. Plow can't carry without pushing sideways. I hardly ever use the bucket unless I need to scrape a small section for whatever reason.

 

[Karl2]

I had both, since I got the plow I sold the pusher. I have a plow that mounts in place of the bucket and angles with aux hyd. I have a long drive and with the pusher I would get part way down and run out of steam, with the plow I can angle and go all the way. I can stack just as high with the plow as the pusher and clean up just as fast. Real advantage is being able to angle for the long straight sections. When I did parking lots pusher was much better for carrying snow a long ways through the lanes. Plow can't carry without pushing sideways. I hardly ever use the bucket unless I need to scrape a small section for whatever reason.

Plows and pushers aren't meant for the same purpose. Pushers are usually part of a pusher/blower tandem mounted on the same tractor or loader. Pushers -especially reversible ones- are mostly used in commercial snow clearing when one has to quickly clear a large number of relatively short drives or pile up snow for hauling away, this mainly applies to parking lots. The advantage pushers have over plows is that when used properly they leave no snow in their wake and you can put it exactly where you want it. The dawbacks: requires more horsepower and heavier equipment, it's not meant for garden tractors or pickup trucks; cannot be used to sweep snow aside so distance range is very short and limited by horsepower and terrain conditions. If you're not into commercial snow removal and have a long drive with enough room to sweep snow aside then you're much better off with a plow.

Some plows can be transformed into pushers via hinged hydraulic or electric "wings" that can be lowered on each side of the plow, it's very expensive though and not as sturdy as a standard pusher.