First time plowing the driveway with tractor, had the Snow Edge mounted on bucket.

[GeneV]

I'm also a new tractor owner, plowing for the 1st time. JD 4200 w/ fel, New turfs. I was pleasantly surprised how well it pushed heavy wet snow without chains or ballast. I do think some ballast would make it better. I'm planning on putting together a ballast box for use when picking up heavy loads.

See, what I'm thinking is, plowing with the bucket is a whole other animal compared to plowing with the bucket with the snow edge mounted, because the snow edge adds that 3" ridge to the bottom. I could see adding rear ballast would help plowing with the bucket as is.

 

[GeneV]

Here's a vid I made. I guess I had the bucket set at closer to a 45 deg angle.

 

[CobyRupert]

It's a good point with the bucket curl, I am being careful there. My theory is since the snow edge adds a 3" ridge to the bottom lip, and that ridge is what takes the brunt of the snow buildup until it spills over into the bucket, NOT diving into the snow at a 20ish degree angle can be putting strain on the curl cylinders.

Nice video!

It's likely pushing snow with bucket curled will never bend the curl cylinders. It's when the curled bucket hits a solid object with the full force and momentum of the tractor behind it that cylinders will bend.

 

[GeneV]

Guys, this is what I'm talking about, the 3" ridge added under the bucket lip, that's what's loading up with snow before it starts piling into the bucket, hence it alters the geometry of how force is applied to the bucket.

As far as nailing solid objects, well we all know our driveways and where to be careful. I wouldn't use a scut loader to plow somewhere unknown, whether with bucket or plow. It's too risky, if you ram something solid with the edge of your bucket or plow, you'll have bigger problems than bent cylinder rods...you may get bent loader arms to contend with.

 

[bridge4]

Nice video, driveway looked plenty slick to me. Obviously not ice yet, but was slushy and wet looking and you were cruising! With such a flat driveway I really don't see you having much issue w/ 4wd unless you get hit with a monster storm.

 

[DennisFolsom]

Nice video. This setup should work fine for you. I don't run chains on my JD4600 (bigger tractor), but I have filled rear tires and an 800 lb weight on the back. My drive is not as flat as yours, but not too bad a grade either. I do find that, under some conditions, I have trouble pushing uphill. I do almost all of my pushing downhilll, from my house toward the road. There certainly are times that chains would help, but I have been getting by without them for several years now.

 

[shovelmike]

I bought and installed a pair of Edge Savers for my loader bucket to help avoid tearing up my asphalt driveway as I clear snow this Winter, that asphalt work is too expensive.

 

[GeneV]

I know those edge savers work great on gravel driveways. How they working out for you? I had 2 issues with them on asphalt that kept me from getting them. First is, I was worried that they themselves would scratch up the asphalt. Second is their purpose, to keep the bucket slightly elevated above the gravel so that you don't gouge it out, leaving a little base of snow. No such concerns for asphalt or cement, you could scrape it down to clean with a plastic/rubber edge, so why not?

 

[GeneV]

Nice video. This setup should work fine for you. I don't run chains on my JD4600 (bigger tractor), but I have filled rear tires and an 800 lb weight on the back. My drive is not as flat as yours, but not too bad a grade either. I do find that, under some conditions, I have trouble pushing uphill. I do almost all of my pushing downhilll, from my house toward the road. There certainly are times that chains would help, but I have been getting by without them for several years now.

Yeh, same with me, I could plow down my sloped side drive, tough going plowing opposite way. But hey, at least I could now make it back up that side drive, I'll take that as victory!

 

[shovelmike]

I know those edge savers work great on gravel driveways. How they working out for you? I had 2 issues with them on asphalt that kept me from getting them. First is, I was worried that they themselves would scratch up the asphalt. Second is their purpose, to keep the bucket slightly elevated above the gravel so that you don't gouge it out, leaving a little base of snow. No such concerns for asphalt or cement, you could scrape it down to clean with a plastic/rubber edge, so why not?

We haven't had enough snow here yet for me to try them out, if it snows a lot I figure I can did out the drifts with the loader. Once you get down to less than an inch on the asphalt the he sun wars it enough to get rid of the rest pretty quick.
I will definitely be letting you all know how it works out. I also have a 6 ft 3 point mount blade.
I am certainly open to advice and guidance from those more experienced, I'm new to loaders.