Snow Attachments How good isFEL for snow removal?

[Anonymous Poster]

I am debating about not buying a snow blower and instead depend on using a FEL to do the job. I am wondering how well it does the job.

Thanks

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Sort of depends! How much area have you got to clear, where do you have to put the snow. Blowers are great for long lanes and deep snow when you have plenty of room th throw snow without hitting anything, they do bust windows really well.
Loaders work well in small areas, especially when you have limited snow storage area, and you can always mount a snow bucket or blade on the frame.
Blowers are best on pavement, they love to find & throw rocks, and break shear pins.

 

[rancar]

For the reasons posted by Franz, I'd likely go with the FEL myself. Over the past month I cleared two 18"-24" snowstorms at my place with the JD4710 and FEL. Had no problem pushing and clearing the snow. The 4710 had surprisingly good traction in 4WD and I felt very satisfied with its performance for this chore. An added benefit with the FEL is in real heavy or wet packed snow, you pick up and relocate large piles of previously plowed snow that you may not be able to do with the snowblower.

 

[rmonio]

I would have to agree with Rancar. The top part of my driveway (between the pole barn and the house) is on the top of a hill - and the remaining 300 ft runs to the road. The problem I've faced over the years is that the snow packs very tight and in large drifts - drifts that my snowblower (small tractor and walk-behind) are a chore to work with. Plus - when I'm blowing the snow, the wind swirls and drives it back at me. When I purchased my 4600 I stuck with the FEL and just recently had a chance to use it. The float worked like a champ and I was able to move the snow, pile it, and do what I wanted without a problem. At this point I wouldn't even think of going back to a Snowblower attachment.

-Bob

 

[RoyJackson]

You don't list the kind of tractor you have on your member's info page...

I use a back blade much more then the FEL. The blade does a fine job pushing the snow...the FEL is somewhat more time consuming.
But using both in combination is the way to go. That is, pushing the bulk of the snow with the blade, moving the piles with the FEL.

 

[Thomas]

Can't offer any info blower on a tractor,but fel one has to make sure the snow banks are push back.

FEL w/a plow will cut down your snow removing time lot,plus easier to keep those snow banks push back w/out getting stuck.

 

[Wingnut]

The term I learned in my Six Sigma Black Belt training immediately comes to mind: It Depends! /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif
I bought a blade for my drive but, in the past 3 winters, have exclusively used the FEL. Since I'm not into putting chains on if not absolutely necessary ... I keep my tiller (880#) on the back for weight ... so the blade is kinda out. (unless I get around to jury rigging it to mount on the bucket ... but I'll be old(er) and grey(er) before that happens.)
I clean our 300 foot Y drive and the 1200 foot "road" back to the barn ... and I usually plow some paths around the pasture to make the horses lives a little easier and to give my ATV an easier time towing the manure out to the pile.
Using the bucket takes more time than plowing ... but I can move the snow further away from the paths ... and it works. The only real problem I've had is in scalping the ground when I try to scrape TOO clean.
That said ... if I had enough snow to justify the cost of a front mounted snowblower .... well, the FEL would certainly get some rest in the winter!

 

[Hydraman]

But, with an FEL just start to think of all the projects you can do next summer!!!/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Every one of them = more tractor time!!!

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I use my FEL and box blade. Our house is about 15-30' away from Rt 20 (House is in a L shape) so our driveway is only 30' deep and about 60' wide. I drive towards the house (since our driveway runs along the front of our house since it is the only place for it) and use the back of the bucket to pull the snow on to the shoulder of the road. Once I get half of the driveway cleared I drop the box blade and scape the snow from the shoulder down and turn off the road taking the snow with me. Then I raise the blade and the snow comes out and I start again. It takes me a few passes with the box blade to get all the snow off the road but it works well.

 

[MossRoad]

<font color=blue>How good is FEL for snow removal?</font color=blue>

Ask the guy next door using a shovel... I bet he thinks it would be great /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

I you do not have an FEL now and are considering purchasing a snow blower, I'd go for the FEL in a heartbeat. It can be used all 4 seasons. Back in October, I posted this:

9 months and 75 hours on my Power Trac pt425. About 1/2 hour a week mowing for the last 6 months. 2 hrs of brush hogging, maybe 10 hours of snow plowing and surprisingly, the other 50 hours is loader work!!! I thought I was buying a lawnmower that could do part time loader work and I ended up with a loader that does part time mowing

The FEL is, in my opinion, much more bang for your buck than a snow blower. We just haven't had enough snow here in Northern Indiana in that last 25 years to justify the cost of a snow blower. Your conditions may be different over in Wisconsin /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif