Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Plowing Snow with a FEL?

[SacandagaBrad]

As others have said already, you'll be looking for a blower soon. I would also recommend a hydraulic chute if you have rear remotes on your tractor. A little more $$, but worth every penny in my book. I can use mine in some pretty tight places with the ability to quickly change the discharge direction. I clear a gravel road with my rear mount blower with no problems. You can adjust the top link to get the proper clearance so you don't dig in and blow the road off into the woods. It doesn't matter how much snow there is, the blower just gets rid of it with one pass and you're done! Hopefully you will be able to find get something in the next couple of years.

As far as the FEL goes, it is somewhat of a pain on the dirt road. You will want to float it and constantly adjust the angle of the bucket to keep from digging in or floating up and compacting the snow. A little practice and it isn't too bad, but it is constant unless you have a long stretch of perfectly flat going.

The other thing I found is that if you buy anything new for snow removal, the more expensive or the more fun it is to use, the less snow you will get in the coming years! If you have some neighbors that do nothing but complain about snow from December to April, explain to them that you can make it stop just by buying the snowblower, maybe they will start a collection for you /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Brad

 

[Thomas]

It can be done also having fun at the same time.
400' foot driveway and steep to boot /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif..maybe the first complete pass should be done down the middle of your driveway than start at the top plowing snow,for plowing down hill lot easier on the equipment also the body plus better traction.

If there trees beside your driveway and the wind starts to kick up as your plowing..don't look up. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[MadReferee]

I am in southern NH and have a 200' driveway (packed starpak) 12' wide with a 50'x75' parking area. I wouldn't even think of using the FEL to clear the driveway. Snow around here is usually heavy and somewhat wet. It would take forever.

I have a 64" Puma 3pt blower with hydraulic chute rotator on the back of my B2710. It takes less than 30 minutes to clear the driveway and parking area. In fact it takes longer to move vehicles than it does to blow away the snow. I snow blow if there is 1" or more of snow.

The advantage to the blower is no big snow banks. Using the FEL you will soon run out of room for more snow. And besides, the blower makes a much neater job.

 

[DieselnHooters]

[. I wouldn't even think of using the FEL to clear the driveway.
I

He already said he cant afford a snowblower now, his tractor is larger than yours,its being done all the time as I mentionned earlier ,he can do it too providing he has a snow bucket and his driveway is not like a mountain hiking trail. Like you I clear with a blower but I used to do it with a FEL albeit on AG tractor with a large snow bucket,it was a breeze ,now all I have is a CUT with a rear blower and its even easier.

 

[MMILLER]

I wouldn't use the fel if you own a back blade. I have very Similar conditions to what you described. Exept my road is 1000' long and steep with some curves. I always started at the top with scrapper blade angled and set for pulling. You will also need to angle your blade to account for crown of road if any. I always angle away from bank towards down hill side of road make one pass whole lenght of road. Then back up to top and move one set of wheels over furrow of snow and make second pass. Keep on doing this as wide as you can. If your road starts to narrow to much you will need to use your FEL to push it back further. This worked very well for me this past winter. Alot of snow 50hrs tractor time between my place and nephews who needed bailed out a time our 2. Big thing is don't let snow get deeper than 6-8" before attaching it this way. On ocassion when I was at work and we would get deep Snow I would set my fel to push off at level of 6-8" above ground level and set Scrapper blade to catch rest. But hope to get a snowblower for this season. If I can every get any price's. But thats another story.

 

[rameye]

Thanks to everybody for their advice and suggestions. My present work situation usually makes it a bad situation when I arrive home. My job keeps me away for 3 days at a clip. I'm often faced with a mountain in front of the driveway 4'tall (**** wing plows!) and a 16" accumulation up the mountain side. So I have to trudge up the hillside and work it from the top down (nothing I've seen has been able to go bottom up!). The second factor is that no matter how far I push the snow to the side, by Feb. there is no place for it to go! I'm not alone as sooner or later everybody up here needs a FEL to drop by and move the stuff.

Like I said the tractor pretty much tapped me out. That being the case if my tractor starts and functions I'll be that much ahaead of the game. The olde plowgirl needed a 1/2 can of ether followed by a gasoline chaser to get her running. Took me longer to fire it up than do the plowing. It did have heat and an AM radio however, I'll miss the carbon monoxide poisoning (no exhaust).

Also I forgot to add by FEL is wider than the tractor 7FT.

Once again thanks for the advice...attached are some photos so you can tell me how good I have it!

 

[rameye]

another angle

 

[rameye]

another

 

[rameye]

last one

 

[SacandagaBrad]

Wow! You're really going to need a blower if that is what it looks like in August /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Can't imagine what it must be like in February.

Nice looking property.

Brad