Dadnatron
Veteran Member
Given the length of drive and roads on my place, I need to be thinking about snow removal.
Tractor is JD5100 with cab and FEL.
Now... this is Kentucky, so a huge amount of snow is not typical. Therefore, I am wondering what would be the 'best' ie most useful tool which will do the job for me. My neighbors said they only 'plowed' twice last year. I know the year before (Polar Vortex) was much worse. I think that Ice is a bigger concern than snow typically.
Be that as it may... it turns out that I need to figure out what I 'need' given the situation. It is somewhat tough actually.
There is a true need, although it is not a HUGE and consistent need. I'm not plowing 2' of snow several times a month throughout winter. I might plow 6" a couple times a year. This is what makes it difficult. its that 'middle ground' causing me to need something, but not something dedicated.
Initially, I was going to just get an FEL hydraulically angled plow, and leave it at that. However, as I have thought about it, given the relatively infrequent use, I don't know that this is the best place to spend my money. Given the plows specificity and limited use for anything other than snow.
Then I began thinking of just getting a hydraulically controlled rear blade. This would be much more useful for things OTHER than snow, and still do a decent job on the intermittent snow we get.
THEN, I began thinking about getting a box blade, which I need anyway for gravel road care etc. but it would be the thing that would do the 'least well' given a long drive to clear of snow.
What are your thoughts? At this point, I'm leaning to a rear grader blade. I'd like to get it with hydraulics... but that ups the price quite a bit. Needs to be Cat 2 to be worth it for me.
Tractor is JD5100 with cab and FEL.
Now... this is Kentucky, so a huge amount of snow is not typical. Therefore, I am wondering what would be the 'best' ie most useful tool which will do the job for me. My neighbors said they only 'plowed' twice last year. I know the year before (Polar Vortex) was much worse. I think that Ice is a bigger concern than snow typically.
Be that as it may... it turns out that I need to figure out what I 'need' given the situation. It is somewhat tough actually.
There is a true need, although it is not a HUGE and consistent need. I'm not plowing 2' of snow several times a month throughout winter. I might plow 6" a couple times a year. This is what makes it difficult. its that 'middle ground' causing me to need something, but not something dedicated.
Initially, I was going to just get an FEL hydraulically angled plow, and leave it at that. However, as I have thought about it, given the relatively infrequent use, I don't know that this is the best place to spend my money. Given the plows specificity and limited use for anything other than snow.
Then I began thinking of just getting a hydraulically controlled rear blade. This would be much more useful for things OTHER than snow, and still do a decent job on the intermittent snow we get.
THEN, I began thinking about getting a box blade, which I need anyway for gravel road care etc. but it would be the thing that would do the 'least well' given a long drive to clear of snow.
What are your thoughts? At this point, I'm leaning to a rear grader blade. I'd like to get it with hydraulics... but that ups the price quite a bit. Needs to be Cat 2 to be worth it for me.