Snow Push vs FEL for snow removal

[OUBrew]

Thanks for the takes...I live in WI and we get some pretty good snowfall. I have been plowing my drive with a Artic Cat 700 with a 5' front blade but I just sold it to buy a tractor. My driveway is over 400' long and I could plow it in 15-20 min

I am going to be purchasing a 3032E with the 305 Loader. I was hoping to be able to avoid buying a blade but it looks like the snow push is the best option...don't want to deal with a rear blade. I assume I can detach the bucket and connect the snow push attachment. They look like a front blade with sides. No idea on the price?

 

[defed]

i live near Buffalo, NY...we get decent amounts of snow and i get it worse because of the way the wind likes to deposit it right in my driveway.

i used to use a box blade on my ford 600 tractor, then decided to try a snowblower on my wheelhorse garden tractor. MUCH better! no more piles. i have since moved up to a 48" blower on a D series (big) wheelhorse. works awesome...except in the deep or hard packed drifts.

have a deere 4300 now, and 1st chance i get, i want a front blower. will settle for a rear blower for now, as they are cheaper and easier to find, but i hate snow piles as they only contribute to my drifting problems.

 

[Rob-D]

Defed,
It's worse for me, I have this long downward sloping driveway. Last year it looked like something from the Olympics! There's just no place to push the snow especially when you have 4 or 5 foot banks. I blow it in 20 minutes to a half hour. Sometimes the wind comes in from the west and an hour later it's blown back in although it's getting better because I put up a line of Blue Spruce 15 years ago and they're high enough now to act as a wind block.

Rob

 

[defed]

over the 10 yrs since i built the house, i have been modifying the drive every year. the 1st year, i had 5' deep drifts by 20' wide spanning the entire width of the driveway. our bulldozer could barely move it.

i mostly cleared everything from the west side so now it often blows clear thru, unless there is an easterly storm or substantial snowfall w/ no wind allowing the snow to build. once that happens, it will just drift in to the snowdepth faster than i can move it. been having a hard time getting a snowbreak in because the wind just pummels everything, killing whatever i plant. got some 6' spruce in the last cpl yrs that i hanging in there.

this year, i am going to add some height to the driveway (3" or so) to help the snow blow off of it naturally.

some years, i've had 10' high piles x 15' wide down the entire east side (175' length or so)....eventually the loaders won't lift any higher, and i have to pile on the west side. hasn't been so bad last cpl years as i make changes based on the previous winters experiences.

 

[Rob-D]

Spruces are tough trees, I put mine in from saplings. I bought them from Soil and Water, 25 trees for about $30.00 if I remember. They just sat there for about 3 or 4 years then they took off. Now they're between 10 and 20 feet high but will probably grow another 3 or 4 feet this year. Best thing I did to the road front of my land. Gives me privacy, cuts down milk truck noise that can echo through the valley and acts as a wind/snow block.
Spruce have to decide if they like you before they'll grow but once they decide to stick around they'll shoot right up! Great trees and the Deere don't eat 'em.

Rob

 

[Thomas]

There pro's and cons for both setups,but all in all plow for my use quicker..plow attach to bucket/loader arms.

Just have to keep the snow push back,also plow half of big storm soooo much easier.

As other said depends on location,plowing area etc.

 

[RoyJackson]

FEL is one excersize in frustration, doable but slow and real bad when snow is wet.

Just curious why you think it's worse when the snow is wet?

 

[Wacky]

Or build a wing plow to go with the front blade

Ingenius :thumbsup:!! You should patent that

 

[Rob-D]

There pro's and cons for both setups,but all in all plow for my use quicker..plow attach to bucket/loader arms.

Blower on a bucket housing is great but you can't get the Deere blower on buckets for the 2xxx or the 3xxx machines.

Rob

 

[JD755]

Thanks for the takes...I live in WI and we get some pretty good snowfall. I have been plowing my drive with a Artic Cat 700 with a 5' front blade but I just sold it to buy a tractor. My driveway is over 400' long and I could plow it in 15-20 min

I am going to be purchasing a 3032E with the 305 Loader. I was hoping to be able to avoid buying a blade but it looks like the snow push is the best option...don't want to deal with a rear blade. I assume I can detach the bucket and connect the snow push attachment. They look like a front blade with sides. No idea on the price?

I know you will enjoy your 3032E. Congratulations on your choice. Of course post pictures when you have it.

A front blade will be convenient, but you have to be cautious with a blade on the loader. It can produce significant side forces on the loader arms. I know others here have them and can provide more usage tips.