Snow Attachments SNOW REMOVAL HELP

[chrispratt11]

Sweet video!

 

[Diamondpilot]

I am in Indiana. I use a 7' front mounted Meyer snow plow on my FEL in place of the buck and a 7' Woods rear grader blade. Its fast and can move 18' of snow off my 280' drive in no time flat.

Just make sure you know where the obstacles are and push back the snow banks for future snows.

Chris

 

[Dead Horse]

Wow, Dead Horse, that is a great set up you have. Will look into the plow. Just got a estimate for a front blower 59 H $5,500! I think my wife would move out if I tried to slide that by. Def. getting chains, but they seem to run the gamet as far as price. Any suggestions? JD also gave me a estimate for a 7 foot hydrolic front blade for $2000.00 any thoughts on that?

I will catch flack for this, I am sure, but I have the experience to back my opinion up. On a gravel drive, chains are chains............. and you can source them on the CHEAP from NAPA. All you need is your tire size and tread (R1, R4 or turf) design, and make sure they fit tight.

Buy at least 4 bungee cords when you pick up the chains, too. Measure the diameter of your tractor rim and get the cords a hair shorter than that. Two on each wheel will keep the chains from moving around once you have them on TIGHT.

You will be tempted to just go with front chains because of cost. I do not recommend that on a small tractor, especially if you are also going to put a plow blade on the nose..... go with rear chains. Your front differential and planetary gears/bearings will thank you.

As to my opinion on your last sentence........I have found JD is VERY PROUD of their stuff......... way too proud as far as I am concerned. I sourced the Fisher you see on the front of my Hesston for $0......... yep, zero. My cost involved making up the hoses for the cylinders, and an hour or two of playing around with how to mount the bugger.

Heell, the Meteor blower I have was $1,200 brand new......... I believe you would have to be nutz to spend $2,000 on a plow, unless you were planning to run it commercially.

Look for a used Fisher rig on CL or EB, or for that matter around town on the local bulletin boards. I have seen used plow trucks for less money than $2k!!!!

Heck, if the big Fisher works out for me this year(I just mounted it and have used it once) I will sell you the 6 foot one for $100 in the spring.........Mind you it ain't worth a penny more!

 

[Ford850]

The key to using a front blade is having enough room to at least one side of the drive to move the snow bank. If I didn't have at least 10 - 15' clear on most of my drive, I wouldn't like my plow. I have 1100' of drive, and the last 200' is pinched in through a woods. That 200' has to be parially pushed to the side and then partially straight bladed back out into a clearing where I can push it off to the side. The remaining 900' is rolled off to the side of the drive, and if the resulting bank is over a few feet tall I straddle that bank and fly down through it rolling it off the drive even more. I repeat that as necessary sometimes making 3 passes so the ground is clear for 10 or 15' next to the drive before the next storm hits. If I had to see-saw back and forth, angling the snow with multiple pushes for the full length of the drive, then I would be saving up for a blower.

 

[beenthere]

The key to using a front blade is having enough room to at least one side of the drive to move the snow bank. If I didn't have at least 10 - 15' clear on most of my drive, I wouldn't like my plow. I have 1100' of drive, and the last 200' is pinched in through a woods. That 200' has to be parially pushed to the side and then partially straight bladed back out into a clearing where I can push it off to the side. The remaining 900' is rolled off to the side of the drive, and if the resulting bank is over a few feet tall I straddle that bank and fly down through it rolling it off the drive even more. I repeat that as necessary sometimes making 3 passes so the ground is clear for 10 or 15' next to the drive before the next storm hits. If I had to see-saw back and forth, angling the snow with multiple pushes for the full length of the drive, then I would be saving up for a blower.

Very well said Ford850. Been there many times. But it can be done and is usually done (by me) when the weather is nice, and I enjoy the tractor-seat time.

Myself, I've not once wished for a snowblower but the high banks were a reason to incite me to carry through with the wing-plow idea. It turned out better than I ever imagined as it works great, is easy and quick to mount and as well to store when not mounted. Folds up on a couple dolly's in less than a minute.

 

[Dead Horse]

re: the wing plow idea.

I mounted my back blade (on its frame) offset to the right of center, such that the edge of the blade, set at a 45 degree angle, sticks out beyond the right front edge of the plow blade by about a foot.

With that set up, I can push the windrow'd snow back, and do so with the blade raised off the pavement or set on the ground. That works quite well, and is a very easy adjustment to make on most back blades which come from the MFG'r with several mounting holes.

Mind you, for a small tractor, you will be fighting the tendency for the snow to shove the tractor in the opposite direction.

 

[chrispratt11]

Thanks again Dead Horse. Great info!

 

[chrispratt11]

Any other front plow recomendations? Maybe JD are not worth the cash?

 

[zzvyb6]

I picked this plow and A frame up for $100. Yes, it was an old truck plow. Yes the cylinders work just fine with my loader hydraulic connections. In high gear, snow runs away from the tractor. A few bolts and a front cylinder link pin and its on or off. The key element is its closeness to the front wheels. This reduces the moment arm that tends to resist steering forces from the front tires. I have 6 40 lb suitcase weights on the bar to increase front traction. The rear mounted rake is added for spring/fall gravel dressing. Going on 11 years with this setup. Not a single problem. As mentioned, I can do 2 lanes of the township road after my driveway is done. I usually outrun following traffic, too. They have nowhere to go once I turn around...

 

[beenthere]

re: the wing plow idea.
....................
Mind you, for a small tractor, you will be fighting the tendency for the snow to shove the tractor in the opposite direction.

I worried about the side push, and can see that it is/would be a bigger problem with using the rear blade.
With my wing, it sets beside the tractor and can shove the rear over if too much snow (and frozen) is plowed at a pass. But found out that plowing with the front blade at the same time counters that shoving, and it is truly amazing how much snow can be pushed over with the combination.
The wing is fastened to the side FEL post (stub) at the leading edge, and a telescoping push bar to the rear of the wing is attached to the tractor drawbar. Can get about a 5' reach with the wing telescoped all the way out.