Snow Attachments Snow Removal

[RobS]

What are the pros/cons of tractor mounted snow removal equipment (blades/blowers) versus a truck mounted blade? I have a suitable truck and a blade for it is less than a blower but both are more than a TPH blade. I'm only looking for our own property, not commercial work. Anyone have both? Thanks ahead of time.

Rob

 

[Dale Binkley]

I can only speak to part of your question. In my situation a truck mounted snowplow does not have the manuverability of a tractor/loader with a 3PH blade. My driveway is accessible but the area around my shed is not accessible by truck/plow. It is easier for me to work with the tractor and rear blade to clean out the corners and tight areas not accessible by truck/plow (especially if you are reaching prime heart attack age when using a snow shovel). Besides, the loader and 3PH blade serve other use during the year, not just moving snow.

 

[Thomas]

RobS,
I try a blower and a plow,and I like the plow much better. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

For with a plow on my tractor instead of the blower,it takes about 30 to 45 mins less in time to clean up after a storm.

My driveway is gravel and with the blower picks up small rocks which ended up on the lawn,/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gifand spring clean up was a pain, /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gifalso there way banging and bouncing from the stones going thru the blower and dents./w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

The plow as you know does a better clean up,for your able to scape closer and just got to make sure your banks are push back.

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[TomG]

Front mounted blades (truck or tractor) just push snow forward and to the side. However, spring mounts make it less likely to break things if something large and buried is hit. For that reason, a truck can be run faster than a tractor most times. However, people do put truck blades on tractors.

With a good 3ph blade, the blade can be rotated 180 degrees and driven backwards so it acts much like a front blade. A 3ph blade also can be used as a normal back blade to pull snow away from buildings, parking areas etc. For this type of use, end plates could be useful to keep the snow from coming off the ends of the blade.

The main skill in snow removal with a blade is figuring where put the snow. Mounds of snow are hard to impossible to move once they sit awhile. Guess wrong in how much snow there's going to be, and there could be a 3' wide driveway before spring, or a lot of time spent stacking snow with a loader. An advantage of a front blade on a loader arms is that it can push snow up over fairly high mounds.

I use a 3ph blower, but I wait until after my gravel drive freezes and I have scraped it with a blade to remove loose stone. As Thomas says, 'it does make a mess in the spring if you blow gravel.' The blower blasts the stuff 30' and more into the yard, and I don't have to worry about where to push it.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Rob, Faced with the same question I put a 6' plow on my 2710 , and have not regretted it. My 30 yr old Scout with a 7' plow was a lot faster and more of a snow mover but alas had become quite tempermental. The Kubota starts easily and does a good job. A pair of coveralls makes the job comfortable. re: Spring loaded blades; The Curtis line is also spring loaded, but the whole blade trips, not just the the cutting edge. But to your other question I also have a newer 4x4 and did not want to be locked into keeping a $30,000 plowing vehicle.
Jay T

 

[bpence]

I owned a plow truck a few years ago and am glad I had it, but am also glad I sold it. The truck did a great job of moving heavy deep snow efficiently in a straight line, but didn't have a lot of manuverability for working around buildings. Six inches of snow or less at a time and the truck was really overkill.

I plow now with my little B7100 and a five foot back blade. It handles all but the deepest snows (12" at a time or more) with ease. Snow removal takes a bit longer with the Kubota versus the truck, and the job ends up cleaner and better around the out buildings.

Bob Pence