Snow Snow removal options

[Jeff F.]

I am using a BX2660 with a front mount snowblower and a rear box blade. I have a 850 ft asphalt driveway. This beats the atv and plow, or skidsteer with loader or blade that I have used in the past. I no longer have to worry about where I will put the next snowfall.

A lot depends on how much snow you get and is it heavy or light snow.

 

[Randyj]

UHMW is fantastic stuff !

I don't have my tractor set-up for moving snow yet. If I do, I think I would like to have a rear mount blower.

I have a plow on my 4X4 truck for moving snow. I fabricated a back-drag
scraper for pulling snow away from my overhead door. I used a strip of 3/4"
thick UHMW for the edge, and it works great ! It doesn't make a lot of noise,
either when draging on the concrete.

 

[Carl Bert]

Carl,

With "only" 100', hard to justify the expense of a blower or front angle blade, but of course that's up to you. You could probably get away with FEL only. This past winter when we got 52" in back-to-back storms, the rear blade was pretty much useless (nowhere for the snow to go), and it became a FEL-only situation (scoop & dump).

I believe to get the proper plow set up, for my skid steer attachment, would cost about $4000. A rear mounted blower would be around $2500, a blower for my John Deere is $2400.

I realize they are all overkill for such a small driveway, but so is my B26 for only an acre of land. I am purchasing this equipment now because I am able to wright most of it off through my business. That won't be the case in another 5 yrs or so. I am also going to be moving further north, with a much larger piece of property. So I am trying to take advantage of the savings now along with the fact that the price of tractors has been, and continues to climb rather quickly

I would go with the rear mount blower, but it just doesn't seem very enjoyable to use.

 

[leonz]

About your snow etc.

believe me a snow blower for your driveway is not overkill when it is buried in
an ice dam created by the plow when they salt and it melts

You can purchase a front mount 3 point hitch with a gear box from Pronovost/Hardy and atach arear mount blower to the front of your tractor.

you would need a dual hydraulics on the blower-to turn the chute and tilt the spout.

A Pronovost Puma snow blower and the Hardy front hitch with gear box can be bought from a pronovost dealer directly.

I will recheck the buctrac home page as they build pto adapters to run the rear PTO all the way to the front of a standard tractor


The pronovost dealer in weedsport is Tudor and Jones



leonz

 

[BeezFun]

I would go with the rear mount blower, but it just doesn't seem very enjoyable to use.

I'd like to get an Erskine rear pull snow thrower and leave the FEL on. That way I can drive forward to use the thrower, and still have the FEL available to carry beer back to the barn. Last I checked that rear pull thrower was a few pennies under $5K, ouch.

 

[smfcpacfp]

I think the method you use would be a function of four things -

How much driveway you have?
How much snow you get?
How much money you want to spend, and
How much you value comfort?

I have 600 feet of driveway. We get 15 to 30' of snow (25 plus snow blowing sessions per year). Money wasn't much of an issue and having taken care of my driveway for 27 years, comfort was a big issue.

The choice was obvious - a tractor with a heated cab, plenty of lights and front blower. With this setup I can move snow 24/7 so the snow never overwhelms me. If you asked me my favorite time to snow blow, I would say in the middle of the night during a blizzard. For me snow blowing is fun.

If I had a short driveway with little snow, I would hire it done or use a cheaper method (rear blower, plow). Using a FEL is just too slow.

If all I had was an open station tractor with a rear blower or a FEL, it would be an unfun job - something I would have to do, but I would hate and dread having to do it.

 

[LD1]

For only 100' of drive, and considering you have been doing just fine in the past with only a FEL, I'd opt to save the $$$ and get a backblade.

They have a huge advantage over the FEL as they can angle. And you still have your FEL on and can pile. It may not be quite as fast as having a blower, but a FEL w/blade combo is a lot faster than just a FEL.

 

[AHNC]

I think snow removal methods are determined by your lot...and your winds. I like to move the snow a considerable distance so I don't get "snow blocked" through the season. As well, it better allows me to control drifting with successive storms. How broad are your removal areas?

A blade is fine if you have room for the snow close by. If your neck/back can take it I'd go the rear route to preserve the bucket operation. If you are looking at serious snow, I'd pick the front blower.

 

[irvingj]

Yeah, it's pricey... but it's real hard to beat a front blower!! :thumbsup:

(Even on an open station SCUT!:laughing

 

[Carl Bert]

About your snow etc.

believe me a snow blower for your driveway is not overkill when it is buried in
an ice dam created by the plow when they salt and it melts

You can purchase a front mount 3 point hitch with a gear box from Pronovost/Hardy and atach arear mount blower to the front of your tractor.

you would need a dual hydraulics on the blower-to turn the chute and tilt the spout.

A Pronovost Puma snow blower and the Hardy front hitch with gear box can be bought from a pronovost dealer directly.

I will recheck the buctrac home page as they build pto adapters to run the rear PTO all the way to the front of a standard tractor


The pronovost dealer in weedsport is Tudor and Jones



leonz

I would be very interested in this set up. I never heard of running a front mounted implement off a rear PTO. If you know of an sites with more info, please let me know. Thanks