Snow removal with grader blade

[sierradmax]

This past week, we encountered taste of winter for the first time since purchasing my B2320. We got around 5-6" of snow and unfortunately, the ground wasn't frozen. My home consists of a large driveway with 3/4" crushed stone. I was concerned about snow removal and purchased a 72" grader blade from Tractor Supply. I had read online and viewed videos of tractors using them for snow removal but this week as my first time out, I made a mess of my driveway. Granted the ground wasn't frozen.

I tried keeping the blade elevated a little but my driveway isn't entirely level and the first depression sent the blade pulling stone. Are there any tips? I had used a front mounted plow on an atv previously and it worked well. Should I weld skids on the rear of the blade?

 

[RoyJackson]

A lot of folks (including me) have used rear blades to remove snow...I'm going to guess it's pretty close to the most popular way due to it's low cost (multipurpose implement).
To minimize pulling gravel and digging in, push or pull the snow with the convex side of the blade. I don't have my blade any more (didn't use it much), but I normally pushed in reverse. If your blade will rotate 180 degrees, I suggest you drive forward (over the snow). That's easier on the lower links.

 

[kf4uda]

I live in TN so I don't have to deal with snow much but I have read where some folks have split 1 1/2~2" pvc pipe and slid it over the cutting edge of the blade. I have also read where the pvc sometimes shatters/sometimes not.

What few times that I have needed to plow snow I have used my landscape rake. It worked better than I expected.

 

[leonz]

This past week, we encountered taste of winter for the first time since purchasing my B2320. We got around 5-6" of snow and unfortunately, the ground wasn't frozen. My home consists of a large driveway with 3/4" crushed stone. I was concerned about snow removal and purchased a 72" grader blade from Tractor Supply. I had read online and viewed videos of tractors using them for snow removal but this week as my first time out, I made a mess of my driveway. Granted the ground wasn't frozen.

I tried keeping the blade elevated a little but my driveway isn't entirely level and the first depression sent the blade pulling stone. Are there any tips? I had used a front mounted plow on an atv previously and it worked well. Should I weld skids on the rear of the blade?

Adding a set on pneumatic caster wheels on the back side of the blade works well as long as you use the lock valve to hold the blade in place.

 

[pat32rf]

Just let the snow build up until you have about 2" of frozen snow/ice as a base. Then start to plow it to the side of your driveway. When you run the blade at an angle it will also ride smoother.

 

[nybirdman]

You also may try shorting the top link so it doesn't dig in as much.

 

[wdchyd]

Skids may help when the ground is thawed but I wouldn't weld them on permanently.........I'd make them temporarily permanent so when the ground is good and froze you can use the blade without them

I have the same trouble with my box blade off the pavement......it works great but does do damage when not frozen

 

[Kitz]

I just turn my blade around and it works great that way:thumbsup:

 

[Jerry/MT]

This past week, we encountered taste of winter for the first time since purchasing my B2320. We got around 5-6" of snow and unfortunately, the ground wasn't frozen. My home consists of a large driveway with 3/4" crushed stone. I was concerned about snow removal and purchased a 72" grader blade from Tractor Supply. I had read online and viewed videos of tractors using them for snow removal but this week as my first time out, I made a mess of my driveway. Granted the ground wasn't frozen.

I tried keeping the blade elevated a little but my driveway isn't entirely level and the first depression sent the blade pulling stone. Are there any tips? I had used a front mounted plow on an atv previously and it worked well. Should I weld skids on the rear of the blade?

I designed this up in 1989 when I took a welding class and I have used it ever since. Works like a champ!
Slitting the pipe was the easypart. I used a torch on a track to slit it straight. Dealing with the residual stresses in the pipe that made it twist up took some work. The welding was the easy part.

 

[mdelmarcelle]

I use a rear blade as well, and I have a gravel driveway. It's not a perfect system. We spent some time every spring sweeping gravel back on to the driveway. One thing that helps as well is to angle the blade downward, so the cutting edge doesn't want to dig into the ground. To do this, shorten the top link as much as possible. Essentially, the blade kind of floats along the ground. That works fairly well. If the blade is angled so that it wants to cut into the ground, even frozen ground will shave pretty easily.

 

[Tvanharp]

I had a local shop weld on some brackets so I could attach plow shoes.
I did this because the blade was just taking a beating when getting caught on the protruding rocks that were frozen into the ground. This helped a lot, now of course as it thaws the blade is so heavy that it pushes the shoes into the ground. Although the shoes were homemade and don't have enough surface area. See attached pic.
This year we will be adding thousands of dollars worth of gravel to our 1/2 mile driveway and I'll need something that doesn't push all my gravel into the ditch.... may be time for a blower attachment.

 

[Chilly807]

I did pretty much exactly what Tvanharp did with his blade. I made the skids about 4.5 inches in diameter and dished them with a hydraulic press.

Adjustment with washers, and they work quite well. Mine come off in the summer, the pipes they run up and down in are above the grader blade cutting edge so they don't interfere with dirt work. Not the best photo, I'll try to get a close-up if you're interested.

Sean

 

[smalltown]

Today I picked up my order of skid shoes for the Frontier RB1072 AKA Woods RB72. They are 6" across. Hoping to use them on the gravel driveway without removing gravel.
Got to say these things are beeefy. I think they are 25lbs a piece.
I plan on taking a few photos tomorrow for posting, before installing them

 

[MtnViewRanch]

If you get everything just right, rear blades work great for clearing snow. Although a person would probably be in trouble if the snow was to deep.

 

[ericher69]

This past week, we encountered taste of winter for the first time since purchasing my B2320. We got around 5-6" of snow and unfortunately, the ground wasn't frozen. My home consists of a large driveway with 3/4" crushed stone. I was concerned about snow removal and purchased a 72" grader blade from Tractor Supply. I had read online and viewed videos of tractors using them for snow removal but this week as my first time out, I made a mess of my driveway. Granted the ground wasn't frozen.

I tried keeping the blade elevated a little but my driveway isn't entirely level and the first depression sent the blade pulling stone. Are there any tips? I had used a front mounted plow on an atv previously and it worked well. Should I weld skids on the rear of the blade?

That's pretty wide for a b2320

I've got b2920 with a 60" blade with front mount blower (400+lbs) and traction is an issue at times

Good luck

 

[wdchyd]

If you get everything just right, rear blades work great for clearing snow. Although a person would probably be in trouble if the snow was to deep.

MVR, does your rear blade swing left to right..?? or is it an optical illusion

 

[smalltown]

Here is a picture of my skid shoe that I am getting ready to install. They were ordered for my Frontier RB1072, AKA Woods RB72.

They are quite beefy weighing in at 36lbs each.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

MVR, does your rear blade swing left to right..?? or is it an optical illusion

Not sure that I understand your question? :confused3: All rear blades swing left and right. My boom will offset up to 35" to the left and right which I guess is what you are asking, but in the picture the boom is straight back and the picture is an optical illusion. A lot of my grading or plowing pictures are just me holding the camera and snapping an action shot. So the camera is not always in the best position when the picture is taken.

 

[wdchyd]

My boom will offset up to 35" to the left and right

Yep, that's what I was looking at...

I don't have a grader blade yet but pondering......hmmmm pondering......:drool:

 

[Chilly807]

Yep, that's what I was looking at...

I don't have a grader blade yet but pondering......hmmmm pondering......:drool:

When you do get one, you may want to check if you can easily add hydraulic angle as a minimum requirement.. although I probably don't have to tell you that anyway. Of the modifications I've made to mine, that is the single best one so far.

Anytime I use the blade I find myself wanting to fine tune the blade angle, it's a lot easier to do that from the operator's seat than getting off every time. Particularly for moving snow, the less I get on and off the tractor the better when it's icy underfoot.

Sean