Snow Clearing Technique, what is yours?

[BobRip]

I don't think this has been covered here, but it is near the season. So what attachment do you use, tire type, chains and techniques? We don't get much snow in VA, so my technique may need improving.

 

[SpringHollow]

I plow several long driveways. Mine is actually the shortest by far. Fortunately given the snow we get here, on my driveway and one other, I can push all of the snow to the downhill/downwind side. That way, I have no banks of snow catching the drifting snow. Here, studded chains make life much easier. I use an 8' truck snow plow with an attachment plate welded to the frame. My modified auxiliary PTO controls the angle of the plow. I start my runs pushing the snow to the side I desire. The next run pushes it past the edge of the driveway. Where/when possible, I make another run pushing it much further. Where I do not have lots of slope to push snow down or if there has been a large snowfall, I make a run making holes in the banks by making 45° pushes with the plow, shoving the snow further back every so often. This is more difficult on the longer driveways since they did not cut the trees back far enough so the trees are right to the edge of the driveway. Then I make another "normal" pass, the plow dumping the snow into these "holes". Keeping the edges pushed back is important because we can get many feet of snow with no thaws for months. For an 8" snowfall, it takes me about an hour to plow 4 driveways with a total length of over half of a mile.

Ken

 

[MossRoad]

I use the 60" power angle snow blade that I bought with the PT425 back in 2001. First pass is usually with the blade straight and I run straight down the center of the driveway. The snow piled up in front of the plow tends to form wedge and pushes most of the stuff off to both sides as I go. When I get to the street, I back up from the pile and go around it, out into the street, turn around, angle the plow to the right and make a second pass back to the garage. Turn around again, leaving the plow at the same angle it is already to the right, make my third pass back to the street. Then all I have to do is clean up the small piles at the street and garage end and I'm done. That usually works well for most snowfalls we get here. However, snowfalls differ each time. 18" of fluffy stuff can take 10 minutes while 6" of wet stuff can take 45. Also, I like to avoid large windrows of snow on each side of the drive, as SpringHollow mentioned, it can lead to drifting over in high windws. Nothing more depressing than plowing your drive to 4' snowbanks on one side and waking up to 4' drifts all the way across your drive the next morning.

So, if more snow and high winds are expected, I tend to push all of the snow back to the rear of my driveway an put it all in one HUGE pile where it won't drift over the main driveway. Also, I like to avoid large piles of snow on the ends of my drive near the street. It tends to block views when backing the car out.

The beauty of the Power Trac is the power angle snow blade that can lift 60". Man, you can really stack the snow up high and fast with that thing. I keep getting tempted to get a blower, but cannot yet justify the cost, as we only get a few heavy snowfalls each year on average.

I will say after 10 years of using the PT plow, it is starting to show the signs of wear. The corners are getting bent back now. I may straighten it and re-do the cutting edge.... some day..... maybe...... :laughing:

 

[BobRip]

I plow several long driveways. Mine is actually the shortest by far. Fortunately given the snow we get here, on my driveway and one other, I can push all of the snow to the downhill/downwind side. That way, I have no banks of snow catching the drifting snow. Here, studded chains make life much easier. I use an 8' truck snow plow with an attachment plate welded to the frame. My modified auxiliary PTO controls the angle of the plow. I start my runs pushing the snow to the side I desire. The next run pushes it past the edge of the driveway. Where/when possible, I make another run pushing it much further. Where I do not have lots of slope to push snow down or if there has been a large snowfall, I make a run making holes in the banks by making 45° pushes with the plow, shoving the snow further back every so often. This is more difficult on the longer driveways since they did not cut the trees back far enough so the trees are right to the edge of the driveway. Then I make another "normal" pass, the plow dumping the snow into these "holes". Keeping the edges pushed back is important because we can get many feet of snow with no thaws for months. For an 8" snowfall, it takes me about an hour to plow 4 driveways with a total length of over half of a mile.

Ken

Thanks for the techniques. How have you modified your AUX PTO?

 

[SpringHollow]

Thanks for the techniques. How have you modified your AUX PTO?

Solenoid Valves - Added Hydraulic Circuits

 

[BobRip]

Moss, I never thought of going down the center with the blade straight. I think I will try that.

 

[sdkubota]

Pray for Spring.

 

[LBrown59]

A combination of the first 2 tractors shown.

 

[MossRoad]

You better not let that little white fuzzball outside in the winter.... too cute!

 

[MossRoad]

Moss, I never thought of going down the center with the blade straight. I think I will try that.

Yeah, it works great in average snows. Wet heavy stuff, though can stop the 1500 pound tractor pretty quick. Then its just a matter of pushing it at 45 degree angles (with the blade still straight) off the sides every time the tractor starts to slow.