Snow Advantages/Disadvantages of Snow Plow/Blower/Scraper Blade

[HillStreet]

NHbotanut:

Sounds like our driveways are similar. I have 800 feet, about 400 feet is 10% grade and paved. I clear it with a Meteor 54 inch blower--- shave it real close and the sun melts it off. Doesn't matter if it snows 1 inch or 24 inches, I still have to clear the hill so it doesn't thaw and refreeze. Keep lots of sand on hand too.

 

[Jordanbear]

I've been using the bucket on my MF 541 for snow moving, but my brother let me try his plow truck the other day and it really works a lot better/faster.

I would rather use the tractor to plow, not my truck for a bunch of reasons - mostly that I could not ever fit my truck + plow in the parking lot of my office... the truck alone is tight enough. A junker plow truck isn't in the card's either. My brother's plow truck always seems to involve explosions and small fires to get it running, and I'm not the mechanic he is. When I need to plow, I need to plow, not futz around with an old engine.

Can any truck plow set up be altered to work with loader arms (and how much alteration) or do I have to find a tractor-specific plow? Any idea on prices for tractor plows?

 

[aczlan]

Can any truck plow set up be altered to work with loader arms (and how much alteration) or do I have to find a tractor-specific plow? Any idea on prices for tractor plows?

It can be done, see: https://www.google.com/search?q=truck+plow+on+loader+site:tractorbynet.com for some threads.
For the all-out, better than new look, see the thread by 4shorts: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/131136-snow-plow-adapted-fel.html
See also: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/135077-truck-plow-tractor-plow.html

Aaron Z

 

[Jordanbear]

EXACTLY what I needed!! Thank you.

 

[9fingers]

With the new disconnect features for truck plows you would not have the parking problem at your office. On most there is nothing protruding after you disconnect which is quite simple. Be careful you don't bend your loader arms if you hit something solid if you go that route.

 

[4shorts]

It can be done, see:
For the all-out, better than new look, see the thread by 4shorts: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/131136-snow-plow-adapted-fel.html
Aaron Z

Thanks Aaron. I appreciate that :thumbsup:

Be careful you don't bend your loader arms if you hit something solid if you go that route.

I've been pushing snow commercially since 2008 with a tractor and a blade mounted on the FEL and never had an issue. As a matter of fact I've never heard of anyone having that issue! All the local guys around here are doing the same and no bent loader arms :confused3:

 

[Piston]

]I've been pushing snow commercially since 2008 with a tractor and a blade mounted on the FEL and never had an issue. As a matter of fact I've never heard of anyone having that issue! All the local guys around here are doing the same and no bent loader arms :confused3:

I think this is one of the many "over emphasized" points that you read about on TBN, but pretty much only TBN. As amazing as this forum is, there are many things that get blown way out of proportion. Yes it's possible, but you almost have to TRY.

Similar to putting chains on your front tires, filling your front tires, drilling a 1/16" hole in your ROPS, etc..... There was even a thread a while ago about not using the FEL for digging. Take it all with a grain of salt, if you listen to everything you read, you might just not get any work done

 

[skyhook]

When you wrap your loader arms with "duct tape".
they become twice as strong.:laughing:

 

[RaydaKub]

I've been pushing snow commercially since 2008 with a tractor and a blade mounted on the FEL and never had an issue. As a matter of fact I've never heard of anyone having that issue! All the local guys around here are doing the same and no bent loader arms :confused3:

The thought just struck me that last summer I was trying to rip up some sod with my rachet rake on my BX. The teeth would catch and give a pretty good jerk to the tractor. Hitting a curb with a blade would pretty much do the same thing. I think where this might cause an issue is if you have it at an angle and the front wheels have good traction. I could see where a sideways force could cause a bend, but a straight push, I don't think that's going to happen unless you are really moving along.

 

[Katahdin]

Here's my adapted FEL truck plow, it retains use of the original electric hydraulic pump. It also retains it's original pressure relief valve for those collision with immovable objects that the full trip springs might not be enough to safeguard against. This is my second Maine winter with it, works great.

Boss Plow QA Adapter - YouTube