deep snow technique?

[CalG]

Around my lot, I have a situation where I need to break through DEEP snow.
I have a useful arsenal of snow moving equipment, but still seem to think "there must be a tetter way".

There is is a gentle down grade that gets piled with snow from blowing the drive. It's about 30 meters to a bank that can accept as much snow as will ever be seen, but the entrance to that bank is only 2 meters wide, and often choked with a meter depth of snow blower compacted snow. At present, I've been driving over/ through the depth with the loader and back blade fitted Hurlimann 435.
Trying to use the front bucket bogs the tractor in the depth of snow. Should the bucket lift and pile each advance, one before the other? I have not had good luck with this effort so far. perhaps there is a technique. Due to the presence of trees and the lay of the land, a straight on advance is the only option.

With the recent snow, I was "almost" stopped, but the Hurlimann's front and rear locking diffs prevailed, and an initial path was made on wheels alone. Once through the deepest portion (and that took some time) The back blade was used to haul the snow forward, then backed over, then bucketed over the bank while hauling a new back blade's worth to the ready position. It must have taken 15 cycles to clear the 30 meters. Then a similar process was used to widen the path before turning the back blade 180 degrees and pushing the load in one go.

Are ther better techniques to the breaking through effort?

The blower that fills the avenue described above, is mounted on a Bolens HT-23 that throws the material off the drive and into the confines. That piece of equipment is deficient in several ways. The blower is only as wide as the wheel track,(I'm looking for a 48 -54" blower that accepts the Bolens HT rotation direction) and backing out of any advance is difficult. Even though fitted with wheel chains, the yard tractor will hardly get out of it's own way. It could sorely use four wheel drive! I've dug it out of it's own mess two many times! (but man-o-man does it blow snow on the easy going!)

So just a shout out for good suggestions into how to "break through" and then move considerable amounts of snow with "smallish" equipment.

The Fordson, though fitted with aggressive wheel chains and a most useful front mounted Western plow blade, runs into traction problems early on. The area to be cleared has a nasty habit of being icey! That and the fact that it is stored at the bottom of the area to be cleared , safely tucked under the lower level of the shop, and the reason the snow needs moved in the first place ;-)

Ideas welcomed

 

[leonz]

DO you have V chains? They are great for both sod and blacktop and dirt
and stone driveways.

My John Deere LA115 suffers from the same issues. I finally filled the
rears with windshield washer fluid and its made a huge difference.

I would fill the rears with windshield washer fluid and just clear the drifts
slowly with the Bolens.

My blower belt snapped tonight and I have to travel top get a new one; HOOOVERS!!!
because I asked the shop to look at belt and change it the week before because the
B+S engine electric starters plastic engagement parts crapped out and it had to be
winched up on the truck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[CalG]

Yes. V Bar chains

The rears are weighted AND filled, though hanging 50 kg off the rear does help counter the front blower. The Bolens really suffers with the blower width in relation to the the wheel track.

There is no percentage in trying to climb back up hill ;-)

 

[Deere Dude]

Its hard to imagine the snowblower wouldn't do the trick. With chains, loaded tires and weights and a big operator on a higher horsepower snowblower that can blow snow 30 feet should be able to clear almost anything. Small bites until through the first pass and then maybe a quarter blower width each time after that.

 

[Tractor Tom]

I real deep snow you have to just take a bit at a time. I'll raise my blower up and back into a drift, then drive forward, lower the blower all the way and back in again. Repeat the process until the snow depth in manageable.

 

[DHD]

Around my lot, I have a situation where I need to break through DEEP snow.
I have a useful arsenal of snow moving equipment, but still seem to think "there must be a tetter way".

There is is a gentle down grade that gets piled with snow from blowing the drive. It's about 30 meters to a bank that can accept as much snow as will ever be seen, but the entrance to that bank is only 2 meters wide, and often choked with a meter depth of snow blower compacted snow. At present, I've been driving over/ through the depth with the loader and back blade fitted Hurlimann 435.
Trying to use the front bucket bogs the tractor in the depth of snow. Should the bucket lift and pile each advance, one before the other? I have not had good luck with this effort so far. perhaps there is a technique. Due to the presence of trees and the lay of the land, a straight on advance is the only option.

With the recent snow, I was "almost" stopped, but the Hurlimann's front and rear locking diffs prevailed, and an initial path was made on wheels alone. Once through the deepest portion (and that took some time) The back blade was used to haul the snow forward, then backed over, then bucketed over the bank while hauling a new back blade's worth to the ready position. It must have taken 15 cycles to clear the 30 meters. Then a similar process was used to widen the path before turning the back blade 180 degrees and pushing the load in one go.

Are ther better techniques to the breaking through effort?

The blower that fills the avenue described above, is mounted on a Bolens HT-23 that throws the material off the drive and into the confines. That piece of equipment is deficient in several ways. The blower is only as wide as the wheel track,(I'm looking for a 48 -54" blower that accepts the Bolens HT rotation direction) and backing out of any advance is difficult. Even though fitted with wheel chains, the yard tractor will hardly get out of it's own way. It could sorely use four wheel drive! I've dug it out of it's own mess two many times! (but man-o-man does it blow snow on the easy going!)

So just a shout out for good suggestions into how to "break through" and then move considerable amounts of snow with "smallish" equipment.

The Fordson, though fitted with aggressive wheel chains and a most useful front mounted Western plow blade, runs into traction problems early on. The area to be cleared has a nasty habit of being icey! That and the fact that it is stored at the bottom of the area to be cleared , safely tucked under the lower level of the shop, and the reason the snow needs moved in the first place ;-)

Ideas welcomed

I suggest getting a 3pt. RM snow blower for your Hurlimann 435 to get that snow you are trying to break through right out of your way.

For my Kubota B7800 I have a John Deere Frontier SB1164 3 pt. RM snow blower, it's 64" wide, with a 26" high snow intake, has a 4 paddle 24" diameter impeller and will throw snow over 35'.
When I raise up my snow blower on my B7800, I can snow blow the top 2 feet off of a 4 foot high snow bank.
So far, excessive snow depth has not been an issue to remove snow.

The Frontier snow blower like mine, would be a good match for your Hurlimann 435.
I believe your Hurlimann 435 has about 25 pto HP and the SB1164 has a recommended Min. 20 pto HP - Max 50 pto HP.

I purchased my SB1154 used and have snow blown with it for two years.
Every snow storm I have the following snow blowing tasks:
01). snow blow a 530 foot gravel driveway
02). snow blow a 300 ft gravel driveway
03). snow blow about 200 ft of snow bank left by the highway's snow plows.
So it gets a great deal of use, especially this winter season.

The Frontier SB1164 rear mount snow blower is a reliable rugged machine.
Over the past two years I have only replaced, an occasional broken shear bolt.

Good luck in your search.

 

[DHD]

Around my lot, I have a situation where I need to break through DEEP snow.
I have a useful arsenal of snow moving equipment, but still seem to think "there must be a tetter way".

There is is a gentle down grade that gets piled with snow from blowing the drive. It's about 30 meters to a bank that can accept as much snow as will ever be seen, but the entrance to that bank is only 2 meters wide, and often choked with a meter depth of snow blower compacted snow. At present, I've been driving over/ through the depth with the loader and back blade fitted Hurlimann 435.
Trying to use the front bucket bogs the tractor in the depth of snow. Should the bucket lift and pile each advance, one before the other? I have not had good luck with this effort so far. perhaps there is a technique. Due to the presence of trees and the lay of the land, a straight on advance is the only option.

With the recent snow, I was "almost" stopped, but the Hurlimann's front and rear locking diffs prevailed, and an initial path was made on wheels alone. Once through the deepest portion (and that took some time) The back blade was used to haul the snow forward, then backed over, then bucketed over the bank while hauling a new back blade's worth to the ready position. It must have taken 15 cycles to clear the 30 meters. Then a similar process was used to widen the path before turning the back blade 180 degrees and pushing the load in one go.

Are ther better techniques to the breaking through effort?

The blower that fills the avenue described above, is mounted on a Bolens HT-23 that throws the material off the drive and into the confines. That piece of equipment is deficient in several ways. The blower is only as wide as the wheel track,(I'm looking for a 48 -54" blower that accepts the Bolens HT rotation direction) and backing out of any advance is difficult. Even though fitted with wheel chains, the yard tractor will hardly get out of it's own way. It could sorely use four wheel drive! I've dug it out of it's own mess two many times! (but man-o-man does it blow snow on the easy going!)

So just a shout out for good suggestions into how to "break through" and then move considerable amounts of snow with "smallish" equipment.

The Fordson, though fitted with aggressive wheel chains and a most useful front mounted Western plow blade, runs into traction problems early on. The area to be cleared has a nasty habit of being icey! That and the fact that it is stored at the bottom of the area to be cleared , safely tucked under the lower level of the shop, and the reason the snow needs moved in the first place ;-)

Ideas welcomed

It's difficult for me to picture your situation.
Would it be possible to use your Hurlimann 435 with a rear mount snow blower to remove the deep snow that concerns you ?

 

[CalG]

It's difficult for me to picture your situation.
Would it be possible to use your Hurlimann 435 with a rear mount snow blower to remove the deep snow that concerns you ?

Of course. A blower on the Hurlimann would do a fine job. All that needs to be done is sign the check. Or I could just hire the job done, even less trouble. The pen is mightier than the sword! ;-)

But

I have equipment enough. Blower, blade, bucket, and plow. and Tractors enough to drive them 3 out of 4. There should be a best way to get through 4 feet of compacted snow with a 4WD tractor equipped with a bucket and a back blade.
That is the question posed.

The requirement comes up about 4 times a winter, and it's looking like the need will arrive again before Monday

 

[Jd5203]

Set your loader down just below your axle and then just have your blade push off the rest. Thats what we've always done but I also have anywhere from 56-83 HP depending on which tractor I feel like using. Now I just use the 5083e because of one reason, cab. Haha

 

[tcreeley]

Real deep- I push the snow 7-10' with the bucket 7-8" above the ground. I fill the bucket and back out to dump some place or back up and swing to the side to dump. Then I go back for a scraping pass (bucket flat down and then angled down so the front end becomes light. I fill the bucket and then go dump it. It takes some time, but works. I am reclaiming my drive to the barn - 30" of snow built up. - I don't bother mounting my snowplow anymore - faster with the bucket.

 

[CalG]

JD and TC

Useful and appreciated suggestions!

With 80HP you would need to think about a 6 foot drift! ;-)

When the bucket is positioned at axle height, I get into the mess about 1 tractor length before progress stops. (the loader under carriage is well below axle height) Lowering the bucket means less fwd motion, raising the bucket results in way too much snow under the tractor, (high centered, with tires scratching at nothing solid) I am impressed with just what locking diffs both front and rear will carry that Hurlimann through, It just won't carry a load of snow while doing it!

Oh, If I could dump to the side, I surely would. There are maples to the right, and a 5 foot retaining wall on the left.... oh well.

 

[CalG]

Its hard to imagine the snowblower wouldn't do the trick. With chains, loaded tires and weights and a big operator on a higher horsepower snowblower that can blow snow 30 feet should be able to clear almost anything. Small bites until through the first pass and then maybe a quarter blower width each time after that.

Deerdude

The blower is mounted to a yard tractor. Traction and mobility on snow is an issue. There is a problem backing out of the blown cut and back up hill. I've shoveled that tractor out of that situation too many times now. If only chains were perfect traction........ ;-)

 

[DHD]

Deerdude

The blower is mounted to a yard tractor. Traction and mobility on snow is an issue. There is a problem backing out of the blown cut and back up hill. I've shoveled that tractor out of that situation too many times now. If only chains were perfect traction........ ;-)

It's appears your useful arsenal of snow removal equipment have there uses up to a point.
I'm sure you have other seasonal tasks in which they perfom very well, and that is why you keep them.

The Fordson and the Bolens both being 2wd have a distinct disadvantage compared to your 4wd Hurlimann in the winter season.
Perhaps the advantages of 4wd over 2wd is most evident in the winter season, especially on sloping ground.
Understandably the Hurlimann is your go to snow removal weapon when all else fails.

You mentioned that your Fordson and Bolens are both fitted with tire chains, does your Hurlimann have tire chains also ?

tcreeley's suggestion seems like it should work.

If not, then maybe you should not allow your Hurlimann's front tires to enter any depth of snow. Just work in much smaller steps.
Keeping your front tires out of the snow depths, use your bucket to take off the top 2 feet of the packed snow, back up and deposit it out of the way, then use the bucket to clear the rest of snow down to ground level.
Just keep repeating and slowly moving forward, and keeping those front tires out of the deep snow.
Depending how far you have to travel to deposit the snow out of the way, is going to dictate how long and tedious a job like this will be.

The other issue you may face is your snow deposit point may fill up pretty fast. Especially if you have a fairly deep snow pack already deposited by mother nature.

Clearing your path can be done, but it's going to be a timely process with your present arsenal, which is liable to take longer with each increasing snow storm event.
If time is an issue, I really think you need to consider a snow blower for your Hurlimann, and maybe give your Bolens the winter off and just use it for summer tasks.

Good Luck

 

[ericher69]

I had a 1977Bolens HT-20 before my Kubota B2920 and had the exact same issues as you do! The blower is HEAVYWEIGHT like 400+lbs and with no power steering and 2wd it was all but useless in snow. I had wheel weights and I weight about 250lbs.

Anyone around to operate the Hurrliman when you are operating the bolens?

Take a blower swipe with Bolens and get buddy on Hurlimann to back you out or jump off Bolens onto 4x4 and pull it out; repeat till done!

Sent from my iPhone 5s 64Gb using TractorByNet

 

[CalG]

I had a 1977Bolens HT-20 before my Kubota B2920 and had the exact same issues as you do! The blower is HEAVYWEIGHT like 400+lbs and with no power steering and 2wd it was all but useless in snow. I had wheel weights and I weight about 250lbs.

Anyone around to operate the Hurrliman when you are operating the bolens?

Take a blower swipe with Bolens and get buddy on Hurlimann to back you out or jump off Bolens onto 4x4 and pull it out; repeat till done!

Sent from my iPhone 5s 64Gb using TractorByNet

Ericher

More than once the Hurlimann has had to come to the aid of the Bolens. We have lots of "edges" on this hillside Vermont property.
A bolens hanging by a chain off the bucket is a novel sight to be sure. In fact, yesterday I got downhill with the bolens while throwing the small stuff over the edge of the road after the plow has passed.
(The banks are building up) The steepest part of the hill is icey, and the Bolens would spin just before the crest. Those chains really scarify the ice, but still won't carry the machine forward.
The Hurlimann took locked differentials to drive straight up with the Bolens in tow off the back blade.

Curious about the Hurlimann, It is just light enough that it rides up on this compacted deep stuff...for a while, then falls through. That's when the trouble starts ;-)
The riding up and falling through makes it very hard to set a "axle depth" bucket cut.

I had the Fordson out today, The entire area is cleaned down to the frozen surface (a bit icey really) It's as good as it get. I'll just be sure to clean out the trouble spot "earlier" in the general clean up.

It takes what time it takes I suppose.

Any task with the tractor is better than shoveling the roof, which is what I spent today doing. 2 ft deep, and would only slide if it was being helped. Oof-Tah! I'm beat! ;-)

 

[tcreeley]

I know what you are feeling! Snow is on the way and I have to finish clearing to the barn, 30 inches deep. But I am on gravel and level which helps. I have a 5' bucket and a 30 hp 4wd. It gets the job done. Last year we had 2 feet wet snow on two ice storms. That was a case of scraping the drive. 2-3 feet, emptying the bucket and going back for more. This year my bans are already close to the height of the fel!
6' drifts- wow!

 

[tractchores]

I have a similar situation, but it's a big plowed bank to get through. There are two techniques I use. The first is just going one bucket at a time with the FEL. Painful yes, but reliable, push or dump snow on the sides to avoid backing out each bucket. The other is a stack and push technique, but you need a turn somewhere to push off. I push a bucket depth as far as I can without being stuck, then go down one until clear with a big bank in front. Then push the top of the bank off, push as low down as you can get it to move, when stopped raise and curl bucket up while advancing. When you start to hit the bank use the loader to lift the front end while still pushing until the top falls down the bank (a good wiggling technique with the bucket curl helps). Repeat. I've used this method to push back 6-7' banks 20+ feet, but it's hard on the machine and takes practice.

 

[CalG]

Update

With the snow cleared from the drive and filled into the spot described in the original post to a compacted depth of about 3 feet.

I used the blower on the flat approach to define a plumb wall to better gauge the bucket slice height.

Went into that snow wall with the bucket about 1 foot off the grouind and the rear blade high. That carried the first push all the way to the edge. At leat all that didn't spill to the side.

Backing up about 30 feet toward the starting point again, the bucket went to to float, and the back blade went down.

Lather, rinse, repeat, until the snow was all pushed over the bank. I took bigger bites with the back blade, so the entire effort went in less time and passes.
A large volume snow bucket would improve things, but I'ld just tear it up hitting some rock or root under all that snow. ;-)

It's snowing again now ;-)

 

[Yellowfever440]

If you are going down hill couldn't you take the loader and put it close to the ground, 2 inches or so, and drive into the pile and then lift and dump over the pile and just keep doing that until you get to where you need to stop?
Then your pile is at the end of your pass and then you back out and take half a bucket width again. I don't know what a hurlimann is or what if looks like so maybe I am way off.
Basically you would be dumping the snow on the opposite side of the pile from the tractor so you will scoop 2 feet and lift pull up to were you lifted with the front tires and dump orlver the pile then back up and repeat.

 

[CalG]

If you are going down hill couldn't you take the loader and put it close to the ground, 2 inches or so, and drive into the pile and then lift and dump over the pile and just keep doing that until you get to where you need to stop?
Then your pile is at the end of your pass and then you back out and take half a bucket width again. I don't know what a hurlimann is or what if looks like so maybe I am way off.
Basically you would be dumping the snow on the opposite side of the pile from the tractor so you will scoop 2 feet and lift pull up to were you lifted with the front tires and dump orlver the pile then back up and repeat.

That works, but it's slow as death.

Snowing again just now, we have another week of cold and snow. A couple more clearings over the bank. ;-)

Spring is just around the corner.