Snow Removal Options 5055E

[vtsnowedin]

I am assuming you have similar snowfall in Maine as NS, so I would say your tractor is too small to push the bigger snowfalls in any reasonable amount of time. Blower is the way to go.

That made coffee come out my nose.:laughing:

 

[MattLynch]

Maybe you guys don't get as much snow there. I can't push a heavy snow here, drifts get as high as the cab roof in places. If you only get 10-12 inches at a time you don't really need a blower, I just assumed you guys would get similar snow to us in NS, guess not.

 

[gladehound]

MattLynch - That's a lot of snow!!!

I don't get as much snow as either of you but occasionally get a storm that totals 2-3 feet and it's typically heavy and wet. An angle blade can be fast for small snows but pushes the tractor sideways with too much snow. I can push a straight blade through deeper snow than an angled blade. I can push a bucket through more snow than a blade because as it gets heavy I can lift up a little on the bucket to get more traction. And I can always dump the bucket if the pile in front gets too big. Unless I had a front blower for deep snows, I'd rather use a big bucket to avoid the stiff neck / back.

Blades and pushers are great until you get a big pile in front of you that stops moving. A combination of blade and either big bucket or blower covers all scenarios efficiently. That's why I go with a snow bucked and hydraulic angle back blade.

 

[jeremymr06]

Snow Blower would be 3pt. And not to keen on it with open station and driving in reverse. maybe use for clean up after storm and wind has passed. Later option for the luxury to just have one. Price was estimate, also hard to find one to cover tracks, like 84" with the 5055E.(im guessing, haven't actually measured it)

Used the bucket before, in the long pushes it spills over and you make multiple passes to what one with a plow can do. plus it took chunks of my driveway and lawn with it, driveway and lawns are not level and it hard to adjust fast enough.

When it gets warm then freezes again the top layer get hard but not usually a problem if your plowing day of storm.

In last couple years we have had at least one whopper of a storm 2-3.5ft. 16inchs isnt uncommon couple times a year.

Mostly just asking the Community if the Tractor FEL mounted Plows worth the money, Do you find the wear and tare on the tractor worth the expense or is a truck with a plow a better investment for moving snow.

 

[jeremymr06]

Maybe you guys don't get as much snow there.View attachment 444814 I can't push a heavy snow here, drifts get as high as the cab roof in places. If you only get 10-12 inches at a time you don't really need a blower, I just assumed you guys would get similar snow to us in NS, guess not.

I lived in Presque Isle for a year, 200 miles north of current home. Much colder and snow was almost always powder. Saw drifts as high as second story windows. Snow here is heavier and does drift but only in high wind areas.

 

[jcummins]

OP, where are you from?


I personally hated the snow plow mounted on the loader and I[ have modified an older 9' meyer plow to be a snow pusher. I'm going to try it out this year and see how it works! ATTACH=CONFIG]444786[/ATTACH]

I did make a subframe mounted snow plow for the L3400 and it worked GREAT! Only problem was with a full blade of snow it didn't like going up hill to much even with the front tires chained, down hill and flat I could push snow till it was spilling over the top of the plow.

Your snow pusher. The side wings have skids on them...but....they are higher than than the blade. Doesn't this allow the blade to dig in on gravel?

 

[gladehound]

Used the bucket before, in the long pushes it spills over and you make multiple passes to what one with a plow can do. plus it took chunks of my driveway and lawn with it, driveway and lawns are not level and it hard to adjust fast enough.

Mostly just asking the Community if the Tractor FEL mounted Plows worth the money, Do you find the wear and tare on the tractor worth the expense or is a truck with a plow a better investment for moving snow.

Standard buckets are too small for snow. A high volume snow bucked controls a lot of the spill (and is very inexpensive, mine was $650). Put some edge tamers on the bucket (I like to use 4 when the ground is soft, 2 is fine when not as soft). Link attached for edge tamers. 403 Forbidden These work so well that sometimes plow the whole back yard for the kids to play soccer. Doesn't even make a mark on the turf and the snow typically comes off right to the grass.

A FEL mounted plow shouldn't hurt your tractor. Tractors probably stand up to plowing better than trucks. However, FEL mounted plows stick out too far and for this reason will push the tractor sideways more than a truck. This is due to the ratio of the distance from plow to front tires vs the wheel base. The plow has more leverage on a tractor when mounted way out front and tractors have shorter wheel bases than trucks. However, truck + plow = big money. I don't think you will be able to plow 2-3 feet of wet snow with an angled plow on the FEL. But a truck would have problems with that amount of wet snow also. That leaves a blower or bucket as your only real option on the biggest storms. (that or hit it 3 times with the plow during the storm)

I like bucket up front, hydraulic angle blade rear and I can plow in both directions so there is little wasted movement. Very efficient.

Some pictures of snow bucket to give an idea of how much more volume there is compared to standard bucket. You can also get these buckets with much higher backs. I chose the lower back because our snow isn't that deep here and I valued the visibility with the lower back. Mine is a relatively narrow 6ft for reasons I won't go into. An 8 or 9' bucket with 42 " back, 42" deep with built up sides will clear a lot of snow with minimal spill over. The one in the picture has 28" back and 42" depth.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Your snow pusher. The side wings have skids on them...but....they are higher than than the blade. Doesn't this allow the blade to dig in on gravel?

Why yes it does. I purposely built it this way though. I wanted to be able to scrape down to a clean surface instead of creating an ice skating rink in the driveway. I can always go back and add thicker skids if need be but I doubt I ever will.

 

[vtsnowedin]

On the side push issue I find it is over stated. I haven't had to chain the front tires and get along with just an occasional touch of the split brakes when it is icy underneath. I try not to let two foot snowfalls go unplowed as there are people living at the far end driving cars one of which is not four wheel drive. I can cover the whole thing in about an hour so on a snowy night tend to make a ten o'clock run then get up in the morning around five and have it opened before they head out to school and work. If more then two feet was coming I'd add a midnight run.
For pushing back I can pop the plow off and the bucket back on in five minutes and not have to worry about back pressure in the hoses.
I plow right along in forth or fifth gear which is much faster then you could do it backwards with a blower.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

VT, I wouldn't discount the side pushing. If you get a wet heavy snow it will easily push a tractor sideways without chains on the front end. The lever arm a plow has mounted on the loader is considerable and shouldn't be written off so easily. Throw in a decent hill and you could really hAve problems keeping things straight. I personally have all 4 tires on my 5083e so I don't ever have to worry about it but I'd bet with my 9 foot meyer, it would easily have its way with the front end with no chains.