Snow... blade choices for Northern Kentucky

[CADplans]

The OP did not state;
1) the length of the driveway
or
2) the budget.

A 500 foot driveway,, use the loader
A 1,000 foot driveway,, a $500 rear blade,,,
A $2K budget,,, get that CAT2 hydraulic rear blade that will make life F U N !! :thumbsup:

Personally, I have a CAT2 tractor, 1,400 foot driveway,,, and the $500 rear 7' off-settable CAT1 blade.

It is perfect for my needs.

 

[oosik]

nybirdman is correct. Your rear blade should be as wide as the rear tread when angled & plowing snow. But wait, this may present a problem. My 96" blade only cuts a 64" swath, approximately, when angled at 45 degrees. To get a full 80" swath, my blade would have to be around 112" if set at 45 degrees. My rear tread width is 80".

Soooo...... I really don't worry about "covering" the inside tire when I blade snow. I angle at 45 degrees, or thereabouts, and offset so the blade swath is approximately 12" outboard of the outboard tire and go like the wind. It takes three passes to cover the driveway width anyhow.

Remember, no matter whether you offset the blade or not - when you angle the blade - you will loose swath width. Offset is somewhat of a safety factor - with my blade being offset and 12" outboard of the rear tire - I don't have to get so close to the edge of my driveway. There is a spot on my driveway where the drop off is huge.

 

[TheMan419]

I'd go with the edge tamers and the bucket. Unless the driveway is seriously long. I live in the land of lake effect and that is what I am doing. Drive is like 150 feet long or so. Edge tamers just arrived yesterday so we will see how they do this winter. They are saying 80 inches plus this winter and COLD.

http://r2manufacturing.com/edge-tamer-2/

 

[Garandman]

I have been looking at bucket edge tamers for several years. If had a gravel driveway in a light snow region they would be high on my list along

Our NH house is on the side of a ski mountain. Average snowfall is 120" per season.

 

[Huskerfan]

You might also consider the Snow Edge from the TBN store. Mounted mine today but haven't needed to use it yet.

http://store.tractorbynet.com/v/vspfiles/photos/RRSE-2.jpg

 

[Garandman]

Edge Tamer thread.

I also used my Edge Tamers for the first time this weekend. I'm very please with them. I did have some spots where they sunk into mud on the side of my driveway. I used two 3" Edge Tamers. I'm going to order two more 4" edge tames and run all four on the bucket. I think it will float over even the softest spots with 4 of them. It was right at 32 degrees when it snowed this weekend. If colder (ground frozen) I wouldn't have to run all four. I did 4 large gravel driveways with them and they look like they will last a very long time before they wear out. I can remove both of them in 10-20 seconds if I want to get down on asphalt. Again - very pleased with both function and quality. I'm running these on the DS4510HS the the ~1300 pound loader / bucket combo in float. I think a lighter loader / bucket combo would be fine with two 3" Edge Tamers. - I also plowed a soccer field in our yard and never gouged the grass at all. It was sooooo easy to plow on grass!

 

[Dadnatron]

Currently about 1000 ft paved drive. 2000ft gravel road.

Budget is as little as will reasonably get the job done well and without adding 'too much' time unnecessarily. If I knew snow was a consistent it's I'd go with the FEL plow. And likely will in the future when all roads are done, it will be over a 1 1/2mile paved. But I'm looking to put money in the farm not on a potential benefit at this point.

I've not seen that type of offset rear blade before. CADplans, who makes that blade?

 

[CADplans]

I've not seen that type of offset rear blade before. CADplans, who makes that blade?

It is a Bush Hog,,,

 

[fishheadbob]

I've not seen that type of offset rear blade before. CADplans, who makes that blade?[/QUOTE]

The one you saw was a Bushhog, but there's a lot of brands out there. Seems like anyone with a welding shop cranks them out. Be sure to get one heavy enough for your tractor size as you will find the blade useful for grading soil or gravel. Too light will come unglued pretty quickly.

 

[Dadnatron]

Too light will come unglued pretty quickly.

I couldn't see it when viewed on my phone. When I hopped on my computer, I could see the name. I appreciate it.

Yes, Fishheadbob, I have proven to push impliments a bit, I guess. So far, I've broken the toplink by hitting a rock with an angled grader blade while digging a ditch. AND... just yesterday, I broke my drawbar while working with my drag blade yesterday. With my record, and the amount of earth I need to be moving over the next few years, I need a Cat 3 blade with Cat 2 connection. heh