Snow Blade Avoiding removing gravel while plowing snow.

[Fallon]

I tried PVC or ABS pipe on my bucket way back (think it was ABS recommended as less brittle). It lasted 10 minutes before breaking & 20 before being completely destroyed. Ended up building my SSQA truck plow with shoes (didn't use the shoes much as it was a light plow that didn't dig up frozen gravel).

 

[number9L]

I recently ordered a set of Tarter gauge wheels to mount on my rear blade for plowing snow and not digging up the gravel. They should be here soon.

I've got them on my landscape take and they work out real nice for it, hoping they will on the blade for snow as well. I'll have to fab up a mounting solution for them, but should be easy.

I'm not understanding how a pipe on the cutting edge (or bucket or blade) would not just scrape the gravel up anyway??

 

[s219]

I'm not understanding how a pipe on the cutting edge (or bucket or blade) would not just scrape the gravel up anyway??

It's a much smoother rounder surface and really can't dig in or scrape. Sort of the opposite of a normal sharp cutting edge. Works extremely well. I've tried several solutions, including welding on skis and wheels, and think the pipe is the overall best solution. I didn't think the wheels worked too well -- the blade alternated between scraping gravel and leaving a layer of snow, and just didn't do a clean consistent job.

 

[ray66v]

The pipe keeps the blade from being aggressive.

With no sharp edge, it does not want to dig as much.

It will still move the gravel, if your not careful with it. But, it's just easier to control.

My gravel drive is flat. So, I pack the first 4" of snow down. Once that's there, I can pretty much drop the plow, and go.

Chains, and plow shoes, tend to pick the gravel up, so I don't use them.

 

[Avondale]

Some good ideas here, may try with my HLA as it tends to dig in too much if ground is not really well frozen

 

[number9L]

Tarter gauge wheels came yesterday. I installed them today. I cut the mount plates off the arms and used 2" angle iron to make a "receiver hitch" for each wheel arm and welded to backside of the blade. Drilled the "hitch" and arms for a 1/2" pin, so they go on/off tool-less. I'm hoping for a big snow soon so I can try it out.

 

[ray66v]

Tarter gauge wheels came yesterday. I installed them today. I cut the mount plates off the arms and used 2" angle iron to make a "receiver hitch" for each wheel arm and welded to backside of the blade. Drilled the "hitch" and arms for a 1/2" pin, so they go on/off tool-less. I'm hoping for a big snow soon so I can try it out.

Gauge wheels are by far the best thing I made, in the war against the gravel.

Feet can bring up gravel, gauge wheels pack it down.

With a loader mounted snow plow, I can easily vary the height of the blade over the gauge wheels, with the bucket curl lever.

So, if I want to scrape, I can. And, if I want to leave a few of inches of snow to pack down, I can do that too.

 

[oosik]

I just finished plowing a little over 8" off my mile long gravel driveway. This year I showed extreme patience and waited until the driveway was frozen hard as a rock. This is unusual. I removed very little gravel and now I have a very long, high bermed toboggan run. I enjoy plowing the snow because at around 4.5 mph it rolls off the rear blade so nicely. I have no type of protector on the blade edge and it scrapes down to the gravel quite well.

And hitting those pine limbs - so very packed with snow & leaning over the driveway - is a real awakening experience.

 

[RayK]

Google "Edge Tamer" seems like a good idea.

 

[shaeff]

I've got a '64 MF35 Utility fitted with a MF/Davis FEL. It's a 2wd machine, chains, loaded rears and cast rear weights. I modified an old (Fisher?)7' plow my father had laying around to fit the 3pt hitch. With the snow we got yesterday after a warm spell, my gravel driveway wasn't anywhere near frozen. One pass pushed up a LOT of gravel, the shoes sunk right into it with a little movement of the machine.

For next year- plans:

-Bucket mount the plow
-SCH 80 (if I can find any locally) pipe over the cutting edge. If not, sch40 will probably be fine for my application. I've got a plasma cutter and welder so cutting the slit and adding tabs will be easy.
-55gal drum rear ballast box on the hitch. (any comment on putting a draw-bar in and supporting the drum on that rather than leaving the weight on the hitch?)

I figure that with the pipe over the cutting edge, the angle of the plow won't matter as much. Even with it mounted on my 3pt hitch, if the angle is incorrect or if the quadrant stop moves the plow could dig in easily. Currently running check chains to keep a constant level. The pipe would make it even more forgiving in terms of angle, simply due to the rounded design.