Hello again, (Another long winded post..
)
I use a 6' rear blade behind the
BX22 to plow 1/2 mile of asphalt and 100' of gravel w/o problem. Being new to it I think the biggest issue you're going to have is how to deal with the gravel and keep it on the road where it belongs. A little experience and it will be cake.
To clear the asphalt I just drop the blade and drive, no big deal.
How I clear the gravel depends on a few factors, namely how deep the snow is, how wet it is, and how frozen the ground is below it. In general, the easiest way to keep the gravel where it should be is to spin the blade around so that the back side is facing the direction you're going to pull. Then adjust the top link to find middle ground between leaving too much snow behind, and grabbing too much gravel. The more vertical the cutting edge, the better (closer to the ground) it will cut into the snow. But the flip side is if it cuts too good, you'll eventually start pulling gravel too.
And depending on the snow wetness too.. If the snow is real wet, you may need to go more vertical or it will just skip over the top of the snow. But if it is dry, you can clear really good with the edge laid back.
And if it is really deep, you're better off making two passes. The first with the blade turned the normal way, but leave it a few inches off the ground. The second pass with the blade turned backwards to clear the last few inches.
And if the ground gets really frozen with some snow packed on to it, you can be a bit more aggressive w/o pulling gravel.
Other things to think about.. If the snow is really deep I keep the bucket 12" or so off the ground to kinda plow a route for the tractor so it doesn't try to high center on me and get stuck. Filling the bucket with a big pile of snow helps traction a bit. Plow with the blade at an angle (amount of angle depends on the snow conditions) so that it sheds the snow pretty good. Putting wax on the blade helps the snow shed. Speed helps the snow shed. Be sure to push the snow far enough off the road to allow for plowing the next snow fall. Replacing one or both side links with a length of chain allows the blade to tilt freely and helps when plowing uneven ground.
Remember that if you start plowing down the middle of the road (as you should most of the time), as the snow sheds, it will make the next pass deeper and tougher to plow. If this happens you may have to do the outer edges of the drive way in two passes. But this is usually only an issue if the snow is really deep and wet. But think of it as more seat time on you're new toy, err.. um.., tractor.
And always try to pull with the 3pt.. Pushing with the 3pt can bend the lower arms if you hit something solid, so if you must push
be careful.
And one last thing.. If the snow and wind are blowing, and you don't have a cab (like a spoiled few), a snowmobile helmet is a good investment. You'll look a bit dorky, but you can see just fine and your face is toasty warm.
