Anyone using a hydraulic front blade in areas with 120 or more of snow

[chim]

Check the thread below. Gordon Gould and Paul Short have been proponents of reducing the distance between the tractor and the plow. Two things that matter to me are not mounting the blade so far away from the tractor that it makes the equipment cumbersome or it becomes a rudder, and using chains to lift it.

With the chains, I can have just the weight of the blade on the ground (just like a pickup truck setup). The weight of the loader arms is on the front wheels for added traction.

If more weight is needed to scrape harder, the loader arms can be put into float. This does splits the weight of the loader arms between the tractor and the blade.

If serious weight would be needed I can put down pressure on the blade to the point of getting the front wheels off the ground.


https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/408923-setback-underslung-ssqa-snow-plow.html

 

[fishhead]

OP-
A rear pull would likely work - they don't need the subframe that a front blower does and pricing seems to be in between a rear blower and front
A blower eliminates the pile and repile issues. Some like the pronovost inv series offer hydraulically adjusted guide wheels to use on rough ground or gravel.

I Visited the New Holland dealer on a whim. He is a bit far away but wanted to check out a Boomer.

Told him I need to clear snow but I cannot drive backward and the front blowers have issues with ground clearance if I leave the sub frame on.

He suggested using a SSQA hydraulic blade. Easy on and off...not expensive...and snow banks can be pushed up and pushed back.

I have about 300 yards of driveway, and 1/4 acre of open area to clear.

Anyone in high snow ares tried this?

Any thoughts?

PS: 120 inches or more of snow

 

[beenthere]

Many year ago I put 7' Western plow on a quick hitch that I fabbed. Kept the blade close to the tractor, and has plowed through everything that mother has thrown at me. 1/4 mile road/drive and two turn-arounds to clear. Later I fabbed a wing plow to push back any banks of snow built up, and not a lot of cost involved.

 

[bridge4]

Many year ago I put 7' Western plow on a quick hitch that I fabbed. Kept the blade close to the tractor, and has plowed through everything that mother has thrown at me. 1/4 mile road/drive and two turn-arounds to clear. Later I fabbed a wing plow to push back any banks of snow built up, and not a lot of cost involved.

That's a great set up! Nice job.

 

[PILOON]

I am north of Montreal and in a snow belt area.
Blower is the best but a PIA with small events so I front mounted a blade on my CUT.
(In previous years I contracted with a plow truck (nice and fast) but as winter advanced I had nowhere to push the snow and had to contract a blower.)

Today I only do my own drive with my CUT and use front blade for minor events but mainly rely on my PTO blower most times.
One thing you'll learn is that the snow load on an angled blade will push your tractor sideways and it wont curl like you'd like it to do.
With a blower the snow is gone and out of the way!

Oh yes, I did add a 'back up camera' so I don't have to blow 'side saddle'. Works great! (and a el cheepo at that)

 

[shooterdon]

I ended up buying a pull blower.

For light snow falls, I bought a SSQA attachment that will let me use my 3PH back blade. Plan on trying to use a slight angle to windrow snow and then the blower on the final pass.

 

[bridge4]

I am north of Montreal and in a snow belt area.
Blower is the best but a PIA with small events so I front mounted a blade on my CUT.
(In previous years I contracted with a plow truck (nice and fast) but as winter advanced I had nowhere to push the snow and had to contract a blower.)

Today I only do my own drive with my CUT and use front blade for minor events but mainly rely on my PTO blower most times.
One thing you'll learn is that the snow load on an angled blade will push your tractor sideways and it wont curl like you'd like it to do.
With a blower the snow is gone and out of the way!

Oh yes, I did add a 'back up camera' so I don't have to blow 'side saddle'. Works great! (and a el cheepo at that)

I was thinking of adding a rear camera to mine, does it get hit with snow when blowing and get covered at all? Where do you have it?

Thanks!

 

[PILOON]

I was thinking of adding a rear camera to mine, does it get hit with snow when blowing and get covered at all? Where do you have it?

Thanks!

I mounted my cam up high under my cab rear overhang so it never gets snowed on.*
Even with the high angle viewing is good and you soon adapt.
While the built in 'guide lines' are skewed it is the relative clearance that guide you,

The one oddity is my flashing beacon renders the blown snow yellow, LOL.

4 years now and still excellent which is great considering my $60. ish outlay.

Best is not needing to sit 'side saddle', mind U I do so occasionally when real close to a delicate object (like my wife's car)

* lower would have meant having the blower chute blocking my view.

 

[shooterdon]

Great info PILOON!

Even though I have a pull blower, a rear camera seems like a wise addition when backing up to things. I am thinking about using QD leads and mounting it with ceramic magnets so I can move it up like you have for snow, down lower for hooking up the 3PH and using 3PH attachments, and on the front for using the pallet forks, tree/post puller and making SSQA hook up easier.

 

[bridge4]

I mounted my cam up high under my cab rear overhang so it never gets snowed on.*
Even with the high angle viewing is good and you soon adapt.
While the built in 'guide lines' are skewed it is the relative clearance that guide you,

The one oddity is my flashing beacon renders the blown snow yellow, LOL.

4 years now and still excellent which is great considering my $60. ish outlay.

Best is not needing to sit 'side saddle', mind U I do so occasionally when real close to a delicate object (like my wife's car)

* lower would have meant having the blower chute blocking my view.

Thanks for explaining! I think I will be going this route myself as well.