ATV to BX1850

[hockeyhead]

Then I'd stay with the rear blade, adding rear chains, suitcase weights and experience will get you through the balance of this winter. Then I would be looking for a used 3pt snowblower. Finally adding a fel with quick-attach, when funds are available. The fel will add a lot more options if you so choose.

 

[LBrown59]

*The whole front blade set up is not cheap once you get the quick hitch, control value, blade & angle cylinder.
** Is the 54" blade available w/ the angle accessory?
***What is a man to do on a limited budget?

*No it's not/Mine was $1900 for the 60'' blade but I got lucky and got it for $1500.oo.
**It wasn't for my BX1500 is why I had to go with the 60'' one.
The 54'' manual angle blade was $1400.
***Get a FEL and it will have the control valve.
Later you can add a front blade without having to buy the valve as you can use the one on the FEL.
Another option: See if you can find a good used FEL and or front blade.
Either one should have the front valve with it.
Check on ebay and machine finders.
Do some leg work shopping around.
You might get lucky and get a FEL and a front blade both for about the price of one or the other new.

 

[Berniep]

A lot of people move snow with the fel only. I have a neighbor that does the driveway of everyone in the neighborhood with his fel and he does a pretty good job at it too. Or he did until I got my tractor anyway.

 

[LBrown59]

A lot of people move snow with the fel only. I have a neighbor that does the driveway of everyone in the neighborhood with his fel and he does a pretty good job at it too. Or he did until I got my tractor anyway.

How did your getting a tractor change things for him?

 

[DesertRose]

I plow snow out of the driveways for 4 or 5 neighbors regularly and a few more who ask after each heavy snow storm. Most winters I can get by plowing the driveways with the ATV blade. We usually get a snow storm and then it might be several weeks until the next snow storm. In the meantime the sun melts the snow. But this year we have had snow storms every few days since Thanksgiving. I ran out of room pushing snow with a blade several weeks ago.

I use the ATV plow to push the snow and then use the tractor to pick up the snow piles and clear the driveways. I have piles of snow 6 or 7 feet high at the end or on the sides of the driveways I am taking care of. Most of these people have gravel driveways and the ATV blade is much more forgiving on the gravel. It doesn't dig into the gravel since the blade is light weight and has no down pressure other than gravity.

This winter if I had only the ATV to plow snow I would have been able to at least make the driveways passable, but with the ATV and the FEL of the tractor I can clear the entire driveway.

Blades are great for plowing snow whether on a tractor or an ATV but when you need to move the snow piles blades are useless. Snow blowers are great but would be useless for me since I need to remove the snow from my horse paddocks and I'm not about to buy a snow blower just to do freebies for my neighbors.

Tom

 

[LBrown59]

I use the ATV plow to push the snow and then use the tractor to pick up the snow piles and clear the driveways.

The only thing is jadd doesn't have a FEL for his BX1850 and he sold his ATV.

 

[Berniep]

How did your getting a tractor change things for him?

There are now at least two driveways that he doesn't do because I do them.
Maybe more if I can beat him to them.

 

[DesertRose]

The only thing is jadd doesn't have a FEL for his BX1850 and he sold his ATV.

I realize jadd doesn't have a FEL and sold his ATV. He asked for suggestions. I just mentioned my experiences with snow removal. I'm not sure how much he uses the tractor for tasks other than snow removal. He is the one who has to decide if snow removal is the most important task he needs a tractor for.

I have mentioned before that if I had to chose between the ATV and the tractor for snow removal only, I would take the ATV. But snow removal is not the reason I bought the tractor. It wasn't even considered when I bought the tractor. But this winter we have had more snow than we have had for many years. The FEL has allowed me to lift the snow over fences or just pick it up and move it away.

But winter will end. And then I will use the tractor for the reasons I bought it.
The ATV will not dig trenches, pull and power the brush cutter or dig 12" post holes. If you asked me in the summer if I had to chose between the ATV and the tractor, I would chose the tractor.

If I needed a tractor to do the things an ATV can't do and I could only have one, I think I'd learn to live with the rear blade on the tractor. If my main use was snow removal I'd stick with the ATV.

Tom

 

[LBrown59]

.
But winter will end. And then I will use the tractor for the reasons I bought it.
The ATV will not dig trenches, pull and power the brush cutter or dig 12" post holes. If you asked me in the summer if I had to chose between the ATV and the tractor, I would chose the tractor.
Tom

I bought my BX1500 with a front blade and a rear tiller for doing summer time dirt work .
I just happen to have it for winter snow plowing if needed in addition to the BX23 with a FEL.
If I was Jadd I'd set the BX1850 up like so.

Add a FEL to go with the rear blade he already has.
or get a FEL and a front blade.
The advantage of the rear blade over the front blade is you don't have to keep switching the FEL and a front blade back and forth.

 

[LBrown59]

There are now at least two driveways that he doesn't do because I do them.
Maybe more if I can beat him to them.

Ah So~now he has competition!