Snow Blade Avoiding removing gravel while plowing snow.

[ray66v]

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.

Shoes move gravel. You want to leave it in place, if you don't want to move it. Pneumatic gauge wheels are the only thing that worked for me.

Wheel chains, can also dig up the gravel.

Slitting the steel pipe is totally unnecessary, weld the tabs on, and bolt it up.

Even with the pipe, and the gauge wheels, you still will have to use caution, if you don't pack down some snow over the gravel.

 

[Oldpath05]

Google "Edge Tamer" seems like a good idea.

Yea I can see how this might work, wonder if it goes on the snowplow or driveway...........
KeraCare Edge Tamer

 

[charlton289]

I use a piece of 2x2 angle iron tack welded to cutting edge on mine. But my plow is on my bucket so I can also control the angle of the angle on the ground works good also for pushing leaves on my yard. it don't dig into the grass.