Snow Equipment Owning/Operating bucket vs. front mounted 3-position blade

[motownbrowne]

The front plow does have skid plates and, to answer question above, it also has a heavy spring trip mechanism although I'm not really anticipating going too fast or hitting any objects - but you never know I was considering picking up a rear blade, they come up pretty often at auctions around here for not too much in decent condition. Thanks for your comments.

Good idea on the rear blade. They usually are quite cheap. Worse case scenario, you find yourself not using it and you sell it for what you paid for it.

It's useful to have a tool on the front and one on the back at the same time.

 

[hartmacw]

It's useful to have a tool on the front and one on the back at the same time.

The problem is that my wife doesn't understand the value of useful tools. Useful shoes, yes, not useful tools. All places that sell implements should also sell flowers to take home with it, helps with the asking for forgiveness later

 

[Colonel Monk]

The front plow does have skid plates and, to answer question above, it also has a heavy spring trip mechanism although I'm not really anticipating going too fast or hitting any objects - but you never know I was considering picking up a rear blade, they come up pretty often at auctions around here for not too much in decent condition. Thanks for your comments.

In my experience, the #1 thing the spring trip "trips" on is ..... wait for it...... snow and ice! When the conditions are right, the blade will try to catch on the compacted snow and ice. Usually when you're having a thaw and need to scrape the slush off the drive when the base has gotten soft. You may not have that problem where you are at if it thaws down to pavement frequently. Here that only happens a few times a winter.

 

[GPintheMitten]

The problem is that my wife doesn't understand the value of useful tools. Useful shoes, yes, not useful tools. All places that sell implements should also sell flowers to take home with it, helps with the asking for forgiveness later

She can run the kitchen. You run the barn. You shouldn't have to ask permission nor forgiveness. You can tell her what you're going to do but that's it

 

[nybirdman]

In my experience, the #1 thing the spring trip "trips" on is ..... wait for it...... snow and ice! When the conditions are right, the blade will try to catch on the compacted snow and ice. Usually when you're having a thaw and need to scrape the slush off the drive when the base has gotten soft. You may not have that problem where you are at if it thaws down to pavement frequently. Here that only happens a few times a winter.

This is when the rear blade is most useful.I can scrape right down to the asphalt.

 

[nybirdman]

In my experience, the #1 thing the spring trip "trips" on is ..... wait for it...... snow and ice! When the conditions are right, the blade will try to catch on the compacted snow and ice. Usually when you're having a thaw and need to scrape the slush off the drive when the base has gotten soft. You may not have that problem where you are at if it thaws down to pavement frequently. Here that only happens a few times a winter.

This is when the rear blade is most useful.I can scrape right down to the asphalt.

 

[whistlepig]

I move snow with a loader and some disadvantages of a loader:

If the gravel or ground isn't frozen before the snow the loader scoops up yard and gravel as easily as snow. Prepare to repair divots in your yard or gravel driveway in the spring.
Many hours of a bucket riding on a gravel driveway grinds the bottom off the bucket.
If the snow is heavy it piles up in front of the loader. Then I have to scoop up the snow, back up, and deposit the snow out of my way.

Some advantages to a loader:

If the snow drifts badly it sometimes piles up so high it has to be physically moved. A loader is good for that.
We have several outbuildings with horse fence running up to these buildings. This creates corners. High snow drifts in corners are a little easier to clean out with a loader.

I have a blade on an ATV. A blade is far quicker than a loader on open spaces. I use both the loader and the blade.

 

[MossRoad]

A blade on FEL arms is about as good as it gets. The only thing better would be a blower on FEL arms.

 

[CNeubauer]

Yes the blade is the way to go for a long driveway unless the snow is really deep, then you might have to break through with the bucket and then use the blade to open up a wider path. We have several 3pt blades, a 100hp mfd loader tractor and a 3pt snow blower but 90% of our snow removal gets done with an old Western snow plow on our skid steer. Cleaning a long driveway with a bucket takes forever because your usually trying to push the snow to one end or the other, with the blade 2-3 passes will have a wide enough path cleared but like the others said start the season pushing the snow further out than you think you need too so you have plenty of room for later snows.