GC17xx tractors, clearing snow with the bucket.

[GeneV]

Guys, for those of you with a GC17xx tractor who use the loader for snow management, I need input on whether you truly need rear ballast. Look, I know the theory is sound that a ballast box or something else hanging off the back (or at the very least, loaded rear tires) is called for and all that. Won't argue it wouldn't hurt. Just need some input from real world experience, save me from buying something I could get by doing without.

 

[cglaser104]

I use my GC1710's with R4's(not loaded) and loader for snow clearing. I've done it with nothing attached and it slides around a lot and loses traction. I'm in 4wd 100% if the time. I often will put my backhoe on just for better traction. Loader moves snow likes it's nothing.

 

[ray66v]

If your land is relatively flat, you want as much weight on the rears as you can get for pushing snow.

If you have slopes to plow, then you want your weight evenly distributed.

I plow 325' of gravel driveway with turf tires, (no chains), pushing a 6' loader mounted plow, no problem. It's flat land. And, I leave the backhoe on. It does really well; sometimes I forget to even use the 4wd.

Yes, you can push snow with the front bucket. But, you probably won't do it more than one season. It's not an efficient way to get it done.

 

[Imold]

I have a 60 inch complete snow blade setup from a older Polaris ATV I do not use anymore so I am going to convert that to attach to my bucket on my GC1705.


Jim.

 

[GeneV]

I use my GC1710's with R4's(not loaded) and loader for snow clearing. I've done it with nothing attached and it slides around a lot and loses traction. I'm in 4wd 100% if the time. I often will put my backhoe on just for better traction. Loader moves snow likes it's nothing.

Yeh I got a 1710 as well, but I'm hoping to get 'er done without leaving the bh on for ballast, or having to attach a ballast box...I'm looking to keep the winter setup as compact as possible. I also don't want to load the tires if I could help it.

I bought the ratchet rake's snow edge for the bucket. Here's their product vid: 48 inch Snow Edge from Ratchet Rake LLC - YouTube Doesn't look like they're using any ballast. Don't know about their tires being loaded.

Up to now, I've been clearing snow with a craftsman garden tractor (loaded tires) and a front-mounted 4' snow blade. No other ballast. Worked out pretty good for what it is, but after a few snow falls, I build up giant snow banks on the sides of my driveway/walkway/apron, and also can't go down certain places because no 4wd. So, would be nice to have a bucket/plow setup on the massey, working it like in that video up there.

Also, I'm asking about running w/o ballast because I saw this clip: Massey Ferguson Tractor GC175 Building Basement Retaining walls part 1 - YouTube I asked him about it, he says no ballast, empty tires.

 

[RedGeminiPA]

I’ll be using our GC1725M, loaded R4 tires, and planning to leave the backhoe on for extra weight. Dealer offered to load the tires for no extra charge, so I told him to do it. The extra weight is apparent, compared to the leftover 2018 model I drove before taking delivery of our 2019.

 

[atsah]

I have a 60 inch complete snow blade setup from a older Polaris ATV I do not use anymore so I am going to convert that to attach to my bucket on my GC1705.


Jim.

My neighbor did the same, it works but don't try to push frozen banks back, he bent it almost in half doing that..

 

[Imold]

^^^^^^ Thanks for the heads up.



Jim

 

[Imold]

This is my plan to build the bucket attachment for blade, my basic plan of attack. I will use tie downs or chain with binders to hold it on to the bucket, just a quick basic drawing.

 

[GeneV]

This is my plan to build the bucket attachment for blade, my basic plan of attack. I will use tie downs or chain with binders to hold it on to the bucket, just a quick basic drawing.
View attachment 619442View attachment 619443

You know what, I've seen somebody do that on youtube. But another real nice option there, if you got quick attach mounts on your loader, I saw this fella on youtube, he took a craftsman snow/dozer blade like I use on my gt, hacked off the mounts and raise mechanism, and then welded the rest of it onto a ssqa backplate.

It was pretty sweet, but I could see improving on the design, even. He took off the cable that pulls back the pin to change the blade angle, so you gotta get off the tractor to change the angle. Me, I woulda left that cable on, route it up one of the loader arms, and mount the handle somewhere comfy. That way, to change the blade angle, just pull back on the handle and ram the blade into some snow at an angle to angle it left or right. Yeh, I may just fab that up myself sometime, we'll see.