Snow Gear range & snow plowing

TractorAddict · Feb 11, 2004

I have a newer B7500HST and have been using a back blade to plow snow (450' driveway). I checked the owners manual and did not find a recommendation on the gear range that should be used for snow plowing. I do have adjustable skids on the blade, so I am not grading frozen gravel, just snow pushing snow. Does anyone have a recommendation on using high or low range on the HST to plow snow? Or know what Kubota recommends. The biggest snowfall so far this year in southern Michigan has been around 7" and the tractor didn't seem to have any trouble with that in high range.

art · Feb 11, 2004

I'd say to use high range and lower throttle unless you need more power like in wet snow.

Cabledog · Feb 11, 2004

I can't answer your question ..but how do you like those skid shoes? I've only had my B7510HST for 2 weeks and no snow to plow yet....I didn't get skid shoes on my rear blade.Do you have a 5'or 6' blade?? I would like to know the gear range too when plowing..Hope to see some response..

TractorAddict · Feb 11, 2004

Cabledog,
I have a 5' King Kutter blade from TSC. I don't think they even make skids for their blades. So, while at TSC I saw that they had some of the round style replacement skids for Western snow plows (for a truck). I bought the skids for $32.00. I am a Draftsman/Designer by trade, so I took a few measurements on the blade and the skids and designed a bracket and had a local machine shop make the brackets (1/2" steel). They did not charge me, favor re-payment. I just use washers (provided with the Western skids) for spacers to control the height. They work GREAT!!

Cabledog · Feb 11, 2004

TractorAddict,
Sounds like you did fine on those skids,thanks for the info..Time for this Cabledog to get to bed... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Deerlope · Feb 12, 2004

I would say to go by your tach (engine) speed. get the engine to an rpm that you comfortable with and don't let it fall below that cause you never want to lug a diesel.

Dave___in___CT · Feb 12, 2004

Hi...

You running forward or backward ? ( pushing or pulling the snow?)

Is the blade at 90 degrees or is it angled and want to deflect the snow to the side ?

For deflecting to the side... or pushing/pulling a lot of snow at 90... a faster ground speed helps a lot...

Otherwise... any speed... trial & error will help you determine what works best for different types/depths of snow...

Keep a speed you are comfortable with...

Dave...

beenthere · Feb 12, 2004

TA
Speed using a back blade plowing snow is: "just under that which will tear up your blade if you catch hold of something that won't move". Trouble with a back blade is that it's rigid, and not spring loaded like the front blades.

Pretty severe damage can occur if going too fast. Now if smooth sailing and no danger of catching anything, then the faster the better (and quicker to get done IF in a hurry /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif ).

With my front blade (7' Western) I sometimes hit high gear, wide open and throw snow 10+ feet to the side. Depends on how deep as to how fast, and also what the ground conditions are underneath the blade. Even on the front plow, I don't want to hit some immovable object going too fast.

Just try not to bend or break anything. Your speed will come with experience, and you will know what you like when it happens.

frank_f15 · Feb 12, 2004

really depends on the depth and type of snow , i tend to use higher rpm and low range with my B 2400 , but this is just me.

Youare · Feb 12, 2004

I use a back blade to clear drive and road down back to the wood pile. Like Beenthere has said a back blade is not spring loaded and when it catches on something that something has to move or the tractor has to stop or something is going to break.

I find that for a light snow fall plowing with the blade curve front, troactor moving front, smooth going, a faster speed is fine. Heavy snow, rough ground, curve to the rear, plow backwards in a low gear.

Sometimes when the ground is soft and snow is light I will plow with the curve of the blade opposite of the direction of tractor travel. The blade won't dig into the ground using it backwards but still will move snow.

Randy