Makers_Mark
Silver Member
Has anyone successfully used a rear grader as a plow?
Grader as Plow
- Thread starter Makers_Mark
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beenthere
Super Star Member
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- Aug 16, 2001
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- Southern Wisconsin, USA
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- JD_4x2_Gator, JD_4300, JD_425, JD_455 AWS, added JD_455, JD_110, JD_X485(sold)
If you are talking the rear 3pt blade, then there are a number of people who are satisfied with that method of removing snow( if that is what you mean by 'plow').
If you mean something else by 'plow', then I'm not sure. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
If you mean something else by 'plow', then I'm not sure. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
OP
Makers_Mark
Silver Member
That's exactly what I mean. Rotating the grader and angleing it, then driving in reverse type of snow plowing. Just wanted to hear pros and cons of it. It's the least expensive thing I could do.
Varmintmist
Platinum Member
I do the same, except I plow forward mostly. Eaiser on the neck, and the snow doesnt seem to care if you run over it.
I dont know how it would work since the back blade I have is swing only. IF you had a blade that would float ie one with a adjustment on it to drop either side, let it float. Not put a pin in the tip adjustment, just in the swing to get your angle. I think that would work better.
Just pull your toplink in so the blade isnt cutting, fairly strait up and down.
I dont know how it would work since the back blade I have is swing only. IF you had a blade that would float ie one with a adjustment on it to drop either side, let it float. Not put a pin in the tip adjustment, just in the swing to get your angle. I think that would work better.
Just pull your toplink in so the blade isnt cutting, fairly strait up and down.
OP
Makers_Mark
Silver Member
That sounds logical. Thanks. Just got a price of $550 for 7' Woods blade. From what I've seen, these are pretty heavy duty.
Makers Mark,
We posted at the same time.
I do what Varmintmist does (drive forward).
I keep the toplink connected but shorten so the blade is flat (vertically).
Depending on your environment (amount of snow, obstacles...), you may want to consider using a shear pin where your blade pivots. (I use a cheap 3/8" bolt). I'd rather shear it off than risk other damage if you catch something that you can't see, it's frozen in and doesn't want to move.
The FEL is handy for pushing piles away if/when needed.
We posted at the same time.
I do what Varmintmist does (drive forward).
I keep the toplink connected but shorten so the blade is flat (vertically).
Depending on your environment (amount of snow, obstacles...), you may want to consider using a shear pin where your blade pivots. (I use a cheap 3/8" bolt). I'd rather shear it off than risk other damage if you catch something that you can't see, it's frozen in and doesn't want to move.
The FEL is handy for pushing piles away if/when needed.
OP
Makers_Mark
Silver Member
Driving foward, you don't find that the snow builds up behind the rear wheels? What do you do if it's 3' of snow. I would think it would be difficult to drive foward though that much snow without plowing a path first.
Ledgemere Farm
Veteran Member
I tried going backward with it once, but since my 3PH doesn't have down pressure, I couldn't get it to stop riding up onto the pile I was trying to push. I tried it on my Farmall, which DOES have down pressure, but it took away the traction to my rear wheels (2WD), so that didn't work either.
OP
Makers_Mark
Silver Member
I didn't even think of that problem. Does that happen when going foward?
When going forward the blade will stay on the ground.
Angle the blade so the snow moves to 1 side. (doesn't build up behind the rear wheels).
A blade won't do 3' deep snow. You'll need to use a blower or FEL to get through that.
Are you doing a paved or stone driveway?
Angle the blade so the snow moves to 1 side. (doesn't build up behind the rear wheels).
A blade won't do 3' deep snow. You'll need to use a blower or FEL to get through that.
Are you doing a paved or stone driveway?
Varmintmist
Platinum Member
Never had the snow build enough to bother the tires. If there is 3 foot, well, then I'm going backwards, a little at a time. I plowed drifts around a foot and a half, but I did keep up with it. Tried to hit it before it got to 8 in fall.
The only problem I had was the snow pushing the rear of the tractor when there was a lot behind it. Solved that by increasing the angle of the blade for a few passes just to bull the majority of the snow off, then decreasing the angle and cleaning it up.
Actually, if it gets that deep, now I'll be using the FEL. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Come ooooooon snow /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Going to be a different ball game with 4wd, 13 more hp, and a lot more tractor this year. he he he he
The only problem I had was the snow pushing the rear of the tractor when there was a lot behind it. Solved that by increasing the angle of the blade for a few passes just to bull the majority of the snow off, then decreasing the angle and cleaning it up.
Actually, if it gets that deep, now I'll be using the FEL. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Come ooooooon snow /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Going to be a different ball game with 4wd, 13 more hp, and a lot more tractor this year. he he he he
Ledgemere Farm
Veteran Member
It digs in fine going forward. There was some ice under the snow and I just couldn't get a bite going in reverse. My Farmall would just spin. I finally just used the Cub with the loader and pushed it off. It was a tarred driveway. I didn't like wearing the cutting edge of my loader, but the ice had to go.
Varmintmist
Platinum Member
The only other tips I have heard but have yet to try;
One guy I know puts a piece of belt, the kind that is used to move stone in quarrys, between the cutting edge and the main blade sticking down about 1/2 in.
The other guy uses a piece of plastic pipe over the cutting edge.
This is to keep the blade from digging the stone out of the driveway.
I'm going to try the pipe one, simply because I have pipe. If it works, great, if not, I'll pull it.
One guy I know puts a piece of belt, the kind that is used to move stone in quarrys, between the cutting edge and the main blade sticking down about 1/2 in.
The other guy uses a piece of plastic pipe over the cutting edge.
This is to keep the blade from digging the stone out of the driveway.
I'm going to try the pipe one, simply because I have pipe. If it works, great, if not, I'll pull it.
A couple more tips.
If you have a concrete driveway, be careful if your pulling the blade and it isn't angled. The blade will fall into the concrete's expansion joints and may damage the crete as it's coming out.
If you have a stone driveway, consider how/where you're going to put the snow. Inevitably, you'll probably pick up some of the stone. I made it a point to use the FEL and try to put into piles. That way, in the spring you'll have a couple piles of stone to pick up and put back as opposed to raking up the entire area along the side of the driveway.
If you have a concrete driveway, be careful if your pulling the blade and it isn't angled. The blade will fall into the concrete's expansion joints and may damage the crete as it's coming out.
If you have a stone driveway, consider how/where you're going to put the snow. Inevitably, you'll probably pick up some of the stone. I made it a point to use the FEL and try to put into piles. That way, in the spring you'll have a couple piles of stone to pick up and put back as opposed to raking up the entire area along the side of the driveway.
