Grader as Plow

[bczoom]

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?

 

[Varmintmist]

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

 

[Ledgemere Farm]

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]

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.

 

[RonR]

One thing you could do if you don't want your top link appying pressure (or to let it "trip), you could insert a length of chain in it's place. That way, when you need to raise it, you could.

Ron

 

[bczoom]

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.