Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Gravel drive snow removal

[TGF]

I cleared my driveway most of last year with a FEL with just a bucket. It would take me just over 40 minutes to clear close to a quarter mile 1 car wide just scoop and dump. I didn't use float because as the OP thought it would pick up a bunch of gravel, so basically all I did was lower the bucket down to about 1-2 inches off the ground then scoop.

The PVC sounds like a good idea, I wish I had thought of it. I hope it works for you, but that snow starts to pack and get very hard and very heavy fast. You might find the PVC creates a ramp effect and doesn't let you dig properly.

Good luck, and a FEL is perfectly fine. I purchased a snow blower for the 3-point that I can just hover a inch or two about the drive. The snow blower is way faster, and cleaner.

 

[ray66v]

You just have to pick the right tool for the job. Lighter snows (<8" powdery snows), you can just use the FEL bucket as a "plow" (or a loader mounted plow). It'll depend on the size and weight or the tractor...also, if the tires have chains.
Blizzard snows...then you need another tool...and that tool might still be the loader bucket but you'd be moving and dumping snow with it.
So...your toolbox contains more then one tool (I hope). Just pick the right tool for the job.

I own, and have used them all, the "loader mounted plow", a regular plow, the loader bucket, and a blower, the loader mounted plow is actually a superior tool for very deep snow, much better than the bucket.

The loader arms allow you to do things an ordinary plow can't, like push the top off of a huge drift, and make it easily manageable. You can easily, and quickly, knock down, or create, very large piles of snow.

I have over 300" of drive, which often gets 3' to 4' drifts across most of it. I have never had to put the bucket on the loader, which I would only do if I wanted to transport snow from one area to another. The loader plow gets it done, no problem, I just push it, where I want it.

On one occasion last year, conditions were so bad, a 4wd dump truck got stuck plowing a neighbors drive. I had no problem clearing mine.

The only thing I would take over the loader plow, in really deep snow, is a blower. But, using a blower on a gravel drive is dangerous, and using one without a cab, is brutal.

Since most of the time the plow is much faster, if I have to pick one, and I do every fall, I am going with the loader plow.

 

[Thomas]

I groom driveway before freezing than first storm I go slow pack drive way w/pickup or tractor..couple inch base.

 

[jake98]

I use the loader and the boxblade. I have a Honda blower with tracks but have yet to use it without breaking the shear bolts.

 

[djradz]

If trying not to pick up the stones, my rear blade works well going forward with the blade facing forward, only after the snow has packed a bit. Prior to that, I usually push the snow backward, with the blade still facing forward. It is more of a hassle, but seems to get most of the snow without much or any gravel. I also tried turning the blade around, so the rear of the blade faces forward, but unless the snow is extremely light, find the blade floats up too much.

 

[sawduster98]

For my 500' drive, I use a 5' backblade (with PVC pipe) facing forward and angled to one side. I keep the FEL about 3-4" above the surface. When the tractor stops moving forward I empty the bucket and start over. Usually half an hour unless it's really heavy. Not letting it get too bad is the key for me anyway. I'll try the pipe on the FEL this year...don't know why I never thought of it, then again...that's why I read this forum!

 

[KU Gator]

I found using ABS Plastic, the black stuff usually used for waste lines, works better than PVC because it does not get as brittle in the cold. My first tries with with PVC worked ok, but it shattered when I was out there for quite a while. ABS is not always available depending on local zoning. In the county where I work, it is not sold, but the county where I live has it at Home Depot. I also used the rear blade backwards method. I found the float on the FEL worked great on the concrete pad in front of the garage. On the rock drive, you can hear a difference when it is digging in, but still pretty easy to get into the rock. Once the rock gets frozen it is not that big of a deal.

 

[Bill Hoffman]

I use a back blade with the top link shortened so the edge doesn't
want to cut in.. I simply drive over the new snow in forward,
lower the rear blade and away we go. Works like crazy. The
blade scrapes but doesn't cut into the soft surface

400 foot driveway with a large turn around at the top. I pull the snow that won't roll off to the side of the driveway up to the top and use the bucket loader to pile it up.

I've used this method on a 12" snowfall with absolutely no problem.

Bill

 

[studor]

I have a very long laneway at the farm with gravel and using the bucket is the biggest waste of time going. A back blade either way is much faster and with an ABS edge it leaves the gravel in place. A rear mount snowblower is my main weapon of choice. As was said earlier it is better to have more tools in the chest. A few years ago I built a plank plow to fit in brackets in my bucket. If I really want to move a litlle snow in a hurry anf leave behind the gravel, I chain that in and put the bucket in float and just drive down and back on the driveway -- work for anything less than four or five inches and cost about $20 --

 

[Chilly807]

Since you've already got the FEL and back blade, you're in the same boat I am. I agree the loader isn't ideal for snow removal, but with a little thought and care they do fine. Just my opinion, but I feel the plastic pipe won't hold up well in cold and on rough surfaces, especially with a mid-size tractor. The more weight is on it, the faster it wears.

I built some bolt-on skids for the bucket bottom, the angle on the front (and back) allows you to angle the bucket down almost to the point of touching the gravel and still not scoop any. It also saves the cutting edge on your bucket. Mine is like new. Put the loader in float and off you go.

I also built a bolt-on snow screen for the top of the bucket, the mesh allows the lights to shine through when it's not full, and keeps it lighter weight. By the time it's full to the top, you've got a LOT of snow in there.

For a longer driveway, lower the rear blade until it's about an inch or two from the surface, and angle it to one side. Whatever spills off the bucket will get shoved off to one side as you go along. Three or four passes should get rid of most of the snow up to about a foot of snowfall, then it takes a bit longer.

Sean