flyingcow
Veteran Member
FWIW- I go from farm to farm picking up milk with a tanker.....
Ridge- how long of a drive you have?
If not a snowblower, than a FEL mounted blade?
How Hard Is Too Hard
- Thread starter RidgeHiker
- Start date
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FWIW- I go from farm to farm picking up milk with a tanker.....
Ridge- how long of a drive you have?
If not a snowblower, than a FEL mounted blade?
OP
RidgeHiker
Gold Member
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2011
- Messages
- 390
- Location
- Upper California Mountains
- Tractor
- Kioti DK5010 with KL5510 Loader & 72" Bucket. Kawasaki Mule Pro MX SE with 66" snow plow.
I plow about 220' of driveway and several parking and turn around areas.
I have considered a FEL mounted blade. I would have to use the bucket as well due to running out of area to push the snow.
Creamer, an impressive looking truck, especially in the snow.
I have considered a FEL mounted blade. I would have to use the bucket as well due to running out of area to push the snow.
Creamer, an impressive looking truck, especially in the snow.
yankeerider
Platinum Member
For over 15 years I cleared snow with just an FEL on my 755. I still don't have chains, and if you saw the steep hill to the back of my property, you'd question my sanity in clearing it. The trick is to go slow, so when you encounter an obstacle, the tractor is merely stopped without impact damage. Lift the loader, back up, and explore your way forward. I'll agree, it isn't the most efficient way to clear snow, but it fit the budget and beat the heck out of using a shovel!
vtsnowedin
Elite Member
I haven't measured the drives I'm driving but it is better then a half mile I'm sure. Some of it is poorly graded and rutted so the shoulder is higher then the travel rut. I can on occasion catch on a rock or other fixed object the frost has pushed up on the edge. Even with ice chains on loaded tires this will stop you dead and the rears will spin while the loader tries to float over the rock which might not happen if the cutting edge has caught under an edge. You need to get your foot on the clutch or off the go pedal on an HST before you break something. Go slow at first until you have found and memorised every fixed object in your plow area or have smoothed them off by plowing. You don't want to be wailing into a pile of snow and getting stopped short by the top of the artisan well casing. :-(
Also you will come to hate landscaping rocks. One guy I know adds $25 for each rock lining a drive to his quotes and makes it clear that is where the cost is. Owners sometimes move all the rocks into an out of the way pile for the winter then replace them to please the gardening spouse in the spring. A good tractor job.
Also you will come to hate landscaping rocks. One guy I know adds $25 for each rock lining a drive to his quotes and makes it clear that is where the cost is. Owners sometimes move all the rocks into an out of the way pile for the winter then replace them to please the gardening spouse in the spring. A good tractor job.
Chilly807
Elite Member
I use the highest gear in low range for moving snow with the bucket, since it doesn't take long to fill it anyway. For moving shallow snow, say up to 12" deep, the rear blade works much better. You're more likely to break something going fast than you are pushing slowly. Even with chains, you'll spin before you break something on the loader, at least in my experience.
Sean
Sean
BIG DOOLEY
Platinum Member
I have a front blade and rear blade for snow plowing.
Generally directing where you would like the snow to go is better(faster).
Especially with no heated cab.
The bucket is great to remove snow from confind areas but not ideal for moving it quickly.
I used the float with my FEL when i tried it for plowing this year.
I like the blade much better.
Blades also have a trip mechanism for a reason.
To protect the equipment from damage due to sudden stopping forces.
I think I want a quick attach blade to switch back and forth from bucket to blade eventually.
I have been looking for a bigger 6' to 7' blade to replace the 54" i have now and make it attachable to the FEL.
Slow and steady is the best way to protect your equipment and your $
Generally directing where you would like the snow to go is better(faster).
Especially with no heated cab.
The bucket is great to remove snow from confind areas but not ideal for moving it quickly.
I used the float with my FEL when i tried it for plowing this year.
I like the blade much better.
Blades also have a trip mechanism for a reason.
To protect the equipment from damage due to sudden stopping forces.
I think I want a quick attach blade to switch back and forth from bucket to blade eventually.
I have been looking for a bigger 6' to 7' blade to replace the 54" i have now and make it attachable to the FEL.
Slow and steady is the best way to protect your equipment and your $
OP
RidgeHiker
Gold Member
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2011
- Messages
- 390
- Location
- Upper California Mountains
- Tractor
- Kioti DK5010 with KL5510 Loader & 72" Bucket. Kawasaki Mule Pro MX SE with 66" snow plow.
I have generally been using 2nd gear out of 4 in low range when the plowing is not as easy and 4th out of 4 when the conditions are better.
It does seem like it would be handy to have a quick release plow and bucket on the FEL to alternate with.
yankeerider said above about using just the bucket: "I'll agree, it isn't the most efficient way to clear snow, but it fit the budget and beat the heck out of using a shovel!" I definitely think about that at times when using the bucket seems slow. Having hand shoveled tons and tons of snow over the years I certainly appreciate the loader. I still do some hand shoveling and use my snow blower where the tractor can't go.
It does seem like it would be handy to have a quick release plow and bucket on the FEL to alternate with.
yankeerider said above about using just the bucket: "I'll agree, it isn't the most efficient way to clear snow, but it fit the budget and beat the heck out of using a shovel!" I definitely think about that at times when using the bucket seems slow. Having hand shoveled tons and tons of snow over the years I certainly appreciate the loader. I still do some hand shoveling and use my snow blower where the tractor can't go.
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dave1949
Super Star Member
Short driveway, tall snow :laughing:
Well, you don't want to go banging into things like ice blocks. I usually try to be lifting the loader arms and curling the bucket a bit with the joystick when I approach a frozen-up pile. A lot of times, that will pry off a chunk and roll it over the top of the pile. In heavy snow, I use mid-range 2nd gear at about 1700-1800 rpm, so that is moving fairly slow, which is the key to limiting damage. I will boost the rpms if I get behind a heavy pile to prevent stalling.
Tractors are fairly durable and can take a bit of wheel spin even with chains, but you want to be gentle.
Well, you don't want to go banging into things like ice blocks. I usually try to be lifting the loader arms and curling the bucket a bit with the joystick when I approach a frozen-up pile. A lot of times, that will pry off a chunk and roll it over the top of the pile. In heavy snow, I use mid-range 2nd gear at about 1700-1800 rpm, so that is moving fairly slow, which is the key to limiting damage. I will boost the rpms if I get behind a heavy pile to prevent stalling.
Tractors are fairly durable and can take a bit of wheel spin even with chains, but you want to be gentle.
flyingcow
Veteran Member
Someone on here made a nice snowpusher out of heavuy black culvert.
busy dad
Bronze Member
I am of the understanding that it is better to spin a tire than stall a machine and possibly break something..From the big dump truck days bias ply tube tires would spin and tear the tubes , when radial tubeless came in they wouldn't spin and broken axles could result.. Some times less traction is better.
