Looking for a implement to remove ice

[Thomas]

I would wait for another warm spell than slowly use the rear blade.until than sand grit..dislike the thoughts of stress on blade and 3pt. hitch.

 

[studor]

Every implement I have tried (box blade, rear blade, bucket,rake,harrow and plow) has been ineffectual. I am with the sand and salt or ashes crowd. Those little lawn spreaders are a bad idea as are pto spreaders not built for sand and salt JMHO

 

[kennyd]

You need a Jet-Dryer, just like NASCAR uses.

 

[ttstraw]

Well folks as usual some great replies with good real world experiences but it does look like adding ice removal to the list of reasons why to get a BB is a no-go. I do know cinders works pretty well so maybe the best angle here is having the gravel or sand pile near by for when it痴 needed. I have considered the "move to warmer place" route but when I inquired at work about this I quickly found out that option wasn稚 going to work either even though I liked it the best!

 

[MikeInEburg]

I'm also in the "pile of gravel to spread when necessary" camp. A little bit of gravel goes a long way - I just take a shovel full and fling it across the ice. Gravel doesn't stick to your shoe and get tracked into the house like sand ...

Mike

 

[aczlan]

The problem I find with the pull/push spreaders that I have had is that they rely on traction to drive the spreader. When you get it out on the ice you quickly realize that it was made for summer use on your lawn.
Bigger one's may work better though.

Make one with "studded tires". Take a pull/push spreader with plastic tires and screw in sheet metal screws on the top of all the "lugs" you will get MUCH better traction on ice.

Aaron Z

 

[tommu56]

Wel that may be the case but how about adding a big honkin set of snow chains to those little wheels.

The guy at work that does our walks at work put some hex head zip screws in the hard plastic tires for the grip on the ice and concrete.

tom

 

[Will_Lou]

if you can still get it, Fertalizer works wounders. regular farm type melts ice and leaves great looking grass on sides of drive. prob is homeland security doesnt like us buying it by bag (oklahoma bombing and all that) if you can still get it it works great till it getts really cold. then you back to salt...

 

[schmism]

just remember if you go the sand/gravel route, the pile needs to be kept under a shed else it will be one big frozen chunck of sand or gravel when you want to use it (and that doesnt spread well)

road salt can be bought in bulk durring the right time of year, not in the bag but by the end loader scoup just like gravel or sand. but again you have to store it under shed till the time is right to use it.

 

[Tig]

If needed, I use sand where I park and sand and/or ashes where I drive. I don't like either where it will be tracked into the house.
My last fertilizer spreader struggled for traction in summer. When we moved out of the city I took great satisfaction in leaving it at the city curb on garbage day. I'll never own one again. My lane, although long and sometimes icy is flat. No real worries about safety.

 

[AKwelder]

When I am at work and we have a winter project we end up scratching the work area with loader attachments to avoid slips, trips and falls.

We have two versions, the first consists of a bar with welded sockets for tips from augers. The best ones are from trencher chains. The current models we build have one every 3 inch on center.

The second style uses cat brand cutting edge that are toothed. they have a notch every inch, and then an inch of cutting edge, this type isn't as good. We can make any blade work this way if needed.

both units are made heavy to scratch the ice, yet have feet so they can only go down about an inch. They really break up the ice and some times never get to the ground. The traction is much better

 

[escavader]

No one mentioned this ,but ive used my toothbar on my bucket ,with down pressure to score slots in thick ice.Igo back and forth in several directions cutting slots in the ice.Then i flip up the toothbar[or remove it]and the bucket edge will break it all up,if you slotted it all up good.
ALAN

 

[jake98]

Buy the box-blade, you need one anyway. They're cheap and you can always put a piece of wood on it to carry the sand and salt bags around. Plus, you want one.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Whats wrong with ice ? Its a great surface to plow on if you have a gravel
road, The next snow usually will stick especially if you pack and back drag.
Just have chains on the tractor and studded tires on the truck/car.

 

[JohninCT]

This topic has been discussed before. Below is one of the threads that discusses use of a landscape rake for "grooming" hard packed snow/icy gravel roads. I personnally haven't tried this, but it looks like it works pretty good.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/113391-landscape-rake-snow.html

 

[jimmyj]

I intentionally make ice packs on the lane and other places to make plowing easier. If I get into trouble with traction, sand/salt spread in a thin layer works like magic.

I have had to break ice up a couple of times, I have a manure bucket with really hard spike tines. I back drag it with down pressure and it scores the ice pretty well. The sand is way easier though and not stressful on my equipment.

 

[coobie]

Ok folks I want to run something past you before I make a purchase. The situation is this; leave that thin layer of snow on the driveway so the rear blade doesnt take the gravel off and sure enough we get a warm snap with some rain and then cold again. Now I have a bob sled run instead of a driveway, this happens at least 2 twice a year and sometimes more. I was thinking that a box blade with the rippers set at the lowest might work to rip that inch or two of ice up and allow it to be removed. Has anyone tried this before? Wouldnt mind having the box blade and if this is another viable use then it may be an easier purchase.

My thoughts would be throw out some oil dry,kitty litter or fireplace ashes.coobie

 

[woodyacres]

I hear fireplace ashes alot, not only on this forum. But, my thoughts are that ashes are organic and when they breakdown they turn into soil, right. So, now you are putting soil on your driveway, which everyone says that is bad for a driveway as it leads to potholes and bad drainage. What are your thoughts?

Belive me, I have real issues with icy driveways on my two hills. I have tried the landscape rake (with huge stumps as down weight) to scratch, if the ice isn't too think it works well. This year, it had no effect though. I ended up having to spread ice melt on it. Don't try slamming your FEL down on the ice, that doesn't work, either and is hard on your tractor.

I agree that if you keep sand where you need it, make sure it's covered. I have two and they both are big chunks of ice right now. GRRR!

edit.. BTW, be careful using a walk behind spreader on ice... my attempt ended up with me on my butt sliding down the hill and the spreader on its side, and a big pile of sand not where I wanted it!

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Here is a hair brained idea. If you have available one of those lawn drum rollers that they fill with water to flatten out sod and such. Or even a small barrel or something. either weld on dimples over the entire thing. Or self tapping screws. Just something on the surface of the roller to scratch up and dimple the ice. Fill the roller or drum with concrete so that it is plenty heavy. Then tow it behind the tractor. As it rolls along it could break up the ice for you or at least pit it up for better traction. Basically the same effect as studded snow tires....

 

[aczlan]

As it rolls along it could break up the ice for you or at least pit it up for better traction. Basically the same effect as studded snow tires....

It might be more effective to run the drum at an angle to the direction of travel of the tractor. See the attached picture for an example.

Aaron Z