Snow Q's on Using the BX for Snow Removal

[Firefighter Kubota]

So, since I got the new BX ( a whole 48 hours), I'm working up a list of To Do's. One major thing is snow removal. There, I question A) Front Blade w/ Quick Hitch, B) Front Blower w/ Quick Hitch, or C) Rear Blower.

The price of the Kubota front blower seems outrageous. At 150 foot of driveway, I think I'll pass. The front blade eliminates the use of the loader for serious snow removal, so it looks like a rear blower is it.

What do you all use for snow removal? What brand rear-mounted blower is best? Economical? I'm still hearing $2200-$2500 for a rear-mount, so, maybe I should look at the front blade and just put on the loader if really needed. Can I simply switch between the blade and the loader?

I have a 200 foot driveway that is down hill, and here on the NH seacoast we get alot of snow/slush.... I have a rear blade witha poly edge, that I always use forward and drag behing me, and I started with the FEL for the bulk of the removal but with 4' wide it takes a while so I bought a used 6.5' snow plow and welded my own mounts. MAKES A world of difference! Then I can pop the plow off and use the fel to pile the stuff if needed.

For only 150' of drive , I'd say a blower is alot of $$ unless you got some burning a home in your pocket.... Good luck...

 

[radioman]

During my first winter season with BX, I started using the FEL, decided it took too long, built a wooden pusher, strapped it on with ratchet straps. It works great with light fluffy snow up to a foot. when it gets heavy and wet I would push snow off to the side until I punched through and then cleanup in straight passes. I did that for 2 seasons until I got a truck plow for free and basically bolted in place on FEL pin holes after removing the bucket. . IT works better since the snow rolls and I can push more but a straight blade is not as great as angled. I also used a rear blade and looking behind me is not my idea of fun.If I were you and you haven't gotten anything, getting the front blade should be very nice since you can angle it and see things in front. Having a rear blower is great, its cheaper then front, but the idea looking behind ,me all the time is not my idea of fun especially with no cab. Where I live, there are high winds continuously so a blower is out of the question.

 

[skippy957]

Here is my set-up, a BX2350 FEL and 54" Couture snow blower.
Every things works just fine especially with a warm cab.

 

[radioman]

warm cab.

!! I'm jealous!

 

[robertm]

It's really not the money burning a hole in my pocket as the fact our drive faces West and has nothing at all to break the winds. Sometimes we get drifted so bad it takes a few hours with the loader to get out. I agree the rear blade is nice - I've been doing it with my RB1572 Land Pride for 7-8 years now, but the grass always gets ripped up with the loader and blade. Our drive is narrow enough if I cut it the limits of the asphalt, but I usually have to cut it back wider to eliminate turning every 2" snowfall into FEL work. The blower would make things easier.

I also torched the cutting edge on the FEL of my B7510 last season on the asphalt scraping ice and snow... bad enough the edge was curled up and razor sharp. I am currently thinking about having a secondary heavy-duty edge welded on over the new factory edge to help with the wear... AND eliminate the belly that I always seem to put in the bottom edge of the bucket. The factory wear edge on the lighter-end B and the BX loaders is a joke. It's light duty and thin and wont take near the amount of pressure the loader can dish out. I was thinking about the H&H wear edge to match my toothbar, but at $450, I think I'll pass.

 

[Doug in NNY]

So, since I got the new BX ( a whole 48 hours), I'm working up a list of To Do's. One major thing is snow removal. There, I question A) Front Blade w/ Quick Hitch, B) Front Blower w/ Quick Hitch, or C) Rear Blower.

The price of the Kubota front blower seems outrageous. At 150 foot of driveway, I think I'll pass. The front blade eliminates the use of the loader for serious snow removal, so it looks like a rear blower is it.

What do you all use for snow removal? What brand rear-mounted blower is best? Economical? I'm still hearing $2200-$2500 for a rear-mount, so, maybe I should look at the front blade and just put on the loader if really needed. Can I simply switch between the blade and the loader?

robertm, we live off the eastern end of Lake Ontario, near the Tug Hill Plateau. We had over two hundred twenty inches of snow last season. My neighbor handles our shared driveway, and he and two other men have JD lawn tractors with snow throwers to keep sidewalks clear in our hamlet (pop. 800). Using plows in this kind of snow is unthinkable, though a few around here keep trying. The problem is, once your's out of space to push the white stuff, you're only a month into winter.

I have a 2008 BX2350. I had rear hydraulics installed (the factor kit is really neat). Then I got lucky and found a used Loftness 48" 3ph snow thrower, installing a hydraulic motor to rotate the chute. In early fall I'll get a Curtis cab and *then* I'll be ready. I am amazed at how over-built Loftness products are. If you find one, grab it.

I've heard good reports about Smyth snow throwers, made in Canada.

When blowing and drifting is a problem, think snow thrower. And now is the season for used ones.

Doug

 

[ByronBob]

My driveway is 4x as long and to me a RSB with a FEL is required. I also have a gravel driveway.

With 150 ft you could get by with a blade I would think. Save a few dollars too.