Question for Snow People

[NCMau]

I don't live in snow land. Here in the sand hills of North Carolina, we don't get much snow, maybe once or twice a year. In any case, I like to have a way to clear snow for my place and my close neighbors. I have a 35 HP tractor and a back blade which can be manually angled. I have the option to mount it in the back (tires loaded) or, in front with minimum effort as a loader attachment.

My question is, which would be a preferred method in my situation with 2 or 3 of snow?
Another question, I need a way to prevent gouging. I read about people using a plastic pipe, so I was thinking a slit (2?) pvc pipe on the blade edge. I believe that a pvc pipe vs a metal one would be acceptable (and easier) with my limited use.
What is the consensus and what would be a good way to secure this plastic pipe to the blade?

 

[deerseeker001]

the first snow fall 2-3 inches drive over it and pack it down and let freeze,then when you use your back-blade you wont be digging in.

 

[V1Rotate]

Plastic pipe should work fine.
I would use the blade mounted on the front, much easier to look forward while plowing than to always be looking behind

 

[deerseeker001]

If using on 3 point set blade so it is at 90 degree angle so it wont dig in.the more you tip it back the more it digs.its all how you adjust your 3 point arm.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

2 or 3 inches I'd just drive over the snow and keep an eye on the blade so I don't up the surface, especially if it hadn't froze solid before it snowed.
2 or 3 feet, and even driving backwards with the back blade reversed might be too much. In that case, you'll need to use the FEL and herringbone your way up the drive.

 

[Baby Grand]

Unless the back blade has a trip mechanism, I'd only mount the back blade on the rear hitch. The reason is that catching an edge with it attached will put a large twisting load on your loader arms - possibly more than it was designed for. When you compare the cost of replacing an FEL vs a rear blade ... well, you can do the math.

There are plenty of posts on here about how people have attached a pipe to the blade, so a quick search should yield enough reading material to keep you busy 'til any threat of snow is long gone.

I use a hunk of rubber sandwiched between the cutting edge and the moldboard and this works great for my purposes, just don't expect to get down to bare asphalt if you go this route.

Good luck & tell us how you make out!

 

[BHD]

at 2 or 3 inches why plow it?
and my guess is it would be gone in less than week normally,

two or three feet I would want the blade on the front. on the rear it will build up between the blade and the tires and in time you will be stuck you may not be able to pull it and cant back over it,

if you have a good angle on it on light snow falls it may roll off to the side, with out building up,

if heavy snow , flip the blade around and push backwards or mount on loader, on the loader you have the option to push the show up in to a pile. with the lift of the blade and a little forward movement at the pile.

 

[LD1]

The pipe works but for no more snow than you get, I would just spin the blade 180 degrees. The blade itself is heavy enough to move snow, and with the cutting edge angled the wrong way, there is no chance of digging in

 

[NCMau]

Thank you snow people. Great suggestions!!!

 

[NoTrespassing]

You can probably turn that blade around backwards and angle it to keep it from digging in for that small amount of snow. Myself, I just try to be careful on the gravel drive until it freezes here. I still end up with gravel in the yard in the spring.

Kevin