Rear blade for snow removal

[Fallon]

Found an old photo with the old back blade on It. 72" apparently. You can also see the manual SSQA blade on the front that I prefered to the hydraulic back blade.

 

[leningrad]

Found an old photo with the old back blade on It. 72" apparently. You can also see the manual SSQA blade on the front that I prefered to the hydraulic back blade.View attachment 636375View attachment 636376

Where did you find the manual ssqa front blade?

 

[Fallon]

Where did you find the manual ssqa front blade?

At garage sales for $100 a part or so, probably $300 total and a weekend into making it. Welded a QH to a SSQA plate. Mounted the plow to a pipe I welded fittings to that fit the QH. It was a cheap light blade designed for a small jeep or what not, fit the L3200 pretty well.

It stuck out a bit to far & was a bit light but worked well. Lots of float on the blade, almost to much as I could flip it backwards with the loader all the way up. My new (stainless) SSQA blade is a solid mount & gouges. If you float the loader it unloads your front end. No traction, front end lifts off the ground, things dig into the gravel. I plan on rebuilding the mount at some point. A 3pt blade has float from the 3pt intrinsically so doesnt have the same type of issues.

 

[DKCDKC]

I use a 6 ft blade and the FEL to clear snow usually. Here in the mountains of Virginia we rarely get more than a foot at a time - only had 2 to 3 footers four times since 2001. I've got a full mile of a gravel drive - with hills and real curves. I use a JD 3038e because it was inexpensive and practical. I go out to plow only after 6 inches or so has fallen - sometimes at night so I've added a homemade LED light setup on the ROPS. A wider blade would pull my tractor to the side in heavy snow. I do a run up and back and it pushes the snow off nicely. If I expect a heavy snow, I'll run again to nudge it back and allow for more snow. Generally the blade and occasional use of the FEL keep the road passable for my wife's Subaru. But I have a fall-back for any major storm. I've got a friendly neighbor who owes me and who has a monster JD with a snowplow that can handle anything. He kinda tears up some of my gravel though, so I use him only when needed. The key for me is getting the snow off as easy and inexpensively as possible.

 

[The Deerslayer]

I have the same tractor model as you and I use a 7 footer on mine. Contemplated the same decision you are making and I have been very pleased with my choice. The tractor handles it with zero problems and the width on angle covers the tire tracks(and I have mine set at the widest distance).
I also have a long gravel driveway. I reverse the cutting edge so it will not dig in before the ground freezes. Good luck with your purchase.

 

[FTG-05]

I bought a 8 grader blade years ago. I'm pretty sure it came from some fly-by-night tractor implement company, can't remember their name though. My bet is that they are long out of bidness.

Excellent build quality, in fact overbuilt, will handle both Cat 1 and Cat 2 tractors. If anyone can ID the manufacturer, I'd appreciate it, I'd like to let them know it's worked real well for me on my one mile gravel road. Unfortunately for the OP (but fortunately for me) I've never used it on snow and I hope I never have to (I hate the cold!).

Pics:

 

[Blue14]

I'm gonna take a lucky guess,(Everything Attachments) was I close

 

[fried1765]

I'm gonna take a lucky guess,(Everything Attachments) was I close

It think you just won the "best guesser" prize!

 

[Corm]

Hi Leningrad. I live in northern Vt. I have a 1/4 mile gravel drive, and it isn't flat by a long shot. I plow my driveway with a Woods 84" rear blade.

My tractor is A 26 hp Cub Cadet 7260. All tires are loaded R4's, and I run chains on my front tires. When I bought my tractor, the dealer included an 84" rear blade, a no-name blade of dubious quality. I broke it 3 times the first winter I used it. After welding it back together the 3rd time, I went and bought the Woods blade, and I never had to do a thing to it over the last 20 years. So, using my experience, I would recommend guying the best, heaviest duty blade you can afford. Plowing snow, on a gravel drive, is very tough on both the blade and the tractor. At least a couple of times every winter it seems my blade will seek out that one frozen rock just barely sticking out of the driveway and it will stop me dead, or will try to spin the tractor around. That's what broke my old blade. The Woods bade just takes it in stride. It also has a curved blade, not a flat blade with the top bent over (like my original one was). Another person mentioned this, and it really does make a difference when plowing. The snow rolls off the blade much better.

My bade also has the ability to shift from side to side. VERY handy, especially in the spring of the year when you need to push your banks back to make room for that last big spring time snow fall. It allows your tractor to stay in the driveway (where you have the most traction) while you push your banks back. This is also where the chains on the front wheels really shine. Without the chains on the fronts, having the blade angled off to the side will constantly try to push the front of the tractor around. A couple of folks have mentioned that they plow with the blade backwards while the driveway is soft, and the normal way when it is frozen. This is really good advice.
Another handy feature of my blade is it has the ability to go almost vertical. This works well when you need to clean out your ditches in the spring. I straddle my ditches with the tractor, and go the length of my driveway. Works slick as heck.

Hope this helps a bit. One Vermonter to another!

Corm

 

[Bedlam]

I do like the ring on top to lift it.. Thats a good touch...