rear blade or front QA blade on loader for snow removal

[mark02tj]

JeffInNE - Do you have a front end loader on your 2320? And, what driveway surface do you have (gravel, asphalt, concrete)? If you have a FEL and a paved driveway, you can check out www.ratchetrake.com and scroll down to the "Snow Edge" shown on their page.

Being the frugal (read - Cheap!!) guy that I am, I really didn't want to spend $300+ on the snow edge but liked the idea. Then I found a couple of threads here on TBN that suggested getting ABS plastic pipe from the local home improvement or plumbing supply store and attaching that the the FEL or on the bottom of your rear blade. I bought a 10' section of 1.5" schedule 40 ABS pipe for about $6 at the store. Cut it in half for my 60" FEL, and then sawed it along the entire length with my circular saw. A little persuasion with a rubber mallet and this thing is stuck on the cutting edge of the FEL. Works great on the concrete pad (approx 1800 SF) in front of my garage. I put the bucket in float and it gets to the surface of the concrete without leaving any marks. It does leave "wind rows", but I simply back up and go back over them. So I spent a total of $6 instead of $329 for the same result!!

If you have a gravel driveway, the consensus was to use a larger diameter pipe on it so it wouldn't dig into the gravel.

I know you get a LOT more snow in NE than we do in OH, but this might be an inexpensive (read - Cheap!!) thing to try.

 

[chim]

The snow here is hit or miss. A couple of winters the snow was so scarce I rushed out to plow in the AM before the sun melted it. Every once in a while we get pounded. I remember one winter that I left the pickup in 4WD for an entire week. Our main driveway is about 100 yards that has been paved for about 15 or 16 years, and we have another that goes to the shed almost that long that is still gravel. I also do driveways for neighbors - one is almost the mirro image of mine, three are probably less than 50 feet long and two cars wide. Almost all of these are paved.

I used a (very heavy) front blade on an old 2WD tractor with chains on the rear, gravel drive for the first two years. Worked pretty well.

Next 10 years were with a small Ford 1210 R1's and 5' rear blade. Drove forward through small snows with the blade at 45ｰ. Backed up withthe blade spun around for deep stuff. For the first 5 or so years the driveway was still gravel. As was already mentioned, until the gravel was well frozen it was best to rotate the blade so it was "the wrong way". I did get a stiff neck when there was a decent snowfall and I had to push backwards.

In 2002 I bought a Kubota B7500 w/FEL, R4's and a 6' rear blade. For small snows, the rear blade at 45ｰ is still the ticket. For larger ones the first run through is pushing with the bucket. If it piles up too much it;s just a matter of shoving the pile off to the side.

Last year was the first I had the L3200 w/FEL R4's and I haven't seen a decent snow since. Hope that changes today!

On the B7500 I drilled the factory cutting edge and cut a wear edge from some heavy flatbar we had at the shop after seeing how much the factory edge wore after the first winter. On this one I tapped holes in the added edge and bolted it from the bucket side. Problem solved. When I made the toothbar it was made to fit over the added wear bar and fastened with a couple bolts through the side. After getting the L3200 I found a hefty piece of stainless bar that I added as a wear edge on that bucket. This time I plug-welded bolts into the bar and ran nuts on from the bucket side.

 

[Steve_in_SEMich]

Here's my setup - after plowing snow twice, I leave the front blade straight, use it the first time down the driveway and then to clean out driveway entrances that the angled rear blade fills in. I was happily surprised to see how well the rear blade cleans the asphalt drives and road. If my front blade was hydraulically angled, I would probably use it for all plowing. However, for the many places I need to move snow straight forward, I will leave the front blade straight and the rear blade will be the main snow mover. Skid shoes on both blades. I wanted the FEL mounted blade for the easy change out to bucket & forks.

If you don't need the FEL during the winter, I have two friends that have frame mounted front blades. Very sturdy, very maneuverable, shorter overall length, and with the hydraulic angling, works just like a truck plow.

Maybe you should get a 2nd tractor and have both setups?

 

[JeffinNE]

Thanks to all for replying.

Mark---think I will try the ABS pipe attached to the bucket on my 200cx for this year. Next year will probably go with a rear blade just to speed things up even more (no windrows). Will then attach either ABS or a piece of horse stall mat to the blade. Just can't justify the extra $$ for the front push option.

Steve--nice setup!!

....and Roy responded to my post--I'm honored!!

 

[RoyJackson]

....and Roy responded to my post--I'm honored!!

Boy, if you're honored because I responded...sure don't take much to impress you!

 

[bigdad]

It depends on your pocket book. Either one will do it. The front being more convenient. I've done a lot over the years with a rear 3pt blade. Heavy snows and windrows can be handled by the loader. The rear blade has other uses in summer. I don't think either blade will harm your concrete.

I agree. Loader and RB.

 

[MAN IN BLACK]

Why don't you put a snowblower on the 3 point of tractor ?
Been using it for 25 years combined with the FEL....never have any probles...+ you don't have to constantly push the banks away.
Black

 

[Tshipp]

I use a 7' rear blade and love it for 90% of snow, it's fast and easy and gets up close to hard to get at areas. I just put it at an angle, drag snow out to road and use FEL to push it in ditch. The other 10% I use a 74" Farm king and big wet snow disappears fast!