Skids or feet for plowing with an FEL?

[crkub]

Hi all,

I purchased an older Kubota B7500 with an LA727 loader this past summer for landscaping projects. Intending to use it to plow snow this winter on my asphalt driveway, which is shared with another house. My concern is that I will scratch the surface of the asphalt. Since it's a shared driveway, I'd prefer to minimize this, even it it's only cosmetic. Anyone have recommendations on how to minimize this?

My budget dictates I use the FEL (no $ for adding a snowblad). however I could add skids / feet/ shoes to it if that's an option?

I think I'm at increased risk of issues with this since the front edge of the bucket was damage slightly be previous owner. Thereis an upside down "U" shape to it, such that the outer left/right edges touch the ground but the center portion is about 1/2" off the ground. I think the outer edges will do the scratching.

Thoughts appreciated!

 

[leonz]

Hi all,

I purchased an older Kubota B7500 with an LA727 loader this past summer for landscaping projects. Intending to use it to plow snow this winter on my asphalt driveway, which is shared with another house. My concern is that I will scratch the surface of the asphalt. Since it's a shared driveway, I'd prefer to minimize this, even it it's only cosmetic. Anyone have recommendations on how to minimize this?

My budget dictates I use the FEL (no $ for adding a snowblad). however I could add skids / feet/ shoes to it if that's an option?

I think I'm at increased risk of issues with this since the front edge of the bucket was damage slightly be previous owner. Thereis an upside down "U" shape to it, such that the outer left/right edges touch the ground but the center portion is about 1/2" off the ground. I think the outer edges will do the scratching.

Thoughts appreciated!

You cannot minimise scratching unless you have a walk behind snow caster or a lawn tractor with a snow caster.

Unless you have loaded tires on your B7500 your going to be in a world of hurt and you may need chains as well. I know you do not want to hear that but you will have plenty of problems without traction.


The scratching of asphault is a given so thats unavoidable in plowing with a bucket or a blade with skids or shoes.


Your better off simply buying a back blade for your B7500 and adding 3pneumatic casters to the the back side of the blade with angle iron mounts to prevent any scratching.


You might as well look at coating the driveway every year and throwing sand on the fresh tar for traction if your neighbor is finicky about such things.

You could add a piece of plastic pipe to the cutting edge but you would not be able clean the asphault as you would leave snow on the surface-but this is what sand is good for as a traction aid.

 

[CowwFace]

Hey CrKub,

I've been using my FEL for pushing snow for past 3 years .. Prior to that used ATV with Blade.

I will admit I'm not to concerned about scratching my asphalt (but I do understand why you are) ..

I fab'ed up a 3" steel pipe to put on the front of my FEL bucket to prevent me from scraping up all the gravel off of the road ... it works GREAT .. however I will admit that the end of last year, and the 2 storms this year I have not put it back on .. I just keep the front of the bucket angled up a bit and I seem to get the same results w/o the hassle of putting the pipe on.

Long story short .. I would say just make sure the front edge of your bucked is angled up a bit and I think you will be fine. Also .. chains .. make a WORLD of difference for ice/snow traction.

Tractor on

 

[crkub]

Guys,

Thanks for the ideas. Never thought of putting a pipe on the front edge. I may give that a try.

I have plowed with a FEL before without too much scratching. And it was on a larger L series Kubota. But the bucket edge was nice and straight so I figured it helped distribute the load. Whereas mine has a curve to it and will put more loading on the edges.

However if tipping the front edge up helps, I'll give that a try as option #1. The back edge is much straighter and should distirbute the load better.

Incidentally both my B7500 and my dad's L series have loaded tires. Never had any issues with the L, but it has Ag tires. Mine has industrial tires and a lighter machine, so maybe it will be a challenge. I guess I'll see how it goes first, then consider a bar and/or chains.

I guess I was hoping there was an easy set of bolt-on skid feet with a softer wear surface, but probably not. It would interfer with getting the cutting edge down, which is often needed.

Thanks!

 

[thatguy]

I was not mechanicaly inclined enough to be able to mount a pipe to my fel, so I did what I could..

I mounted a 2x4 to the bottom of the bucket (using 3 or 4 bolts thru the bottom of the bucket) - I used that as my 'wear surface' and it didnt scrape the my asphalt drive nearly as bad..

just another idea

b