Sno-pusher or 3-Point Rear Blade?

[dpdannya]

I recently sold my home on a mountain in the Adirondack region of northern New York. For the last twenty years, I maintained a steep, winding 2,400-foot drive with a 30-hp Cub Cadet Compact tractor, which had a 7-foot ABI rear blade and a 5-foot bucket. I let the tractor go with the house.

I've downsized and purchased a home with a flat paved 300 FT driveway in the same area. I'm looking at purchasing a new Mahindra 1120 subcompact. I'm torn between using the bucket and rear blade or should I go with a front sno-pusher? The primary use of the tractor is for snow removal. I'm concerned with the smaller tires. Can I pull the snow forward and have sufficient traction without chains (I don't want the scratching on the driveway) to move the snow if we get 18" of snow or am I better punching forward and clearing the snow for better traction?

 

[Tractorable]

Now’s your chance to get a front mounted snow blower

 

[oldnslo]

With no chains I agree either loader or pusher as long as you have space for piles of snow.

300 feet a rear blower would be another option and you can leave loader on tractor also.

 

[arrow]

I recently sold my home on a mountain in the Adirondack region of northern New York. For the last twenty years, I maintained a steep, winding 2,400-foot drive with a 30-hp Cub Cadet Compact tractor, which had a 7-foot ABI rear blade and a 5-foot bucket. I let the tractor go with the house.

I've downsized and purchased a home with a flat paved 300 FT driveway in the same area. I'm looking at purchasing a new Mahindra 1120 subcompact. I'm torn between using the bucket and rear blade or should I go with a front sno-pusher? The primary use of the tractor is for snow removal. I'm concerned with the smaller tires. Can I pull the snow forward and have sufficient traction without chains (I don't want the scratching on the driveway) to move the snow if we get 18" of snow or am I better punching forward and clearing the snow for better traction?

I feel the bucket works in unison with the blade.
A 300’ drive l think is best served with the 2100 series however.
You’ll have 1450 lbs of loader lift compared to 780 lbs for the 1100.
If you were mounting a 36” front mount snow thrower on the 1100, then it begins to equalize but now you’re in the cost amount or over for the next size tractor. Front mounts aren’t cheap.
A pusher is a good tool for landings but you aren’t gonna push very much with the 1100. A pusher needs a lot of rear ballast to be effective.

We had a customer late last year purchase the 1100. He has a 200’ long driveway and wanted a grass cutter and the fel.
Recently we got a 6” dump of wet snow. He was so frustrated, he traded in the 1100 for the 2124.

I would strongly suggest you step up at least a tractor size or two for your intended purpose.
You are not my customer so you must realize l am not pitching you to simply spend more money.
I don’t do that with anyone period.
My concern deals with fitting the correct tool for the customers needs and have been doing this for awhile.
That factor is the main impetus for my suggestion.

 

[arrow]

Can I pull the snow forward and have sufficient traction without chains (I don't want the scratching on the driveway) to move the snow if we get 18" of snow or am I better punching forward and clearing the snow for better traction?

Short answer is a hard…no.
Ideally you would be looking at the 1626 with loaded turf tires, 6’ rear blade and 60” bucket if insisting on no chains.

 

[bmaverick]

I recently sold my home on a mountain in the Adirondack region of northern New York. For the last twenty years, I maintained a steep, winding 2,400-foot drive with a 30-hp Cub Cadet Compact tractor, which had a 7-foot ABI rear blade and a 5-foot bucket. I let the tractor go with the house.

I've downsized and purchased a home with a flat paved 300 FT driveway in the same area. I'm looking at purchasing a new Mahindra 1120 subcompact. I'm torn between using the bucket and rear blade or should I go with a front sno-pusher? The primary use of the tractor is for snow removal. I'm concerned with the smaller tires. Can I pull the snow forward and have sufficient traction without chains (I don't want the scratching on the driveway) to move the snow if we get 18" of snow or am I better punching forward and clearing the snow for better traction?

If you go blade front and/or back, you would need the PCV TUBE to protect the driveway.

Or the expensive rubber edge,

If you do the bucket, still use the rubber or PVC tube.

Or just make one,

 

[chim]

For one 300' driveway I'd go with a loader and a rear blade. The loader and rear scraper on blacktop don't worry me. If you're concerned about it, the most durable and cheapest rubber edges can be found along the highway (big trucks shed "alligators" there). We cut a rubber edge from the tread for a scraper at work and used it for years.

 

[steve tym]

A pusher works so much better than a bucket. It will hold way more snow and when yo gt to the end, it's just pick up the pusher and back up. With the bucket, you have to raise the bucket, dump the bucket and shake it, then reposition it and back up. The pusher is much more fluid.
All of that said, good luck pushing 300' of snow. Be prepared for a snow blower.

 

[bridge4]

I have a pusher, look at my avatar, blower on back and pusher on front. The pusher is significantly better than a front bucket for clearing your driveway. I do alot of pushing with my box and I love it. Rubber edge on it is great, get one with a steel edge on the top you can back-drag if you need too and cut into hard stuff.

You can always have your bucket available for moving snow later if you need to reduce piles. The only thing I will say, is load your tires, get some weight on that tractor. Anything over 4-5 inches will slow you down in 50 feet or so if you don't have any weight to push with. You can also just do short passes on heavier days and it takes a little longer no big deal. A bucket is going to be slow as hell and require a ton of repeat work to get it to look clean at all if that's something you care about.

Rear blade isn't a bad choice, and maybe you could use it for dirt work, but if you are working snow mainly, you will regret not getting something made for snow.

 

[edgarrian]

If you get a lot of snow. You will want a pusher. We dont get much here in indiana so I use my bucket and box blade. For the handful of times I push snow. This works. If i lived in a region where I had to move snow at least 10 times. I would look into a snowblower.