Snow Challange: Rear GB on Articulating machine

[Shadow99]

Had our 1st real snowfall here in Western Mass, 10" of heavy-wet snow. And my 1st attempt at plowing with my Pasquali 993 w/FEL & rear grader blade. 1st pass was out the garage & down the driveway, with the blade set reverse & windrowing. Result: packed the heck out of the snow, GB would pull the back-end of machine over causing a crab-walk condition. Ok, plan B: use the blade going backwards, like a normal blade. Result: blade removed all the "high-spots" in the driveway, pile of 50yr old asphalt at end of driveway.
Ok, no big deal, have been removing the high-spots in driveway every year for 14yrs now. But now I have this monsterous bank at the end of the driveway, no problem just use the FEL, right. Ahh, my FEL came without a "float" on the loader arms, so now there's a big pile of snow, asphalt & grass, at the end of my driveway. Never mind the clearance issues when turning, having to remember that I'm longer & wider (6.5' blade) now with the GB attached, oops nope, didn't remember.
So what's better going forward or backwards, GB in normal or reverse?
The piece you see strapped to the GB is a concrete wheel weight from a '64 Springfield GT, I had to add that because the Pasquali is set-up with Power-Beyond & when I have the engine running higher than 1500rpm, even with the 3pt in float, it would pick it all the way up & take forever to drop down. Didn't have that issue with the weight-box on.
Thanks,
Shadow

 

[Shadow99]

No comments?!

 

[flyingcow]

Well, i can't help, but i feel your pain. Sounds aggravating to say the least.

 

[RoyJackson]

Unless your 3PH has down pressure...or enough weight atop the blade, it's going to float over the snow.
You can try adjusting the top link to try to get a more aggressive "bite", but you'll get more digging into the asphalt.

When I did use a grader blade, I preferred going forward with the blade angled. Less neck strain and cleared the snow reasonably well. Since I had a hard packed gravel drive, I never expected to get to the surface.
After I did most of the plowing, I used the FEL as required to move the snow piles.

I've actually found I'm better off just using the bucket...so I sold the blade to a buddy on mine last year. Now that I'm in Vermont, I'll likely get a QA plow for my loader.

Not sure if that answers your question...but I'm not exactly sure what your question was...

 

[murphy1244]

A 3 point is made to pull not push.

 

[J_J]

Shadow99,

Do you know you can add a float mode to your lift arms.

Surplus Center - 20 GPM 1/2" NPT FLOAT VALVE PRINCE SS-2B1D

 

[Shadow99]

J.J. I did know that but, I haven't had the time to convert over from a 2 spool, to a 3 spool w/float. That and all my hoses would need to be changed over
from "metric-banjo's" to 37 degree flare &/or SAE. Unless I order the special fittings thru local Parker fitting supplier, & they ain't cheap.

Roy I do have the blade set-up so that I drag a majority of the snow out using the back-side of the blade, then use the front cutting edge to pile it up. Found that the main-valve that controls 3pt, has some blow-by that's causing it to rise when I throttle-up above 1800rpm, also with the way it's tied-in to the FEL, if I move a spool on the FEL while 3pt is in float, up it goes!

Had a better time of it today, with 6" of new fluffy-stuff! Much easier to do during daylight-hours, than at night too!

Thanks Guys!
Shadow

 

[SweBota]

Hi,

wet snow is difficult. Googling your machine I came up with a weight of 1786 lbs which is 810 kg. That is very light to handle 25 cm of wet snow, regardless of how you approach it. My advice would be:

- Get chains on all four wheels, studded forest chains if possible.
- Turn the blade around so that you can drive forward and still use the attack angle. That's how farmers have done it for decades, but with bigger tractors.
- Weigh the blade down even more until it removes the snow but not the asphalt.

Snöblad 2000

/Marcus