Snow Plow / Pusher Size

[lostcause]

I've been planning on converting a Fisher snow plow for use on my tractor. I have a 6.5 foot from a Jeep that a friend gave me when I had my JD770. I never got around to it, and always ended up just using the bucket, but now that I have my new(er) tractor, I'm going to try to move forward on the plow since dumping a bucket is really tedious. I have thought about doing a pusher instead, but I do a couple areas that are wide and long, so i'll fill the pusher and be creating new windrows to chase down. With the plow I can angle it to one side and keep working in one direction.

After the first plowable storm of the winter (with the bucket) it feels like my new tractor is going to be able to push a lot more snow due to weight and traction. The old tractor was a JD770, ag tires, and sometimes a backhoe on the back. The new one is a JD3039 cab with loaded industrial tires, and depending on steering ability, could have a 1k+ ballast on the back. with no ballast and just the 5 foot bucket the tractor was far better than the 770 ever was at both steering and not spinning. I'm wondering now whether i can handle a 7.5 foot blade, or whether in heavy snow it will be too much to push. Without the ballast i'm going to be right around 5k in weight, as opposed to about just over 3k with the 770. an old 7.5 foot blade is really common to find around here, and it would pin on the same, so I can move out on fab regardless.

 

[George2615]

I use a 7.5' truck blade I mounted to a QA plate and it works fine. I bought my tractor with a 7' pusher box and it wanted to go straight with a full box of snow. Sold the box the next season. My tractor is similar in weight (about 5600 w/ loaded tires). Depending on how much snow we get I may have to put chains on front and rear for traction and steering. I also have a 7' double auger 3pt blower used to remove banks. You should be fine with a truck plow.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Does your tractor have turning (split) brakes?

I use my split brakes all winter long, makes a huge difference on being able to "steer" when pushing snow.

I'm at 7000 lbs all in, including rear 3pt box blade. That's with industrial tires, filled rears and no chains.

 

[George2615]

Does your tractor have turning (split) brakes?

I use my split brakes all winter long, makes a huge difference on being able to "steer" when pushing snow.

I'm at 7000 lbs all in, including rear 3pt box blade. That's with industrial tires, filled rears and no chains.

Yes, I do have split brakes but even with that a full pusher box of snow is very heavy to turn. No problem turning with the plow. The chains are for later in the season when the lower snow base turns to ice.

 

[CoyPatton]

I've been planning on converting a Fisher snow plow for use on my tractor. I have a 6.5 foot from a Jeep that a friend gave me when I had my JD770. I never got around to it, and always ended up just using the bucket, but now that I have my new(er) tractor, I'm going to try to move forward on the plow since dumping a bucket is really tedious. I have thought about doing a pusher instead, but I do a couple areas that are wide and long, so i'll fill the pusher and be creating new windrows to chase down. With the plow I can angle it to one side and keep working in one direction.

After the first plowable storm of the winter (with the bucket) it feels like my new tractor is going to be able to push a lot more snow due to weight and traction. The old tractor was a JD770, ag tires, and sometimes a backhoe on the back. The new one is a JD3039 cab with loaded industrial tires, and depending on steering ability, could have a 1k+ ballast on the back. with no ballast and just the 5 foot bucket the tractor was far better than the 770 ever was at both steering and not spinning. I'm wondering now whether i can handle a 7.5 foot blade, or whether in heavy snow it will be too much to push. Without the ballast i'm going to be right around 5k in weight, as opposed to about just over 3k with the 770. an old 7.5 foot blade is really common to find around here, and it would pin on the same, so I can move out on fab regardless.

I would advise watching closely about adding ballast on the rear. You will not be lifting snow with a pusher or a plow blade so additional weight gains you little. You have filled tires so your current added weight is at the best location. The big issue with 3PH ballast in snow is taking weight off of the front wheels causing even greater steering issues when you may already be lifting the front if not watching closely and/or using float on the loader.
If you need more traction, consider wheel weights to keep that weight on the rear axle. Also for traction consider chains for rear, for better steering consider chains for front.

 

[Thomas]

I found out heavy wet snow with pusher not much fun other than that good set rear tire chains rear blade for ballast etc. :thumbsup:

 

[Rustyiron]

Here in Maine we usually have "good - dry" snow. That first mess was wet & heavy, but for the bulk of the winter I don't think you'd have any trouble even with a 8' pusher. Smaller bites if necessary is always an option as well as some enhanced traction via chains or studs. And don't be shy posting pictures

 

[chim]

I run an 8 foot Fisher on an SSQA mount. It is power angling by using the third function. It is floated with chains. That keeps the weight of the loader arms on the front wheels. The rear tires are loaded and this year I hung a 50 gallon drum poured full of concrete on the three point. Tested it last week with heavy snow and it worked well.

 

[PILOON]

My tractor is a CUT in the 30 hp range.
I first used an angling blade but simply lacked weight and was ruining front rims (from crabbing) so I converted it to straight push.

What I did to avoid that 'spillover' problem was to create a wing or 'side keeper', but on only one side (left in my case) of my blade.
So whenever clearing large surfaces I only spill off to the right and that way never need to do those extra return passes.
So in large areas I start off on left side and work my way across always making next passes to the right.

When a big dumping occurs I simply make 1/2 passes 'til the job is done.
(I opted for left 'keeper' since my big area slopes to the right.)

I considered 2 'keepers' or wings but decided that I did not have enough HP nor weight to handle big loads.

With a true dedicated pusher weight is your friend,
At major parking areas you'll observe that usually the vehicle is an old 10/12 wheel truck with a huge concrete weight on the back bed area, that or older big 4 x 4 loaders.