Snow plowing on soft ground

[joeyd]

Ok.... What is the best (easiest) way to split a pipe to put on the cutting edge of the blade?

I got a short strip of thin wall cut & mounted but it didn't last.
PVC is broken & gone before I get to the end of the drive on my first pass.

In my experience ABS pipe lasts most of the season on my ATV blade, PVC broke the first plowing. I guess PVC doesn't like the cold. I use the ATV until the ground freezes, it takes a little longer to plow with it but my gravel doesn't end up in the berms. I've been meaning to try ABS on my tractor blade.

 

[HillStreet]

I also have a B2650, and use a rear blower and the bucket. Most years we just freeze and it’s not an issue. This year is cycling a lot between frozen and thawed. My driveway is paved but the adjoining areas are not. I just keep the blower or bucket off the ground enough to move snow but not dig in. I drive in low range and slow, using extra caution. That way the plowed areas are bare in a few days and you are ready for clearing snow when it freezes.

 

[JVR5333]

we have long gravel driveways on our property - all in open areas however - not in trees so they thaw fairly quickly. While we are in eastern TN - nowhere near snow levels you get in MN - I have found that I just drive over the gravel with my Kubota L3901 in 4WD to pack the snow down - easy to drive on with trucks when packed like that. I keep the front-loader tilted all the way down like a blade and keep it high so it only really catches snow that is deep on the crown. If it creates a big mound - I just pick it up and dump it somewhere else - this keeps from digging into the gravel and also gets rid of deep snow on the crown of the driveways - usually rare in TN, but when we do get a good amount of snow - this has been working for me. Good luck!

 

[nspec]

I plow a very large commercial area that is all dirt and can be very soft before it's frozen. Slotted pipe worked just okay. Plow was heavy enough to still dig a little. Also, the pipe seemed like it was wearing pretty quick in the abrasive dirt - even though it was very heavy walled pipe.

Stall mat bolted over the cutting edge was my solution. About twice as tall as cutting edge. bolt it on so half hangs beneath the edge. When you plow, it folds under and the blade rides on the stall mat like a flying carpet. Not perfect, but works really good - much better than the pipe.

I really like the angle iron idea. I may have to try that!

 

[ayelvington]

I used ABS pipe for many years, but usually went through two sections a season since they didn't tolerate the gravel well (split). Two seasons ago I slotted a section of schedule 40 iron pipe with my plasma cutter and fit that over the cutting edge of my back blade. AWESOME! It has stayed on well by itself, so no need to tack it with the welder. I suppose I could have used cutting wheels, but the plasma cutter was paid for and made for warm cutting on a cold day

 

[LD48750]

I used ABS pipe for many years, but usually went through two sections a season since they didn't tolerate the gravel well (split). Two seasons ago I slotted a section of schedule 40 iron pipe with my plasma cutter and fit that over the cutting edge of my back blade. AWESOME! It has stayed on well by itself, so no need to tack it with the welder. I suppose I could have used cutting wheels, but the plasma cutter was paid for and made for warm cutting on a cold day

Hard to justify the cost of a plasma cutter for this one job.

 

[Katahdin]

This worked out well for me one spring, before I put a 2-inch pipe on my plow edge:

1) Raise the front plow a couple inches off the ground.

2) Extend the top-link of the rear box blade as far as it will go.

Now, moving forward, the box blade should compress the snow the plow leaves behind and not disturb the gravel, and your plow never touched the soft ground.

 

[jbrumberg]

^^^^ Works well with a FEL (different heights and angles of contact/w/o edge) as well. I do not even think about moving snow until it is at least ~4." Packing little nuisance snow events with car & truck sets our gravel driveway well, frozen or not, for snow management with the tractor.

 

[Wyobuckaroo]

Until the gravel base on our drive freezes well, I use my rear blade around backwards. That and a gentle touch on the drive seems to work well enough until the base is firm.

Nothing is easy or works the same for everyone. What worked today may not work well tomorrow.

 

[Ken Kegris]

I use the front blade but back up and you will still get some stones that sticks to the snow. I also learned this year that if you take a 2 inch pipe and split length wise and fab that over the cutting edge will make a world of difference. This is what I been told love to know if it works.