Snow plowing on soft ground

[MikeR 2018]

My stone drive is also a walkway so it cant be packed snow that will turn to ice or the wife will fall. I try for quick and easy solutions first. Floating the FEL and back-blading seems to work pretty well for me. I adjust the bucket edge angle so that it pulls the snow but not the stones. The more vertical the edge - the more likely to move stones. I go as vertical as possible without grabbing the stones. My drive is only only 200 ft. so driving backwards is not too much trouble.

 

[SpringHollow]

My plow has skid shoes like the edge tamer only even wider and they still dig in when the ground is soft. The pipe worked reasonably well for me.

Ken

 

[PILOON]

I have DIY edge tamers on my plow and snow blower.
Np spring raking for me.
So far this winter I have not had to replace a shear bolt on the blower either.

This year lots of snow came B4 freeze up and 'tamers' were a blessing.

 

[John_Mc]

I have DIY edge tamers on my plow and snow blower.
Np spring raking for me.
So far this winter I have not had to replace a shear bolt on the blower either.

This year lots of snow came B4 freeze up and 'tamers' were a blessing.

Pictures? (especially of your snow blower set-up.)

 

[tmcj]

I typically use the back side of the rear blade to avoid pushing gravel and have the Edge Tamers on the bucket on the front. It really depends on what type of snow it is. Usually the rear blade does OK but this last storm we got was about a foot of snow then freezing rain on top so the blade just rode up on top of it, so I had to use the bucket to break it up, then clear it nice with the rear blade.

One thing that I noticed that definitely helped was switching from 2b limestone to 2a for my driveway. It's something that folks may not think about but your driveway material does make a difference. 2a is smaller and packs much nicer to begin with, which is great for driveways like mine that have a steep hill. People would get stuck in my drive in the middle of summer with 2b, lol. So having it packed better and flatter means less digging in when plowing snow. The Edge Tamers work much better with the 2a too whereas they would just push through the 2b and the bucket would still dig in. 2b stays prettty loose and the blade pushes it around pretty easily too, but it pretty much glides over the 2a. So at my place, 2a makes a world of difference all year round.

With the majority of my drive being a hill, I can't afford to pack it down first or leave a few inches on the surface. It needs cleared pretty well or it becomes miserable for anybody without 4wd, good tires, and some skill. Especially like now when it is basically solid ice, sometimes it comes down to spreading rock salt to have a manageable surface without destroying it and having piles of gravel to deal with come spring.

 

[PILOON]

Talking about freezing rain,\
Whenever I suspect it's to be I leave the snow there.
The snow acts like a sponge and most often a crust forms on top thus shedding the rain.
I wait 'till colder and plow or blow as needed.
In that manner I have a dry drive with a 'tractionable base'. Works for me.
LOL, I hate sanding.

 

[MikeR 2018]

One thing that I noticed that definitely helped was switching from 2b limestone to 2a for my driveway. It's something that folks may not think about but your driveway material does make a difference. 2a is smaller and packs much nicer to begin with,

I am trying to learn crushed stone sizes but it seems that every site I find has different ratings. Can you explain the difference between 2A and 2B. I thought that the number was the size of the largest stone. I don't know what the A or B means. I assume that both of these are "modified" (not washed - containing fines & dust) so that they pack well.

 

[PILOON]

I am trying to learn crushed stone sizes but it seems that every site I find has different ratings. Can you explain the difference between 2A and 2B. I thought that the number was the size of the largest stone. I don't know what the A or B means. I assume that both of these are "modified" (not washed - containing fines & dust) so that they pack well.

I also find that confusing.
I prefer the method used in my area which calls it as it is.
Example: 0-3/4 is just that, dust up to 3/4" (might be known as crusher run in some areas) and 3/4" clean gets you washed 3/4 stone.
That 0-3/4 makes a nice driveway finish as it packs well but ruts in heavy rains on hills.
Experience has proven recycled crushed asphalt is the best on hills and has the advantage of being cheaper to purchase.
Hauling costs just about as much as the materials.

 

[joeyd]

I have DIY edge tamers on my plow and snow blower.
Np spring raking for me.
So far this winter I have not had to replace a shear bolt on the blower either.

This year lots of snow came B4 freeze up and 'tamers' were a blessing.

I'd be interested in seeing pictures of the set up on your blower, thanks.

 

[lpakiz]

Heres some pics of my solution, and it works perfectly. (6 foot front mounted blower)
I had the local steel supplier take a piece of 5/16 by 6 flat stock which was 74” long.
I had him put a 30* bend 1 1/2” from the front edge. It looks like a ski, 6” front to back, but 74” wide.
This was attached under the regular wear strip under the blower. I used (4) 7/16 plow bolts. I drilled these extra holes so the skid was demountable without having to remove the original wear strip bolts.
I had a hard time countersinking these holes for the plow bolts, but got it done.
The steel and the bend was around $40, and I had several hours in drilling, countersinking and mounting.

I had a tough time countersinking those bolts, but it really works. I can go on rain soaked, unfrozen grass during the first few snowfalls, and it doesnt EVER dig in. It also does not ride up except on the hardest of blown in drifts. In which case, I use down pressure and if I need to adjust course, I just have to stop, lift, correct the course, lower and down pressure, then proceed again. But I only had to use that procedure once in 2 years
I had planned to remove it after I built up a base of frozen snow, but it penetrates well enough that i havnt removed it in 2 years.