Snow Attachments Snow Removal Question

[Jay4200]

I'm buying a new place that will require snow removal on a private road/driveway for about 1000'. What's my best option? Plow or blower? Cost vs. effectiveness? I have a Kubota L4200 (~45HP) w/ backhoe and bucket.

I tried to do a search, but the advertizements come up overlaying 1/2 of the search window, so I can't click on "go". Nice job TBN.

JayC

 

[Sackett2]

A blower IMO. Did countless hours in both when stationed in ND. The blower will reduce the volume of snow AND toss it way away from where you are plowing. With a plow, you can end up with mountains and hills all over with little room to add more in a bad year.

 

[JJT]

Without a doubt - a blower is the way to go if you get any kind of snow.

Check out http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/151576-snow-plow-damaging-tractor-new-post.html.

 

[Mingy]

It depends on the snow.

If you get light snowfalls (a few inches), a plow is pretty fast and effective. If you get large snowfalls, a blower is the way to go. We get mostly light falls with occassional dumps. Blowers move a lot of snow, but you don't go very fast.

My 'snow' tractor is a Kubota 3010 HST (hydrostatic transmission). I got a 6' rear blower (just wider than the tractor) but I got major back spasms using it because I had to twist and keep my right foot on the treadle.

So I upgraded to a front blower (serious $$$). It works great. This winter I'll add a rear blade for quick touch ups.

 

[studor]

I would vote for the blower as well -- I too have a very long driveway and it is not very wide so the blower means it does not "get narrower" as the winter goes on. Less snowfall means I can just go faster in reverse

 

[Mark_in_NH]

I have to agree that a snowblower will do a clean job and prevent building up those pesky snowbanks but I for one would not want to spend all my time driving backwards with my back and neck twisted around like a pretzel. Of course a front mounted blower would solve that problem.
I do all my plowing here in Moultonborough, NH with a front mounted Fisher 7.5' hydraulic blade on a Quick Attach and I love it.
I plow my yard which is a Very Large area, one of my neighbors driveway, I keep the road to our houses (1000' +/- ) cleaned and widened between the towns plowings and I also keep the fire hydrant by my house cleaned out. I can push a blade full of snow right up to the snowbank, raise my loader arm and keep piling the snow as high as may have to. Unfortunatly it does create those very same pesky snowbanks.
I think a front mounted plow works excellant and is a great attachment to own.

 

[RickB]

I have a 1/4 mile drive and have two tractors ready to move snow. They are older, so I try to have plan B available. I use a 7' power angle front plow frame mounted on a Case 885 with a 7' rear blade 90% of the time. I have a 6' rear blower that (now)only gets used when I need to blow the banks back, not ofetn at all. When I first got the blower, I used it quite a bit until I figured out it is quite a bit slower than a decent front mounted power angle plow. Not considering the part about looking back over my shoulder, which really isn't a big deal to me.

 

[6sunset6]

I started out with a power angle plow . this was on a NH 1320. The tractor was not heavy enough to push more than 6 inches of snow so I got a rear blower. I wait till it stops snowing and then make one pass down the middle with the blower and then plow the edges back. I have a TC34DA now with loaded tires and it still is not heavy enough for just the blade. My plowing is almost all flat but if I had chains the plow might do it all. Blower is ok for one pass. If I was going to do all by blowing I would get a front mount but then I would lose the FEL. and the cost a bundle.

 

[tessiers]

I second RickB I plow most of the time but have a rear mount blower to keep the banks back. Also keeps my seat time to a minimum during inclement weather, I can blow back banks on nice days as needed. The two implements go on opposite ends of the tractor so why not use both.

 

[irvingj]

Without a doubt- a front-mount blower. Quite a bit more expensive than a plow or a rear-mount blower, but once you have it....

No snowbanks; one pass does it; blower keeps roadway clear for traction as you move forward. The distance these things throw, even on a SCUT, is impressive.