Snow Snow removal with a BX24

[easternhunter]

Any guidelines or experience as to how much snow can be plowed on a gravel driveway with little crown ... and the kind of plow used? Am thinkin' I need to have the capability.

 

[timswi]

If you don't have the attachments already, I'd look into a UTV or at least an ATV to plow with...Much faster and less painful...You can use the BX FEL to move piles if needed. Just my opinion after years of dealing with snow.

 

[Scooby074]

4 wheeler plow fast, probably 5x-10x faster than my snowblowers, plus youre going forward. That all changes if you get to any significant drifts. At about 20" the ATV loses out in drifts and becomes a PITA. Its quicker to get the walk behind blower than sit there ramming packed snow.

I dont have a blade on the bx, but I do plow with the bucket. You can plow pretty fast, but there is a lot of spillage so you have to go back over. You can only pile so high too. BX snowblower works to get the snow away, and if you have any accumulation, a blower is required. Blower is probably faster than the bucket because its single pass to clean 50" as opposed to multiple passes with the bucket.

Next year Im building a snow box for the front of the BX, if I get a QA geared up. That will help the spillage problem

 

[easternhunter]

We had about 22" this last fall in most places. Some deeper. Tried to move my Polaris 500 Sportsman and found it was planing on the snow and didn't get far. Don't see that much that often at once. Never thought of putting a blade on the little fella. Will have to look at that.

 

[check]

We had about 22" this last fall in most places. Some deeper. Tried to move my Polaris 500 Sportsman and found it was planing on the snow and didn't get far. Don't see that much that often at once. Never thought of putting a blade on the little fella. Will have to look at that.

You will be amazed at how effective a plow can be on the front of an ATV. They have an amazing amount of traction, and if you plow before you get too much build up, it is really, really fast. So, if you're expecting a lot of snow, go out and plow it every once in a while, and it will only take a few minutes. Just go out and do it after each 6 inches to 8 inches or so of snow.

 

[bellweather]

The guy owns a BX24 and wants to use it for snow removal...why are you suggesting an ATV?

 

[Shutesbury]

I used an ATV plow for years, but never again, after getting my BX24. Your body takes quite a pounding on an ATV in a full winter region, like Western Mass. You have to push back deep to start, and after awhile end up ramming banks for create room. Tough on the back and shoulders.

I use both the FEL and a backblade on my BX. Lighter storms, you can blade (angled) going forward quite comfortably. In deeper snow, I reverse the blade and back into it. As long as you're not ramming banks, or hitting trees or large rocks, you won't harm the 3pt arm assemblies pushing against them. I did swap out the OEM links for a pair of turnbuckles from TSC and they've held up really well.

For heavier storms, I did get a used 3pt blower, and that works best when you're up above ten inches or so. The FEL and blade work better on crowned gravel drives than the blower. I have several driveways with a high center and compressed wheel paths, where the blower will kick loose stones out, and break the shear pins.

 

[Concordriver]

Any guidelines or experience as to how much snow can be plowed on a gravel driveway with little crown ... and the kind of plow used? Am thinkin' I need to have the capability.

I have been successfully plowing with my BX24 for many years. I have a Curtis plow (which means that I remove the bucket for the winter) and chains on all four tires. There are no limitations...just plow more often if you get a big storm. My biggest suggestion would be to push the snow as far from the edges of the driveway as you can. Otherwise, the snow banks begin to build up and narrow the driveway. I leave the backhoe on all winter for weight and to help me get unstuck if I go off the driveway. The BX24 worked just fine last winter when I had over 4 feet of snow in one month!

 

[radair]

How long is the driveway? I plowed a 150' driveway for years using the bucket. I would do a full pass down the middle, then a series of diagonal passes off to the side. Don't keep emptying the bucket, use it like backfilling a ditch with the bucket in the level position and it goes much faster.

For a long driveway, a 3-point snowblower works great. I have a 1/4 mile long gravel drive and can clear it in one out & back lap. I used a 5' snowblower on my BX-23 and she handled it fine. Keep the rpms up and the travel speed down for really deep stuff.

 

[radair]

duplicate post... TBN has some issues with these