Snow snow removal

[smfcpacfp]

On my way home last night in Sands Township (Marquette Co) I actually saw a few flakes of snow interspersed with the rain. It was 34 degrees out.

Still I won't put my snow blower on the tractor until mid November.

The best way to clear a lot of consistent is snow is with a rig like mine (forward facing 2 stage blower). It isn't quite as fast as plowing but you don't have to create, huge push lanes, or push areas to put the snow.

Plowing is always mentioned as cheaper, but I think in the long run that isn't true, because there seems to be a lot more maintaince with plowing and the associated down time.

 

[bigdad]

Look through the threads on RB gauge wheels. I use them for snow and they work great, especially in gravel and soft stuff. It'll scrape some, but keeps that cutting edge up. I push and pull both with pretty good success. Good luck.

Peter I have a 6ft rhino blade we use for grading and wanted to use it for plowing but I was wondering how it would work cause the blade doesn't have shoes and we have a gravel driveway....with an elevated 20* slope at the exit.

Any advice on plowing techniques or adding some kind of field expedient blade shoes welcome...thanks.

Kubota B1750

edit...whoops I just reread 'Dyer, retired' about pushing the snow backwards so it doesn't dig into the gravel...but your 3ph arms are way more built up than mine. Don't know for sure but I'm thinking the snow may push up the blade or bend my simple turnbuckles. hummmm I dunno

 

[amigauser]

The best way to clear a lot of consistent is snow is with a rig like mine (forward facing 2 stage blower). It isn't quite as fast as plowing but you don't have to create, huge push lanes, or push areas to put the snow.

Plowing is always mentioned as cheaper, but I think in the long run that isn't true, because there seems to be a lot more maintaince with plowing and the associated down time.

I agree that plowing requires an area to push the snow. In areas with huge amounts of snow that does not melt between storms the front blower makes a lot of sense. The plow is also faster as you stated, definately so with smaller amounts of snow.

I am not sure what you mean by more maintenance with plowing? I have a B3030HSDCC with the Kubota quick hitch (same one that is used for the Kubota front blower) and the Kubota 72" (6 ft) front blade. Other than a couple of grease points on the blade, there is ZERO maintenance. I would think that snowblowers (either front or rear) require a lot more maintenance than a blade or am I missing somthing here?

Maybe you mean by maintenance that it takes longer to remove heavy snows, cleanup, pile etc. with a blade vs. a blower? Is that what you meant by maintenance? I would agree that blowers are much better for large amounts of snow and eliminate a lot of cleanup.

 

[smfcpacfp]

What I was mentioned plowing maintenance, I was thinking about the guy who used to plow my drive with a pickup, not a tractor.

 

[rbargeron]

On my way home last night... I actually saw a few flakes of snow interspersed with the rain.......

Say it ain't so !!

 

[savageactor7]

savageactor7,
You could just try to work with the blade now while the gravel is relatively loose to see how it does. Go forward, back up turn it both ways. You will get a good sense of how it works when there is snow on the ground. Be careful though when backing up especially when the blade is turned around. It is bound to help some to decide what you want to do and you could play a little in areas where your driveway may not bee as smooth as you would want it.

Right that's why I want to pull snow, the frozen banks can get like stone so I deal with them with the FEL. I'm worried about bending the 3PH hardware turnbuckles plowing backwards...

...I use my blade all the time to spread gravel and flesh out swale holes etc. Right now after reading through the experienced suggestions above my plans are to 1 foot sections of 3" PVC on each end of the blade with 4 holes cut in the PVC so I can secure the PVC to the blade. I'm hoping the gap in the middle will clean up the packed snow packed down from the tires. truthfully if it leaves an inch or 2 in the driveway...that's no big deal.

Thanks to all for your input, right now I use a 42" plow blade on our Cub 1440 which works real good but my neighbor uses his york rake to remove snow from his gravel driveway and suggests that I would save even more time using my 6ft blade. Can't believe I've had the blade for 10 years and never used it for plowing yet.

 

[BlacknTan]

Snow in the High peaks of the Adirondacks Friday night..

 

[PILOON]

The ideal solution is to install 'shoes' or skid plates on a blade.
Mind you on unfrozen gravel drives the shoes will actually dig and create ruts.

What I usually did when plow contracting was to plow backwards, ie drive in and drop my blade and back out therby pulling backwards the bulk of the snow but the weight of my plow would compact (and really smoothe out the dips and holes) a good base for future storms.

On a gravel drive if the first snow fall is not a major event then the absolute best procedure is to simply compact that snow to create a base for future events.

Never mind plowing, blowing; just drive back and forth and compact yourself a base, besides you do have snow tires on your car/truck, don't you?

 

[easygo]

If you had the blade for 10yrs then there is nothing new I could tell you. I guess you will be happy with the results. Have fun

 

[WayneB]

Snow in the High peaks of the Adirondacks Friday night..

Where in the Adirondacks are you located? We have a place on the Raquette river near South Colton. Heading up there tomorrow for the week and then closing up Camp next Monday.

 

[DANOCHEESE]

Play with the tilt of your blade. If going forward tighten up your top link this will for lack of a better term, butter the ground with the snow. Your attack will not be that agressive and tear into the gravel. After you get a base frozen in, then you can get agressive and smooth out the drive. I plowed a 600 foot lane with an old 6 foot balde on a massey 65 for a few years no problems.

Don't be in a rush to get that first snow plowed, let it protect your lane. Unless you ave a big hill and need traction. Of course that is what the stove ashs are for.

Also 16 inchs of wet stuff in pine dale wyoming two days ago 10,500 ft Elevation at camp. Guide jsut called and said it is wet and heavy snow makign the bul moose wild.

 

[DavidVT]

Hello,
I most always push in reverse with the blade facing forward. While this is less aggresive than allowing the blade edge to cut in, I find I have less problems with catching stones,etc.

This helps to 'butter' (stole the phrase above) the drives early on so I get a good base of ice on the gravel /rock/dirt driveways.s

I have a fisher plow setup with pivot hydraulics for the FEL but only use it when I need to push the banks back (or up high). My wife is not comfortable with the FEL plow setup so she is a pro at the back blade technique.

Given time this winter (if I can get out of Galveston before the snow flys in Vermont) I plan to put another old fisher plow directly on the bucket with clamps. I think my wife will find this a bit easier than backing all the time and the trip edge should protect the tractor and FEL..... This one will be up close to the bucket and will not be able to pivot.

Good luck with the snow.. I find it the most rewarding task for the kubota!

 

[smfcpacfp]

Better way to Remove Snow

If you just want the snow gone and don't enjoy plowing, blowing, or whatever and have money, do what a doctor friend of mine did. He had a heated pipe system installed under his driveway. When it begins to snow, a sensor turns on the huge furnace which heats the fluid in the system which then circulates and melts the snow. The think the cost was $50,000 ten years ago, or so.

He has a very steep, curved and fairly short driveway. I would never try to drive up it in the winter. It is even tricky in the summer.

 

[Bedlam]

Sounds like a fairly reasonable cost product.I'm glad there is a sensor to know when to turn it on couldn't imagine having to turn that big switch on when I saw it was ready to be melted.
Looks like money well spent over the long run.