Snowblower/rear blade ??

[fom]

Bought my tractor about 6 weeks ago and couldn't be happier with it.I never would have bought it for snow removal but since I have it why not put it to work.The more I search and the more dealers I talk to the more confused I'm getting.People seem pretty split on the advantages of a 3pt.rear blower and a rear blade.My driveway is blacktop,about a 150'x12' with an additional 40'x25'by the garage.I can't even seem to get a consensus on light,medium,or heavy blade.The blade could also by used a little on a field road on some hunting land.I've seen alot of Meteor snowblowers around(new and used) I've heard mixed reviews on them.Width of rear tires is 66".Your opinions are most welcome.Thanks.

 

[Slamfire]

Sounds like a 6' blade would be too small, once it is angled it wouldn't cover your wheel tracks. That isn't too important in snow but for gravel roads it is a blessing.
Actually, for snow a blade isn't the best answer, as you'd be gouging your blacktop or be pushing the gravel off the road into the drainage at the edges. I don't know which blade would be best for your snow, ours is usually very wet and heavy. But you'd want at least medium duty for the hunting road.
I don't have a blower, yet! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[rambler]

You didn't mention the hp of the tractor you bought. 3pt snow blowers need a really slow reverse & live pto - but most folks here have new machines where that is covered. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I run a farm in minnesota with a long gravel driveway & lots of paths to clear in drifting, never goes away until March. snow.

So, I hated every minute of the 5 years I used a blade, and love my 3pt snow blower! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

For your small area, the blade might be a better match. The problem is if snow drifts a lot (I live in the prairie - are you in woods?) or never melts away, it gets hard to find places to put it snow with a blade. If you have little drifting, or are in a more mild climate where the snow will go away from time to time - go for the blade.

The light one will handle snow fine. If you want to tackle dirt too, maybe a medium duty - will suck down into crusted snow a little better too.

Hard to say which is better on limited knowledge - maybe your profile lists all the info, but I didn't check. Hope I gave you some direction....

--->Paul

 

[snowman]

For the past couple of years, I've used a front 5' blower and a rear 5' blade on a paved driveway.

I stuck the rear blade on simply because I had it and the extra weight on the back was helpful. The blade would also clean up the little snow left by the blower; it was also excellent at scraping up tire tracks (compressed snow).

If it only snowed an inch or so of the heavy wet snow, I would just use the blade.

I would also use the blade sometimes to scrape the snow into rows and then use the blower to blow the piles away.

If you have alot of snow in your area, you may find it slowgoing if you only have a blade.

If your choice is a 3pt blower or a blade (but not both), I would say go with the blower.

Note too that the blade will not harm your pavement at all unless the pavement is already otherwise terribly cracked and heaving; I use the blade on it in the summer sometimes to clear the mud off of it after I've moved dirt around (mud in the tire lugs end up on the driveway). You do not need shoes on the blade.

Blade is a Woods - about 270 lbs I think.

 

[chim]

As others said, it depends on how much snow you normally get. Around here, we have some Winters almost without snow, and others with quite a lot. Our main (paved) drive is about 100 yards long with a parking area near the house, and there is another stone drive to a shed and LP tank. I also take care of the driveways for 3 neighbors. Last Winter is the first time since we built here in '89 that I use anything besides a blade. The first few years it was a front blade on a Cub, then a rear blade on a Ford 1210 until getting the B7500 about a year and a half ago. The B7500 has a FEL that comes in handy for deep snow and moving the piles back. While I often thought a blower would be fun, the blades have always done the job for me, although last year the FEL was a real welcome addition.......................chim

 

[fom]

The tractor is a Kubota L3830hst-30pto hp(37hp engine) The last 2 years there's been very little snow.The problem comes when we get 2" in the morning and 2"during the day.The driveway has a significant slope and if you don't remove it promptly it will turn to ice and you deal with that all winter.It takes almost an hour with my walk behind.Spending 2 hrs.a day is a royal pain.

 

[Henro]

Hi,

This is just opinion as I don't have any experience with a snow blower. I do use a rear blade and have found it to work pretty good.

Since you have a pretty good sized tractor I would get minimum of a 7' rear blade. If you are talking only a couple inches of snow at a time I would think a snow blower would be overkill. I don't think I would personally buy one for that amount of snow. Now if you got 6" or more regularly...that would be a different story.

Some have posted that they bolted on a piece of rubber along the bottom edge of thier rear blades to protect their driveways from damage. Among other things, horse mats which are relatively cheap have been sliced into strips and used. I am not sure how durable they are, maybe someone who has done this can give us a report.

If your experience is anything like mine you will be wishing for snow rather than regretting its arrival. They tell me last year was a record snow year here in western PA. Surprised me, because I did not think we got that much. But then, it was my first winter with the tractor and rear blade! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Rear blades are relatively cheap [compared to snow blowers]. Try one first and see what you think. It may be all you need...

I don't think the rear blade will clean the driveway surface totally free of snow though...so that could be a concern with your sloping driveway...I don't have to worry about that...maybe with a rubber edge it would...

 

[shoppintractors]

I had a rear mounted snow blower first then a rear blade several years later. Once I purchased the rear blade, I used it 95% of the time. It was nice being able to go forward plowing snow rather than in reverse all the time. The snow blower needed 6" or better of snow to really function properly and the big snow falls were only coming every other year or so.

 

[zuiko]

If you do decide on a blade, I just got a 7' light duty king kutter at Mill's Fleet Farm for $179.95. I figured that is all I need for snow and I don't really plan on using it for anything else. That price is good till October 2, then it goes back up to $195 (still cheap). My dealer was about $350 on light duty blades by the time he paid for freight and everything.

 

[755inNY]

fom,

Based on your conditions, I think a blade would be the best. A snow blower would be much slower and not really needed for 2 to 4 inches of snow. I see in your profile you have a FEL so in the event you got a dose of heavier snow you could always use that to move snow and to push back any snow banks.

I have a JD 755 with a 7 foot blade (20 HP, 4WD, Turfs, FEL, about 2400 pounds of plowing weight). The 755 is only about 4 feet wide so I have a lot of overhang on each side. The tractor would not do well pulling anything but snow with this size blade. My driveway is only about 80 feet long and fairly level. I use the blade facing forward and pull the snow down the driveway. I can pull the snow the whole length of the driveway with snow depths up to 6 or 7 inches (depending on moisture content). It is nice to be able to back the tractor up so that the blade is at the garage door, or even inside the garage, and then drive forward rather than pushing the snow backwards.

I've been doing this for 15 years. Our average yearly snow fall is 110+ inches and it has not damaged the driveway. You can adjust the top link to change the angle of the blade so that it scrapes the surface more or less aggressively. I hang weights off the blade to give more down pressure.

Good Luck. Snow will be here soon!

Jeff