Snowblower/rear blade ??

[s22]

The best implement to have is 'both'.......The past few years I have dicked around w/ a 5' blower.....blowers are the best for
driveways and paths but a real nuicance in wide open spaces..just too slow and sloppy........but on roads/trails
you have no 'banks' and it will significantly decrease drifting snow,.....I now have a new L3830HST as well and plan this
year to try using just the loader and a 22-84 midwest blade....
the loader on this tractor is just awesome....pushing w/ a six foot floating bucket w/ a blade for cleanup seems like it will be fastest....I may grab a new blower as well because you know that sometimes your just gonna get dumped on.....
overall I think blade/bucket with occasional blowing will
be the most efficient set up

 

[chim]

Fom, I've been using a blade for the last 12 years, and have never gouged the blacktop. With the blade and the blacktop both being flat, it's hard to imagine how to make a gouge. Perhaps if you had a curb sticking up that could be caught with the tip of the blade?

The first few years after we built, the driveway was gravel. When the weather was cold enough for snow, it was also cold enough that the gravel was hard. The gravel didn't even get gouged. The only problem with the gravel was that there were always some loose stones that ended up in the adjacent grass. Usually spent a Saturday with a rake in the Spring putting them back on the driveway.......................chim

 

[755inNY]

<font color="blue"> Some of you imply that you need a strip of material attached to the blade edge to keep from gouging the blacktop.Some of the posts state that you definitely don't.What conditions/circumstances make the difference?
</font>
Fom,
It may have to do with driveway condition and/or adjustment of the rear blade. If the blade is not level a corner could dig into the pavement I suppose. Or you may damage the driveway if the blade went off the edge and dug in. It may also have to do with the condition of the blade edge. If it is chipped or rough from other uses, it may be harder on your driveway. The steel edge of the blade will "wear" the surface of the driveway but you are going to get that even with a snowblower with or without shoes.

Jeff

 

[JDGREEN4ME]

If money is no object I would have a blower...on the front. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Boondox]

Fom -- My neighbor is a ski resort, so Clementine and her rear blade get plenty of snow removal action each winter. I've never bothered with a wear strip. When the ground is frozen it's not an issue, as no blade however angled will dig into ice. When the ground is not thawed, however, or when I'm plowing over gravel that I want to stay where put, I simply reverse the blade and plow using the convex edge. I'll bet that would work really well on your blacktop. (Wow, a blacktop driveway sounds like such a luxury to me!) /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

There are times I wish I had a snowblower. Unfortunately those times occur about once every 3-4 years. We get a lot of snow, but not in the huge lake effect dumps like the Buffalo area. And as others have said, blowers really shine when there's a LOT of snow to move.

Pete

 

[Boondox]

Chim -- A leaf blower works well in the spring for putting the gravel back where it belongs...as well as blowing the winter supply of dog poop the other way! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Pete

 

[kiphorn]

My tractor is going to be delivered next week. I'd like to get a blower someday but for now I'm going to be using a rear blade to move snow. If the blade works well enough I'll forgo the blower and invest in a different attachment.

If I go forward and pull the snow, won't the tires leave tracks of packed snow or will the blade clear it off? I've heard of some people spinning the blade and plowing backwards, I have a stone driveway that isn't exactly smooth. Won't the blade dig in on the high spots and jolt the heck out of me and the tractor? If the ground is frozen and I hit a high spot, something has to give, hopefully it won't be part of my tractor.

Boondox, if I follow your post, are you plowing backwards using the back of the blade? Plowing this way, shouldn't the blade have a tendancy to skim over those high spots instead of digging in?

Snow season is just around the corner and I don't have any seat time on my tractor yet, so I need some advice from the pros. Fortunately our big storms here in central PA are usually less than a foot (last President's Day excluded) so I'm not dealing with huge quantities of snow. But I'll still need some pointers for my first time out.

Thanks,

Kip

Soon to be TC24D, FEL, 60" MMM & 6' rear blade /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[prosperity]

At my old property, I plowed 1 mile of dirt/gravel road in some hard winters with a JD2010 (45hp) with rear blade.

Most of the time I ran backward with the blade turned backward also. In the fall, when the ground isn't frozen yet, you will be digging in somewhat here and there. You'll have to take it slow the first few times, and be ready to lift the blade a little as it digs in. It won't dig in so much that it will stop the tractor, especially if you keep the blade angled. The blade will eventually ride up over the higher spots once the worst "crowns" are taken off. Once the ground is frozen, it will just glide right along. I tried going forward a couple times with small snowfalls (1"), but any more than that doesn't work very well.
I see that you will be getting a loader also. Your loader can be quite a handy snow removal tool also. Before the ground is frozen, you can put you bucket on the ground in float, and raise your cutting edge about 1/2", and move snow that way. A lot of folks around here use only a loader for their snow removal.

Relax, and with the first couple snows, after some experimenting, you'll find a combination that works for you in different situations. Just remember to take it slow - thawed or frozen, and keep your seatbelt on. If and when you hit something, you want to stay on your machine to keep it under control.

 

[Henro]

You will get the hang of setting your rear blade up pretty quick I bet.

The tractor tires do pack down the snow a little, but the blade will take most of the packed snow away...don't worry about that.

You can even turn the blade backwards and run forwards and it will work.

Experiment! The rear blade works pretty well if the snow is not too deep. I don't have a lot to plow, but my guess after a year of experience is that 8" or less of snow would be no problem.

Adjust your top link so the blade pivot point is vertical, then when you swing the blade it will remain horizontal at any angle, and the outside edge will not dig in...

You will be amazed at how well your tractor cleans the snow from your driveway/parking area.

You are going to love that tractor!