Think it'll work?

GrumpyJoe · Dec 16, 2020

With winter coming in I was thinking of ways to clear my gravel drive without removing half the gravel along with the snow. Came up with this idea and it didn't cost me a dime. Already had a 4 inch x 8 foot piece of PVC pipe. I cut it down to 6 feet then cut it long ways. Slipped it over the bottom of the blade and just for now I'm using tie downs to keep it on. I've already ran it over the drive and it didn't move any gravel. I just hope it weighs enough to not just ride on top but get down under the snow.

jaxs · Dec 16, 2020

I've been plowing snow for,,,,,,,well,,,,living in Texas,by the time I can get my blade hooked up it's 50F and snow is gone. :laughing: Now that you know how much experience I have,you know how much advice you can use. That might get most powder off but I doubt it will help if packed or icey. The guys I've seen in NM and Tx Panhandle drag a little gravel off with snow and leave it in rows and piles until snow melts then redistribute gravel.

shooterdon · Dec 16, 2020

It will move snow but not scrape. Just what you want.

MF243RedTop · Dec 16, 2020

If that doesn't work..

Add a pair of skid shoes to the backside of your blade, adjust top link out and they will only let the cutting edge cut along the top of the drive.
I've never plowed snow but it works well with dirt wouldn't see why it would be different..

Aquamoose · Dec 17, 2020

Turn the blade around and plow when the ground isn’t frozen. When it’s frozen, I let a thin layer of snow cover the gravel and let harden with some vehicular traffic before turning the blade back around for the rest of the winter.

BrkMstr · Dec 17, 2020

It's worth a try, but I think it's going to act like a snowboard, I have a couple of areas of crushed stone. If I use the plow I keep it raised an inch or two, you can do the same by setting up the skid shoes, for some reason when I got in the warm truck just never bothered to get out again and set them up, just got use to dropping it and then raising to the level I wanted. With the blower I do the hard top area and then back into the garage and set the skid shoes down, that raises the cutting edge about 2". What really helps is setting up the first storm, if all we get is six or seven inches before I do anything over the stone I drive over it, back and forth, once you get a few inches compacted - it makes the rest of the season easy as the blower / blades ride on top of it. Fortunately, we normally do not get warm enough for the base to melt away till season end. Keep us posted on how it works out.....

Citydude · Dec 17, 2020

I used PVC on my boss ATV snowplow. It worked great. They wear fast though.

PILOON · Dec 17, 2020

I made up 'clamp on' skid shoes and that works just fine.
In fact I've seen that an entrepreneur out there is marketing them these days.

CoyPatton · Dec 17, 2020

GrumpyJoe said:
With winter coming in I was thinking of ways to clear my gravel drive without removing half the gravel along with the snow. Came up with this idea and it didn't cost me a dime. Already had a 4 inch x 8 foot piece of PVC pipe. I cut it down to 6 feet then cut it long ways. Slipped it over the bottom of the blade and just for now I'm using tie downs to keep it on. I've already ran it over the drive and it didn't move any gravel. I just hope it weighs enough to not just ride on top but get down under the snow.

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It will work, how well depends largely upon the weight if your blade.
One caution is to use the heavy sch 80 pvc as concrete, asphalt and gravel are all rough surfaces and will eat up the pipe fairly quickly. Try to size your pvc where the rear is resting on the cutting edge bolts. It will help to hold it onto tye blade.