What is the most efficient snow removal machine?

[JDgreen227]

Let's see now, I have three snowblowers, plus an ATV with a front mounted plow, a Deere 318 with a front plow, and a 3/4 ton truck with a front plow, and a Deere 4210 with a FEL and 5' rear blade...mid-Michigan is getting socked with a heavy snowfall right now and my hands down choice of snow removal equipment is the tractor with the FEL and rear blade. I did four of my neighbor's driveways plus mine in an hour and a half. Sure, a snowblower can throw snow a long way, and my truck mounted plow can push a lot better going forward than my Deere can going in reverse, but NOTHING can match the tractor for snow removal. I can use the back blade going both forward and reverse, and the FEL both forward and reverse, and the FEL can stack snow almost 8 feet high...plus the amazingly short turning radius and excellent visibility enhance the capabilities... no plow or snowblower can even begin to approach the snow removal functions of a CUT fitted like mine.

Know of any other machine that excels at snow removal and beats a properly equipped CUT for that purpose? Post your opinions, please.

 

[RalphVa]

If you have very much snow, a snow blower is the best. Removing snow with an FEL is SLOOW. Gotta scoop and then go to the side and dump, scoop, go to the side and dump and be lucky you don't go off too far to the side and get stuck. Back blades are fine in up to around 6". Front blades are good for up to around 12". Need a snow blower or lots of time with an FEL otherwise.

We had 56" 2009/10. It was slow going with the FEL. Almost wished I'd still had my Gravely Square chutter snow blower.

Ralph

 

[Thomas]

I like plow attach to bucket w/rear scraper blade.
Tractor can get into tighter places and have better chance not get stuck like pickup w/plow.

 

[Bob77064]

Bill, do use both the bucket and the rear blade? Which do you think works better.

 

[VitaBene]

I have to go with a front blower off mid PTO. My PU plow is faster but can't move it a 100 feet sideways!

 

[dave1949]

I do a lot of clearing with the FEL. The 3pt blower is nice too for open areas. I have corners, dead-ends and such that are not easy to blow, or the wind makes it too painful.

If we get socked with an 18-20 incher the blower is the tool to have. Haven't had one of those in several years.

I have an 8' plow for my 1 ton, but with a 12' foot bed it's not very nimble. I haven't had the plow on the truck in over a year now, but it is inside on casters ready to wheel up to the mount on the truck if I need it.

I think a blower or plow is more efficient than a FEL in general, but a FEL will always get the job done too and is handier in tight spaces, can be used to back drag, etc.

 

[IXLR8]

I have a tractor with FEL and rear blade and a Sierra 1500 with blade. I can clear my 3 driveways in 1/4 the time with the truck/blade than I can with the tractor/FEL/blade. Although I often use the tractor as it is more fun, gets me out of the house longer and I can pile the snow where it annoys my jerk of a neighbor more.

 

[Coyote machine]

Flamethrower!

 

[MikePA]

IMO, what's efficient is in the eye of the beholder. The only thing that's certain is that blanket statements of what's best will be wrong.

Given;

1. The total snow we get over the whole winter.
2. The average amount of snow in a single storm.
3. The type of snow we usually get.
4. The driveways I clear, both in square footage, layout and slope.
5. The places I have to push the snow.
6. The place I have to store my tractor and attachments.

A FEL is most cost effective for my situation.

 

[JDgreen227]

Bill, do use both the bucket and the rear blade? Which do you think works better.

I use them both in combination, push heavy drifts with the FEL bucket going forward to level the snow off so the rear blade can plow it, and back push with the rear blade. The limiting factor with a snowblower of any type is that they ONLY work going forward, and in many of the areas I plow here the buildings and windows are close by which limits the distance a snowblower can throw. Having a FEL and rear blade mean your tractor can move snow going both forward and reverse.