Snow Attachments which snow tool is best.

[majorwager]

Prequalificatios: similar threads have been posted and individual conditions/restrictions are applicable, Acknowledged
Snow blower, plow. Snow pusher. Bucket use is common but very inefficient, gouging, frequent dumping, snow packs and sticks inside.

Snow blower: most efficient in deep snow and drifts but slow. Useful where drainage ditches line the access road/driveway. They eat gravel, wears impeller blades, dents circular housing, hydro top link and/or skid shoes for unpaved surfaces. Better distribution if piles are impractical. Require high RPM, reduced fuel economy, expensive, especially front mount, rear mount a pain, neck, back. Cab use preferred.

Plow: fast, efficient, deep snow requires lateral piling. Sub- 8", fast removal. Rear weight and 4wd necessary. FEL mount allows benching and pile/bank management. Angling requires 3rd function, expensive, small skid shoes rut unfrozen surface. Trip springs = safety

Snow pusher: fast, sub 8 inches, least expensive, push, lift, reverse, lower, push. Repeat. Large skid shoe surface, mine are 3 x 27 x 2. FEL mount, no added hydraulics. Requires wt. + 4wd. 12+ inches = lateral discharge. Side plates prevent close back-bladeing. Rubber edge, w/ 3 uses.
Pusher grades summer gravel uniformly. Outer mounted skid shoes = no ruts in fresh gravel. Good containment within pushing surface = uniform spreading, doubles as a box blade but in front where you also see where tractor is going. Eliminate attachment duplication.

All methods suffer from unfrozen, uneven surfaces. No single method is perfect. I use combo FEL pusher, rear blade with skid shoes, hyd top link.

I have used each method listed. Uniform agreement never anticipated. Personal preference works best. You are NOT clearing my drive, I'm not doing yours, Comments still invited.

 

[Peter 315]

I have a paved drive and a dirt drive I just use the bucket one less attachment to buy and trip over:2cents:

 

[Thomas]

I have 300' driveway w/good size parking area plus found plow w/rear scraper blade works the best all snow conditions,only down side need keep banks push way back tho.

 

[Erik M]

The best snow tool is the one that is paid for and does the job for you. I have a 38 yr old tractor with an 80” snowblower that keeps my 600’ lane open no matter how much snow we get. There are other ways that would work too, but this is the best one for me.

 

[rekees4300]

Comments still invited.

The best snow tool depends on the job to be done. As you pointed out there are many variables. If I had to pick just one I'd go with a front-mounted blower.

 

[fishhead]

There is a third type of blower-the modern 2-stage rear pull
No turning around to watch it all the time, works great on smaller snows, not so much on deep or drifted. only handle the snow once. Pronovost and maybe others make a hydraulic wheel kit for soft surfaces. Rear pull also puts less snow on you while driving than front mount or rear push. Not cheap, but some of that is because most styles made are either commercial or semi-commercial in construction.



Quote:
Snow blower: most efficient in deep snow and drifts but slow. Useful where drainage ditches line the access road/driveway. They eat gravel, wears impeller blades, dents circular housing, hydro top link and/or skid shoes for unpaved surfaces. Better distribution if piles are impractical. Require high RPM, reduced fuel economy, expensive, especially front mount, rear mount a pain, neck, back. Cab use preferred.

 

[LouNY]

The best one is the one you haven't gotten yet but are wanting.
Like I'm want and looking for a used inexpensive inverted blower 8 to 9 feet wide, I may be quite a while finding that critter.

 

[MossRoad]

A power angle snow blade on the FEL with GAUGE WHEELS NOT SKID SHOES works wonders. You never have to turn around and watch it, so easy on your back and neck. My little PT425 can stack snow 6' high if needed. While a blower would be nice, we rarely have enough snow to justify the cost. The blade was only $450 when I bought the tractor. There was no added cost for the hydraulics on my machine, as it came equipped standard that way, as ALL of the attachements are on the front end loader.

You could add a third function to your machine with an electric diverter valve for about $300 or less, so that is not much of an expense and well worth the cost for power angle. You could also use the same function to power a grapple, so double the justification.

 

[bp fick]

The best snow tool is the one that is paid for and does the job for you. I have a 38 yr old tractor with an 80” snowblower that keeps my 600’ lane open no matter how much snow we get. There are other ways that would work too, but this is the best one for me.

This, the method that works for you. If it moves the snow and you can go on with your life, it works. Sometimes we get hung up the tools and forget tool is merely that which gets the job done. I also like Erik's word. "the one that is paid for".

 

[2ndhalf]

Boss V Plow mounted on a 3/4 ton truck of your choosing. You can plow in a warm cab and take friends along if you like.

 

[majorwager]

2nd half
The friend that would ride along generally has 4 paws. They are Not willing to hold your coffee and never let them drive.

Moss, are gauge wheel common on snow plows? Yours are air or solid? Are they std equip, for power-trac?

 

[MossRoad]

2nd half
The friend that would ride along generally has 4 paws. They are Not willing to hold your coffee and never let them drive.

Moss, are gauge wheel common on snow plows? Yours are air or solid? Are they std equip, for power-trac?

The wheels that came with mine back in 2001 were standard. Today, they are an add-on cost. The originals were pneumatic; same as what came on the 60" finish mower front casters, and same as what came on the 48" brush cutter front casters. I switched them out to solid hand-truck tires due to my abusive behavior.

If I never went off the pavement, I'd just put a rubber horse mat lip on the plow. However, I have a large section of crushed limestone parking area, so the wheels are great in there, as I can just set the blade off the ground by an inch or two, and ride through on the wheels. Also, I plow a long path across the lawn and back to the woods for the neighbor's old dog to poop in. She doesn't like deep snow on her rear! :laughing: The gauge wheels do nicely on the lawn.

 

[majorwager]

Lou -NY

Was surfing "Art's way" website. They offer 10 ft blower.

 

[Z-Michigan]

You left off rear angle blade. They work fairly well for 2-4" of snow on a straight single-lane driveway. In much of the midwest, it would be adequate for typical snowfall. I used one in lower Michigan for 8 years, and it was fine 7/8 winters; not so fine for 2013-14 where snow kept coming and I got the problem of narrowing banks.

I'm 3 months into snowblower use and I've had the unpleasant surprise that refrozen banks = broken shear bolts. My SB can do 20+ inches when it's still fluffy, but one major thaw and freeze cycle and it's a bad idea.

I pretty much agree with the OP though. Each tool has pros and cons, choose based on your exact conditions or what you already own. A blower is awesome for long narrow driveways, especially if there are trees or other obstacles beyond the edges, but not ideal for large square areas (my parking area) or refrozen piles. A rear blade wouldn't be worth even trying in my new location, and I see zero of them in use locally.

 

[ruffdog]

Everyone's situation is different and there are different types of snow. Some people may have areas that are difficult to blow snow from and others have no place to push snow to. If your snow is normally very packable, you don't want your tires driving on it before the blade/blower does it's thing. If your area is tight, a loader equipped tractor might be cumbersome verses a shorter rear implement. Going off road, weight on a 3pt is a blessing verses loader weight. I have access to a loader, front plow w/o loader, rear blade, and rear blower. Some things I use more often, some hardly ever. Everyone's situation is different.

 

[KennyG]

I agree there is no single solution. I've been very happy with the front plow (hydraulic lift and angle) I built this year. Combined with my box blade, it makes clearing my drive and parking areas very quick (which are all concrete). However, today I have the 3 point blower and FEL installed because we are in the midst of 12 to 18" of snow. It's nice to have options.

 

[nybirdman]

Places like central NY(Tug Hill) a snow-blower is the only tool to use.You just can't plow 3-4' of snow and 200+ inches per year.I get along fine with front and rear blades where I live in Northern NY.

 

[majorwager]

Was looking at REIST Industries. Snow blower vs Snow Thrower. Interestingly their unit converts from PTO power to hydraulic power, same unit. Snow throwers are single stage, Larger units require less hp. They have a video. No side spillage, which I get w/ my 2 stage. With thrower, snow stays in front of machine. Canadian made, US Dollar is stronger.

 

[fishheadbob]

It would be nice to know what size/type area you plan on clearing. Big, small, long, short, paved, graveled; that sort of thing. I do my drives with a fel and back blade, mostly the back blade; but I'm not plowing a huge, long area. I'm also 2wd with my plowing tractor but it weighs around 8000 pounds with decent ag tires. Some gravel, some blacktop.

 

[300UGUY]

A ticket to Florida....