Your thoughts, please. (New buyer, 80 acres)

newdude · May 29, 2018

Excellent info!!

Thanks!

rScotty · May 30, 2018

For your snowplowing, the choice comes down to an SSQA plow or a blower. A blower is about 3x the price and complexity - but there are times when it is worth it.

I've finally come to the conclusion that plow vs blower comes down to a question of climate. If your typical winter is periods of snow interrupted by warmer days when the snow melts - which is what we have in the East slope of the Rocky Mountains below about 10,000 feet - then a plow will be just fine.
Then comes the question of whether you want to push the with a FEL blade, or pull an even heavier back blade. Because back blades were popular for dirt work, a lot of snow got moved with heavy back blades. It is all that casual rural people used to use. But everyone who uses a back blade eventually gets tired or looking over their shoulder or getting a kink in their back. So my vote is for an SSQA front blade for our dryer snow.

Now if the snow you get is like the East Coast with heavy wet snow and high humidity - and it tends to stay all winter, then you probably want to start with a snow blower to get the first few blizzards as far away from the driving path as possible. And if it is really a tough winter you may want the plow and blower both.
rScotty
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oosik · May 30, 2018

Whoa - hold on there rScotty. You were doing just great until you explained why people went from rear blade to something else. I have a mile long gravel driveway that needs snowplowing at least two or three times each winter - some winters - a whole lot more.

I started with a brand new Ford 1710 4WD in '82 when we moved here. I only had a rear blade in the beginning. Then I got a 3-point snow blower along with the rear blade. This unit probably weighed around 2600 pounds. It was light enough that I could not plow the frozen berms that would develop on those winters when we got a lot of snow. I needed the 3-point blower to clear the berms and keep the driveway from "pinching in". Essentially the berms would get so high that I could not go fast enough down the driveway so that the rear blade would expel the snow out and over the frozen berm.

I HATED the 3-point blower. It was s-l-o-w and required some very awkward driving positions. Without exception - when I had to use the blower - I ALWAYS ended up with a stiff neck, sore shoulders and most often a sore back also. To clear the driveway, mailbox area and yard - with the blower - a four hour job.

Doing the exact same job with the rear blade - a hour and a half job.

So.....for the snowplowing and summer driveway maintenance and a couple other heavy projects - in 2009 I traded in the Ford for a 2009 Kubota M6040. The way my Kubota is set up right now with the heavy Rhino rear blade, Rimguard filled rear tires and the heavy duty Land Pride grapple - it weighs 10,100 pounds.

The beauty of this setup - I plow my driveway in the winter, with my heavy rear blade, and can remove the berms - no trouble - with this tractor setup that is probably four times as heavy as my initial Ford was.

Bottom line - - if your tractor is heavy enough - doesn't have to be 10K# either - you can easily plow your driveway with a rear blade. You don't need anything else. AND, BTW, I no longer get stiff neck, sore shoulders or back using my rear blade. Just wait until the driveway freezes up good and hard - drop the blade and off I go. If I need to plow and the driveway is not yet good and hard - reverse the rear blade and simply drive forward. Works like a champ in reverse also.