L3400 HST 4WD snow removal issues

[Hai]

I use a rear blade on my L3400 HST 4WD for snow removal. This setup has been fine for most of the snow falls in Virginia. But it is almost ineffective in snow blizzard situations with snow 12-24 inches or more, which we have once every several years or so. My asphalt driveway is about 700 ft long and in the open. I am thinking about getting a 72" FEL clamp-on blade from DR similar due to its ease of installation. The cost is about the same with the NorTrac 5ft 3pt PTO snow blower. I would like to have your opinions of your experience with these attachments. The blizzard few years ago, I had to call in a big commercial tractor and it tore up my driveway, and again this year, it really torn up. BTW R4 tires on the tractor. Hope to hear from you soon. Thank you.

 

[85Hokie]

You are correct when it comes to "blades" vs a decent snow fall - a rear blade works well when the snow is less than about 8" or so. The FEL cannot push the snow as well as the blade, BUT it can pick it up ! Getting a bigger blade on the front is not going to help the situation, it too is limited to the depth of the snow and the grip of the tires. BUTTTT, a snowblower does not need the grip of a plow, and it throws the snow a hellva lot further out your way! I think tit-for-tat, the snow BLOWER is far better than a snow pusher! I watch these guys blowing snow 20'-30' out of the drive..........awesome! Now even with the blower, there are a few problems.....picking up gravel, sticky chutes.....etc.

But I would invest in the blower vs the wider blade, if all else is equal money wise - just my two cents.

 

[aeronutt]

R4 tires are the first problem for snow removal. Chains are a great addition, but screw-in carbide studs are also a big help.

With a FEL, you should never need to call in a bigger tractor for help. You might need to do a herringbone pattern pushing through for the initial opening just so you can get through the first pass. If you can't push the snow off the edge and leave it, it's just a matter of taking scoops down the aisle to wherever you're planning to stack it.

 

[DevilDog]

I have R-4's on my L3540 and have pushed carried and snow blown without an issue. Are your tires filled, that should be done. A three point snow blower with your tractor will make little work clearing your driveway. Chains and or studs on blacktop drives just don't mix if your fussy about cuts and mars.
DevilDog

 

[RCW]

Hai -

Been in upstate NY all my life. Have a little experience with snow.

Since the back blade doesn't cut it, a wider front blade will be worse.

Like Hokie said, snowblower might be the ticket.

Look for a used (auction?) 3PH blower at 5' or 6' (rear tire width+). Make sure it works fine then park it. Use your backblade as usual.

Next time that 18" is coming, hook 'er up and git 'er done! Then park it for 2 years, until the next one comes along.

We have many used equipment sales/auctions around here, and there are often several of those 'blowers to be had. They really don't bring much, even up here. HOWEVER, given the experience you guys just went through, blowers for sale may be pretty scarce in your area for a while!!!

Also, as aeronutt and Devildog said- - loaded rear tires are very important, if not already done.

 

[sburn518]

Just went through the same 12+ storm here in Virginia as Hokie and others and my 3800dt handled it fine pushing with box blade and front end loader. I do have loaded agi tires as others suggested and it does make a difference. Pushed 2 paved and 2 gravel drives and a parking lot with no issues. The box blade really does a good job you just have to set your self up to push straight through an area and then move the pile with the loader if you need to.

 

[hodge]

I would affirm the snowblower over the front blade.

 

[RCW]

You guys in the mid-Atlantic sometimes get dumped on, then there is a quick thaw, and most is gone.

Up here, we might have the same snow from early-November until April. Stuff can really pile up.

I've had a front-mount blower since 2002, first on a JD425, then the BX in 2013. As you guys know - a front blower is some hefty bucks ~ $3,000 +/- all in.

You guys are kinda in the same spot as I was for backhoe - - great to have once in while.....but is the backhoe or snowblower worth the $$$$ ??

The 3PH blower can be bought pretty reasonably, even new. But worth its weight in gold when you need it!!

I can plan to find a backhoe when I need one; can't do the same for a snowblower!

That's why I have a snowblower, but no backhoe!

 

[Greenhead]

3PH blower at 5' or 6' (rear tire width+)/QUOTE]

I concur with the others. Get a blower the width of your rear tires or a little bigger. The thing with big storms is you have to plow with them not after them. I know it's work for you and the equipment but you just can't wait for the storm to end. The pic is the forecast for us next week.

 

[chim]

I used a rear blade for many years and then got the first tractor with FEL back in '02. Last year was the first for a blower and I love it for even small snows. With the electric chute control I can toss the snow wherever I want without hopping off and on the tractor to adjust it like I did the blade. When I back up to a garage door and go really slow for the last several feet there's hardly any snow left to shovel. With the FEL I can drag that little bit back and get rid of it.

I've been running loaded R4's on the previous tractor (2002-2012) and the current tractor since new in 2012. Our paved driveway has a short steep hill near the top that is sometimes a challenge to get up, but I cope. The grooves I cut in the tires have helped.

For the parking lots at church it works to use the blower to open a path, then switch to the FEL with added wings to scrape the snow off to the sides. The attached pic shows the areas we clear at the church. We clean the walks and parking spaces along both Church and Angle Streets, the driveway and parking area at the parsonage and two lots.

The main lot is the one on the right and we shove the snow to the grass area between the lot and Angle Street + the opposite side. For the lot on the left, the snow goes into the grass at the bottom of the picture. The sidewalk along the angle Street side of the lot on the left is flush with the paved lot and that makes it easy to scrape.

 

[SyNtAxx]

I live in PA, and while sometimes we get a lot of snow, a lot of times we don't. When i purchased my BX this year I decided against a dedicated snow plow like I had on my previous tractor, and also against a snow blower. The reason being they are both single use devices.

Instead I chose to use my FEL/Bucket with a bolt on Bxpanded straight cutting edge (to protect bucket) and a 6' Woods rear blade for snow duties for two reasons. Firstly, since winters as of late have been pretty tame as it pertains to snowfall I felt the dedicated tools might not pay for themselves in terms of overall use. Second, they are dedicated tools. The FEL/Bucket and rear blade are multi use/multi season and therefore for me a better investment. I have R4s on my BX (not loaded) and had zero issues pushing snow, even up an incline. Though 4wd is a must.

That being said, I'd love me a super duty blower on the BX

 

[RCW]

Second, they are dedicated tools. The FEL/Bucket and rear blade are multi use/multi season and therefore for me a better investment. I have R4s on my BX (not loaded) and had zero issues pushing snow, even up an incline. Though 4wd is a must.

That being said, I'd love me a super duty blower on the BX

Very true - my front mount snowblower is a single use implement, but so is my MMM.

Unfortunately, my snowblower cost about twice the MMM.

But, unlike a lawn tractor, my JD425 and now the BX are 12 month machines. I put 30 hours on it first winter snowblowing, and 25 last year. This year - 1.

We all have tasks in mind for what we need our tractors to do. It's a value judgement we all have to make individually. A FEL would not be handy for snow at MY house, but might be just fine at yours.

I really debated on the blower vs. backhoe - would've gone to BX25D. I have the FEL, and really didn't see it doing the driveway quickly and efficiently when needed.

My priority was the blower, so ended up with the BX2360/FEL/blower/box blade.

 

[cerlawson]

If cost is no object, yes a snow blower, front or rear. If your rear blade won't handle the rare deep snow, the front end loader will for the few deep snow situations. From experience of many years in Wisconsin snows with both FEL or snow bower, I would balance cost over convenience options.

 

[100 td]

Forget the blade, snowblower in operation, tractor nearly the same as yours, L3200 from member chim.
http://s1295.photobucket.com/user/jim_miller7/media/Long Bob_zps1dwsz52i.mp4.html

 

[Hai]

Thank you all for your comments. The consensus of the forum is to go with a snow blower. Technically, snow blower does make sense. It's just the driving backward plus the pain to hook it on the PTO that I really hate. I still would like to hear from an owner who has used or is using a front blade on the loader for snow removal before I make the final decision. In the meantime I hope we won't have another 2-foot snow storm.

 

[RCW]

It's just the driving backward plus the pain to hook it on the PTO that I really hate.

If it's only once in a while, probably worth the 3ph.

I wouldn't want to go backwards every time I did my driveway, either.

You may only be looking at every couple years. Your current setup works every time, except for the BIG snowfalls......

I plowed with a pickup truck for many years - it wouldn't handle 3' at once, either. Might do the driveway - but where do you push it to? That's the same issue with your possible front-mount blade.

With 2-3' of snow, you might have to push 30'+ off the driveway to make room for everything. That's how lawns get torn up.

Snowblower just tosses it....My former neighbor with front blade used to call me to use my snowblower to throw his banks back when he ran out of room. But again, we might have snow for long periods of time without any appreciable thaws - it just piles up.

Tough part is as syntax said - it's a single use implement....that decision can only be made by you.

 

[Billdog350]

I have dealt with some big winters here in CT over the past few years. +4' of snow takes a while to move around!

I have used a rear 7' blade with my front 48" bucket on my B9200 for years, then upgraded to a 60" PTO snowblower.

I have considered a front mount blower but every time I use my front loader to push back snowbanks, load firewood to the house, move things with the forks, etc, etc I'm happy that I don't have to remove a front mount blower to put the loader back on to do the job.

For the decision of a FEL plow vs blower? Blower all day and every day.

I used to use a blade for <6" for the first few storms on my gravel/dirt driveway and then blower for everything else. Once the drive freezes for the winter, blower all the way.

I have NEVER regretted my blower. Snow is GONE and out of the way till spring comes...no need to push back banks or spend more time than you should trying to remove it in the first place.

 

[Hai]

I have dealt with some big winters here in CT over the past few years. +4' of snow takes a while to move around!

I have used a rear 7' blade with my front 48" bucket on my B9200 for years, then upgraded to a 60" PTO snowblower.

I have considered a front mount blower but every time I use my front loader to push back snowbanks, load firewood to the house, move things with the forks, etc, etc I'm happy that I don't have to remove a front mount blower to put the loader back on to do the job.

For the decision of a FEL plow vs blower? Blower all day and every day.

I used to use a blade for <6" for the first few storms on my gravel/dirt driveway and then blower for everything else. Once the drive freezes for the winter, blower all the way.

I have NEVER regretted my blower. Snow is GONE and out of the way till spring comes...no need to push back banks or spend more time than you should trying to remove it in the first place.

Thank you Bill. Every body has said blower is the way and I agree. But have you tried a front blade on the FEL loader for snow plowing?

 

[Billdog350]

My father in VT has a FEL quick attach fisher plow setup on his L48 Kubota.

The issue is and always will be that you have to put the snow somewhere. When you plow you move the snow to the side of your driveway or parking area, and then the snow compacts and freezes there, making it harder to push back next time you get another snowstorm. Every storm the issue gets worse. Eventually you spend a chunk of time pushing the snow back by turning your machine perpendicular to the burms and pushing them back 8' at a time. Additionally the front wheels on many tractors don't have a ton of traction so you have a limit as to how much you can angle to the side before the side pushes back. I have heard many complaints of people rolling front tires off the beads and while plowing.

Snowblowers compact and shoot the snow 25-50' into the woods or yard...its gone. You never have to move it again. It won't freeze and cause problems. You won't end up with piles at the end of your driveway making it unsafe to enter traffic. The deeper the snow is, the more magnified the advantage is with the blower vs plow.

I have snowblowed a SINGLE +20" storm...single pass, all snow removed. My neighbor had an F450 dump with 10' plow. He couldn't plow with the plow down so he tried with the plow halfway up...and got stuck multiple times even with a set of chains on his rear tires. My little B9200 with TURF tires didn't get stuck once.

Having used a snowblower, FEL plow, and rear plow, I'll confirm they are practical in that same order. Snowblower is best, followed by FEL plow, followed by rear plow.

Yes blowers are a lot of money, but you can find used ones for decent prices from time to time ($500-1500 in decent condition).

If you never get more than a few inches of snow in a year, then a blade is great...but if you get dumped on like we have in CT in past years...blowers are essential.

 

[DevilDog]

Bulldog350,
You hit the nail right on the head, I could add no more, you covered it all, Good Job!
DevilDog