I just purchased a 2009 BX2360 with a bucket and mower deck. Winter is coming so I am on the hunt for the best way to clear snow. A front mount blower is way out of my budget for this year and not to keen on a rear mount. I was looking at the BXpanded plow. I like the idea but I am concerned about the side to side forces on the bucket arms. I was told that the Arms from the bucket are not meant for that type of force and was concerned about damaging them. Anyone have any suggestions/experience. I was also looking at the bucket expansion that they manufactures as an alternative. Anyone have any experience clearing snow with this?
Bxpanded blade vs Bucket Expansion
- Thread starter rrcole
- Start date
North Idaho Wolfman
Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Your not going to hurt a thing unless you go downhill at top speed and ram icy snowbank!
The tires will break traction long before you could possibly bend the arms!
Get a rear blade. With my BX I find the blade is much better than the bucket. Get a set of chains for the rear tires. I found chains on front damaged the rubber seal on the tie rods and really didn't help much. Since it is a small machine, going forward in heavy snow is not so hot with the rear blade, but backing up it works great. If you have any lawns, I turn the blade toward the front, but still back up and it does quite well and does not damage the lawn. Of course for deep snow and moving piles, the bucket will do the job nicely. Only it is narrower than the rear blade and takes many more passes than using the rear blade. With experience you will find the best ways.
I don't like a snow blower (on a tractor) except for real deep snow. The wind always is wrong and I get too cold with that snow on me.
If you want to expand the bucket, maybe OK, but you still need rear ballast then. Might as well hang a rear blade there then.
I don't like a snow blower (on a tractor) except for real deep snow. The wind always is wrong and I get too cold with that snow on me.
If you want to expand the bucket, maybe OK, but you still need rear ballast then. Might as well hang a rear blade there then.
I'm a rookie but after last years snow, I'm buying a snowblower.
I agree with Cerlawson, the rear blade works better than the bucket. I have a 500' drive and going in reverse just plain sucks. My BX is too tall for the house garage but I could sneak the rear blade in and pull the snow out. At the end of the season I was finally using the front bucket 4-6" off the ground, clearing the high points and angling the 60" rear blade and cleaning the last 2-4" off the gravel drive. Still made several passes. I left 1-2" to try to skip the gravel. If the rear blade got to much snow, just clean up with the bucket. But it seemed like I was touching the snow 2,3,4 times. So if I made 1 complete pass and blew the snow, down wind, I can cut my time by 2/3? I think I would use the rear blade and front snow blower combination.
Everyone's house is different
I agree with Cerlawson, the rear blade works better than the bucket. I have a 500' drive and going in reverse just plain sucks. My BX is too tall for the house garage but I could sneak the rear blade in and pull the snow out. At the end of the season I was finally using the front bucket 4-6" off the ground, clearing the high points and angling the 60" rear blade and cleaning the last 2-4" off the gravel drive. Still made several passes. I left 1-2" to try to skip the gravel. If the rear blade got to much snow, just clean up with the bucket. But it seemed like I was touching the snow 2,3,4 times. So if I made 1 complete pass and blew the snow, down wind, I can cut my time by 2/3? I think I would use the rear blade and front snow blower combination.
Everyone's house is different
I have a gravel driveway w/a slight incline to the road. I have turf tires on my B7610 w/a FEL. A 6' rear blade lives on the back during the winter. No chains. No CaCl in the tires.
Wife doesn't like it, but I leave about 4" of snow on my drive, as a base.
I plow thru the snow, using the FEL, moving to the sides anything thicker than maybe 5". I back down the drive, using the convex part of the rear blade, to push the loose stuff to the side. Back and forth til done.
Last year was a bad winter for us, relative to snow. Amount and it did not melt til spring. I had to move my driveway piles back another 10' from where they started. Some parts of the piles turned to ice. Not sure how well a front mount blower would do in this situation.
My mileage does vary, HTH.
Wife doesn't like it, but I leave about 4" of snow on my drive, as a base.
I plow thru the snow, using the FEL, moving to the sides anything thicker than maybe 5". I back down the drive, using the convex part of the rear blade, to push the loose stuff to the side. Back and forth til done.
Last year was a bad winter for us, relative to snow. Amount and it did not melt til spring. I had to move my driveway piles back another 10' from where they started. Some parts of the piles turned to ice. Not sure how well a front mount blower would do in this situation.
My mileage does vary, HTH.
rrcole: Notice that "notnew" has a larger tractor. The BX does not have the same ability to do the job. That's why the chains and what ever ballast you can add. Gravel on drive is a no-good-nick for any method, including snow blower. For gravel drives that I had, I recognized the problem and each spring did a re-grading, bring the stuff back on, with rear blade. Snow blower with shoes helps, but be aware of the occasional thrown rocks. A skillful front loader operator can minimize trouble, but it takes practice.
Thanks for the advice guys. Really appreciate it. I guess the only way to really know is to take a leap. I think I am going to go with the BXPANDED bucket expander and a KING KUTTER XB SUB-COMPACT REAR BLADE 60". See if that works for my first winter.