First Snowfall - Rear Blade Adjustment - how many of you do this ?

[TheKubotaKing]

Hi everyone,
Just wondering what your technique is with a first snowfall on a gravel driveway with your rear blade .... do you raise the blade up a tiny bit, say an inch or 2 higher than the surface of the driveway so the blade doesn't scrape up all the gravel ?

Would love to hear your technique. What I usually do is drive over the long driveway with my truck, to compact that first snow we get, I go back and forth for a good 20 minutes, each time driving over new areas and this makes it easier to clean in the weeks to come. Once I get that base, it's easy to clear. New to the tractor world, it seems I may either try this or drag the shovel backwards to compact that 2 or 3 inches of snow, which would make it even more smooth than going over it 100 times with my truck, back and forth to compact it. More interesting to me is to hear your rear blade techniques. I wonder how accurate you can get that blade sitting just above the driveway surface... etc...

Thanks for your ideas / techniques, looking forward to them.

 

[jajiu]

Hi everyone,
Just wondering what your technique is with a first snowfall on a gravel driveway with your rear blade .... do you raise the blade up a tiny bit, say an inch or 2 higher than the surface of the driveway so the blade doesn't scrape up all the gravel ?

Would love to hear your technique. What I usually do is drive over the long driveway with my truck, to compact that first snow we get, I go back and forth for a good 20 minutes, each time driving over new areas and this makes it easier to clean in the weeks to come. Once I get that base, it's easy to clear. New to the tractor world, it seems I may either try this or drag the shovel backwards to compact that 2 or 3 inches of snow, which would make it even more smooth than going over it 100 times with my truck, back and forth to compact it. More interesting to me is to hear your rear blade techniques. I wonder how accurate you can get that blade sitting just above the driveway surface... etc...

Thanks for your ideas / techniques, looking forward to them.

I've had a 1000' gravel driveway for 30 yrs. and the two worse snow storms are the first and last of the season because the driveway hasn't frozen yet. After digging it up many times with a plow, I now use my back blade angled and use it backwards to push the snow off the driveway without digging in.

 

[mickeyd]

I have never used a back blade on mine.

What I have done is used my front bucket. I would make the bucket flat on the gravel and then tilt the bucket up just a very small bit and then lift the whole bucket up just a small bit.

It fills up the bucket without any gravel that I can then dump anywhere I like.

 

[dirtydeed]

agree with above post, use the backside of the blade by either running in reverse, or spin the blade around 180 degrees and drive forward. Either one will accomplish the same thing and clear snow without digging into an unfrozen stone driveway.

Been doing it for years and it works well.

OP- maybe list what tractor you have in your signature...floating a blade is easier with a tractor that has 3 point position control rather than the BX setup.

 

[River19]

I've had a 1000' gravel driveway for 30 yrs. and the two worse snow storms are the first and last of the season because the driveway hasn't frozen yet. After digging it up many times with a plow, I now use my back blade angled and use it backwards to push the snow off the driveway without digging in.

This is my plan as well this year. Just got the 2601 but have been blowing my 500' gravel driveway with a Honda 32" tracked blower.........my plan is reverse the blade (regraded the driveway the other day with it so it is at least flat(ish) before it freezes up) angled off my right rear wheel and set the blower on the 2601 to about 1-2" above the surface with the rear blade behind me to clean things up. I'll start off with something less aggressive with the RB until the driveway freezes up, then just float it.

 

[RCW]

I don't have a back blade, but occasionally use my box blade....fall and spring like jajiu said.

I see many swing the back blades around backwards....makes sense.

With a box blade, length of the top link is important.

Does the top link length have any effect with a back blade.....does adjusting top link help, with the blade working forward or back in soft conditions like that?

 

[TheKubotaKing]

agree with above post, use the backside of the blade by either running in reverse, or spin the blade around 180 degrees and drive forward. Either one will accomplish the same thing and clear snow without digging into an unfrozen stone driveway.

Been doing it for years and it works well.

OP- maybe list what tractor you have in your signature...floating a blade is easier with a tractor that has 3 point position control rather than the BX setup.

Thanks for the reply ! I have a new BX2380 on order. I was under the assumption that you could control the 3 point position *somewhat* , meaning not dropping it all the way down. Is there only a 100% up and 100% down position because it's not a hydraulic based system ? or maybe I misunderstood what you meant. I thought you could install that rear blade and leave it 4 inches above the driveway if you wanted and only skim off a bit of snow ( as an example )

 

[TheKubotaKing]

I've had a 1000' gravel driveway for 30 yrs. and the two worse snow storms are the first and last of the season because the driveway hasn't frozen yet. After digging it up many times with a plow, I now use my back blade angled and use it backwards to push the snow off the driveway without digging in.

Thanks for your reply and info ! Interesting technique ! I wonder if I can find a YouTube video showing this. So by flipping the blade 180 degrees, that curve is now facing away from the tractor, so as you drive forward the blade won't pick up any snow or rocks, but instead just flattens the snow instead of really pulling it like a plow. Interesting indeed ! thank you !

 

[River19]

Thanks for your reply and info ! Interesting technique ! I wonder if I can find a YouTube video showing this. So by flipping the blade 180 degrees, that curve is now facing away from the tractor, so as you drive forward the blade won't pick up any snow or rocks, but instead just flattens the snow instead of really pulling it like a plow. Interesting indeed ! thank you !

GP Outdoors did it I believe in one of his videos from a couple years ago.

I did it the other day while grading my driveway, dirt and snow will behave the same.......I used the RB in the traditional position to "dig" up my slight center hump in my driveway and angled it to the tire tracks that wore into the driveway and then flipped the blade around to smooth it into those tire tracks like butter on a roll. Worked perfect. Driveway came out great......

Plan to do the same thing with the snow.

 

[jajiu]

I don't have a back blade, but occasionally use my box blade....fall and spring like jajiu said.

I see many swing the back blades around backwards....makes sense.

With a box blade, length of the top link is important.

Does the top link length have any effect with a back blade.....does adjusting top link help, with the blade working forward or back in soft conditions like that?

I adjust the top link (mine is hydraulic, easy from the cab) all the way in, that tips the blade so it makes a good contact with the surface. If the top link is out too far, the blade just slides over the snow pushing some but leaving a lot.

 

[jajiu]

Thanks for your reply and info ! Interesting technique ! I wonder if I can find a YouTube video showing this. So by flipping the blade 180 degrees, that curve is now facing away from the tractor, so as you drive forward the blade won't pick up any snow or rocks, but instead just flattens the snow instead of really pulling it like a plow. Interesting indeed ! thank you !

It doesn't really flatten it, you angle the blade and it pushes it and with the angle it slides off. The second pass usually pushes it more out of the way.

 

[dirtydeed]

Thanks for the reply ! I have a new BX2380 on order. I was under the assumption that you could control the 3 point position *somewhat* , meaning not dropping it all the way down. Is there only a 100% up and 100% down position because it's not a hydraulic based system ? or maybe I misunderstood what you meant. I thought you could install that rear blade and leave it 4 inches above the driveway if you wanted and only skim off a bit of snow ( as an example )

Yes, you can adjust it. It's just not quite as easy to do that's all. One thing that helps is to close down the three point drop rate valve to slow the travel down. You'll get the hang of it.

Honestly, by using the backside of the blade, you can vary the pitch as others suggested with the top link to decrease the cutting action....again, just takes some experimenting. I've even used this method to plow snow off of grass without disturbing it.

 

[TheKubotaKing]

Yes, you can adjust it. It's just not quite as easy to do that's all. One thing that helps is to close down the three point drop rate valve to slow the travel down. You'll get the hang of it.

Honestly, by using the backside of the blade, you can vary the pitch as others suggested with the top link to decrease the cutting action....again, just takes some experimenting. I've even used this method to plow snow off of grass without disturbing it.

Hi dirtydeed, thanks so much for that info. I guess once I get the back blade I'll fully understand it. I'm glad you can adjust the position kind of what I had in my mind. Thanks for replying !