How do you deal with snow?

[SRG]

Ive been doing mine and the neighbors drives for the last 4 years. Hers takes about 15 minutes.. Mine takes almost 45.

All with a rear blade.... 20 years running equipment, half of those miles accumulated in reverse.... The neck doesn't turn real well anymore and frankly its just annoying to plow backwards. Especially when the fact that reverse is geared lower than forward.

I think I'm going to grab a 6' snow pusher. Tired of looking over my shoulder and the plowing I have to do doesn't lend well to winging snow off to the side despite the 600' straight away part of my drive. For that matter, I could take a center swipe down the drive with the rear blade offset and angled and get the entire drive in 2 passes.... I like that idea.

There is a guy who advertises snow pushers on craigslist, in Holland MI....
https://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/grd/d/holland-compact-tractor-snow-pusher/6792450423.html
Prices are right.

I started out using my new rear blade this year to move snow. It works, okay.
I have reverted back to using my 72" box blade to drag snow out to the road and back push it into the ditch. I like the way it works the best.

 

[sheepfarmer]

Eipo, go look at what's over at msu surplus. Had some Western blades for atv or something, maybe could modify, and then there is a nice little Kubota with front blade and CAB.

 

[eipo]

There is a guy who advertises snow pushers on craigslist, in Holland MI....
https://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/grd/d/holland-compact-tractor-snow-pusher/6792450423.html
Prices are right.

I started out using my new rear blade this year to move snow. It works, okay. I have reverted back to using my 72' box blade to drag snow out to the road and back push it into the ditch. I like the way it works the best.

Talked to him last night. He was very nice and answered all my questions of which I had a lot. He has an orange 6.5' ready to go. Hes going to be around on Saturday. I may be in holland on Saturday.

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[eipo]

Eipo, go look at what's over at msu surplus. Had some Western blades for atv or something, maybe could modify, and then there is a nice little Kubota with front blade and CAB.

I thought about a blade for the front. The neighbors drive and our turn around area is better suited for making piles and not chasing windrows. Being able to round the snow up in a box versus pushing it off to the side would shorten my plow time quite a bit.

I did see that kubota at salvage.....


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[SRG]

Talked to him last night. He was very nice and answered all my questions of which I had a lot. He has an orange 6.5' ready to go. Hes going to be around on Saturday. I may be in holland on Saturday.

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If you do, I'd love to hear your take on them. I spoke to him back in Sept/Oct and had been on the fence about getting one because its a bit of a drive for me. But his prices are right even after driving to get it.

 

[eipo]

Theres also an HLA 1500, 6' for sale in Dorr for $1100. That's not a bad price given it's closer and has some heavier features.

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[eipo]

But here's a thought that I toyed with as well...

Since you like using your box blade, weld a SSQA plate to the back of it and use it on the loader. That way it functions as a box blade and snow pusher.



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[SRG]

But here's a thought that I toyed with as well...

Since you like using your box blade, weld a SSQA plate to the back of it and use it on the loader. That way it functions as a box blade and snow pusher.



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I did buy a JDQA (its for ma Deere) plate from Titan, to try this exact idea, which is also the other reason i was on the fence about getting a snow push from that guy in Holland. However, I've been waiting for a decent used 6ft box blade to pop up for sale somewhere. I don't want to permanently modify the back push feature of my current box blade.

 

[eipo]

I did buy a JDQA (its for ma Deere) plate from Titan, to try this exact idea, which is also the other reason i was on the fence about getting a snow push from that guy in Holland. However, I've been waiting for a decent used 6ft box blade to pop up for sale somewhere. I don't want to permanently modify the back push feature of my current box blade.

Makes sense... There are a couple used 6' box blades for sale here in MI... One I think was just over $200...

 

[SRG]

Makes sense... There are a couple used 6' box blades for sale here in MI... One I think was just over $200...

That makes me think, i wonder if i could come up with a way to bolt the JDQA plate to the back of my current box blade. Then i get the best of both worlds in one piece. Hmmmm

 

[chim]

I'll offer a comment that relates to mounting something to the FEL for snow removal. If you're using the box as a pusher, you're probably not steering much at all. So maybe this is a moot issue.

There were two different designs on the boards that were very helpful in figuring how to mount a plow on my tractor. One used a plow that was rigidly mounted to a SSQA plate. In a few videos demonstrating the operation, that one seemed to take an awful lot of fiddling with the joystick unless it was pushed to the float position. If the joystick was pushed to float, the weight of the loader arms was added to the plow. In some instances that would be good. I'd rather have the weight of everything but the plow on the tractor for traction and steering, with the option of pushing down if needed.

The mounting method I went with also used a SSQA plate but the plow was attached via hinges / pins like you'd use on a truck. Lifting is with chains. This allows the weight of the FEL arms to serve as front ballast. I went with the chains and a cross piece on the A-frame for the SSQA plate to push down on. I'm guessing that the weight of the arms would be plenty in most cases where packed-down snow needs scraped. We had around 5" of snow yesterday for a trial run and it worked like a champ. I'm hopeful that it will also work well when we get a real snow.

I believe that being able to float the plow while using the FEL arms as weight on the front is what makes it work well.

 

[eipo]

If you do, I'd love to hear your take on them. I spoke to him back in Sept/Oct and had been on the fence about getting one because its a bit of a drive for me. But his prices are right even after driving to get it.

I ended up sourcing this out locally. I found a new small business here in town last fall when the marching band podium needed some work. I didnt want to present this to him because I didnt think he could beat or at least match the price of the guy in Holland.

But he did... $892 for a 6x2x2 box all in 5/16 plate. Hes going to fab everything from scratch, including the quick attach. Hes sure hell have it done this Sunday.

I will need to paint it, though. His barn isn't heated.

I think thats pretty fair.. Hes only 10 minutes away.

Heres a 6x30x30 1/4 plate he built for a 10 series....

 

[twomany]

If that tractor will push a full load, HATS OFF!

None of mine would, Well, None of the little guys. ;-)

 

[SidecarFlip]

Not gonna happen with that JD. Not enough 'balls' I don't see the percentage in a pusher anyway. Push it to where? You get a wad in a pusher and the 'push' turns to spinning wheels. Pushers are fine for large equipment like wheel loaders and everyone I've seen in large parking lots, always have a big front end loader as well to pile it up and move it when the 'pusher' cannot push it anymore.

Why I got the power angle 10 foot plow. Don't matter how deep or wet it is, you angle the plow and the snow peels off the end. I never feel the weight of the snow at all and like I've said previously, I have a bit of plow steer that I believe front chains will eliminate. remember, I'm doing a mile of secondary road to get to the pavement, not just a driveway though I plow 3 drives as well.

If I only had a choice between a pusher and a blower, I'd have the blower over the pusher anytime. As it is, for me, the plow is the best of both and with the plow on the quick attach plate out front, I can roll the plow back and use it like a huge bucket to pile the snow if I need to and in my case that pile can be 12 feet high if necessary.

Your 'pusher' would never stand a chance with this... My plow has no issue

 

[SRG]

Not gonna happen with that JD. Not enough 'balls' I don't see the percentage in a pusher anyway. Push it to where? You get a wad in a pusher and the 'push' turns to spinning wheels. Pushers are fine for large equipment like wheel loaders and everyone I've seen in large parking lots, always have a big front end loader as well to pile it up and move it when the 'pusher' cannot push it anymore.

Why I got the power angle 10 foot plow. Don't matter how deep or wet it is, you angle the plow and the snow peels off the end. I never feel the weight of the snow at all and like I've said previously, I have a bit of plow steer that I believe front chains will eliminate. remember, I'm doing a mile of secondary road to get to the pavement, not just a driveway though I plow 3 drives as well.

If I only had a choice between a pusher and a blower, I'd have the blower over the pusher anytime. As it is, for me, the plow is the best of both and with the plow on the quick attach plate out front, I can roll the plow back and use it like a huge bucket to pile the snow if I need to and in my case that pile can be 12 feet high if necessary.

Your 'pusher' would never stand a chance with this... My plow has no issue

So you are comparing PLOWING A ROAD so it rolls off the side and you don't have to worry about, to PUSHING A PARKING LOT.

Ever PLOWED a large parking lot and let that snow that just rolls off the side, build up more and more after every pass? Yeah it gets harder and harder to move every pass too.
You don't see pushers on roads because they aren't designed for roads. You'd have to be a moron to try and use one on a road. That's where an angle plow shines.
Where a pusher shines is home owner type stuff with drive ways, and turn-abouts, and small to large parking lots where you push to and end, and then keep on stacking it because you have nowhere else to go with it.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Still won't happen with that JD, it's too small for the pusher.

As to your other comment all I can say is...whatever. I run what works, not my mouth. You can come here and clean my drives and the road if you want. I'll sit in front of the fire and watch. Your tractor however. Mine can stay in the barn. As an aside, I do 3 driveways plus one drive with a turn around. Like I said, every pusher I've seen in commercial parking lots, always has a large front end loader with it to pile the snow when the pusher cannot push it any farther.

Don't much care other than that JD is too small for the pusher that is on the front. I don't like fiddling with snow anyway but it's necessary for the family and my renters to get out and take care of business. I'd just as soon not even touch it. Don't like it, never have.

 

[eipo]

If that tractor will push a full load, HATS OFF!



None of mine would, Well, None of the little guys. ;-)

I'd like to see it too. That's a big pusher for that machine.

But you'd be surprised just how much snow one can wad up in front of a machine depending on whether its light and fluffy or wet and heavy. I can get a pile going that would fill up that pusher and move it with the rear blade.

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[SRG]

Still won't happen with that JD, it's too small for the pusher.

As to your other comment all I can say is...whatever. I run what works, not my mouth. You can come here and clean my drives and the road if you want. I'll sit in front of the fire and watch. Your tractor however. Mine can stay in the barn.

I don't know how well that little JD will work that particular pusher, any better than your experience with it. I agree with eipo, you'd be surprised at what can happen.

As to your other comment, ....ahh hell, never mind.

EDIT; Those large front end loaders in those large parking lots, are not there to push the snow when the pusher can't push it anymore. They are there because those large articulated front end loaders have a very high lifting height. All they do is stack the snow higher and higher because they have no where else to go with it, except UP. Skid steers with 8ft and 10ft pushers can push massive amounts snow, but they can only get it stacked so high....enter the large front end loaders.

 

[chim]

Updated pics of the 8' plow and widened blower.

This is the first I've used a front mounted plow in about 26 years. Since 1992 I've been using a rear blade, FEL and a rear blower. I'm impressed with ease of operation and efficiency with the front plow. Two passes on the driveway and it's done. Greatly reduced the time and effort on the church parking lots. Wish I'd have cobbled one up years ago.

 

[SRG]

I ended up sourcing this out locally. I found a new small business here in town last fall when the marching band podium needed some work. I didnt want to present this to him because I didnt think he could beat or at least match the price of the guy in Holland.

But he did... $892 for a 6x2x2 box all in 5/16 plate. Hes going to fab everything from scratch, including the quick attach. Hes sure hell have it done this Sunday.

I will need to paint it, though. His barn isn't heated.

I think thats pretty fair.. Hes only 10 minutes away.

Heres a 6x30x30 1/4 plate he built for a 10 series....

IMG]https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-9/s2048x2048/50876706_314078579228744_1683217513166405632_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_ht=scontent-ort2-2.xx&oh=1cfcde6bdb14c8e5e12a76e1b530f6c2&oe=5CB9B046[/IMG]

That's pretty decent price, especially for 5/16" steel, even if it is bare. Does it have a removable cutting edge? I see a long bead but also some bolts at the cutting edge.
I found some pushers on Craigslist in Wisconsin Dells for even cheaper than the guy in Holland but they are SSQA which doesn't do me any good.
https://rockford.craigslist.org/grd/d/reedsburg-skidsteer-snow-pusher/6806437819.html