Moving heavy wet snow

[bearskinner]

We just got about 20” of heavy wet snow, and it was just about raining slush, with high 30’s temps expected. This is terrible conditions for using the snow blower. It would definitely clog and blow shear pins regularly.
Using my little BX25D, with a front hydraulic blade and a rear QD blade at a 45 degree to scrape the road and clear off to the side. Keeping the front blade angled but about 2-3” on the ground, it pushes the majority of the snow off, the read blade only having a few inches to move, scrapes it easily, without clogging up.
Using one blade or the other, this heavy wet snow pushed the little BX around, but with both blades on the ground, it gives me a much longer foot print, and really plants the tractor to the road.
Most of the time in early season, it’s cold and dry snow, and I only use the blower. These are similar to March warming conditions with snow overnight and rain during the day.
Unfortunately you must clear the slop, or it freezes in ridges and makes future snow removal harder, and terrible road conditions. The double blade system work well in these conditions.

 

[Hkb82]

Sounds like you could use some extra weight on you tractor possibly. I’m not really able to compare as I’m using a m7060hdc12 with a 7 foot blower but one tip that might save ya a few pins is leave an inch or two with the blower in the wet warm conditions. Then hit it again for cleanup or let your warm day melt the last inch or two.

 

[Bearcatrp]

Glad it’s working for you. Been considering this option. Can you post a picture of your setup?

 

[mikester]

When we get wet snow like that I watch the weather forecast and, if I can, I try to wait for temperatures to dip before clearing with the blower. Doesn't always work out as planned...

 

[BX'r]

Do you have a chute guard inside the chute on the blower?

 

[bearskinner]

This snow dump was warm and wet. Absolutely no way to use the blower. It’s almost all gone now (still raining) and in the 40’s. I’ll get a pic of the 2 blade set up as soon as it’s light.
This is the first year I have had to start with 2 blades, it’s usually march warming that is like this.

 

[Vigo]

Im not that familiar with front blades, being in a place where it never really snows, but it sticks out to me that ive never seen another front angle blade with as beefy a cutting edge as that. Am i just lacking context or is the kubota front blade actually unusual in that way?

 

[je1279]

I don't have a blower or rear blade, but I do subscribe to your approach of angling the font blade and leaving 6" or so until you get the driveway passable. I then go back and clean up the rest. Trying to push it straight and get right down to the driveway quickly becomes an effort in futility with 2' of heavy wet snow and a small compact/sub-compact tractor.

 

[je1279]

Im not that familiar with front blades, being in a place where it never really snows, but it sticks out to me that ive never seen another front angle blade with as beefy a cutting edge as that. Am i just lacking context or is the kubota front blade actually unusual in that way?

The factory edge is steel (1/4" I believe), but they also offer a 1/2" poly option. I have found that an aftermarket 1" rubber edge works well for my gravel driveway, but I purchased a 1" urethane edge to try out this year (if it ever snows here).

 

[nbryan]

Wet snow was snapping your snow blower shear pins? Wow. That's some tough wet snow!

 

[je1279]

Looks like he may have a gravel driveway. If so, the gravel will stick to the wet snow and get jammed between the augers and the housing, resulting in busted shear pins.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

I can think of another obvious (albeit a much less desirable option) to using your tractor on heavy / wet snow!!
this approach saves money on those costly shear pins.
Although the other half may get a little pissy about it.

 

[bearskinner]

There’s 1400’ of gravel down my driveway to the road. Normally I would have the snow blower on the front hydro shoe. I knew with the back and forth of snow and rain, the a few hours of wet little ice balls, it would not blow very easily with the snow blower. Once it jams up with ice, it blows out the top chute pin. Not the main auger pins. It just can’t lift and throw out the wet sticky stuff.
I believe by using two blades at once, to cut the snow load in half, the tractor doesn’t get pushed around like I do with only one blade on the ground.
Today it’s 40 and sunny, with clear roads, and very little snow left. Another crazy year.

 

[Vigo]

The factory edge is steel (1/4" I believe), but they also offer a 1/2" poly option. I have found that an aftermarket 1" rubber edge works well for my gravel driveway, but I purchased a 1" urethane edge to try out this year (if it ever snows here).

The cutting edge on that BX looks more like 1/2-5/8” in the middle.. like what youd find on a box blade or rear angle blade. Thats what stood out to me.

 

[nbryan]

Looks like he may have a gravel driveway. If so, the gravel will stick to the wet snow and get jammed between the augers and the housing, resulting in busted shear pins.

My B2782B 63" blower has never sheared the blower pin in any kind of wet snow/gravel/freezing/thawing scenario. The blower pin goes when a chunk of firewood or rock larger than about 2" makes it through the augers, which are the usual pin-breakers, not the blower.
But it has to be something more solid than ice or ice/gravel mix like a wood block or large stone to shear it.
The wet gravel crud just stops flowing out the chute and the tractor starts lugging, so backing off the hst for a few secs is usually the cure.

I think there's a tractor power and blower size difference here showing up.

 

[Stmar]

OP has similar setup as me as far as blades but I chained up all 4 and have a cab. Getting older the cab is a real game changer when it is below zero and the wind is blowing 50mph. Some say not to chain the front but we usually have a snow drift at the top of an incline and I need all the help I can get to go through that. Plus going downhill on ice it stabilizes the steering.