Pros and cons of snow removal options

jimh406

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
Kubota L2501 with R4 tires
Jan 29, 2021
2,484
1,928
113
Western MT
The magnet mirrors on our L2501 are great. My head don't swivel like it could when I was younger. Still need to turn to look back sometimes, but much less often with the mirrors on.
They are also very handy plowing or grader/scraping our community road. I can see vehicles coming up behind me without constantly looking behind me.
 
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Chadwiseman

New member

Equipment
Bx1880
Oct 5, 2024
5
4
3
Canada
I purchased a bx 1880 a year ago. The mid mount mower was great for my acre lot. bought a 48” snow pusher from a Canadian manufacturer and a rear snow blower from another manufacturer. This winter has been great. The tractor was not under powered but performed well on my 20x150 drive way here in Canada.
 
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Bearcatrp

Well-known member

Equipment
BX1880 with loader, mower and 3 point
Mar 28, 2023
745
410
63
Minnesota
I purchased a bx 1880 a year ago. The mid mount mower was great for my acre lot. bought a 48” snow pusher from a Canadian manufacturer and a rear snow blower from another manufacturer. This winter has been great. The tractor was not under powered but performed well on my 20x150 drive way here in Canada.
Enjoy using my 1880 for snow duties plus cutting grass. More capable than what folks give credit to it. Cuts grass great, doesn't bog down. I plow snow using my 6 foot 3 point blade. Moves snow without issues. Small enough to get around tight spots cutting grass. Worth every penny.
 
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91diesel

Member

Equipment
BX23S Homemade hyd toplink/sidelink, AgriEase Snowblower
Dec 31, 2021
57
21
8
Fairbanks, AK
Anyone have any good idea for an implement to scratch up the surface of glaze ice? Every once in a while, and this year is one, we get a thaw/rain in December or January that leaves a couple inches of hockey grade ice on my very steep driveway. I'd like to score it up somehow (with my BX). I have used a toothed bucket and that works sorta, I have a box blade I got really cheap that I'm thinking about turning one of the cutting edges into a bunch of little spikes to drag through the surface of the ice and give the cars some traction. I'm going to get pea gravel tomorrow, the problem with it is the expense (long steep driveway) and that I know as soon as I put it down it'll snow 4" in a freak storm and I'll end up plowing it off the driveway.
 

Gaspasser

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L6060, FEL, forks, front snowblower. KX033 mini ex. Dump truck, Husqvarna saws.
Dec 16, 2023
228
272
63
NH
Anyone have any good idea for an implement to scratch up the surface of glaze ice? Every once in a while, and this year is one, we get a thaw/rain in December or January that leaves a couple inches of hockey grade ice on my very steep driveway. I'd like to score it up somehow (with my BX). I have used a toothed bucket and that works sorta, I have a box blade I got really cheap that I'm thinking about turning one of the cutting edges into a bunch of little spikes to drag through the surface of the ice and give the cars some traction. I'm going to get pea gravel tomorrow, the problem with it is the expense (long steep driveway) and that I know as soon as I put it down it'll snow 4" in a freak storm and I'll end up plowing it off the driveway.
Yep. Welcome to the long, steep driveway club. You don't say if it's gravel or paved. My gravel drive is 800 feet, curved and steep. I have mudpit on top from last year's logging, so with snowmelt, has become ice covered with refreezing, I use stone dust (called supergrit by local quarry). Spread over ice and gives good traction. And yes, the plow and or snowblower does displace the stone down the incline. I use my box blade in the spring to regrade and drag the stone back up. I need to ditch sides of drive this year and build a crown into the center once the loggers finish up their operations in May. Just part of the joys of developing a homesite. Hang in...spring is coming.
 
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torch

Well-known member

Equipment
B7100HSD, B2789, B2550, B4672, 48" cultivator, homemade FEL and Cab
Jun 10, 2016
2,650
889
113
Muskoka, Ont.
Anyone have any good idea for an implement to scratch up the surface of glaze ice?
If there is one, I'd love to hear about it for the same reasons. I've tried the toothed bucket. I tried the roto-tiller. No Joy.

The best I've been able to achieve is giving it a nice crown and breaking the banks at low spots when thawing or rain is in the forecast so the runoff has a place to go. I use a hand-held seed spreader to apply ground corn husk material as a traction aid where needed.

Those measures help with my own driveway. Good quality studded winter tires (I favour the Altimax Arctic series for both car and truck) help everywhere else.

Oh, and studded ice cleats that slip onto my boots for pedestrian travel.
 

91diesel

Member

Equipment
BX23S Homemade hyd toplink/sidelink, AgriEase Snowblower
Dec 31, 2021
57
21
8
Fairbanks, AK
I ended up filling 3 5gal buckets and a pull sled with sand from a local place here (cost $0! they said they'd get me on something else. I self loaded with a shovel) This seems to be doing the trick enough for my daughter to get up in her FWD car. Studded and/or Winter tires are a must with just the snow pack on my driveway even in AWD or 4WD vehicles. In a couple days the highs are supposed to be in the 30's with some sun, so I'm thinking that'll bring the end of it.