Snow cleaning 1000ft gravel road

[danmorea]

Wonder what would work better front blade,rear blade,snow blower Have a kubota and deere compact tractor Plan to buy and have it ready for next season Right now i have someone with plow truck My road needs too many repairs in the spring and side of lawn too

 

[ctmike]

I use a rear grader blade to clear snow on my 600 ft. gravel driveway and it works great once the gravel hardens up, usually after the first snowstorm of the season.

 

[Gdemos]

I was out this morning clearing my gravel drive way, 600' with a 10'000 sq ft gravel parking area.

BX24 with a B2789 Rear PTO Blower and a BXPanded Plow attached to my FEL.

I then proceeded to blow/plow paths through my yard for the dogs, cleared my bluestone patio, and my trail to my wood shed.

Very effective setup, sometimes touchy on the height of the blower/plow so as not to send the gravel flying, but you get used to it.

8" of light fluffy snow. ive done the same with heavier wet stuff. whatever the conditions this setup works pretty well. there are other ways for sure but works for me. I researched front mounted snowblowers, rear blades, hydraulic front plows, etc. and like what I've got.

this may be the last storm I run with this exact tractor, moving to a BX25D with heated cab. looking forward to it.

 

[ToddC]

We mounted a little 6ft plow, I think it was off a jeep or something. It has a skid steer QA so we us the tractor or bobcat with it.

 

[aeblank]

Blower all the way. I have a 7.5' boss on my truck, and the banks get higher than the blade. I end up going back and forth many times due to spillage over the wrong side. 74" front blower as soon as i can find a good used one. My dads 72" rear blower is what i base my comments on. My driveway is 900'.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

 

[bearbait]

If you get a lot of snow u can't beat a blower. I have both, blower and back blade and also a side by side utv with a plow on it. When the snow starts to build up the driveway starts to close in and it's blower only. If you have lots of room to push the snow back it probably wouldn't matter. My driveway is almost a mile long.

 

[ctmike]

Here's my snow set-up. As you can see, I need a larger rear grader blade. This 6 footer worked fine for my last tractor but for this Kubota, I need an 8 ft. blade. When the snow gets too deep, I've got a 3 pt. rear blower that clears anything.

 

[MagKarl]

I'd say the first thing you need to decide is what you want to spend. A rear blade will be the most useful year round. Clear snow and repair the drive with the same tool.

 

[gssixgun]

If you get a lot of snow u can't beat a blower. I have both, blower and back blade and also a side by side utv with a plow on it. When the snow starts to build up the driveway starts to close in and it's blower only. If you have lots of room to push the snow back it probably wouldn't matter. My driveway is almost a mile long.

+1

The other advantage of the blower I didn't notice until much later.. Using a blade left the snow basically on the road, where as using the blower tosses the snow 20-40 feet out into the woods.. When Springtime comes there is much less road repair to do when the snow isn't piled up and melting right on the road...

 

[bearbait]

+1

The other advantage of the blower I didn't notice until much later.. Using a blade left the snow basically on the road, where as using the blower tosses the snow 20-40 feet out into the woods.. When Springtime comes there is much less road repair to do when the snow isn't piled up and melting right on the road...

Yes your right but you have to be careful not to use your snowblower to soon. Your road needs to be frozen and have a crust on it. If the blower picks up too much gravel it will wear the drum and it will need to be replaced.

 

[BAP]

With a 1000' driveway, your are going to find it a lot easier on your neck to have front mounted implements. Looking back over your shoulder driving backwards is going to get old real fast. Being able to drive forward and see what you are doing on a driveway that big will make you happier in the long run.

 

[63Flyer]

I second BAP comments. I put a Front Blower this year on my L3540 and could not have been happier. If $ is not a issue and you do not require a FEL in the winter, to me it is a no brainer.

 

[bearbait]

With a 1000' driveway, your are going to find it a lot easier on your neck to have front mounted implements. Looking back over your shoulder driving backwards is going to get old real fast. Being able to drive forward and see what you are doing on a driveway that big will make you happier in the long run.

BAP is right on the money. Last 2 years I had an L3800 with a blower on the back...still got to kneel on the couch and look over my shoulder to watch tv. lol. The front mount blower is a blessing on this old body and much quicker to get the job done.

 

[Gdemos]

for my purpose which includes the need to clear paths around the acreage, paths that are rough/woodsy sometimes, i find the plow in front/blower in back is very useful. invariably i encounter stuff that would bust a shear pin easily, so having the plow up front pushes through the ramble. no mounting/dismounting i can plow forwards or blow backwards, I am working in every direction, every pass, highly efficient. downside is it makes for a long rig though, having the BXpanded plow on the FEL and the B2789 blower on the back you've got to know your layout well or you can get pinned easily without the mobility.

can pop the plow off in a heartbeat and the FEL is on ready to serve if needed. i'm getting a curtis hard cab with heat front and rear wipers, so really feeling prepared for the next 12" snowfall.

the good thing is you've got lots of options, just got to figure what's right for you, your need for interchangeability, and budget of course.

like wearing layers in the cold, can always take a layer off.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

If you want the Utimate set up:

FEL with SSQA (Skid steer quick attach), SSQA Snow blade, SSQA hydraulic snow blower, rear Heavy 3 way blade.

Oh wait, sorry just looked up what tractor you have.
Yea just get a 5' rear blade, and maybe a front mounted 50" or so snowblower, which for your model is going to be on the expensive side and hard to find as your going to need to get the sub frame too.

 

[psvines]

Like so many considerations, how much can you spend and how often will you use it. I've got a BX2660 with rear blade and FEL and last had to clear snow in 2010. We got 55" that year and my implements worked fine clearing 1/3 mile gravel driveway. Yes it took awhile and looking rearward was awkward, but I'm happy with my decision.

 

[ItBmine]

I have a rear blower which I like as I use my fel all the time. But my driveway is only 300 feet long, and that is about the limit of how much I'd want to look backwards. For a thousand feet I would definitely want a front blower and a rear blade.

 

[WillB]

Or a Pull type blower, this will be my next blower.

http://www.lucknowproducts.com/content/pull-type-snowblowers

Dad used one for 30+ years on the back of our trusty MF 35, never got stuck once.

 

[Lil Foot]

Or a Pull type blower, this will be my next blower.
http://www.lucknowproducts.com/content/pull-type-snowblowers
Dad used one for 30+ years on the back of our trusty MF 35, never got stuck once.

Never new such a thing existed… thanks for posting!

 

[WillB]

Never new such a thing existed… thanks for posting!

Your welcome. It is nice living 2-3 hours away from where most of the blowers are built.

MK Martin makes them also...

http://www.mkmartin.ca/products/snow_pull_mod.php


And MK Martin makes a front hitch too, you can run your rear blower off the mid pto, just gotta buy the front hitch with the gear box.

http://mkmartin.ca/products/front_mount.php

Provanost...

http://www.pronovost.qc.ca/inva.html


These type of blowers are popular in Quebec too, and they get tons of snow. Don;t let the "but you will get stuck" crowd deter you from looking at them, they work great.