What size back blade for a BX 2380 for snow.

[shop]

Would like to hear about others experiences/feelings using a back blade as part of snow removal inventory. I live in southern Maine so snowfall is variable. Mostly want it for light snowfalls and as a finishing blade after FEL or walkbehind snowblowing. Driveway is 40 feet wide by 60 feet long. Should blade be 5 feet or 6 feet wide? I also have some dirt work to do with it in summer.

 

[edritchey]

I used a five foot rear blade on my BX24 for years along with a set of chains it did pretty well as long as the snow wasn’t to deep and wet

 

[skeets]

I got a land pride 60 incher I dont much like it for snow but I do put it on for weight and use the front blade

 

[majorwager]

I dislike using a backblade for snow simply because driving over snow to pack it down before removal seems foolish.

That said, they are handy for gravel/stone restoration. Unless the surface is frozen, they will dig into an unpaved surface.

Suggest skid shoes are a must. Some folks have cut a slit in 1-1/2 schedule 40 pipe and tack welded it over the cutting edge. Not done this but seems practical.

I have a 6 ft blade, it weighs 400+ lbs and is rather light if doing more than spreading loose material. Note that when angled, a five ft. Blade will be less width than tractor, that is a negative.

Suggest a blade that tilts and also angles. Mine will offset as well. Purchase W/O these features often causes regrets.

The 3 point on my little ford must be adjusted for the BB. The lift rod saddles must be placed in the furthest lower link holes to obtain max height, so blade is in optimum position.

Without a hydraulic top link, you will be forever adjusting a manual top link.

You stated a snow blower is primary snow tool ?? Or The FEL ??

The moldboard on most BB's is too short for snow (cat 1) and overflows quickly.

Your tractor is cat 1 or cat 0 ????

Good luck, stuff to consider.

 

[edritchey]

I always used mine to push snow I really never messed with the top link after having it set the way I wanted it the only time I had to get off the tractor was to angle the blade. With heavy wet snow and the blade on a sharp angle it would push the tractor sideways because the BX24 was so light . I had a full size backhoe to use but liked the little Kubota because it was easier on the gravel driveway most of the time.

 

[dirtydeed]

I use a 6 footer. Worked fine behind my old BX23 as well. I've found that they work better when pushed in reverse rather than pulling them thru the snow.

Question for OP- What is the driveway construction (paved or stone)?

 

[Cfrazer]

I have a BX2670 with a front snowblower and a 5ft rear blade. The rear blade works well to pull snow away from garage door or other things and in light snowfalls where the snowblower struggles, I angle the blade to one side pulling forward and pile it up in the center of driveway then drop the snowblower and blow it all away. Works well. When angled the blade covers my tracks. Have a gravel drive and started with the pvc pipe as mentioned but then switched to putting a horse stall mat around the blade so now it acts like a squeegee without digging in.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ZTMAN]

From the owner's manual for the bx2380 , page 24, implement limitations:

Rear blade
Max. cutting width 152 cm
(60 in.)
152 cm
(60 in.)
Max. weight 112 kg
(248 lbs.)
112 kg
(248 lbs.)

 

[Howling]

The 5 foot blade is nice size on BX. For a small storm blade is quicker than snow blower. I don't leave blade on when using blower for because big object both ends makes it easier to damaging cars.

Need FEL and forks to finish a project last year so did first storm with blade.

 

[shop]

Thanks everyone for your posts. Its really helpful to hear all the different ways you use the blade. To answer some of your questions, my driveway is approx 3/4 paved and 1/4 gravel. I am not sure what my primary snow removal tool will be as of yet. Its my first year with a tractor to use. I guess it will depend on the snowstorm. We get everything here. 2"+ of sleet one storm, 6" of snow that's mostly water on another, and a couple 18+ inches of powder, and any other combo you can dream up. I was thinking the back blade would be nice to finish scrape after the bulk snow removal and to move a smaller storm to the sides where the FEL or blower would be usefull.

 

[Olly]

I use a rear blade exclusively for snow removal on my mile long gravel driveway. Works great. My M6040 with grapple, loaded rear tires and rear blade tip the grain scales at 10,100 pounds. I have a Rhino 950 rear blade that weighs 1100 pounds. If I need to plow the driveway and it is still soft - reverse the blade and go at it. I had a Land Pride RB3596 @ 565 pounds. Way to light for summer driveway maintenance - that's why the heavy Rhino. The Rhino offset and angled gives me about a 72 inch wide plowed path. I offset the blade about 24" outside one rear tire. As you can see - with my rear blade offset and angled at about 35 degrees - I loose a full 24" in plowed width. If I go to a 45 degree angle - my plowed width will be around 64".

Its quite easy to calculate the actual width of the rear blade path with graph paper and a graduated ruler.

 

[lordulrich]

I use a 5 ft blade on my 2370. I keep the blade on all winter, and a blower on the front. Light snow falls works good, also nice for cleaning up ice that builds up over the winter. In heavier snow falls it grabs the blade, and can suck the tractor right off the driveway. In heaver snow when the wind is too high to blow, it works pretty good to push in reverse, the extra ballast is also nice when running the blower.