Winter Bucket Prep - Snow Coating?

[TheShadyKubota]

Hey All -

First winter with my BX but wonder if anyone coats their buckets, blades or snow blowers with any product to keep the snow from sticking? I'm finding that the first 1/2 hour after leaving the heated garage the snow tends to stick more and with that reduces the buckets capacity (considering it's small already).

Any suggestions I'd be happy to give it a shot.

 

[ctfjr]

I spray my blower chute with 'PAM'.

 

[johnjk]

I have not had much issue with a warm bucket and snow sticking. By the time I get it out of the garage and let it warm up, the bucket is ambient air temperature. Add in another 10 min to fight with the rear blade hook up and I am good to go. Even with wet snow, it usually breaks free with a bit of bucket shaking. In four years I have not had to stop clearing snow to clear the FEL.

 

[Tughill Tom]

This is the stuff I've been using on the bucket, blower, plow on the 4 Wheeler and the rear skid on my Snowmobile. Thanks for the reminder, I'm looking 1 to 2 feet by the weekend. Good Times

 

[TheShadyKubota]

I have not had much issue with a warm bucket and snow sticking. By the time I get it out of the garage and let it warm up, the bucket is ambient air temperature. Add in another 10 min to fight with the rear blade hook up and I am good to go. Even with wet snow, it usually breaks free with a bit of bucket shaking. In four years I have not had to stop clearing snow to clear the FEL.

It's definitely not filling up.. just was curious on what others may do. I'm switching to a quad and blade as my main source and will use this when I need to pile things up. The spray that @Tughill Tom posted seems like a legit option.

 

[Biker1mike]

If the blade is getting really nasty and rusty I will spray a couple layers of paint on it.

 

[mikester]

Try Rain-X spray with liquid Teflon - the "forever" PFAS chemicals. Mind as well take a shot glass and chug a shot of the stuff every time you coat your bucket.

A heated garage is your best bet. I'm in the snow belt so pushing snow is a lose-lose proposition. A blade is better at pushing snow than a bucket.

 

[jkrubi12]

I've used silicone spray lube in the past, but I like the stuff shown above by TT, gonna hafta find some of that!

 

[DustyRusty]

Inexpensive vegetable oil in a spray can work as well as the most expensive spray lubricants when it comes to snow.

 

[Mowbizz]

I use “Sno-jet” spray bought at my Kubota dealer…doesn’t seem too awfully effective as yesterday during my slush blowing experience, the concrete was basically adhered to all the metal parts where snow passes through.

 

[DustyRusty]

Borrow a can of PAM from the kitchen and give it a try. I doubt that anyone will miss it for a short while. Give it a try and report your results.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

I live in same province as you and store my equipment in unheated shop space.... cold equipment on cold snow.... never had to do anything to bucket or blower and have been at it for more than half century.

Maybe if i stored in heated shop I would have some concern if I was trying to minimize melt after use. I would leave you machine outdoors during the 30 minute warm up which will ensure all the equipment steel is cold. I guess you spend a good deal of time after cleaning snow making sure rims, bucket, etc... snow free so your heated area gets less melt and your warm-up period less due to heated garage.

try letting it warm up outside in the cold a little longer which will let your bucket cool down before hitting the snow.

OR if you have quick-tach could you try leaving your bucket outside in winter so its cold already? Bucket on/off take only a few seconds.

 

[pigdoc]

Mmmm, the Dupont stuff contains Teflon. AKA PFAS. AKA Forever Chemicals. If Congress would get off it's a** this stuff would be banned. Because, it is now present in ALL surface waters on the globe. We're drinking Teflon every day.

My first instinct was to consider propylene glycol. Like antifreeze, but not toxic. This is a remedy for a cow disease called ketosis, and can be had in gallon jugs. I don't know if TSC stocks it, but I would bet they do. I was buying it for $9 per gallon, back in the late 1980s...

I think propylene glycol is also what is in "RV antifreeze."

-Paul

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

Mmmm, the Dupont stuff contains Teflon. AKA PFAS. AKA Forever Chemicals. If Congress would get off it's a** this stuff would be banned. Because, it is now present in ALL surface waters on the globe. We're drinking Teflon every day.

My first instinct was to consider propylene glycol. Like antifreeze, but not toxic. This is a remedy for a cow disease called ketosis, and can be had in gallon jugs. I don't know if TSC stocks it, but I would bet they do. I was buying it for $9 per gallon, back in the late 1980s...

I think propylene glycol is also what is in "RV antifreeze."

-Paul

two 1 gallon bottles for $8 at my local TSC...I use it to winterize pipes and water lines for the pool.

 

[leveraddict]

I'm cheap! I don't use anything, but then I've never seen a need in the 5 years using the BX's FEL and rear blade! I can possibly see something used for a snowblower chute, but again in the 37 years here I have never needed to unclog a snowblower chute! Are you guys sure your just not bored and want to throw money at your Kubota? Save your cash for other unneeded bling and implements that sit and collect dust. I love seeing the big purchases here on OTT and then see it in the for sale section! ROFLMAO! Its a tractor not a Harley!

 

[Mowbizz]

I'm cheap! I don't use anything, but then I've never seen a need in the 5 years using the BX's FEL and rear blade! I can possibly see something used for a snowblower chute, but again in the 37 years here I have never needed to unclog a snowblower chute! Are you guys sure your just not bored and want to throw money at your Kubota? Save your cash for other unneeded bling and implements that sit and collect dust. I love seeing the big purchases here on OTT and then see it in the for sale section! ROFLMAO! Its a tractor not a Harley!

Lol…wait until you have been snowblowing and have to get off the machine and clear the damned chute every minute…you’ll be swearing and trying to find a solution too! I will say I never had to unclog my FEL bucket nor backhoe…snowblowers and wet snow are a different animal.

 

[leveraddict]

I dont use the blower (walk behind Ariens Platinum) when the snow is wet and sloppy! The blade and FEL gets it done!

 

[ctfjr]

Mmmm, the Dupont stuff contains Teflon. AKA PFAS. AKA Forever Chemicals. If Congress would get off it's a** this stuff would be banned. Because, it is now present in ALL surface waters on the globe. We're drinking Teflon every day.

My first instinct was to consider propylene glycol. Like antifreeze, but not toxic. This is a remedy for a cow disease called ketosis, and can be had in gallon jugs. I don't know if TSC stocks it, but I would bet they do. I was buying it for $9 per gallon, back in the late 1980s...

I think propylene glycol is also what is in "RV antifreeze."

-Paul

I just made the mistake of reading the MSDS sheet

 

[The Evil Twin]

Pam. Or whatever non stick cooking spray you can sneak out of the pantry. Been using it on the dirt bikes for forever, fender wells of the vehicles too.
Propylene glycol will help melt ice if your chute or bucket are clogged but it won't prevent it from sticking. It's a great de-icer. I have a little spray bottle of old antifreeze in the garage just for the frosty frozen windshields.

 

[ve9aa]

Heavy wet snow suxx !!! You'll be trying every trick in the book to unclog the snowblower if it ever happens to ya
BTDTHTTS