Snow Pushing snow

[Elklakedoug]

My new 2320 comes monday, but i didn't purchase the FEL to move snow. The dealer tells me the 54" hydraulic blade will be best for pushing snow. Is it? I will likely fill the rear tires with beet juice, but should I get the JD version or one from another manufacturer?

 

[Sumpter]

I got the front blade for my NH and it works great for moving snow. Never considered using the FEL. Mine is a 60".

 

[Andy in Gap]

I use a 54" hydraulic blade on my Yanmar, and it's great for moving snow on my 1500' driveway. If your doing a parking lot or something, it would be pretty small. If the loader is within your budget, get it now. It is so much more versatile than a front blade, but if you are only interested in snow removal, a plow is far superior to a loader. Good luck!:thumbsup:

 

[etcallhome]

I don't have a 2320 but I do have a 2305 w/fel,fb,rb,bh and 5' rear blade.
Till I got my frt blower and rear blade last year only used 54" front blade for plowing snow..
I did try once to just use fel ... NO WAY . Get angle hyd cyl for fb ..You will never want to use fel for doing snow or leveling dirt, stone, what ever.
Yes once last year I used fel to try and move some snow because of snow being blown so high and deep.
Just my 2 cents

 

[Elklakedoug]

FEL coming with it, but no ability to angle snow to the side with it, so was thinking the 54" hydraulic blade. 1,000 ft drive, should work...

 

[Elklakedoug]

Thx- I was thinking of the 60" rear blade for grading the road, dirt, etc. So many attachments, so little time!

 

[reichebrown]

I have a 2305 with a FEL and backhoe. This is my first winter with it and the FEL does and ok job. Nothing and I repeat nothing on my property is flat or level. I can push snow but the tractor goes where it wants if I am on a slope. I am in the process of converting a 54" blade from a 322 for my 2305. My old snow removal was a husqavarna from Lowes with a sears blade bolted on front. I had to beat on on the husq to move the snow. The FEL has been annoying but it doesn't seem like the 2305 is even trying.

 

[LD1]

The blade is far better for clearing a drive than the FEL. As others have mentioned, the ability of angle it makes it much quicker. But if you live in an area that gets ALOT of snow, the FEL is really handy for pushing back and making piles that the blade is unable to do.

 

[KennyG]

It may depend on where you are (how much snow) but more on whether your driveway is concrete, asphalt or gravel. I have a 2320 and I'm clearing snow from concrete with the FEL and a rear box blade. I really need some kind of blade to pull the snow away from buildings, bushes, etc. I think I'll add a back blade I can angle when I can find a cheap one (The box blade fills with snow and I have to lift it and then use the loader) but all in all I'm impressed how well the FEL does even without tire fluid or chains. We've had about 4 feet of snow this year and I'm clearing 500 ft plus of driveway with relatively little effort.

 

[Deadman]

a 54 inch blade on a 2320 will be like eating with a Teaspoon. You should try to make a wider blade for it, as JD doesn't offer anything else.

 

[revitupfaster]

I recently bought a new JD2520, and the primary reason was to get the FEL, and hopefully be able to push snow without having to use chains. It just wasn't cost effective to add the loader to my previous tractor, (an older Yanmar 27hp 4wd) so I opted for the new one.

I also have a JDX495, (My primary lawnmower even though I did get the 62D for the 2520) for which I had the quicktatch front hitch and 54" blade, that I used to plow snow. In the deal, I had the dealer swap out the hitch I had on the X495 for the one that would fit the 2520.

I really have never tried to move snow with the loader, as I, like you, was also told that the blade does a much faster job. I can say that it does work very well, but as another poster has said, my 2520 could easily handle a wider blade, which would make the job that much faster and easier. Too bad JD doesn't offer a wider unit, I would buy it in a minute. I do have the loader "at the ready", so if I do get too much snow around, with nowhere to put it, I can switch out the blade and mount the loader pretty quickley. The best scenario I think, is to have both front blade & loader. The blade is faster, but can't move the "BIG" piles that easily.

I did purchase a ballast box, for added snow pushing traction, (which was suggested by other forum members) and have found that it was a good investment, it does make for a lot of added traction. I have the R4 tires, which some are not thrilled with for pushing snow, but I did not want to have to use chains as I did on my X495, and have found that so far, it all works pretty good. Although I do have a pretty flat area I have to clear.

My actual driveway (about 300') is paved, and I can easily run the full length with the blade angled and clear a path through 8-10" of snow. A few runs down the center and each side and I'm done. Unfortunately, my parking area directly in front of my garages is gravel, and it's a lot slower clearing the snow here uness I want to splatter stones all over the lawn, and have to rake 'em up in the spring. Thats a real PITA. I'll have to save up and pave the whole thing I guess. Sure would make plowing a lot easier.

I find it a lot easier to "grade" my gravel parking area with the loader rather than the blade. I just crank the bucket itself down where the front edge will grade the gravel while backing up. To me it works much better than my blade, leaves a far smoother surface when I'm done. Must be the added weight of the loader that helps.



REV

 

[Deadman]

I have a 60 inch snowplow on my ATV, and my 2520 would push 3 times as much, so that 54 inch blade is just way too small in my opinion. I get bored with the 60 inch blade on my atv, I can't imagine a small blade on a slower moving tractor. I often plow at 20 MPH with the ATV. :laughing:

 

[dwost]

I too agree, you will want something bigger. I was in a similar situation as the previous owner would use the FEL on the drive. After I saw the scraping damage it did to the asphalt I knew this would not be the best approach. Once we took possession of the house I purchased a WR Long 84" plow that mounts to the loader arms. I also opted for the the urethane cutting edge which is very gentle on the driveway. Very satisfied with the setup.

 

[Gittyup]

If I were to go with a 3rd party blade, I wouldn't give up hydraulic angling for a wider blade. Yeah, the tractor will handle bigger. But, it should be very very fast. So, unless you are plowing huge areas, the JD blade is a very sweet setup. In general, for snow falls under 12" without a huge winter buildup, a front mount blade will be faster than just about anything. I wouldn't want to move snow with a loader. That seems like a real PITA.

6" or less snow and I can plow five or six 100' drives in about an hour with my little 425 using the 54" blade. It's very fast and precise. And it's one tough little bugger too. I've used the heck out of mine for 17 seasons and just this year had to put a new cutting edge on it. If you are worried about drive damage, get a rubber edge. For stone, just add a piece of slitted PVC pipe to the bottom edge of the blade.

 

[Elklakedoug]

Some good wisdom from all of you - thanks.

OK, so which aftermarket blades also work with the hydraulics and/or have the whole set up together like the 54" JD blade? Under $1,500 to $2,000?

 

[reichebrown]

I bought a 54" blade for a 300 series and had a bracket fabbed up and had longer hoses made. I'm into it about for about $600. That's about half of what new would cost.

 

[dwost]

If I were to go with a 3rd party blade, I wouldn't give up hydraulic angling for a wider blade. Yeah, the tractor will handle bigger. But, it should be very very fast. So, unless you are plowing huge areas, the JD blade is a very sweet setup. In general, for snow falls under 12" without a huge winter buildup, a front mount blade will be faster than just about anything. I wouldn't want to move snow with a loader. That seems like a real PITA.

6" or less snow and I can plow five or six 100' drives in about an hour with my little 425 using the 54" blade. It's very fast and precise. And it's one tough little bugger too. I've used the heck out of mine for 17 seasons and just this year had to put a new cutting edge on it. If you are worried about drive damage, get a rubber edge. For stone, just add a piece of slitted PVC pipe to the bottom edge of the blade.

Agree but I'd rather have both,longer blade and full hydraulics. If you are looking at third party options check out the wr long setups. They have a varity of widths available with hydraulics.

 

[ragkar]

I have the jd 2320, 54 inch blade with both rubber and hard edge and 600 feet of 11 foot wide asphalt driveway. The 54 incher is the biggest from jd.
I wish the blade were wider, but it really doesn't make sense if it were. Look at the math. The first pass is just off center with the blade at 90 degrees to the driveway. On the return the blade is angled to the right and you use nearly a 50 percent overlap to prevent spillage of snow to the left. So essentially you are clearing a 36 inch path. On the second round trip you again use a generous overlap and tidy up the right and left side of the driveway. So in two round trips I clear the entire 11 foot width.
If the blade were wider, like 70 inches I could plow in three passes (one and a half round trips) but that would leave me at the far end of the driveway and I would still have to come back.
If you get the JD 54 incher, be sure to get the rubber edge and two sets of bolts (long and shorter you paid for them). Also set the plow handle so that the springs activate for snow plowing. The skids should have the rubber just touching the asphalt. Sure the rubber will wear, but that's the cost of doing business.

 

[dwost]

Check out wr long. I paid 2,500 shipped for the 84" w/hydraulics and the urethane edge. The blade alone in a manual setup was 2k. Te smaller blades should price out in your range. I ordered mine from Iowa Farm Equipment and it was drop shipped direct from the mfg in NC. Send me a pm if u want their contact details.

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

Some good wisdom from all of you - thanks.

OK, so which aftermarket blades also work with the hydraulics and/or have the whole set up together like the 54" JD blade? Under $1,500 to $2,000?

Check at the MF or Kubota store. I believe they both have front power angle blades where the QA clamps on a front bracket approx 13" x 6" x 3/8"