Another BX25 snow option question

[VermontWacko]

I have read all of the posts that come up with a search on this topic.

This specific question hasn't been adressed.

Has anyone tried an adjustable snow blade mounted to the FEL bucket (such as the Bxepander blade with ground skids) and leaving the back hoe on the BX25 as balast?

How would this setup work on a dirt drive of 130' that gradually rises about 10'?

Are there other makers in addition to Bxpander?

My motivation for this setup is that it is maintains the FEL hydrolics and is very easy to switch back to the FEL for finish work without making the additional investment in the Kubota quick attach.

 

[CHDinCT]

Pretty sure this issue has been discussed - leaving the BH on with a front blade or blower on - and I believe the opinions vary. Since you would be leaving the FEL on and just adding a plow, the BH may not prove to be too much rear ballast. Can't hurt to try and if you find the front wheels getting light, you can always remove it for less weight, like a box blade or rear blade, or even the ballast box, if you have any of these.

The only other option I've seen is this one from Curtis. No idea what the cost is, however.

Sno Pro Tractor Blades

 

[jdonovan]

Has anyone tried an adjustable snow blade mounted to the FEL bucket (such as the Bxepander blade with ground skids) and leaving the back hoe on the BX25 as balast?

Have the bxpanded blade, love it.

I pull the hoe off and use a 5' rear blade for counter weight.

I set the front plow to leave 1/2"-3/4" and for the areas I want super clean I use the rear blade.

How would this setup work on a dirt drive of 130' that gradually rises about 10'?

You _ARE_ going to push gravel off your drive. How much depends entirely on the operator.

Will it clear the snow... absolutely.

Are there other makers in addition to Bxpander?

I've not seen anyone else with a ready to go setup that was light enough on the lbs. to be willing to put it on the end of a BX loader.

Sure you can fab something up.... but if you had super-duper fabritcator powers you'd be in the shop making it not asking about it. :thumbsup:

My motivation for this setup is that it is maintains the FEL hydrolics and is very easy to switch back to the FEL for finish work without making the additional investment in the Kubota quick attach.

The exact reason I got the setup. I live on a dead end, and the mounds the town plows leave require a loader. But the 600' of driveway really require a blade, so I need both.

 

[VermontWacko]

Thanks JDonovan for answering -- exactly what I needed. We are supposed to get snow this week -- so it the FEL to start

 

[jdonovan]

] so it the FEL to start

Beats a shovel....:thumbsup:

 

[radioman]

vw- you could try the jari system- his own veresion of quick attach. you could get the blank plate and add a snowplow to it if you are handy. this way you could still swap between FEL and plow. or just go with bxpanded plow.
Is there a reason why you need a FEL bucket in winter? going with bxpanded plow you can push snow up a bank to make room if needed. I'm doing the same right now, but went with a truck plow instead on my FEL arms.

 

[bellweather]

jdonovan

Shouldn't the sled feet on the blade set to the proper height and with the FEL in float mode minimize plowing gravel?

 

[Just2quickz28]

This is my set up that I purchased from another member it works great.
No digging into my dirt / gravel drive. Fast enough for me to go switch to the bucket to move the piles back or bring in firewood.

 

[jdonovan]

jdonovan

Shouldn't the sled feet on the blade set to the proper height and with the FEL in float mode minimize plowing gravel?

Assuming your road has no crown... yes.

If you've got a crown, then you've got to plow in such a way that the blade does not go across the crown, or you will try to remove it.

Also if you live in an area where your ground freezes solid before the snow comes, then you'll have less trouble than say southern VA or the carolinas where you get freeze/thaw cycles and can be plowing on soft ground.

 

[wawajake]

Or maybe this

 

[Firefighter Kubota]

Or this.. taken before I added hydraulic angle, fully functional now..

$200 and a couple hours...

 

[radioman]

or like this :thumbsup:

 

[VermontWacko]

New BX25 arrived today. Initial observations: With 2-link chains on rear tires, BH and FEL on, there is no where enough weight on the front for effective steering while pushing the deep snow here in Vermont (other than on level, paved surfaces).

I tried to open up a snowed-in, uneven dirt path and didn't get enough snow off the path and bellied the tractor in 15 inches of loose snow. My first and hopefully my last dig-out. Ugly begining.

I can't immagine that any FEL mounted plow will be heavy enough to balance well with that heavy, heavy BH -- it is just too heavy. That was my tentative snow removal set-up. So back to the drawing board.

I'm reconsidering the $2700 front snow thrower set up from Kubota vs. Landpride back blade (RBT1572) with Quick Hitch (OH15) on the Kubota 3PH option balanced with the FEL. I think I like the back blade approach because it will cost at least $1500 less, be balanced with the FEL and be more versitile year round. But will it really move deep snow?

Here is an initial, low cost change. With turf tires, they load up quickly today. Front chains are needed too. Does anyone have experience with 2-link front chains that can make a recommendation? (My dealer doesn't have them in stock and pointed out possible clearence issues with tie rod and frame -- so they need to be kept off the inside tire wall and be of limited profile.)

The fun begins:laughing:

 

[jdonovan]

Initial observations: With 2-link chains on rear tires, BH and FEL on, there is no where enough weight on the front for effective steering while pushing the deep snow here in Vermont (other than on level, paved surfaces).

Discovered that too... BH off for storms, and I use a 5' rear blade for ballast.

I'm reconsidering the $2700 front snow thrower set up from Kubota vs. Landpride back blade (RBT1572) with Quick Hitch (OH15) on the Kubota 3PH option balanced with the FEL. I think I like the back blade approach because it will cost at least $1500 less, be balanced with the FEL and be more versitile year round. But will it really move deep snow?

Its the ground clearance of the 25 that prevents it from being a good rear-blade snow remover. You can plow in reverse, but its almost a given you will eventually bend up the rear hitch.

Here is an initial, low cost change. With turf tires, they load up quickly today. Front chains are needed too. Does anyone have experience with 2-link front chains that can make a recommendation?

I got mine from tirechains.com. I've got a bx22, so clearance might be different, but I've got no interference between tractor components and the chains. I am running R4's and they might be a bit narrower than your R3s.

I've got a bxpanded loader mount blade, and so far have been happy with.

We're getting 6-12" today so I should have some action shots/video posted tomorrow.

 

[irvingj]

I'll put in a vote for the front-mount blower. Yep, it's definitely the most expensive way to go.

In my opinion, it's also the best way- certainly works for me. It's not as fast as plowing, but much faster than using FEL to move piles-- there aren't any! One pass, moving forward, and that snow is history. No high banks, either. I use turfs with no chains, as the machine clears its own path as it goes.

I do use the BH for rear ballast --it really works-- but the front end does get light when going upslope. Solution: one pass uphill, adjusting every so often to keep it in the center of my driveway, then the rest is simply done going downhill.

Blower will chew through amazingly tough and/or high snowplow ridges and/or drifts. Icy, crusty stuff not an issue, unless a shearpin goes. But even then, it's not too hard to replace them.

The other day I wanted the FEL to remove a pile over my bulkhead, and also wanted to grease the blower & driveline-- not a problem. Took about 15 minutes to take quick-hitch, driveshaft, & blower off, 5 minutes to put FEL on. Took about 15 minutes to swap it all back to blower duty. (With the blower, I've found that I only rarely need or want the FEL, anyway.)

So. There's my nickel.

 

[keyman1808]

I agree with irvingj. The most expensive but one of the most efficient ways to go. I had the front blower and sold it off this year. It did a killer job but I use my loader way to much all winter and the constant changing back and forth got to me. So I use my FEL. Takes alot more time but works excellent. Even with a front mount plow if you have alot of heavy wet snow the tractor doesn't have the weight or traction to push it. Remember its a BX not and M or an L series

 

[radioman]

Are you referring to your driveway being uneven and can't clear and steer? Was the FEL in float? when you start to lost steering and need it back, just a bump on the FEL to lift quickly brings back the steering.
snowblower is nice, plow is cheaper but good too. back blade is nice to have if you have other use for it. If you get a 5-6 ft just for snow, it will work if you are pushing backwards all the time in low without ramming to prevent bending 3pt arms so no chains is needed.

 

[wawajake]

Yes I agree with Radioman, use the float feature and do very small adjustments with your Fel lever while you move forward to keep front wheels down to provide steering.
Give yourself a few hours and you will get the knack for it.

 

[VermontWacko]

Wonderful to have the expereinced input of jdonovan, irvingj and keyman in making this decision. For example, hadn't thought of bending up the 3PH -- but that seems probable -- but Radioman's recommendation to not horse it helps. Not sure where I will come out on this yet.

Here is what is influencing my thinking. I will have limited but occasional use for the backblade itself other than snow removal -- but the 3PH and Quick Connect will allow me to use my neighbors box scaper -- so I will probably end up with those two pieces in any event. That makes the backblade much less expensive than the snowthrower which for me will have three single purpose pieces (thrower, connect and mid-PTO kit). I'm never gonna but one of those fancy FE power brushes.

Radioman -- the FEL was in float -- bumping it up recovered some steering but the BH is just so heavy that even with a lot of back and forth, the deep snow was not being sufficiently removed to prevent bellying the machine. On a downhill corner I lost the ability to back up in the deep stuff. That was all she wrote.

 

[KU Gator]

I use the FEL and a RBT1560 on my B2920 to remove snow. Living in KS, we rarely have more than about 8" on the ground at any time before a thaw comes along and melts it off. The biggest problem is wind drifting it back in after you clear it. I would say, given our conditions, the FEL and rear blade works ok. I mostly push it backwards off the concrete near the house and then turn the blade around backwards and angle it and go forward down the drive way.

But I don't know that I would find it that satisfactory if snow was a regular event and piled up higher and stayed there. I think you will find yourself running out of room. A front blade would be better as you at least aren't either backing so much which is hard on your neck and risks bending the 3 pt arms, but still you have the issue of where to push it to keep the drive from closing in on you.

Also with a RBT1572 on the BX. You might want to have the dealer put one on a BX and see how much it clears the ground when it is fully raised. It won't be much. You may want to look at one of those sized for a BX. And a 6' blade will also pull the tractor sideways when it loads up with snow. My 5' one pulls me and can bring me to a stop although I don't have chains on mine so I don't have the traction.

I certainly understand the reluctance to paying for a front mounted snow blower, but it is probably the best solution in an area subject to heavy snow fall.