Snow Deere 3520 & Rear Blade

[mark02tj]

I recently bought a JD 3520 and I love it! I've used it for mowing and last week for spreading 50+ tons of gravel. I don't even want to think about what that job would have been like if I had to use my old walk-behind Gravely!

Anyway, I'm looking at a rear mounted blade to help maintain my driveway and clear snow. I found a good deal on an 84" (7 ft) blade and was wondering if the 3520 would handle a blade that size or should I look at getting a 60" or 72" inch blade instead? I'm not sure that a 60" blade will do a good job of clearing the snow since it might not clear a path wide enough to clear my tire tracks if I angle it while it's behind the tractor? Any thoughts from you guys that have more experience would be appreciated!!

And, while we're on the subject of snow removal.... Any tips on keeping the blade from digging up gravel from the driveway and from scraping up the concrete pad in front of my garage? I've talked to guys that have welded "skies" on to their blades to raise them up a bit from the gravel driveways. One guy told me that he puts a pipe with a slit cut in it over the bottom edge of the blade so it's a rounded surface that comes in contact with the gravel driveway.

I've noticed in a couple of the other threads that there are "Robolon" skids available for snow blowers. Is there anything similar available to replace the bottom part of the blade to keep it from damaging concrete?

One final question - is there a "float" setting on the 3-point hitch like I have on my bucket?

Sorry for the long list of questions, but at least they're all related to each other! :laughing:

THANKS!

 

[RoyJackson]

I'd go with the 84" blade for snow removal. It'll work for driveway maintenance too, but don't take too big a bite (probably don't want to anyway...it'll tear up your gravel drive).
There's a couple things you can do to minimize moving gravel when plowing snow. You've already written about a couple (the skid shoes or skies). Some folks install a pipe to the bottom of the blade to prevent it digging in. Some folks attach a non-metallic scraper (rubber, hard plastic) to the cutting edge of the blade. These would wear out eventually, of course.
I used the convex side of the blade to move snow. You can do this by pushing (driving in reverse), but since blades don't have trip springs there is a chance of bending your lower link arms if you hit an immovable object (like a curb). If the blade rotates 180 degrees, you can drive forward and plow. That's what I did and it works quite well. Since you're driving over the snow before the blade does it's thing, you might need chains...

As far as 3PH "float"...they all float unless you have hydraulic down pressure. I doubt your 3520 has this, but some tractors do and some folks install hydraulic cylinders for down pressure. Since most 3PH do float...sometimes the blade will "float" over hard packed snow or ice. Some folks (including me) added weights to the blade to minimize the float.

My rear blade is long gone (I use the FEL bucket or a plow on my Gator now), but if I were buying a rear blade today, I'd go for one of the combo units that have a flip up blade as well as a rake and gauge wheels. I think Land Pride makes one...been a while since I looked though. These combo units aren't cheap...you're looking at more then $1000. But they are a multipurpose implement.

 

[bennatti]

I agree with Roy on multiple counts...I do use an 84 inch blade on my 3320 (once I installed my extenders, my olde blade wasn't wide enough when angled)....I also use the convex side when moving snow...expecially handy when the ground is soft early and late into the season...when the ground is frozen solid and there is a substantial snowfall predicted I do switch to my rear mounted snowblower...

 

[94BULLITT]

A 3520 will handle a 7' blade. What model is the blade you are interested in? You are going to want something well built.

 

[mark02tj]

THANKS for the replies, guys!! I appreciate everyone's time and expertise!

Based on Roy's initial response as well as a quick conversation with my JD dealer, yesterday evening I pulled the trigger on a Frontier RB2184. I found one on Craigslist that I was able to pick up for $400. It looks brand new as the previous owner only used it 3 or 4 times since he bought it in 2010.

This one doesn't have the skids or the side plates (probably going to buy those from the dealer for approx $150) but the guy did give me a set of skids that he had along with some pipe to mount them to the bucket with. I'm not sure if I'll mount those or not. Right now my plan is to try and mount a 2" or so pipe along the bottom to minimize damage to the gravel. I will also be following the advice of turning the blade around and doing snow removal with the convex side.

I was pretty amazed at how beefy this Frontier blade is compared to some of the other blades available. This thing weighs in somewhere around 450 lbs compared to under 200 lbs for for comparably sized blades available at some of the farm stores. I'm almost looking forward to some big snow falls so I can use the thing! Nothing like a boy with a new toy!!

BENNATTI - I noticed the chains on your tractor. We don't get quite as much snow in Ohio as you do in Maine, but in case I decide that I need a set, approximately what would a set of chains set me back?

THANKS AGAIN for the replies and advice!

 

[RoyJackson]

...but in case I decide that I need a set, approximately what would a set of chains set me back?

Try Tire Chains by TireChains.com

These folks will advise you on clearance requirements and shipping costs.. Prices are on the website.
As far as clearance....I have 41-14-20 turf tires on my Deere 4400 (which is quite close to your 3520 in size and power). These folks suggested a minimum of 2.5" clearance between the tire (sidewall and top) and the fender. I had to reverse my tires to attain the required clearance. If you have industrial or ag tires, you may need to swap side to side (to maintain the correct rolling direction) or add spacers.

 

[jeffster]

Congrats on your new blade. One thing I would add though is I have a 7 foot blade and a 5 foot box blade. I actually use the box blade more for the gravel driveway as it has a crown and the 7 foot is just too wide. So it really just depends on your road/driveway. I do want to caution you though about the concrete. I made a huge mistake the first winter after our house was finished. We have a long gravel driveway and a poured concrete section in front of the garages. We had about 2 feet of snow and I was using the box blade to clear everything. Worked great on the gravel driveway, but it damaged the concrete. What had happened was the snow on top of the concrete had started to melt, then froze, then we got a bunch more fresh snow. So, as I scraped the snow off, it suctioned sections of the concrete with it, so it is pitted now. I should have known better, but I won't make that mistake again.

 

[SI2305]

I use a 60 inch rear blade on my 2305 and sometimes I thing that is too small. I would go with a 7-8 footer on your 3520.

SI2305

 

[bigtiller]

Congrats on your new blade. One thing I would add though is I have a 7 foot blade and a 5 foot box blade. I actually use the box blade more for the gravel driveway as it has a crown and the 7 foot is just too wide. So it really just depends on your road/driveway. I do want to caution you though about the concrete. I made a huge mistake the first winter after our house was finished. We have a long gravel driveway and a poured concrete section in front of the garages. We had about 2 feet of snow and I was using the box blade to clear everything. Worked great on the gravel driveway, but it damaged the concrete. What had happened was the snow on top of the concrete had started to melt, then froze, then we got a bunch more fresh snow. So, as I scraped the snow off, it suctioned sections of the concrete with it, so it is pitted now. I should have known better, but I won't make that mistake again.

I don't understand, would you explain the pitting in more detail please...... maybe even a picture? It sounds more like a concrete finishing error to me.

 

[94BULLITT]

I don't understand, would you explain the pitting in more detail please...... maybe even a picture? It sounds more like a concrete finishing error to me.

I think the sharp cutting edge probably scraped the top of the concrete,

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