Gravel driveway, front bucket

[Borthwick]

I just read through the other thread in the snow removal sub which seems to focus on plow blades. I have a Kubota LA-203 bucket I’m working with.

I gather that ABS is the material to go with for a gravel driveway. I’m going to need a little help figuring out how to affix it to the bucket’s blade.

Give me your best ideas please.

 

[RjCorazza]

I think the best solution for a bucket on gravel is the use of bolt on skids. I have (2) Edge Tamers from R2 manufacturing that are perfect in gravel or grass.

 

[LouNY]

Before a driveway gets froze I'll often back blade with the loader bucket, or the back blade run backwards.

 

[chim]

I ran a Ford 1210 with a 5' rear blade only (didn't have a loader) for a few years while the driveway was still gravel. It worked OK, but the blade often needed to be turned "backwards" to avoid wrecking the gravel. For the next 10 years it was a B7500 with an LA302 and a rear blade. This was after blacktop and that made it a whole lot nicer.

Occasionally we'd get a deep snow when the loader was handy, but most of the time the rear blade, angled to one side, worked just fine while driving forward.

 

[gstrom99]

I ran a Ford 1210 with a 5' rear blade only (didn't have a loader) for a few years while the driveway was still gravel. It worked OK, but the blade often needed to be turned "backwards" to avoid wrecking the gravel. For the next 10 years it was a B7500 with an LA302 and a rear blade. This was after blacktop and that made it a whole lot nicer.

Occasionally we'd get a deep snow when the loader was handy, but most of the time the rear blade, angled to one side, worked just fine while driving forward.

A back blade works a ton better than a front loader bucket, for snow. Almost always flipped around, backwards.

 

[Borthwick]

I think the best solution for a bucket on gravel is the use of bolt on skids. I have (2) Edge Tamers from R2 manufacturing that are perfect in gravel or grass.
View attachment 4375210

Thank you for that suggestion. I just placed an order.

 

[nyone]

Before my gravel driveway gets frozen I'm doing more snow grooming than snow removal. I dont even want to see gravel until spring thaw. I also dont rake piles of gravel in the spring because theres no gravel moved.

Granted the last few years I moved snow about 2x a year. Flat windy driveway. Amazon still seams to get stuck in.

 

[Oaktree]

Before my gravel driveway gets frozen I'm doing more snow grooming than snow removal. I dont even want to see gravel until spring thaw. I also dont rake piles of gravel in the spring because theres no gravel moved.

Same here. First couple storms I'll just leave there so as to build up a base. Until that gets frozen solid I'll raise the lip of the bucket an inch or so to keep from it digging in.

A back blade works a ton better than a front loader bucket, for snow. Almost always flipped around, backwards.

Maybe you're a lot more flexible than I am. Can't see myself clearing the driveway backwards.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I snow blow a gravel driveway. We do the same. Get a layer of hard pack down first. Then blow off of that. I never pick up a single rock

 

[Midniteoyl]

My driveway is sand and gravel and while I have Edge Tamers, I still just end up using the bucket as is. Just lay flat, curl the lip up about a 1/4" to make sure, place in Float, and push the hole length. The bucket fills up and becomes a plow. Haven't dug a hole yet.

 

[Green Acres Homestead]

I snow blow a gravel driveway. We do the same. Get a layer of hard pack down first. Then blow off of that. I never pick up a single rock

I do that to but steep driveways require it be scrapped to the gravel. I blow leaving 3 inches or so then use the bucket to scrape it down. Looking at getting a snow pusher.

 

[Rhino35]

My driveway is sand and gravel and while I have Edge Tamers, I still just end up using the bucket as is. Just lay flat, curl the lip up about a 1/4" to make sure, place in Float, and push the hole length. The bucket fills up and becomes a plow. Haven't dug a hole yet.

Hi Midniteoyl,

Infrequent poster, but boy do I get some good information from this forum. Hoping for more right now.

Here's my situation. Kioti open cab, four wheel drive, DK40 HST, six foot Tartar bush hog in back, Kioti FEL with a well-installed lower bucket lip extension. Loaded rear tires. All tires are "industrial", so don't have the "paddles" like farm tires. I do not want to remove the bush hog. No plow blades, just the FEL.

1,800 foot long single car width gravel driveway, mostly flat, with some upslope near the county two lane. Grassy area to the downwind side of the driveway good for pushing snow off driveway.

In years past my very handy neighbor at the end of our shared driveway (I'm 1,000 feet from county road) has valiantly dealt with the few snowstorms we've had in 20 years where plowing was necessary. Last year he used an FEL. It took him a pretty long time, and it being the first time he'd done this with his FEL instead of using another tractor he used to have with a small plow blade at the rear, he scooped up gravel. We had many small piles of gravel only seen when the snow melted.

He informed me this morning that his tractor is hard down. Right about as I'm writing this it has begun snowing here in Northern Kentucky. I expect 12 inches, possibly a bit more. And it will be brutally, dangerously, cold for a couple of weeks. I will have to leap into the breach and attempt to clear the driveway with my FEL. I'm going to follow your advice. Wish me luck!

Anyone with any additional tips about how to avoid scooping gravel please chime in. Thx in advance.

 

[LouNY]

Just keep your bucket lip slightly tipped back so it leaves a skim of snow.

 

[Midniteoyl]

We had many small piles of gravel only seen when the snow melted.

Also, I don't push to the side of the driveway. Once you get the bucket set so it won't dig and in float, just push straight down the drive, pushing the show just as a plow truck would. Turn around and come back on the other side. Just one down and back should get you pretty cleared. You can clean up and make it look pretty when the snow stops.

 

[Runner]

My driveway is sand and gravel and while I have Edge Tamers, I still just end up using the bucket as is. Just lay flat, curl the lip up about a 1/4" to make sure, place in Float, and push the hole length. The bucket fills up and becomes a plow. Haven't dug a hole yet.

I do the same thing and also have the rear blade angled behind me, set about an inch above the gravel with the gauge wheels.

 

[mikester]

 

[Rhino35]

I like the advice to set the bucket lip up a couple of inches, put the FEL in float, and then plow straight ahead which lets the snow build up, and then flow around the bucket. At least that is what I'm imagining happens. I have back dragged gravel and dirt with the bucket in float, but never tried moving forward in float.

Something that would assist snow flowing around the tractor bucket and around the tractor chassis - and reduce both engine power and tread friction required to keep the tractor moving forward - would be a pointed insert which fits into the bucket. The idea would be little snow actually goes into the bucket as snow is pushed outwards towards both sides.

 

[Midniteoyl]

I like the advice to set the bucket lip up a couple of inches, put the FEL in float, and then plow straight ahead which lets the snow build up, and then flow around the bucket. At least that is what I'm imagining happens. I have back dragged gravel and dirt with the bucket in float, but never tried moving forward in float.

Something that would assist snow flowing around the tractor bucket and around the tractor chassis - and reduce both engine power and tread friction required to keep the tractor moving forward - would be a pointed insert which fits into the bucket. The idea would be little snow actually goes into the bucket as snow is pushed outwards towards both sides.

Then you are getting into just putting a plow on the FEL..

Also, you don't need to curl back by inches, just about 1/4" will do in most cases.

 

[Runner]

I like the advice to set the bucket lip up a couple of inches, put the FEL in float, and then plow straight ahead which lets the snow build up, and then flow around the bucket. At least that is what I'm imagining happens. I have back dragged gravel and dirt with the bucket in float, but never tried moving forward in float.

Something that would assist snow flowing around the tractor bucket and around the tractor chassis - and reduce both engine power and tread friction required to keep the tractor moving forward - would be a pointed insert which fits into the bucket. The idea would be little snow actually goes into the bucket as snow is pushed outwards towards both sides.

It does work. Once the bucket fills with snow, the weight starts pushing it down, so you might need to bump the curl function up a little. Or, if it starts riding up too much, bump the dump a little. I find that anything over about 3" and chains help a LOT on my 2520, but my drive is on a hill.

 

[Rhino35]

Those chains look good. I don't have chains (Santa, where were ya'!), and with the industrial tires I dunno how it will go tomorrow. But I'm optimistic.