B2710 & snow removal question

[Anonymous Poster]

I was wondering what would be best for plowing a gravel (3/4" stone) driveway. Do any of you just use the loader or would a plow be a better choice?

 

[TomG]

Guess it depends on the length of the drive. I find that snow doesn't clear off the front of a loader bucket very well. Snow tends to build up ahead of the bucket, and it doesn't take long for my traction to fail. Then, I have to scoop and dump a few buckets to the side and continue. I am using turf tires, which have considerably less traction than ag's until the gravel freezes. After freeze up, there's less difference in the traction of various tires.

Snow comes off the ends of a moldboard blade or plow better than a loader bucket. Many blades also can be angled, and then snow is pushed off one end to the side of the drive. Generally, I think blades are meant for the job, but loaders are just a fill in. Still, somebody recently said they cleared a 1/2-mile drive with a loader last winter. Loaders do work for some people.

Myself, I use a blower, but I use the loader before the gravel freezes. The bucket can be curled up so the blade doesn't tear up the gravel. A blade can do a lot of damage to a gravel drive before freeze up. Skid plates often just sink into the gravel, which leaves the blade to dig holes in the drive anyway.

The skids on my blower sink in, and I get showers of gravel before freeze up, which is why I use the loader. There are enough hills and dips in my drive so trying to keep a blade or blower off the ground with the 3ph a challenge.

 

[Rowski]

May want to pack down (by driving over it) the first few inches of new snow. This will make a less of a mess.

Derek

 

[TomG]

Yes, a layer of packed snow is what I want when I use the loader for the first few snows. After that, a good freeze makes the drive almost indestructible. Of course, a freezing rain on top of that makes the surface almost bomb proof, and you may wish you could destruct the surface.

Well, just have to live with the freezing rain stuff. Maybe this year I'll try putting on chains and a load in the 1/2 ton and take an afternoon drive on the driveway.

 

[bpence]

I also have a gravel/stone driveway about 150 yds. long and have found that a 3 pt. back blade works just fine. I usually angle the blade and push the snow in reverse with the tractor. Occasionally the front loader is needed to move piles of snow out of the way for additional grading, but I've found it's a lot easier to plow with the back blade.

Bob Pence

 

[Boondox]

I use the rear blade angled on my 1750 to clear my driveway and about 400 yards of dirt road of snow. The FEL is useful to push piles of the stuff out of the way, but is largely inefficient for plowing. Early in the season, before the road freezes up, I use the blade reversed so it doesn't cause damage or dig up the gravel. With the convex edge forward (driving forward) and the blade at an angle, it leaves about an inch of snow behind.

Pete in Northern Vermont

 

[M. Sullivan]

I use a Woods 6' back blade ($250) on my 2710, with angle. Can't see a more efficient method short of a blower, but big$$. Not even a FEL blade (they don't angle, I believe). I use the loader to move the piles when necessary. Works great in our MI snow. As said, drive over the first few inches for a base, then adjust blade about an inch off the gravel and away you go. Good luck.

 

[Joeinindy]

I bought a 6' rear blade and for snow it is a charm. It will angle and reverse, so it can be used in a number of ways for snow or gravel work. Mine is a land pride and cost around $200.00 or so. I have used the FEL in the float position going in reverse just to smooth out spots but for plowing go for a blade.

 

[WVBill]

I adapted the snow blade from my Craftsman 20hp Garden "tractor" to fit on the FEL bucket of my B6100DT. I kept the angle adjusting mechanism - it works like a champ! I think the blade new was about $200 and adapting it was pretty simple (a little welding and a couple of chains and a load binder) and cost almost nothing. See my post under Tractor Customization.

WVBill