Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Best method for snow removal

[Squeak n Itch]

I can only dream! The farmers around here who are serious about getting the milk truck in and out use a rear-mounted snow blower and can, at times, handle 1/2 mile of road as well. They aren't affraid to leave an inch or so over the gravel. The problem with a backblade is that it leaves ridges of snow that enables the drifting to go just that much higher. Blowing the snow away solves that problem, especially when you get the deepest snow early in the year.

 

[LBrown59]

A couple of 70 degree days.

 

[RegL]

Thanks! Yes, living in NH makes you scratch your head no matter what the season - we have heat, humidity, cold, snow, ice, bugs, mud and about 10 days of pretty leaves in the fall....

So is there a means of putting a plow on without taking off the bucket? Or do you switch.

Maybe something like this would work if you don't have quick disconnect bucket.
Paynes 72in. Clamp-on Push Blade Model# PFPB72 | Skid-Steers + Attachments | Northern Tool + Equipment

 

[BXRICK]

In NH, a snowblower is it.
I'm in Mass, near the NH border. I, too, have a "gravel" driveway - at least it was once. Another project...
I used a backblade for a few years, and for the most part, it did OK.
I bought a 3 point snowblower last year, and of course we got only a little snow. It worked, though.
This year, with the two big storms so far, it's been perfect.

I use it on my BX1500, not exactly a large tractor, and it works great.
You don't drive as fast as with a blade, but you can always drive, unlike with the blade, where especially on my small tractor, it's quite easy for the snow to overwhelm the blade, requiring a stop and reset of some sort.

With a blower, once you've been over an area, you're done.

You probably know that with a gravel, rutted driveway, it will never be bare. In fact, you'll find that as the winter progresses, your driveway will be smoother than it ever is in the summer, as the hardpack fills in the holes.

You will shear a few shear pins, but once you've thrown all the rocks off the driveway and there's a layer of snow on it, you won't do that anymore. I actually haven't sheared any this year - watch what happens next time out now that I've said that.

So, I'm voting for snowblower.

 

[Rara Avis]

Blower on the back for most of the removal; FEL on the front for the pile work...
Also, a walk-behind snowblower for close-in work...

 

[gotcha]

Blower on the back for most of the removal; FEL on the front for the pile work...
Also, a walk-behind snowblower for close-in work...

Sounds as if you have it covered from both ends. No pun intended . This what I'm using until it gets to deep and then the B26 comes out into the cold
The Gotcha Man

 

[ToadHill]

These are my new and old systems, With the snow we get the blades alone didn't work, the piles on the edge of the drive got 5ft high and the next storm blew drifts across the drive 5 ft. high. I still use the front blade for 6" or less and the blower for anything deeper. If we get several 6" snowfalls and the sides of the drive start to pile up, I run the blower thru and get rid of the piles.

 

[Jordanbear]

Toadhill - that's what I want- the front blade that just clips onto the bucket.

Off to shop!

I love the blower idea, though. And I want a back blade anyway for summer use in the horse pasture. Darn, might have to get both.

 

[jmfox]

The Track loader and my UTC have low ground pressure, allowing me to plow across the drive every so often to keep the banks back about 100'. Sometimes I just plow straight for 100 feet or so and push the piles back across. How often you need to push across depends on the size of the machine.

jmf

 

[Hammy]

Toadhill,

I have the same problem with my gravel driveway as mentioned in the original post. My driveway is 1/3 of a mile long, unlevel, and has rock outcroppings.

A blade like yours looks like it would work great. What kind is it and where can I find one?

Thanks,
Craig

 

[Northland]

I use a combination of a front loader and 84" rear blade on my New Holland TN65. After a little use...you get to learn how to use one or the other. The loader works great as long as you keep the bucket level utilizing the "level-rod" on the loader to ensure the bucket will not dig into gravel, or...slide on top of the snow. Only problem with the rear blade - which is a 3 point model -is the porpoising-effect of the front wheels running over a snow bank or a less-than-level driveway.

I too use my FEL but with a 6' rear blade on the back. I added front tire chains this winter so I longer have problems with steering. We get a lot of snow in my area but since I have a driveway that is only about 200 feet long it's not a problem using the FEL/rear blade combo. The snow piles pack down over time as well.

I will buy a rear 3pt blower when I find a deal on a used one.

 

['Bota Fan]

Sorry, but this may be a little bit of a thread hijack, but I have a question for you northern brethren. Down here, if we get a total of six inches of snow in a year, we've accomplished something. I imagine we are mowing again in the spring before you're through with snow removal. Until I began enjoying TBN, I really had no idea how much time y'all spend tractoring in the winter.

In our rural areas, people with significant acreage will choose to have very long, often winding, driveways to their homes for privacy and seclusion. Is that done above the Mason-Dixon, or does snow accumulation prevent the practice?

 

[MikePA]

[QUOTE='Bota Fan]In our rural areas, people with significant acreage will choose to have very long, often winding, driveways to their homes for privacy and seclusion. Is that done above the Mason-Dixon...[/QUOTE]
Yes, it's done up here.

 

[LBrown59]

[quote='Bota Fan ]

Quote:
Originally Posted by
In our rural areas, people with significant acreage will choose to have very long, often winding, driveways to their homes for privacy and seclusion. Is that done above the Mason-Dixon...
[/quote]I vote for shortest straightest driveway possible.
Cost less to build an maintain .

 

[Northland]

[quote='Bota Fan]Sorry, but this may be a little bit of a thread hijack, but I have a question for you northern brethren. Down here, if we get a total of six inches of snow in a year, we've accomplished something. I imagine we are mowing again in the spring before you're through with snow removal. Until I began enjoying TBN, I really had no idea how much time y'all spend tractoring in the winter.

In our rural areas, people with significant acreage will choose to have very long, often winding, driveways to their homes for privacy and seclusion. Is that done above the Mason-Dixon, or does snow accumulation prevent the practice?[/quote]

Yes, I would think that enters into everyone's thinking when building a new house. Also the longer the driveway the more it costs to run power and telephone cable underground.

 

[jmfox]

Long driveways use to be a problem 50 years ago, but with the weather changes and equipment it is only a habit these days. I'm not sure what you mean by long, but my current drive is about 800 feet and it is not a problem. I also think some people like to see the road, or make a public display of their homes.

jmf

 

[ToadHill]

The truth be known the best way to remove snow is 75 degrees.

 

[jmfox]

The truth be known the best way to remove snow is 75 degrees.

Sounds like a good idea, I'll give it a try this Spring and if I get too hot I'll turn it down come Fall.

jmf