Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Can snow pushers scrap down

[Green Acres Homestead]

I do a few driveways that are steep and need to be scrapped down to gravel. Can you scrape down using a pusher?

Can it do it as well as a bucket?

 

[shooterdon]

My gravel has not frozen yet, and I can scrape up gravel with mine if I am not careful. But not nearly as much as when using the blade on the plow truck.

If you need to get down to gravel, and the pusher will not get to where you want, use a back blade to scrape the last inch or so. That was my plan but so far the pusher has done a great job. Only used it twice. Got rid of both my inverted blower and contractor grade plow. Sold them for $7600 and the $1700 pusher is far better so far.

One last option. There is a back drag option for the pusher (about $800) that would likely scrape down, but you would be driving in reverse.

 

[Hay Dude]

I do a few driveways that are steep and need to be scrapped down to gravel. Can you scrape down using a pusher?

Can it do it as well as a bucket?

I can’t see why not. They aren’t structurally as strong as a medium duty loader bucket, but pushers can withstand some down pressure.
I guess it all depends on your definition of “down pressure” like is it light or heavy down pressure.

 

[oldnslo]

Does your pusher have skid shoes that keep the scraper blade from ground contact? Reason for asking is that I have seen some at dealership where scraper blade was not in contact with ground. I did not look close enough to see if skids were adjustable though.

 

[Green Acres Homestead]

My gravel has not frozen yet, and I can scrape up gravel with mine if I am not careful. But not nearly as much as when using the blade on the plow truck.

If you need to get down to gravel, and the pusher will not get to where you want, use a back blade to scrape the last inch or so. That was my plan but so far the pusher has done a great job. Only used it twice. Got rid of both my inverted blower and contractor grade plow. Sold them for $7600 and the $1700 pusher is far better so far.

One last option. There is a back drag option for the pusher (about $800) that would likely scrape down, but you would be driving in reverse.

Thanks. Everybody seems to like their snow pusher.

 

[Green Acres Homestead]

Does your pusher have skid shoes that keep the scraper blade from ground contact? Reason for asking is that I have seen some at dealership where scraper blade was not in contact with ground. I did not look close enough to see if skids were adjustable though.

I guess I should of explained that I am seriously looking at buying one. I don’t have one yet. I am looking at the HLA snow pusher and they have adjustable shoes. I could set them low and likely scrape close enought to the gravel.

Thanks for your comment.

 

[shooterdon]

I guess I should of explained that I am seriously looking at buying one. I don’t have one yet. I am looking at the HLA snow pusher and they have adjustable shoes. I could set them low and likely scrape close enought to the gravel.

Thanks for your comment.

My buddy who recommend a pusher to me has the HLA and he really likes it. He got the pull back option and can get close to building with it.

I ended up with a Land Pride as it was less money.

 

[Farmer495]

I do a few driveways that are steep and need to be scrapped down to gravel. Can you scrape down using a pusher?

Can it do it as well as a bucket?

They are used in parking lots and work for that. Trip edge and skid shoes, set the shoes right and it should scrape. Pull back option is a must in my opinion.

I don't think you can get the "front wheels in the air and aggressive angle" with a pusher.

 

[bridge4]

I have the land pride snow push. The bottom I use a rubber edge on the gravel and it does great. But when I need to get close to a building and pull snow away, or get at some icy spots on the gravel, I just lift the loader up, and adjust the push so the top is now the bottom. Then drag backwards. It clears very well. You obviously need a push box that has a pull back edge though, I think most do but its usually an add on option.

A good way to tackle that property if you can is to just push down, drive right up to the top, turn around and then start. I have slight hills at both my entrances, and sometimes if it isn't scraping as cleanly as I want facing uphill, I just drive up the hill, then push it down.

Love my snow push, I still use my blower to touch up stuff here and there, but I've largely stopped as I get more comfortable with the pushbox.

 

[jyoutz]

I guess I should of explained that I am seriously looking at buying one. I don’t have one yet. I am looking at the HLA snow pusher and they have adjustable shoes. I could set them low and likely scrape close enought to the gravel.

Thanks for your comment.

I don’t think the shoes would work well on gravel unless the gravel is frozen. Otherwise the shoes will just sink in and make trenches. The only thing I’ve found for plowing an unfrozen gravel road that plows snow without disturbing the gravel is to use a back blade with the blade turned backwards. This will skim off the snow without disturbing your gravel.

 

[EarPlug]

Check out Cold Rolled Industrial _CRI snow pusher. Great product and they were very good to work with. Less expensive than HLA.

CRI SSQA 60-72″ Compact Tractor Snow Pushers – Cold Roll Industrial

coldrollindustrial.com

 

[Devildog 1]

Thanks. Everybody seems to like their snow pusher.

I sold my 7 1/2 foot HLA 2000 angle blade in lieu of a 7 foot snow flush pusher love the pusher much more than the blade or the bucket no picking up and dumping just picking up at the end of the run no moving parks no hoses to break just a quick on and off

 

[Rosseasu]

I guess I should of explained that I am seriously looking at buying one. I don’t have one yet. I am looking at the HLA snow pusher and they have adjustable shoes. I could set them low and likely scrape close enought to the gravel.

Thanks for your comment.

I just bought an HLA snow pusher this year and it works well on gravel. We had a pretty early freeze-up in my part of Ontario. I also got the back-drag option which works well to pull back snow from garage doors and tractor lean-to. It can really move a lot of snow without spill over. I never got the chance to move the shoes as the gravel froze so soon I had a good base to keep them lowered. You can adjust the angle you scrape at a bit with the curl back on the loader as well, if it starts to dig in. I find it does not work well in float for my small BX, but down pressure does the trick.

 

[bridge4]

Check out Cold Rolled

I just bought an HLA snow pusher this year and it works well on gravel. We had a pretty early freeze-up in my part of Ontario. I also got the back-drag option which works well to pull back snow from garage doors and tractor lean-to. It can really move a lot of snow without spill over. I never got the chance to move the shoes as the gravel froze so soon I had a good base to keep them lowered. You can adjust the angle you scrape at a bit with the curl back on the loader as well, if it starts to dig in. I find it does not work well in float for my small BX, but down pressure does the trick.

I don't ever use float, you want pressure to scrape a little imo. As you know with gravel, its easy for a half inch or inch of snow to build up and quickly turn to ice.

When the gravel isn't frozen, I do my best to not plow, but sometimes you have to and it just means be careful and get your power broom ready for spring.