Snow Equipment Owning/Operating flot or pressure/flat or angled

[9973720wb19]

I was wonding how most of you guys use your FEL to plow snow:
1) flot mode or a bit of down pressure
2) keep the bucket level or angled down a bit

I've tried both, and I'm not sure which way is best?

 

[archerynut]

I have a gravel drive so I don't want to be picking my driveway out of the yard in the spring so I leave an inch or so on top of the gravel. I just lower the FEL to a certain height roll the bucket slightly downwards and then get to pushing.

 

[ihuntbear]

I float mine so it goes with the terrain

 

[JohninCT]

I push the snow with a flat bucket or tilted slightly back when plowing out across dirt/grass to the barn with the loader in float. On the paved driveway I clear the bulk snow away then tilt the cutting edge down slightly to scrape the last bit off down to the pavement again using float.

 

[slowzuki]

I'll say on a driveway that changes angles a lot, a bucket is not the best snow removal tool.

I use mine to cut through hardpack that the blower can't lift, when I don't have my plow on.

I use float on flat ground and set the angle just enough to scrape it up. You know its too steep when it hooks and lifts your front tires into the air, which makes the edge steeper and dig harder.

In rolling ground I'll constantly tweak the bucket angle with it in float to keep it from digging.

On my large tractor with a loader suspension, I don't need to use float, there is enough spring in the suspension to accomodate the terrain.

If I am fighting with a particular tough piece of ice etc, I'll not float and use the bucket to lift the tractor to put all the weight on the cutting edge. I don't plow far like this as it is rough on the loader boom if it fetches on a rock etc.

 

[RoyJackson]

Reckon most folks using a loader bucket will find they use a combination of methods.
I don't use float much except for back dragging. Going forward, the bucket is tilted back a tad...but there is one section I tilt the bucket down for a more aggressive removal...same applies to back dragging...no float. The section of drive does not get much sun and is more prone to freezing. When I'm done, I want to see mostly bare gravel.
Just depends on how easy that snow gives up it's grip on the surface.

 

[hawkeye08]

I have my bucket level or slightly tilted back and in float mode. My driveway in not flat so I did not like having to adjust up and down when not floating...

I have gravel so never have bucket tilted down or I scrap a load of gravel...

 

[Runner]

I have a gravel drive. I have tried bucket, rear blade, front blade and front blower. So far, and I hate to admit it because the front blade and blower were expensive experiments, the combination of FEL bucket and rear blade work best for most normal (less than 10 inches) snowfalls.

For the FEL, I use float position and have the bucket angled up about 1 to 1 1/2 inches. As I'm moving along, if it starts to dig, I angle up a little more. If it seems to be floating too much, I angle down a tad.

Having a bucket level indicator makes this very easy. I set the buckt down on a flat (concrete) surface, then, angle up an inch or so, and then make a mark on the bucket level indicator with a waterproof marker. This way, I can see exactly where the bucket is without having to try to watch the bottom of the bucket all the time.

For the rear blade, I have gauge wheels set to hold the blade about an inch or so above the gravel. I try to keep the rear blade down while I'm pushing with the bucket (if I can maintain enough traction) to pick up some of what the bucket leaves. I also make the last passes down the sides of the drive with the rear blade angled to throw the windrows off to the sides.

Front blade and blower dig in real bad. Maybe they'd work if the surface was packed snow, but on the stuff we get around here, it's usually mushy underneath.

Another thing I do to keep the gravel out of the yard is try not to plow all the way to the edges of the drive. If I leave the windrow on the gravel, then, anything that does get picked up with the blade, just lands on the edge of the drive. Obviously, this won't work if there is a huge amount of snow that has to be pushed back for clearance.

 

[First one]

Most of the time I put my bucket down flat, push into float then tip my cutting edge down just enough to feel it in the drive-way. (I only tip it if the ground is good and frozen) When I get onto grass I just keep it level
( on level ground) or tip it back a bit( on uneven ground).

 

[wvpolekat]

Most of the time I put my bucket down flat, push into float then tip my cutting edge down just enough to feel it in the drive-way. (I only tip it if the ground is good and frozen) When I get onto grass I just keep it level
( on level ground) or tip it back a bit( on uneven ground).

Exactly what I do.