Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Front Vs. Rear BLade for Snow Removal

[Hearth]

Greetings all...

What are the cost differentials between the front blade, rear blade and an adequate rear snow blower ? I know all can come with "bells and whistles"... but just a ball park for all three for comparison's sake might be helpful !

As always thanks for the great information !

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

Cinder..
That Schnauzer is so **** big(and in black), almost looks like a Bouvier to me: I was suprised that it is a Schnauzer.
I actually have a manual chute on my blower, and while a hydraulic chute would obviously be king, I actually don't find it that bad so far(time will tell).
Have you used a blower? I haven't used either front/rear blade, don't think they would be good for my application, but might be tempted to buy one just to try it out.(money spent on any tool is almost always worth it... from a tool junkies' perspective.)

He is an oversize Giant Schnauzer. At 32.5" shoulder and 120 #'s he is way larger than the breed standard.

I have not used either front or rear mounted blower. After looking at a few units at dealers, trying the hand crank and realistically assessing local snowfall, I decided the front blade would probably work for me 99.9% of the time. If it ever gets too deep - hire the local farmer with the humungous tractor and 8' - 10' blower.

For cases where a front blade works, I'd say (but could be wrong) it is a lot faster than a blower. I find myself changing the blade angle all the time so that's why I was negative on a manual angle change. Some gravel does end up on the lawn, but my skid shoes are set so the blade is about 3/4" off the ground and that helps some. Not sure of the groundspeed on the little Honda, but in many cases I can plow at full speed.

Obviously what's ideal for a particular local situation may not work at all for some other location.

 

[LBrown59]

which one 2300 or 2310 ?

Ordered a MF Scut.

 

[75H2]

I'm getting the 2300. I'd like a Hoe but don't need a hoe.

Dealer made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Really liked orange & green (especially green) but in the end it's red.

 

[LBrown59]

I am still curious as to why blades seem pretty common and/or even preffered.

1 word versatility.
== L B ==

 

[kmdigital]

Personally, I prefer the box scraper. You can go in either direction, and it works equally well due to the duel cutting edges, plus going forward the snow doesn't spill out the sides. I very, very rarely use the FEL, because the box scraper is so much faster, easier to use, and does a much nicer job. The only time the FEL is used is to pile it up if needed.

The nice thing about the box scraper is that it will cut down through hard packed snow and even ice if it isn't more than about 1" thick if it is tilted properly. It is very hard to due that with a FEL, or even a light weight rear blade, but due to its extra weight the box scraper works very well. With a concrete drive, I can get it almost broom swept clean in under 15 min, even when the snow is a foot deep.

With gravel, just change the cutting angle, or what I do, is set it so it cuts going forward and gowing backward it doesn't dig in, but leaves about a 1/4" - 1/2" of snow, so this way you don't pick up the stones. And going forward it will pick up the stones, but that helps give traction by mixing them in with the snow as long as you just go over it lightly like you are spreading dirt or gravel.

 

[75H2]

Personally, I prefer the box scraper. You can go in either direction, and it works equally well due to the duel cutting edges, plus going forward the snow doesn't spill out the sides. I very, very rarely use the FEL, because the box scraper is so much faster, easier to use, and does a much nicer job. The only time the FEL is used is to pile it up if needed.

The nice thing about the box scraper is that it will cut down through hard packed snow and even ice if it isn't more than about 1" thick if it is tilted properly. It is very hard to due that with a FEL, or even a light weight rear blade, but due to its extra weight the box scraper works very well. With a concrete drive, I can get it almost broom swept clean in under 15 min, even when the snow is a foot deep.

With gravel, just change the cutting angle, or what I do, is set it so it cuts going forward and gowing backward it doesn't dig in, but leaves about a 1/4" - 1/2" of snow, so this way you don't pick up the stones. And going forward it will pick up the stones, but that helps give traction by mixing them in with the snow as long as you just go over it lightly like you are spreading dirt or gravel.

Question for you KM. How well does a box blade work in a heavy snowfall? WHEN winter finally gets here it will snow like a Mo Fo. With 6 to 12 inches of snow to move on a long drive does a box blade get the job done? I envision filling up the blade in a foot or so. But. I'm new at this so please endulge me

 

[LBrown59]

I bought my 2004 Kubota BX23 over the JD and the MF because back then you couldn't buy a backhoe version of the JD 2210 .
I'd never heard of the MF 2310 until I saw one about 9 months after I got the BX23 setting on a dealers lot about 50 miles from here.
These are all great little tractors.
Congrats on the 2300.
You're in for tons of fun on it.
== L B ==.

I'm getting the 2300. I'd like a Hoe but don't need a hoe.

Dealer made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Really liked orange & green (especially green) but in the end it's red.

 

[kmdigital]

Yes, it will fill up with too much if the snow is real deep, but I find that is pretty much self regulating as the scraper lifts up and lets some snow through underneath when it gets real full, or you can also lift it up a little to do the same thing, and then back up and take another pass. I do the end of the driveway by going backwards so I can pile it up, and rarely need the FEL.

It is amazing how much snow you can push this way. And I think it is a more manuverable because it is close to the operator and where most of the tractor's weight is, instead of out front where the tractor is the lightest, and also hardest to see.

 

[Rara Avis]

I started a thread on this (blade vs. blower) a while back and am still curious as to why blades seem pretty common and/or even preffered. To each man/situation his own I guess.

Because people are cheap...

A rear blade is much cheaper than a blower and they can use it when there is no snow...