Help!! Need snow clearing advice from Northern friends

[tractorshopper]

I live in Upstate SC and we may get up to 14" of snow today. My neighborhood road is a private road not quite a 1/2 mile long with a decent hill. It's gravel and I maintain it for my neighbors with my box blade.

Being a secondary road, there will be no state or county maintenance. Eventually some type of plow will make it to the nearest road we connect to, but I need to clear snow as best I can off our road or it will have us slushy and icy and not be passable for 2-3 days after this is my best guess based on the last storm we had about 3 years ago which was tiny in comparison.

I have a L3800 Kubota with 6' box blade and front loader. Which of these tools is best for trying to clear the snow? Any technique tips? Doesn't have to be perfect, but if I can get the bulk of it, we may be able to drive out of here tomorrow sometime.

I was thinking just making two passes with the loader scooping the snow into the bucket and backing up and turning and dumping by the road side as I go. Is this a good plan? How often should I do this? Every 4" or so?

Thanks in advance.

 

[dave1949]

I would rely on the loader. Your snow is going to melt not long after the storm so you don't need to push it very far off the road.

When 4-6 inches are down, you ought to be able to put the bucket level and just push snow until it is coming over the back of the bucket, then turn off to one side or the other and dump it. Back up and repeat. Make a couple passes doing that and it will keep it open.

Don't get stuck by getting off the road. :laughing:

 

[tractorshopper]

Thanks Dave. Kind of what I figured. It should all melt by Saturday would be my guess, but the road refreezes whatever we'd compress into it making it impassable each day until mid-morning after something like this. I didn't have the tractor last time. This time I want to get as much of it as possible and keep it off before every tries to pack it and what not by trying to race along the flat spot to get speed to try the hill. Last time one neighbor ended up in the ditch. The hill turns at the top and the road is sloped to the opposite side of the turn making for worst conditions if you're trying to get speed to get out of here.

 

[rsallen]

I don't envy you, it's hard enough dealing with that amount of snow with snow equipment.

FEL is probably the only way your going to get it cleared. It'll be a long slog but it'll get it done.
Watch out for those drop offs at the roads edge when dumping that snow! A tractor stuck while the snow is flying really puts a big hole in the day.

 

[dave1949]

If your box blade has rippers, if it gets slick I'd do some ripping. Keep some gravel worked into the snow surface for traction.

 

[diesel lover]

I live in Upstate SC and we may get up to 14" of snow today. My neighborhood road is a private road not quite a 1/2 mile long with a decent hill. It's gravel and I maintain it for my neighbors with my box blade. Being a secondary road, there will be no state or county maintenance. Eventually some type of plow will make it to the nearest road we connect to, but I need to clear snow as best I can off our road or it will have us slushy and icy and not be passable for 2-3 days after this is my best guess based on the last storm we had about 3 years ago which was tiny in comparison. I have a L3800 Kubota with 6' box blade and front loader. Which of these tools is best for trying to clear the snow? Any technique tips? Doesn't have to be perfect, but if I can get the bulk of it, we may be able to drive out of here tomorrow sometime. I was thinking just making two passes with the loader scooping the snow into the bucket and backing up and turning and dumping by the road side as I go. Is this a good plan? How often should I do this? Every 4" or so? Thanks in advance.

Hello tractorsshopper! Is your tractor 4wd? That's my very important first question.

Using a box blade can work alright! I prefer a blade with an angle on the back of the tractor but by all means use what you have! My best friend and his dad when I lived in northern Michigan used a JD 4510 with 4wd, a front loader and a box blade.

So here is the game plan: your front loader with a bucket will be your best option!! While moving forward move the snow out of the way using your bucket. Your road I'm guessing is two lane so while moving forward use your Fel bucket, while moving backwards in reverse without turning around you can use your back blade to push the snow. This will do fine and you prevent yourself from having to turn around.

Make sure to carry a looped strap, hooked strap or a chain at the least. My luck is always that if I have one I won't need it 90% of the time just like a spare tire. I only get flats when I don't have a spare tire. The strap or chain can be used to pull you out if anything happens. You never know your neighbor might be able to pull you out if you get one wheel in the ditch. It's happened to me before.

Be safe! Ask any other questions needed

 

[lockhaven]

I push snow with the bucket, on gravel you will need to curl the edge up some unless you had a hard freeze before the snow. If the edge of the bucket is not curled up on loose gravel it will dig in. I just push until the tractor cannot move then dump. The snow filled bucket acts like a plow so most of the snow rolls off to the side. Another consideration is to dump where you can later drag the gravel back into the road

 

[tcartwri]

If you're really getting that much snow, you'll want to be out there multiple times. Don't wait until all of that is on the ground.

 

[V1Rotate]

Dress warm and look at it this way, you'll be getting some quality seat time.
Be safe.

 

[tractorshopper]

Yes, tractor is 4x4 and yes I will be getting some unusual seat time ;-) Thanks y'all.