Snow Attachments Plowing snow with rear blade going forward

[Gavman]

I will primarily plow large parking lots, so I can't leave windrows in the middle of it. I am wondering which way will work best. I guess I will have to figure out what works best when I am actually out on the lot. I am hoping I can barely angle it so that I can go forward the whole time instead of pushing it backwards.

 

[mrutkaus]

gives me stuff to think about, thanks,

mike

 

[beenthere]

You will learn a lot of tricks plowing large lots with a rear blade. It will be a lot like hand shoveling an area without picking up the shovel. Probably don't see many outfits doing that in that manner and probably for a good reason. But you will get a lot of seat time, as it will be like emptying the bathtub with a teaspoon.
Do you have lots of time to do this in a big parking lot, or are you under contract to have it done before the stores open?
I hope you can handle it, but then if it doesn't snow much, maybe not a big problem either.
Wish you the best in college.

 

[Gavman]

Thanks for the best wishes.
Yeah I have to clear the parking lots as soon they call but not necessarily by the time they open. I am actually using my machine for a friend who has the contract, so I am not the only one clearing snow. He has two Bobcats running nonstop when it snows. I am just running my machine for him because he got more contracts.
I am just trying to figure out how to move snow more effectively with my newly purchased blade.

 

[Trev]

My JD4300 came with a front blade, so I have hyrdraulic control of up/down, and right/left angle. It's really a nice setup for snow.. but I do wish I'd gotten the FEL and a back blade. I wouldn't be as happy with it in the winter, but I'd be a lot more happy in the summer. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

The nice thing about the front blade and the hydraulics is that you can push, and if it gets too deep you just angle it a bit. I don't have a lot of trouble with high mounds of snow, because I can push right over the top of them. Not as good as a FEL, again, but workable.

The one big down-side of the front blade is that you lose most all of your ground clearance. There's a heavy-duty frame that bolts under the tractor, so you are essentially pushing straight ahead and not from a high angle as you might with a FEL.. but you really pay a price for that.. especially in mud during Spring.

If I could do it over, I might consider a FEL and a rear snowblower. But money is tight.. so.. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Bob

 

[Ford850]

I plow with an old ford 850 (2wd) with both front and back blades, and no chains. My drive is over 1000' of gravel, half fairly level and half on a fairly steep grade. I start at the top and use the front blade fully angled and push the snow from the left side to the center of the drive. Then I turn around and head back up hill using the back blade fully angled, centered on the high ridge of snow. That pulls if almost all the way off the drive. I finish with another pass down the drive with the front blade pushing it off the edge of the drive, and then back up with the back blade rolling it even further off the edge. I push it all to one side to prevent drifting later. Depending on the forecast for the future days, I might push it 10 - 20 feet off the edge to give me room for more snow later. Last year we had a couple of 24" wet heavy snowfalls. After the first pass, I had to take the top half, then bottom half, instead of rolling a full depth at once. The faster I can go the better. It will roll off the blades and throw it 6 feet to the side if I can go fast enough. But it's difficult to keep the blades at the right height while moving that fast. I'll be plowing like that tonight, as we are getting another 6 inches of wet stuff right now.

 

[cwarrix]

I don't have one long drive way, one about 150' plus my neighbors, another 150', both blacktop, both about 20' wide and both pretty level for the most part. Also, have a gravel drive to my barn, another 150' or so. My little Yanmar 2210 seems to do a better job pulling the snow than it does pushing it with the rear blade. For some reason, I have a lot more traction if I'm pulling the snow. I think it might be because the weight of the snow actually pulls the rear wheels down giving more traction, not sure. It does kind of roll up around the back tires but doesn't seem to cause a problem. Some of it goes off the edges, but I pull a pretty good sized pile.

I'm in central Ohio, probably getting some of the stuff you will be getting later /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Just plowed about 4-5" of heavy, wet snow. I pulled it into piles at the ends of the driveway, then turned around and pushed the piles into the grass. Speed is definitely your friend when trying to push a big pile of heavy wet stuff. If I ease up to it, I will just sit there and spin on the blacktop or dig into the gravel. I have to pull up a bit and hit it with some speed to get it moving. Last time I plowed, I had the blade at an angle, but this time I left it straight. To be honest with this little bit of snow, I really didn't see a difference. Although having it straight made it easier to back up to a wall or car or something like that and pull the snow away.

I think my snow blower probably does just as good a job, but the tractor is a lot more fun! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Have fun and be safe!!

 

[Trev]

cwarrix,

When you are using all that speed, and I agree it really helps, do you have a spring-trip of some kind on that plow in case you hit something unyielding? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I've tripped my spring a few times when hitting a ridge of ice or whatever.. and been very glad for the spring!

Bob /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[cwarrix]

Hi Trev, no spring trip of any kind, wish I did. This is my first year with the tractor and blade, I might try to build a better solution this summer. I pull most of the time with the blade backwards, so it will roll over most anything you could find in my driveway. Then I just push the pile off into the grass. Most of the time the blade is up and inch or so when I hit the pile which might help. And I usually know whats under the pile as well. Also, when I talk about speed, I don't mean 20MPH /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif but you are right, fast enough that I don't want to come to a dead stop, or break something on the tractor. I was dragging some dirt around over the summer and hit a small stump, man, I hit the steering wheel so hard it rattled my teeth /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif I'm just glad nobody saw it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

BTW - did your blade come with a spring trip, or did you add it? Thanks! Chuck

 

[beenthere]

cw
Your tires are set up for traction going forward and not in reverse, that is if you have R-1's or R-4's. The lugs have a design that provides for this. It is a noticeable difference.