Snow Equipment Owning/Operating plowing snow with rear blade, push or pull?

[Slamfire]

I've tried both, and I think pushin' was easier. I'm not as flexible as I was 40 years ago. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Harrygoodwrench]

Snow plowing can be a real pain in the neck, especially when backing up while plowing(pun intended). I would guess it all depends what make-up the snow is(wet, fluffy, dense) Sometimes pushing it rearward works good sometimes not. Just have to see what works on that particular snowfall. I have a back blade and a Fisher plow off a 1977 Dodge 3/4 ton fabricated(okay cobbed) onto my tractor. Pic attached. No its not a NH its one of those dreaded Chinese tractors, Jinma 224 (22 hp 4wd). The tractor drives arould like the plow isn't even there, all sorts of power for only a 22 HP. Nice with the power angle too. We get lots of snow removal experience in the NY area of the Northeast.

 

[Boondox]

Chris -- Your profile is pretty much blank so I can't tailor my response to your tractor and conditions, but here's my take on it. I plow two short driveways and about 1/4 mile of dirt road in the Green Mountains of Vermont. Conditions vary considerably from dry fluffy snow in temps well below freezing, to wet and heavy stuff right around freezing, and the ground varies from mud to frozen to a sheet of ice depending on the time of the season. My first tractor was a B1750. Did a fine job on the dry fluffy stuff, but really struggled to move the heavy stuff. With that tractor in slushy conditions I couldn't do the back up plow routine, since the tractor was shoved in the direction the blade was angled by the weight of the snow. Then I traded up to an L3010 with huge gnarly Norse ice chains. Clementine is heavy enough to let me plow any way I want...and I choose to plow forward with the blade angled. Early in the season when the ground isn't yet frozen I reverse the blade, but still drive forward. That way it moves the snow without catching the dirt/mud and carving huge divots. Later, when the ground is hard as stone, I use the concave surface of the blade driving forward.

Saves the neck, lets me drive faster, and works slick!

Pete

 

[8561]

Pete - on paved driveways, do you find your rear blade will scrape down to bare pavement or do the wheels compact the snow to the point the rear blade has trouble scraping it clean?

 

[Boondox]

Tim -- Wish I had an answer for you, but the nearest pavement is about a quarter mile downhill...and with the ice chains I use the town gets upset if I tear up their asphalt. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Pete