Quick Snow Plow Question Please
- Thread starter Gadgetnut
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timm9
Gold Member
The TC's are very comfortable! I typically leave the house at 3:00/am and don't get home until 7:00 or 8:00/pm. With the TC's I can sleep for 4 or 5 hours and get up and do it all over again easily. When I used to spend 14 or 16 hours in my CAT, I had trouble walking for a few days afterwards...
I know a guy that attached a rubber cutting edge to his bucket, I am in the same process. I have about a 1/4 mile of Aggregate to push. The snow blower has a poly edge that I installed. Having some problems though, seems to be too long and need to engineer a better shoe. I think casters.
OP
Gadgetnut
Silver Member
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2005
- Messages
- 144
- Location
- San Juan Islands, Washington
- Tractor
- Walker Mower MD (Kubota,) BobCat ToolCat 5600 Turbo rev. C, John Deere tractor
It keeps snowing here. With this much snow I don't think I'd be using the angle broom even if it were working. I'm having to relocate snow now. I've gotten a lot of practice with the combo bucket... very small movements of downward pressure or cut angle will give you the feeling you want... with freezing nighttime temperatures, snow is icing up next to the asphalt... yes, a poly or rubber lip on the bottom of the bucket would give me some reassurance about gouging the asphalt, but just the same, the snowplowing is going pretty well! More snow is in the week's forecast. Here are some action photos from today.
Navigator7
Member
You are doing all that with a combo bucket??
I'm impressed!
I've been scouring the internet trying to find some pics of a ToolCat moving some real snow.
I used to run tugs in your area...and boy can it snow and it is some serious wet and slippery stuff.
At Gadgetbnut,
I'm in the market for a ToolCat...now that you've spent some time plowing snow...what wouold be your key tools?
How well does the broom work for you?
Can you plow uphill ok?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tried to send you guys an e-mail to no avail. Here is the content:
Hi Radman, UFM82 & GadgetNut!
New member @ Tractorbynet. I place concrete for a living in north central washington. I do that with a Telebelt. Also own a 50 ton crane.
Both businesses create a vacuum in winter.
We get many many 3"-8" storms of light snow in the valley to 5"-2' of snow in the hills. (Many hills and miles or gravel roads).
I'm considering purchasing a ToolCat 5610 to rent to my customers in the summer when I'm working and to provide a job for me plowing snow in the winter when I would otherwise be in bed next to my curvy wife. Winter un-enjoyment is just flat unacceptable. ;-)
Can you spend a few moments and tell me what you think of the machine?
Also...as far as attachments....How far off base am I?:
In order of must have first .....
1. Snow blower....Should I even think about the high discharge for blowing into dump trucks? (Or is this nonsense?)
2. The Snow V-Blade.
4. The Angle Broom.
5. Pallet Forks
6. Combo-Bucket
Regards,
Nav7
Last edited:
radman1
Elite Member
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2006
- Messages
- 3,016
- Location
- midwest
- Tractor
- JD 4520, Toolcat 5610, Bobcat S300, Case-IH 125 Pro, Case-IH 245, IH 1086, IH 806
Welcome Nav 7 to the TC world!
I only have a 7' snowblade on the front. I have blower for the back of my 5610 but not enough snow yet to try it on the TC. The TC did just fine mowing with rear pto and the rear blower should do fine. I thought about getting the V-plow but dealer said it would not work well on my crowned road and he recommended a standard type blade. Just bought a used Cat BA-18 84" angle broom 1 week ago and haven't tried it yet. Suppose to get 2-3" snow tonight and may try it tomorrow.
I have had several CUTs, and the TC is really a nice piece of equipment to do work in. I have a JD 3720 with cab and FEL but still prefer the TC over the JD. The JD has a little higher lift and more pto hp, but otherwise it is TC all the way.
With your amount of snow, would you use a blower or plow more? I don't get very many big snows and use a plow much more than blower. If you would use the blower more, then I would go with blower on front and blade in the back. If you use blower less, then go with plow/blade in front and blower in back. I would use the one that gets used the most on the front, so I wouldn't need to look back as much. The blade up front and blower in the back would be the cheapest combo. The plow in the front would let you pile snow easier, but you could also use you bucket for that.
I only have a 7' snowblade on the front. I have blower for the back of my 5610 but not enough snow yet to try it on the TC. The TC did just fine mowing with rear pto and the rear blower should do fine. I thought about getting the V-plow but dealer said it would not work well on my crowned road and he recommended a standard type blade. Just bought a used Cat BA-18 84" angle broom 1 week ago and haven't tried it yet. Suppose to get 2-3" snow tonight and may try it tomorrow.
I have had several CUTs, and the TC is really a nice piece of equipment to do work in. I have a JD 3720 with cab and FEL but still prefer the TC over the JD. The JD has a little higher lift and more pto hp, but otherwise it is TC all the way.
With your amount of snow, would you use a blower or plow more? I don't get very many big snows and use a plow much more than blower. If you would use the blower more, then I would go with blower on front and blade in the back. If you use blower less, then go with plow/blade in front and blower in back. I would use the one that gets used the most on the front, so I wouldn't need to look back as much. The blade up front and blower in the back would be the cheapest combo. The plow in the front would let you pile snow easier, but you could also use you bucket for that.
Navigator7
Member
Thanks!
I'm interested in catering to the folks higher up in the mountains.
After a couple of storms the berms build up. I plowed with a conventional 4x4, chains and manual plow for two seasons in snow that wouldn't let you open the door....and depending on the weather....just showing up with a conventional plow created a frozen barrier to your next trip up the mountain.
I dunno about v-plow and crowned roads. We have crowned gravel roads with big pot holes. People living out in the sticks....it can get real serious.
I'd use the TC mostly for winter plowing and summer rental.
The V-Plow, snowblower and sweeper have the most appeal to me as money making tools.
I'd like to provide a better service than the conventional rigs simply with the ability to easly get....oooopss
gotta go...emerg..
BBL
I'm interested in catering to the folks higher up in the mountains.
After a couple of storms the berms build up. I plowed with a conventional 4x4, chains and manual plow for two seasons in snow that wouldn't let you open the door....and depending on the weather....just showing up with a conventional plow created a frozen barrier to your next trip up the mountain.
I dunno about v-plow and crowned roads. We have crowned gravel roads with big pot holes. People living out in the sticks....it can get real serious.
I'd use the TC mostly for winter plowing and summer rental.
The V-Plow, snowblower and sweeper have the most appeal to me as money making tools.
I'd like to provide a better service than the conventional rigs simply with the ability to easly get....oooopss
gotta go...emerg..
BBL
dylan
Gold Member
The blower is probably the best tool for deep snow. Even if it has been plowed and you have large piles, the tc blower can chew through them and deposit the snow farther away.
I have the 5' bucket which is not too handy because it holds so little snow.
I primarily use a 6' blower with hydraulic door for pulling snow. It is my best tool and clears 150 residential drives each snow fall.
I have a 7.5' western blade for backup. it work ok but is much slower for driveways. the snow must be moved several times.
I also have a 6' - 10' extendable pusher box. works good for parking lots as it traps snow and helps you relocate it different spots.
It really depends on what you want to do with the snow and what kind of property you are on.
I have the 5' bucket which is not too handy because it holds so little snow.
I primarily use a 6' blower with hydraulic door for pulling snow. It is my best tool and clears 150 residential drives each snow fall.
I have a 7.5' western blade for backup. it work ok but is much slower for driveways. the snow must be moved several times.
I also have a 6' - 10' extendable pusher box. works good for parking lots as it traps snow and helps you relocate it different spots.
It really depends on what you want to do with the snow and what kind of property you are on.
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dylan
Gold Member
OP
Gadgetnut
Silver Member
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2005
- Messages
- 144
- Location
- San Juan Islands, Washington
- Tractor
- Walker Mower MD (Kubota,) BobCat ToolCat 5600 Turbo rev. C, John Deere tractor
Among you professional snow removal guys with blowers, etc., I feel like small potatoes here, but I did want to report back on the aftermath of our uncharacteristic blizzard a few weeks ago. My angle broom failed, probably because it was packed with frozen snow and I tried to stop the broom in mid-air with all that weight and momentum on it while it was turning-- so, I started moving lots of snow with the combo bucket. See photos above.
Well, the snows have all melted now. I have a long, recently re-sealed, pristine asphalt driveway. Fortunately the asphalt didn't get scratched at all, but I did scratch and chip a very low concrete hump that goes around one lip of the driveway. I "found" the hump once by accident (that's what chipped it) but I thought it was okay scraping flat along the top of this concrete hump, but that is what scratched it. I'll do a couple small mortar repairs this Spring. For the coming snows, to the extent that I'm able, I'll try to do frequent tours with the angle broom to brush snow off and in between these tours I'll keep the Bobcat in the heated garage to allow the snow to melt off the brushes.
Well, the snows have all melted now. I have a long, recently re-sealed, pristine asphalt driveway. Fortunately the asphalt didn't get scratched at all, but I did scratch and chip a very low concrete hump that goes around one lip of the driveway. I "found" the hump once by accident (that's what chipped it) but I thought it was okay scraping flat along the top of this concrete hump, but that is what scratched it. I'll do a couple small mortar repairs this Spring. For the coming snows, to the extent that I'm able, I'll try to do frequent tours with the angle broom to brush snow off and in between these tours I'll keep the Bobcat in the heated garage to allow the snow to melt off the brushes.