Grading Rear blade?

[YotaBota]

I was planning to be plow snow this year with the FEL on my BX, BUT that's not very efficient. Spending another couple grand on a snow plow is out of the question this year. How well does a rear blade work? Eventually I would like to get a snow blower but until then.....

 

[JTPass]

Like you, I started plowing the driveway with just the loader and it didn't take long for me to get a rear blade. For the past 22 years I have been plowing my driveway with a Kubota L2550, front end loader and rear blade. The rear blade cut's the time in half and allows getting close to walls, doors etc.
This year I sold the L2550 and replaced it wilh a B3200 with a FEL. I did get the 63" snow blower for it and still use the rear blade as well. Just be sure to get one wide enough to go beyond the rear tire width.

 

[Thomas]

Only problem I found useing rear blade..can't push snow banks up/pile higher,maybe the fel can do that.

Little hard on the neck and moving around in seat.

I use my rear blade for pulling also scraping snow.

 

[bx24d]

What kind of driveway surface and how long and how much snow do you get?

 

[sixgun]

Rear blade and FEL has worked fine for me for the last few years, though I'm thinking of adapting a front blade on my B2710 over next summer. I've seen a few others do it on TBN and think it may be just what the doctor ordered for my 200' drive.

I also like the idea of putting an ABS or HDPE pipe on my blade or FEL to prevent digging in on my gravel drive. So many good ideas, so little time...

 

[Thomas]

Sixgun.
"Rear blade and FEL has worked fine for me for the last few years, though I'm thinking of adapting a front blade on my B2710 over next summer."

Twice the fun in half the time..and you can really pile snow.

 

[sixgun]

I'm thinking of the frame mounted version. I've got a friend that welds so I was thinking of fabbing it myself using my grinder and bolts, then having him weld it together. Then I'd but a double action cylinder for the lift function and add this to the front of my 'bota and then, well..I'd be ready to do some real damage.

 

[charlz]

One of the limiting factors to a rear blade is the weight of your tractor versus the weight of the snow. I have had heavy, wet snow simply push the rear end of my b7100 sideways.

The snowbanks might be a problem for you where you are. Here it snows for a bit then gets nice and everything melts then snows again etc etc. The FEL does work to push the banks back but it is kinda slow work.

If you get a rear blade make sure it is wide enough to cover your tracks while set on an angle. I use a 6' blade on my b7100 and it works good for snow.

 

[AceDeuce]

The combination of a rear blade and FEL is great for places that get moderate snowfall amounts. Use the blade to push or pull snow, then use the FEL to clean up and stack piles.

If you are working on pavement you can face the concave (front) side of the blade in the direction of travel (either going fwd or reverse) and angle it to one side. I have found that reverse works better if the snow is heavy. Less chance of the rear end kicking out sideways. But if the snow is dry, it is faster to pull it going forward.

If you are on gravel face the convex (back) side of the blade toward the snow and push in reverse. This way the blade will float over the gravel instead of digging in. If the snow is heavy the blade may not have enough weight to stay down. In this case, you will need to periodically empty the blade to keep the snow load light enough that the blade doesn't ride up and over the pile.

Of course, if you live in the great white north all bets are off using a blade. There, the blower is king.

 

[radioman]

Having a rear blade on a BX is not the same for a B or larger I think. You need a rear blade heavy enough to make a difference in wet driven over snow. My rear blade is 4 foot and on the BX I think its 1 foot too small. I hung all the chains I had onto the rear frame of the back blade for more downpressure. I think If I gotten a more heavy duty type and and at least 5 foot would be goodd to go. However it was great for scraping off the snow from blacktop to get the ice off if I turned the blade rearwards and go sllllllooow backing up.

 

[bigdad]

I was planning to be plow snow this year with the FEL on my BX, BUT that's not very efficient. Spending another couple grand on a snow plow is out of the question this year. How well does a rear blade work? Eventually I would like to get a snow blower but until then.....

I have real good luck with a FEL and an RB. I did put gauge wells on the RB and I keep my momentum up and the snow just rolls off. Like the guys stated, reverse the blade for gravel and grass under the snow. I can't afford or justify a blower so I will stick with the RB/FEL combo.

BD

 

[ayelvington]

Many thanks for the tip on reversing the blade when working on gravel. Life is good when the drive is frozen, but I've been dealing with the gravel issue already. I'll be at it again tomorrow morning!

The combination of a rear blade and FEL is great for places that get moderate snowfall amounts. Use the blade to push or pull snow, then use the FEL to clean up and stack piles.

If you are working on pavement you can face the concave (front) side of the blade in the direction of travel (either going fwd or reverse) and angle it to one side. I have found that reverse works better if the snow is heavy. Less chance of the rear end kicking out sideways. But if the snow is dry, it is faster to pull it going forward.

If you are on gravel face the convex (back) side of the blade toward the snow and push in reverse. This way the blade will float over the gravel instead of digging in. If the snow is heavy the blade may not have enough weight to stay down. In this case, you will need to periodically empty the blade to keep the snow load light enough that the blade doesn't ride up and over the pile.

Of course, if you live in the great white north all bets are off using a blade. There, the blower is king.

 

[ayelvington]

Word of caution for the BX-24: My son-in-law reversed my back blade and was using it to back and ram a snow drift and bent a swing arm. The 3-point on the BX-24 is only good for tension and not compression. Arms are not cheap...

 

[keyman1808]

The is a guy in Ct that sells an adapter to use a snow plow on the loader by removing the bucket and installing the adapter. Of course you will need to plumb in all the hydraulics if yo want to angle it. The adapter is like 250.00 and look for a used snow plow. Not ideal but still cheaper than the kubota option

 

[skywaterbanjo]

I've been using the fel and rb on a B7800 for 2 seasons. I'm tired of my neck hurting after plowing for 5-6 hours after each 12" snowfall.

I'm having a 61" blower installed on the front next week.

 

[bill in ny]

i always go forward with my rear blade. the hydraulic's help alot though.

 

[actionaj]

I use a 5' rear blade on my BX and front loader. Added Hydrualic's to it this fall can't wait to try it out in the snow.

 

[AceDeuce]

No offense to your son-in-law, but that sounds like a case of operator error. I absolutely agree that a 3PH is designed primarily for pulling. It would take a pretty significant hit to bend those arms though---not impossible (obviously) but outside normal operating parameters IMO.

Word of caution for the BX-24: My son-in-law reversed my back blade and was using it to back and ram a snow drift and bent a swing arm. The 3-point on the BX-24 is only good for tension and not compression. Arms are not cheap...

 

[AceDeuce]

Nice looking rig! That's pretty close to what they use around here on the county roads. Only difference is they replace the loader bucket with a highway truck plow. The rear blade is used to help clean intersections.

i always go forward with my rear blade. the hydrView attachment 148557aulic's help alot though.

 

[curtisfarmer]

Believe it or not....I plow commercially with a slow non-cab L48 with a Landpride RB3572 and it works great. A little slower but I am using what I have. Don't want to dro a few grand on a plow yet. The 35 series and up rear blades swing out 18" like a wing blade and are great for pushing back snow. People laugh.....but not when they get my bill!!!