Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Snow Removal with FEL

[JimCald]

Down here in southwestern VA, it doesn't snow too much, so purchase of equipment for snow removal doesn't make too much sense. I have a Kubota BX1500 with a 48" FEL. and have used it a couple of time to plow my concrete driveway. It does a pretty good job and doesn't take too much time. But, I have noticed that the concrete driveway (which has a fairly coarse surface) is causing significant wear to the bottom of the bucket.

Is there some type of "simple" modification I can make to the bucket to minimize this wear???

Jim

 

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

Jim,

This may help with your questions.

web page

 

[JimCald]

Thanks, I should have used the search feature, but keep forgetting. The 2x4 sounds good, I downloaded the pictures and will look them over. Like I said, the concrete is very abrasive and will most likely wear down the wood pretty quickly, but don't have to plow that often (1 to 2 time a year at most)

Jim

 

[Casco1]

Jim Cald, Here are my solutions, I do my snow cleaning with my FEL. After some practice I'm able to use the cutting edge on my bucket to make the contact with the ground. My bucket did not come with leveling guides so I put some on . This helps a lot. Afriend who has a larger area than I have solved this problem by drilling two holes at the rear of his bucket on the bottom and putting two plow feet in the holes. This keeps the rear of the bucket off of the surface. In this area every truck that buys a plow gets a set of feet to save the cutting edge, but if you plow for the state or any municipality you're not allowed to use them so they are easily avaible. One pair would probably last you for years and they're not expensive maybe $ 20-$25.

 

[LBrown59]

Plastic gas or water line or ridged plastic pipe. Slit it end to end and slip it over the cutting edge.
Ouick install remove -no bucket drilling.

Lots of post on Tbn about your question.

 

[JimCald]

Thanks, I did find one possible solution using 2x4's bolted to the side of the bucket (posted by NY Yankees Fan) that might work. I will also keep the plastic pipe in mind. I already have 2 holes in the bucket for mounting the Markham toothbar, so holes are not an issue.

Jim

 

[JimCald]

Thanks fro the reply, I too have been just adjusting the angle so that the bucket doesn't dig inn too deeply. That works pretty good and in not too difficult to do, but I am concerned with the wear on the bottom of the bucket and would prefer to have something easily (and cheaply ) replaceable. I did think that the shoes on regular snow plows would be the answer, but I am unsure how to attach them to the bucket. Do you have any photos?

Jim

 

[Casco1]

Jimcald, I haven't looked at my friends setup very closely, but if I remember correctly the shoes look lie an upside down " T ". I think all he did was drill holes in the bottom of the bucket welded a reinforcing plate underneath put the shoes up through and pinned them so they wouldn't fall out. If your bucket is heavy enough I don't think you'd need the reinforcing plate. I'd also consider trying to thread the pin so that I could attach it with a washer and nut. I don't have any to look at now so I don't know if that would work. I suggest stop by a plow dealer and look at the shoes and see what works. Maybe even an internet search of plow manufacturing sites. I just looked up a part number for a spring I broke last week on an 18 year old Toro Snowblower. Some manufactures have some great info sites Good Luck

 

[Casco1]

JimCald, Check out this PDF off of the Fisher site. Similar setup as I described but I think the spring might be a good Idea. Parts 3 & 4 under the bucket parts 2 & 5 in the bucket( I would substitute a washer and black iron nipple from any plumbing store for #2 )

<font color="blue"> Fisher parts PDF </font>

 

[RalphVa]

Here's a site that sells urethane edges: http://www.fallline.com/snowremoval/snowplowmain.html

I slit some heater hose to put on my FEL but forgot to put it on this last snowfall to see how well it worked!

I wonder if there's a place that'll spray polyurethane on the tip and the entire bottom of the FEL bucket? We had our dewaxing equipment in the refinery sprayed with this stuff to keep the wax from sticking. Didn't spray scraped surface heat exchange surfaces though.

Ralph

 

[broomjob]

I have solved a similar problem by using a peice of TREX that I bolted onto the bottom of of my FEL edge. It has worked out great and is much cheaper than using any of the plastic products. Unlike using pads to keep the edge off the surface, the full edge application retains some ability to scrape snow or slush from your driveway. The TREX (synthetic decking) is made out of a similar plastic to HDPE (recycled milk jugs) which is combined with sawdust. The material has pretty good wear resistance and does not mark the surface you are plowing. Its not that strong so it needs to be bolted sufficently to the FEL edge. If you plan your bolts holes correctly, the board can be reversed when it becomes too worn.

 

[PineRidge]

I assume that you are counter-boring your fasteners so they do not contact the drive surface?

 

[broomjob]

The bolts are counter-bored into the TREX. I used galvi carrage bolts mounted round head down with lock washers and nuts above the FEL edge. The bolts can only be counter-bored approx 1/2 inch. Since I plow with the bucket angled down and the TREX extends 1 1/2 inches forward of the FEL edge, I would need to wear off a huge amount of TREX before the bolt heads could contact the road surface. Before it wore that much, I would rotate the TREX, front to rear, and have a fresh area to protect the driveway.

 

[JimCald]

Thnaks for all the responses, I will be sure to try at least one of them before the next snow! Whne that happens, I will post the results.

Jim