Think it'll work?

[GrumpyJoe]

With winter coming in I was thinking of ways to clear my gravel drive without removing half the gravel along with the snow. Came up with this idea and it didn't cost me a dime. Already had a 4 inch x 8 foot piece of PVC pipe. I cut it down to 6 feet then cut it long ways. Slipped it over the bottom of the blade and just for now I'm using tie downs to keep it on. I've already ran it over the drive and it didn't move any gravel. I just hope it weighs enough to not just ride on top but get down under the snow.

 

[jaxs]

I've been plowing snow for,,,,,,,well,,,,living in Texas,by the time I can get my blade hooked up it's 50F and snow is gone. :laughing: Now that you know how much experience I have,you know how much advice you can use. That might get most powder off but I doubt it will help if packed or icey. The guys I've seen in NM and Tx Panhandle drag a little gravel off with snow and leave it in rows and piles until snow melts then redistribute gravel.

 

[shooterdon]

It will move snow but not scrape. Just what you want.

 

[MF243RedTop]

If that doesn't work..

Add a pair of skid shoes to the backside of your blade, adjust top link out and they will only let the cutting edge cut along the top of the drive.
I've never plowed snow but it works well with dirt wouldn't see why it would be different..

 

[Aquamoose]

Turn the blade around and plow when the ground isn’t frozen. When it’s frozen, I let a thin layer of snow cover the gravel and let harden with some vehicular traffic before turning the blade back around for the rest of the winter.

 

[BrkMstr]

It's worth a try, but I think it's going to act like a snowboard, I have a couple of areas of crushed stone. If I use the plow I keep it raised an inch or two, you can do the same by setting up the skid shoes, for some reason when I got in the warm truck just never bothered to get out again and set them up, just got use to dropping it and then raising to the level I wanted. With the blower I do the hard top area and then back into the garage and set the skid shoes down, that raises the cutting edge about 2". What really helps is setting up the first storm, if all we get is six or seven inches before I do anything over the stone I drive over it, back and forth, once you get a few inches compacted - it makes the rest of the season easy as the blower / blades ride on top of it. Fortunately, we normally do not get warm enough for the base to melt away till season end. Keep us posted on how it works out.....

 

[Citydude]

I used PVC on my boss ATV snowplow. It worked great. They wear fast though.

 

[PILOON]

I made up 'clamp on' skid shoes and that works just fine.
In fact I've seen that an entrepreneur out there is marketing them these days.

 

[CoyPatton]

With winter coming in I was thinking of ways to clear my gravel drive without removing half the gravel along with the snow. Came up with this idea and it didn't cost me a dime. Already had a 4 inch x 8 foot piece of PVC pipe. I cut it down to 6 feet then cut it long ways. Slipped it over the bottom of the blade and just for now I'm using tie downs to keep it on. I've already ran it over the drive and it didn't move any gravel. I just hope it weighs enough to not just ride on top but get down under the snow.

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It will work, how well depends largely upon the weight if your blade.
One caution is to use the heavy sch 80 pvc as concrete, asphalt and gravel are all rough surfaces and will eat up the pipe fairly quickly. Try to size your pvc where the rear is resting on the cutting edge bolts. It will help to hold it onto tye blade.

 

[Liquidsilver]

I hope so. I think it's a neat idea.

 

[Redlands Okie]

Please let us know how it works when you find out. Thanks

 

[GrumpyJoe]

Thanks for the input. As soon as we get snow I'll update you guys.

 

[Big Barn]

Yes it will work really well under some circumstances and be useless at other times.

 

[BlueKnife]

With winter coming in I was thinking of ways to clear my gravel drive without removing half the gravel along with the snow. Came up with this idea and it didn't cost me a dime. Already had a 4 inch x 8 foot piece of PVC pipe. I cut it down to 6 feet then cut it long ways. Slipped it over the bottom of the blade and just for now I'm using tie downs to keep it on. I've already ran it over the drive and it didn't move any gravel. I just hope it weighs enough to not just ride on top but get down under the snow.

View attachment 679946 View attachment 679947

I worked at a place years ago that had something similar on their plows. It works somewhat with light, fluffy snow. Each time you plow, the snow that's below the radius of the pipe gets packed down hard. Eventually you'll build up a thick layer of ice everywhere you plow. I wouldn't do it if I were you.

 

[DJ54]

It will work, but may shatter if the temps get extremely cold. I used a piece of 1-1/4 steel pipe, cut a slot as wide as the cutting edge with the plasma cutter, and slipped it on. Welded tabs with holes on each side, to match 4 of the cutting edge bolts.

It is on a front mounted blade on my Farmall A, but works great. Been on there for 10 years now. I leave it on year round. Actually helps me a lot when spreading loosematerial such as bank run gravel for fill, or, dirt, and I've pushed a LOT with it. Nearly 4,000 tons of bank run gravel for pads for new buidings, all put in in 8" lifts, and 1600 tons of clay fill, filling in an old pond at the other place. And that is no exaggeration on that tonnage, and maybe a little shy. Still plenty of wear left..!!

 

[EddieWalker]

I've never dealt with snow, so it's just one of those things that I find interesting that so many of you have to deal with.

If it was me, I think I would weld a bolt onto the ends of the blade and attach a wheel to each end so the blade rolls an inch off of the ground while using it.

 

[fried1765]

I've never dealt with snow, so it's just one of those things that I find interesting that so many of you have to deal with.

If it was me, I think I would weld a bolt onto the ends of the blade and attach a wheel to each end so the blade rolls an inch off of the ground while using it.

A product called "Edge Tamers" works for this, but they are sold to fit the bucket.
Apparently, someone now does make something similar for back blades.
I have bucket "Edge Tamers", and they are nice!

 

[Big Barn]

I built this snow blade for my JD Gator. Instead of a steel BOCE (bolt on cutting edge) I used a piece of 1”x6” recycled plastic lumber.