[eepete]

I'm in North Carolina now (not exactly the snow capital of the US) but growing up in New England driveway clearing was always a two step deal.

First, you use the blower and have the skid shoes set up so it leaves about 1.5" or so. That way you don't ding up the bumps in the driveway or blow too much soil/grass at the edge.

Then, I used a small blade to clean it up. A broom would be much better and would leave the surface in great shape.

I used a blower down here to clear a concrete driveway the neighbors on a record 22" snow) and the blade at the bottom of the blower cleaned it down to the concrete, but it scratched up his concrete and sealant. Funny story on buying the blower I'll save for another day.

So I think the blower-broom combo should do it. The rear blade idea sound good, and you could use that with the broom on those odd 3-5" shows where the blower is too much. If you could get it with a non metallic blade, that would be perfect.

The only reason I'd like to upgrade the 318 to a 728 is to get the 4WD. I have to chain and weight up the 318 to do snow work. With the blower, the poor little front axle is maxed out, fortunately that's not a frequent event.

I'm still working on the best way to clear a gravel drive, I'll be off to the local welding shop soon to commission the latest effort. Note: This is NOT an invitation for people to entice me to buy a welder.

Pete

 

[RandyM]

I'm still working on the best way to clear a gravel drive, I'll be off to the local welding shop soon to commission the latest effort. Note: This is NOT an invitation for people to entice me to buy a welder.

Pave it.:lol:

Actually, I will be interested to see what you are up to.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

I'm still working on the best way to clear a gravel drive

What I do on my gravel drive....
First snow or two I don't blow it at all...just pack it down with the tractor from edge to edge...Then the next storm I just snowblow as normal with my shoes set to zero....At the next storm the ground is usually froze enough to hold all the rocks in place and my driveway looks like a normal gravel driveway....Key here is for the ground to be frozen. For me that's not an issue, but I can see how it might be in some areas...

 

[eepete]

The primary method of snow removal around here is the "solar technique." The average daytime high in January is around 45 degrees. So every snow is a "on loose gravel" snow. If you're lucky, the early snow is wet and freezes but that's rare.

The game plan is a custom skid-shoe doo-hicy (<- technical term). The shoes that come with the blade and blower are made for hard surfaces. So a shoe is needed with more surface area, and for the blade it must tolerate angling. Testing is easy- you should be able to "plow" the loose gravel with no snow on it. I've also thought about castor wheels like you see on landscape rakes and read blades. I've also thought about a rear blade with a wheel for my 4520 so I'm in a cab, but that's a 1700 dollar solution that I can't comit to until I'm fozen from plowing snow some day.... but speaking of wheels:

Here's the 1st pass at a snowblower improvement, but I need to work the skids on that too. It weights a lot, so experience on the plow will guide that step. The wheels are too little surface area, so a "plan b" is adapt the trailer jacks to use a bigger wheel. The jacks will push the snow up a bit, but it won't be a problem. I just need a way to attache the bigger wheel somehow (and why does every problem I have end up as a welding problem..)

Pete

 

[jenkinsph]

Not knowing squat about this it does make sense to me to snowblow high enough to stay off the paved or gravel surface. On gravel this should be enough and on pavement the broom can take over. Will be interested in what Pete comes up with.

I was looking into the brooms and see that there are two sizes that should be compatible with the X749. There is a 52" and a 59" broom available, which would work the best, the larger broom looks like a lot to handle to me on icy sidewalks.

Same thing is true about the front snowblowers there is a 47" and a 54"? model. Is there a difference in capacity (height of snow)?

Also, I know extra weight and chains are needed but I was also considering the possibility of having a front mounted broom and rear three point mounted blower since these can counter balance each other. I already have the 3pt hitch and pto installed and can select between either front, rear or both ptos'. It would seem that you would drive faster forward with the broom than when blowing snow in reverse.

The last two implements a front 54" hyd angle blade and a rearblade are minor expenditures by comparison will probably buy both of these and add a plastic edge to both of these as needed. My interest in using these two implements is that without a cab I suspect they would be more pleasant to operate.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

The game plan is a custom skid-shoe doo-hicy (<- technical term). The shoes that come with the blade and blower are made for hard surfaces.

Your right....even for me, 1st snow is usually on frozen ground. I only pack snow to pick up less rocks. The first year I had my snowblower I HAD to test it at the first snow...LOL...SWMBO was in the window watching me whip rocks at amazingly fast speeds across the yard, LOL.

You know...What I'd probably do...keeping with the KISS Mantra, is to make a set of LONG and somewhat wide skid shoes...thinking along the lines of Land Plane type skids. Angle of attack also makes a big difference in snowblowing the first few times. I know for me I crank the top-link very much in...just glides the blower over the snow. With too much angle, she'll want to scrape and dig.

 

[jenkinsph]

Pete,
I have a bunch of heavy duty casters from all the rollaway tool cabinets I have on my service trucks. Putting these on each side behind the rear blade might be a good use for your technique as guage wheels.:thumbup1gif:

How important do you think being adjustable height is?

 

[Spudland_Dave]

I was looking into the brooms and see that there are two sizes that should be compatible with the X749. There is a 52" and a 59" broom available, which would work the best, the larger broom looks like a lot to handle to me on icy sidewalks.

I've got the 59" (Deere 246) on my F935....nice broom, works great. Never used it to do snow tho...only spring cleanup.

Same thing is true about the front snowblowers there is a 47" and a 54"? model. Is there a difference in capacity (height of snow)?

I'm not as well versed in the smaller blowers, but I know the 47" has been around a while and is a good machine. I want to say the 54" is newer and has a plastic impeller...IMO not what I would want. When it comes to the front blowers, I'm a bit dissapointed in Deere's offerings, seriously other brands like Kubota leave JD in the dust...the Kubota blowers are RAD...Same as the Frontier Rear blowers, mebbe we'll see a further alliance with JD & RAD and we'll see better front blowers. I'm just a picky stickler when it comes to snow removal equipment....:lol:

Also, I know extra weight and chains are needed but I was also considering the possibility of having a front mounted broom and rear three point mounted blower since these can counter balance each other. I already have the 3pt hitch and pto installed and can select between either front, rear or both ptos'. It would seem that you would drive faster forward with the broom than when blowing snow in reverse.

IMO the best solution. Better quality..actually EXCELLENT Quality blower with the SB1154 and you can broom too.

 

[jenkinsph]

IMO the best solution. Better quality..actually EXCELLENT Quality blower with the SB1154 and you can broom too.

Since I have never seen this done up close how miserable is this going to be without a cab?

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Since I have never seen this done up close how miserable is this going to be without a cab?

Extremely.
Plan on looking like frosty.

After 2 weeks of blowing with the 749, You'll be back here on DT asking whether you should get the SB1174 or SB1184 for your Cabbed 4x :lol:

 

[eepete]

Steve, you're right about the blade is easy to use. When I blow snow (figured this out as a kid) I have a rubber suit on so nothing sticks to me. Hat, ski goggles, only the scarf gets snow stuck on it. Here's a shot of me plowing, I had my fire pants on. Didn't bother to put on the rear weights since it was only about 4 inches of snow, but did have on the rear chains. Oh, and the tractor always has the two 75 pound rear wheel weights on it. This is the 54" blade, which I think is what you want. When you angle it, it still covers the tire tracks.

When I blow snow, I have to have 6 40# weights on the back. The front tires are squished and bouncy, which makes it hard to hold up the blower above the gravel. The wheels help take some of that weight off. I have the 54" blower. You can always slow down if it's deep or wet, but most of the time wider is better and you're still under the 5' clearance (that's kinda my minimum clearance for anything, that way the 318 and the B21 can get through).

Dave, long wide shoes for the blower, and for the blade it will be something funny so it can angle OK. The other option for the blade was weld something that can hold a big caster wheel to the shoe bracket. The other key component is having the shoes come out _in front of_ the blade a bit so the blade lifts before before it hits the gravel.

Finally, for grins, here's a shot of a project that will never get off the ground...

Pete

 

[jenkinsph]

Dave I have wondered about that too.:laugh: I had thought about getting a front blade (skidsteer) for the 110tlb since it is cabbed and a rearblower similar to what you mentioned. Thought about moving it into place the day before snow is expected. This would work for the driveways but not walkways.

One thing I don't want to do is install a loader on the 4520 though that is carved in stone.

 

[eepete]

Pete,
How important do you think being adjustable height is?

Lots of posts, threads out of sync...

Very important.

Depending on how smooth the driveway is, you'll want to tweak the height. If it's rough or has a high crown with bad wheel ruts, the blade might need to be up 3-4". If it's in good shape, then about 1.5-2". Ideally, you'll just wing the gravel. Enough to expose it so the sun can melt it faster, but not enough to move lots of gravel off onto the grass beside the driveway.

We had snow last winter here for the 1st time (at the new house) and I had to raise the blade up and hope it was right. I had a few areas I had to clean up buy hand once everything melted. Part of the land plane decision was to get the driveway smoother so plowing was easier with less gravel tossing.

Also, regarding snowblowing on gravel, I had to have a friend (with a welder, will this teasing every stop :gaah re-line my impeller chamber after I ate too much gravel with the 318. 1st time out was that record 22" of snow, and I ate way too much gravel. Should of had it up another 2" in the air than what I did. Live and learn, now the impeller chamber is very stout.

I've got to go and check on my width. Though I had the 54", but it has a metal spinning blade...

Pete

 

[Spudland_Dave]

I had to have a friend re-line my impeller chamber after I ate too much gravel with the 318. 1st time out was that record 22" of snow, and I ate way too much gravel. Should of had it up another 2" in the air than what I did. Live and learn, now the impeller chamber is very stout.

I've got to go and check on my width. Though I had the 54", but it has a metal spinning blade...

Posts like that and my personal "Farm Engineer" thoughts are why I say the JD blowers are a joke. Seriously the 59" for the 3x20's is nothing short of a Joke. Its cheaply built, doesn't even cover the width of the machine, costs more then a wife...My list goes on and on.

 

[jenkinsph]

Pete,

That is a great looking 318 you have, looks well cared for.


What is your take on having the implements balance each other out?

 

[Brian]

In the winter on the farm, we have a 4110 with a blower on the front and the blade on the rear. IMHO, it is a train. Its so long that you have to really watch everything you do and it makes blowing a pain. IMHO, a rear blower might be a little more compact, but...

In Michigan, I would say use chains. But if you are running on big $$$ estates and you go a bit to fast and stop your chains will scratch the cement. You can also spin out and scratch stuff up. Plastic chains might be better.

For the amount of snow you are working with and the temps you will have, I doubt you will have much issue. IMHO, a blower in gravel sucks. You trow the stones in the lawn or somewhere they should not be, unless you can let the top get a glaze of ice.

If you had a blower on the front and a rubber bladed snow pull on the rear, it might be best. Look at a snow push and build a nice small tight fitting one for the rear.

 

[RandyM]

Here is my two cents, this is what works for me. I have a 60 brush on the 2305 and a 54 blower on the 2520. Then I move the ballast box between machines as needed. No chains required. You will find that there are as many opinions on this as there are ways of doing it. You will need to find what works best for you. By the way all my snow removal is on pavement, if that helps.

As far as turning white without a cab, the only problem I have is with the brush (dry snow). I find paying close attention to wind direction and RPM control helps a lot. The blower has both snout controls and is not as fussy.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

You will find that there are as many opinions on this as there are ways of doing it. You will need to find what works best for you.

You know, Your right Randy.....people seem to have no problem on agreeing on how to dig a hole or prep for a garden, but with snow, all bets are off...LOL. Personally I wouldnt want any other setup then my FEL Blade and 3pt Blower. PERFECT in every aspect to me.

As far as turning white without a cab, the only problem I have is with the brush (dry snow). I find paying close attention to wind direction and RPM control helps a lot. The blower has both snout controls and is not as fussy.

Blower might have more control of how and where you throw the snow, but on a blustery day, it still all comes back on you. Your throwing it 50x higher...Dry snow you're getting covered no matter what. I dunno, its more then that too, snow removal is usually always in inclement weather of some sort, Wet snow/rain, windy as heck, cold as heck, etc... Been there, done that with my F935 for the first 2 years at the house and I'd never do it again.

 

[RandyM]

Blower might have more control of how and where you throw the snow, but on a blustery day, it still all comes back on you. Your throwing it 50x higher...Dry snow you're getting covered no matter what. I dunno, its more then that too, snow removal is usually always in inclement weather of some sort, Wet snow/rain, windy as heck, cold as heck, etc... Been there, done that with my F935 for the first 2 years at the house and I'd never do it again.

You have to learn the tricks with blowing snow to not get white without a cab, it can be done. For example, one technique I use is to just dump it into the next path of cut until I am at full width. You know, you don't always have to blow the snow 50' into the air?

Wow, you are way more serious than me and my little machines.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

You know, you don't always have to blow the snow 50' into the air?

LOL...see how the chute is adjusted in the pics I posted...thats how its been since I got the blower. :lol:
I like chucking the snow as far as mechanically possible. I hate snowbanks.