snow plowing

JimDRIl · Feb 9, 2013

What is the best procedure for plowing deep wet snow, 8 to 10 inches, with the back blade on my 8N?
Would you make a run with the blade half-down first, or try and take it all in one pass?

notjustair · Feb 9, 2013

If it is wet it should roll pretty good. I spray it with cooking spray and set it at a sharp angle. Then run down one side of the lane and through the barnyard. The go down the other side. And straighten it out for pushing on the sides. If it is too dry it will pile up instead of rolling out the far side.

I wish we had gotten that snow but we got a good amount of rain from it so I can't complain.

Bob - MI · Feb 9, 2013

There's no single right answer on this one.

What I have found:

If you can get the angle extreme enough so the snow will shed off easily I would try the full bite first. I have a 7 foot blade on mine so I can't get the angle too severe or the blade hits the tire.

I take the first swipe on the side that I will be pushing the snow over to. This allows me to clear over farther first and then move the rest over without as much restriction. A back blade will only move so much so far especially if the snow on the sides is already piled up.

I get hung up sometimes and have to swing over into the side to pull the heaviest mass off to the side before I lose momentum.

I end up going in reverse using the back blade to push the biggest piles off.

It's really dependent on the depth and how heavy the snow is.

Have fun

Eriklane · Feb 9, 2013

Have to say, unless you're a geek for seat time, an 8N with a back blade is no match for a 600' driveway, wet or dry. A front mounted truck plow is 80% faster and so much less effort. I have an old F250 and I race up the drive, do the mailbox in 1 swipe, slam the end of the driveway, then come back down, and park it. I then take the 8N and do up by the garage, etc. The truck stinks to turn around, in and out, and all that fine work, you run the battery down fast. The 8N is great for yanking snow from the garage area, and putting it into a pile. Then I back up and push it all.

I did the backward thing for 5 years, but the truck, an old beat up Ford F250 that wasn't running (got it free, with full 7' plow), is so much more efficiient. Hek, I even plowed our street since the county takes a day to get to it...

MIDennis · Feb 9, 2013

I"m glad to see that somebody else uses cooking spray besides me. I prefer paste wax, unbuffed, but I get lazy at times.

Bill Rowles · Feb 10, 2013

Only advise I can give you regarding plowing snow with a "back-blade" is to get tire chains on the tractor and do your best to keep from getting a big pile of snow from accumulating between your blade and the rear wheels......good luck and keep a shovel close-by just in case you screw up and get trapped by the snow monster.

LeoinMI · Feb 10, 2013

Plowed snow for 27 years at Gerald R. Ford Airport. We has several tractors for snow removal we used on sidewalks and in the parking lots. If the snow was deep,& wet and heavy,..I always reversed the back blade and pushed the snow leaving about 1 1/2 - 2 incnes on the first pass.(Using reverse gear at the time) I had more power pushing than pulling that back blade on the first pass. Once I cleared a decent width I would then put the blade back in it's normal position and pull the remaining snow off to the side for my final passes. We got front mounted plows later and they worked much better.

Eriklane · Feb 10, 2013

I have chains-can't work without them. I'd love a front mount plow, but, with the truck, I stopped thinking about making one up, but it would be fun.

NoNewParts · Feb 10, 2013

(quoted from post at 11:31:38 02/09/13) What is the best procedure for plowing deep wet snow, 8 to 10 inches, with the back blade on my 8N?
Would you make a run with the blade half-down first, or try and take it all in one pass?

your question:
small bites, heavy snow will stop you, it's like trying to push mud.
plowing across the drive at first works

we got 18" of heavy snow,
When it's this deep, (I have front and rear blades)
I have to zig-zag plow to get out.
once I make it down the driveway, I then
plow crossways, across the driveway
6' at a time to clear it.
after breaking it up, I clean up lengthwise with a few passes.

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I have chains and filled tires
angling the blade helps in lighter snow,
but when it is heavy and deep, the blade will just turn the tractor sideways.
zig-zagging is then the only way.
this storm, the z-z angles were much steeper than above.

snow plowing

JimDRIl

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notjustair

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Bob - MI

Well-known Member

Eriklane

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MIDennis

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Bill Rowles

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LeoinMI

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Eriklane

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NoNewParts

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