Snow Plowing Options

Suffolk1

Member
Live in an area where annual snowfall can be three to four feet or more. This winter has been on the deep end. Need to push snow from roadways, around shop, storage sheds, corrals, and barn. Some areas are flat and others with a slight to moderate slope. Been using a small (40 HP) tractor with a rear blade and rear chains to push snow. Also have access to a two-wheel drive loader-backhoe and a rubber-tire skid steer. Never had to use either one of them before for snow removal. Didn't even have chains on the tractor until an early warm spell resulted in an underlying layer of ice. What are the pros and cons of using the two-wheel drive backhoe vs the skid steer for snow removal? Would prefer only having to buy one more set of tire chains. Thanks.
 
Handy is my response. If the Skid steer starts easily, that is your answer. The Loader/backhoe will work, but will be ungainly. A set of chains on the skid Steer and a wide bucket and you are set to lift and pile the snow out of the way. Jim
 
My first choice would be a blower on the tractor rather than a blade. But given you options you mention the skid steer would be the easiest. I have a TLB with the standard tread construction tires. With the wide lugs it has poor traction on snow and ice. Because of the 4 wheel drive on a skid steer most of the time you don't even need chains.

Rick
 
Backhoe with chains is the strongest out of that lot by far. Reverser is nice. Boom can catch power line drops to houses and eaves when in tight quarters.

Skidsteers are ok but not much reach on the bucket for stacking snow.

Like folks said a blower on the tractor will clean up a yard and leave little or no banks.
 
snowbower on your 40hp tractor with chains will probably be about the best and cheapest seeing as you already have the tractor. Nobody around here plows farm yards or driveways, you would run out of room to push so fast and piles cause drifting with gives you even less room to push snow. Mother nature blew it in, blow it back out.
 
If your 40 HP tractor does not have a live PTO or a reverse gear slow enough to handle a snow blower in deep snow drifts, I would either: add a loader and snow bucket to your 40 HP tractor; or drop the backhoe off the other tractor.
 
I worked for a City for 26 years. When we got 8"+ of snow, we moved an awful of it with 2wd TBLs (Ford and Cat) without chains. No matter what you use, on ice chains make a big difference.
 
Just sharing a picture of my set up, works real good unless I get a hard pack of snow that turns to ice, don't have chains yet. I also have the room to maneuver, 3/10th mile driveway on 82 acre farm.
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I would say keep your options open as having to rely on one machine to do all the work can cause that one machine to break down at the worst time. Cold weather starting would be another big factor. Block heaters are great if you have one or maybe you are lucky enough to have a heated shop to park in. At home I use a wheel loader with chains when the ice shows up. The old Hough has never been stopped but the bucket but is less efficient than a blade. At work I push lots of snow with a Bobcat Toolcat and 7 foot blade. The tool cat is just a little toy when we get heavy snows but does work well cause it is nimble like your skidloader.
 
Having plowed snow for over 30 years, the skidsteer is your best bet. It will run circles around anything else you have. You could put a blade on the front of it or even a snowblower on it. I had a 9 ft blade on my New Holland 885. Only used chains once because of ice under the snow, then only on the rear tires. Never got it stuck. You will be surprised how fast you cam move snow with a skidsteer.
 
Much better to blow it away...piling just causes more quick drifts. I put a blower on the skidloader, and only one pair of chains is needed. Only concern with a skidloader blower is to match the hyd motor on the blower with the flow capacity of your skidloader.
 

Get a 6 foot blower and be done with it. You have chains now.

I moved a lot of snow the past few years with a 40 HP 2wd tractor and blower with NO CHAINS.
 
As you know a blade some times you pick up rocks and push them in grass. Never used a blower, but some tell me they can pick up rocks too. If you angle back blade, push rear wheels sideways. Angle front blade front wheels get pushed sideways. I like pushing snow. Always pick up weights with backhoe to put more weight on rear wheels.
 
You don't mention cab situation on any of your available equipment. A four wheel drive pickup truck with plow is a hundred times* more comfortable to plow in than any open equipment, and can be more productive. The backhoe, skid steer or tractor with blower can be reserved for moving the piles, if necessary, one or two times per season


[size=9:481f6b1960]*(as determined by my own independent research over 40 years)[/size:481f6b1960]
 

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