Loader vs snow plow

JayinNY

Well-known Member
What do u guys prefer for moving snow? A front end loader or a snow plow on the front of your tractor? I have a fel on my tractor so that's what I use. If we would ever get back to high snowfalls id get a 3pt snowblower. Have a blade on the ATV, which works good too! So what's your preference? Anybody wanna post some pics?
 
My skid loader work wonders.Its an 80 in. wide bucket and if it is wet snow it has no trouble with it.Twenty minutes can do most of my plowing, unless we get a 10 to 12 inches . ggp
 
Plow and grading box. Pile as high as I dare.
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It depends on how much snow depth you need to plow and how big an area you need to clear.

I have found the FEL on any of our tractors to be way too slow, and once you have weight in the bucket, you lose rear wheel traction. And an 8N Dearborn FEL is the poorest of them all.

My preference is a front blade with power turn (hydraulic) which can be modified from an older PU system with the electro-lift. I prefer the Meyers, as it takes less power from the battery (12 volt neg ground only). And then hang a 3pt rear blade on the back of the tractor. The rear blade can be reversed to plow backwards and as the load against the blade gets heavy, pull up on the lift handle just a bit to give weight transfer to the rear wheels, and when you get to the stack, pull up the blade as high as it will go to get snow stacked about 6 ft deep. If you have huge drifts, use the rear blade in a herring bone pattern. Push further back than you think is needed. The pile gets hard like concrete very quickly as the after storm temps drop.

Been plowing snow commercially since '67, started with the 8N, and used it for quite a number of years until we got bigger equipment.

Paul in MN
 
I use a plow on my Pickup 99% of the time because it is much faster than a loader or blower. I can plow at 20mph up and down my driveways (about a mile total), snowblower is about 1mph and a loader is even slower than that because once the bucket is full you have to lift and dump someplace.

Sometimes if the snowbanks get big enough I will go through with a loader and push/pile them out of the way.

I do keep the snowblower on the tractor because it works great for opening up areas that haven't been plowed all season.
 
I doze it. Used the loader 1 time and it always seemed to plug the bucket and take longer than pushing it with the 3 point blade. I got this and it makes short work of it!
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Have used a bucket on the Massey and back blade, now I have a blade on the loader on the Farmall in place of a bucket. That is my favorite so far.
Zach
 
A snowblower is a one-purpose tool. And an expensive one at that. Both to buy and maintain (moving parts). A blade is way cheaper and can be used year around for lots of things. I have two tractors. One medium size utilty 4WD with a 7' loader on the front and an 8' blade on the back turned around so I can push going backwards. My larger tractor has an 8' loader on the front and a 12' snow pusher on the back. (for when it really snows). I've considered a snowblower but when I think it through, I really can't justify not only the expense but the storage room it would take up. Plus the maintenance. Friend of mine bought a big mounted snowblower made up in Canada for his New Holland TV 140. Bearing seized up right after a big snowfall that put him out of snowblowing for a while. He still had the scoop on the other end. That won't happen to a blade. Your call.
 
Here in Tenn we only get maybe tow or three snows of 2 to 3 inches per year but today I was looking and I have the materials to make a loader mounted blade as you have here. I have hydraulics to the front do I need to make the blade where it will power angel. Now I use a 30 hp. Kubota front deck 4 wheel drive mower that has a blade mounted where the deck came off. Does a pretty good job but was thinking the tractor mounted blade might be faster. O I am grading about 3/4 mile concrete drive way that is fairly steep .
 
Out here in God's country a snowblower is a must. You don't want a pile of snow anywhere because it just acts like a snow fence. The wind blows non stop here. Snow piles just mean more snow where you don't want it. Blow all the snow and you minimize how deep it gets therefore standing a better chance of making it through before you have a chance to clean.

Casey in SD
 
I suggested the Meyers plow because of the smaller electrical demands of the E-47 Bosch motor. The turn solenoids are fussy about dirt and water in the lift oil, but can be taken out and flushed with mineral spirits. Their lift and turn system is good and almost as reliable as your wiring to it. But Meyers in the 70's and 80's had a contract with Dodge trucks, so the blade was flatter for higher speed plowing. At that time Western had a contract with Jeep and IH Scouts... smaller and lighter vehicles than the Dodge 3/4 ton w/V8 engines. So the Western blade had more curve to the moldboard and would roll the snow better at slow plowing speeds. The common Western blades used for the Jeep were 6.5 ft wide, whereas the Meyer/Dodge blades were commonly 7.5 ft and some at 8 ft. A 6.5 ft blade is about right for the 8N. Any wider and you can't steer as the snow load pushes the tractor front end sideways when it builds up a snow load against the moldboard.

The Meyers lift and turn can be used with a Western blade, you just have to make your own subframe to attach it to the tractor.

Paul in MN
 
Thanks...1975 f100 4x4 with a 390 dual exhaust, headers. and the front driveshaft taken out for u joints this summer! I knew I needed to do something before the snow fell. It's my service wagon. I have a welder generator,air compresser and a removable hoist on it. I need to make saddles to put the torch on there also. I just load my toolbox it with the hoist and I'm set for fixing and taking to the field.
 
Well, yes, but...

If you get a LOT of snow, or have limited areas to put it, a blower is just the ticket.

When all I had was a plow (and when we had winters with snow) I often had to fire up the tractor and loader to move the banks back so I could see to get out the drive.

With a blower, I just turn the chute down wind, and never have to mess with it again.

At least, so far...
 
After having had a tractor/backhoe/loader be my snow mover for the last several years, I finally found a 12' snow pusher to put on it.
Seems to me a loader bucket is not the thing to "push" snow with, unless it's feet deep, and needs to be piled high.
Now maybe I have the best of both. A "blade" with large runners, which will help with floating, but still with the capability of piling.
 
Thanks for the info, that's awesome,,from what I can see
zooming in that truck looks showroom, for that year! I have a
73 gmc 1500 4x4 and it's rusted to heck. Darn state ruines
our trucks with so much salt!!!!
 
I use all three. A blade for quick plowing of the driveway, FEL to move
piles or drifts when needed and a snowblower to to clear my walkways.
Snowblower works great as long as you have COLD temps and dry snow.
Once that snow gets wet and heavy, I just push it or pick it up and move it.

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I live in the 3rd snowiest area of the US so we get a lot of snow. If I used a blower every time it snowed I would have to hire a full-time helper just to run a blower 24/7.

Plowing my yard and driveway with my pickup at 20mph it still takes me a few hours everyday. If that was done with a blower at 1/20 of the speed it would take me all day and then some. And often times I plow snow daily for weeks on end.

Push the snow far back and downwind and I don't have too much trouble with drifting.

If anybody wants a full-time volunteer job running a snow blower then come on UP and start now and finish in about March or April.
 
You are right. I have plenty of room and some well placed fences and snow fences to boot. If a persons driveway goes thru a cut that doesn't help either. Then a blower is way better.
 
God did not create all snow equal. So I am in line with Royse here. I got 4 options.
A 3 point scraper for light stuff and slush that turned to ice.
A Fischer plow on an industrial fergie... cause it was there when I bought the tractor, and Murphy's law sez to leave it there- but it was useless without chains, fine now with a pair on.

4 way loader... on 2 tractors, hard to find buckets wider than the track of the tires, so I narrowed the cockshutt to fit the bucket, and the MF65 doesn't care about anything infront or under it...
When I lived in the northern tier of good ol New York state... I bought a FarmKing 6 foot 3 point blower...oooh in the 5 degree wind scorn light as a feather fluffy snow...that thing could blow the stuff so far and high, there were no banks or driftsmade at all.... now, here in Mass.... where the blower is sinking in the weeds... because the slush that falls from the sky comes out the shute like a vanilla soft serve ice cream machine.... if it comes out the shute at all. If you are in the Empire state, you might want 5 options... one a ticket to Florida...
 
FEL on a JD A, with a piece of 2x12 oak for a blade. Not the best, but cheap and a whole lot faster than a #14 grain scoop.
 
This is what I use. I built this V-Plow about 20 years ago and have never looked back. Did the loader and bucket thing for a few years but after I built the V-Plow I would never go back. If I lived up north still it would be twice as tall
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We have a tractor like that, with FWA and a loader with a bucket (73". it works OK since we don"t get much snow in N MN any more. I have always thought I would like to have a blade on the FEL for it. What kind of blade is that, how long, what size tractor? We have a back blade with shoes on it that I use to clean up and it reduces the amount of crushed rock on the lawn in the spring!
 
I like my fel and push the snow straight out in the field.
Angle blade on pickup and have to rake stones out of the grass for a day in the spring.
 
Curtis...built just for that front loader quick connect. The bucket is off it. It's 6.6' wide. I put sides on it this year to hold more snow and I also cut a lenght wise slot in a 2" pipe and put the pipe on the cutting edge so it doesn't dig into the gravel driveway when it's soft.
 
Oh, the tractor is a gear 870 1997 4x wheel drive. Turf tires, no chains and it does great.
 
I retired Dad's 84' Chevy K-10 about 11 years ago due to frame problems and never took the time to move the plow rig to the F-150 that replaced it. I just use my Deere 310A backhoe with the all weather cab and heater. Ok call me a sissy but I haven't had a problem with where to put the snow.
 
What's that mounted on old? I can't see the tractor so well, looks like a nice v plow though.
 
Well as others have already pointed out, it depends on where you live. No doubt a blower is nice, but for me it would be a very expensive single purpose luxury that might benefit me once every 4-years in slight time savings.

For me in SW Ohio, The loader bucket and my box blade are my tools of choice when we get really deep snows which happens only very rarely. Would a blower be more efficient? Sure but not worth the expense for me since I would actually need it so rarely. I also have a regular blade but trying to plow with an angled blade can be an issue on a lightweight tractor so I prefer the box blade. Basically plow with the loader bucket going forward and the box blade when going in reverse for double productivity. Of course this method dictates the travel pattern be either a herring bone or series of Y-patterns which works fine for my areas, but would be less than efficient on a long lane.

Rarely do I even fool with plowing anyway unless I am totally snowed in - simply let the sun melt it down for me most times.
 
I used this homebuild 10' blade for years with my waldon loader,it can angle and by flipping the blade over i can pull snow back as well
Today i use a bigger loader,it's faster and more comfortable as it has a cab and heater
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I use the back blade most often...8'
8' blower to do the big drifts/clean out...needs to be the right snow.
Front end loader to pile stuff up...haven't had to do that in a couple years.
Looking forward to being in a cab with a heater...that 's for sure.
 
(quoted from post at 21:05:13 12/22/12) A snowblower is a one-purpose tool. And an expensive one at that. Both to buy and maintain (moving parts). A blade is way cheaper and can be used year around for lots of things. I have two tractors. One medium size utilty 4WD with a 7' loader on the front and an 8' blade on the back turned around so I can push going backwards. My larger tractor has an 8' loader on the front and a 12' snow pusher on the back. (for when it really snows). I've considered a snowblower but when I think it through, I really can't justify not only the expense but the storage room it would take up. Plus the maintenance. Friend of mine bought a big mounted snowblower made up in Canada for his New Holland TV 140. Bearing seized up right after a big snowfall that put him out of snowblowing for a while. He still had the scoop on the other end. That won't happen to a blade. Your call.

I've heard some flimsy excuses in my day but those are dandies
The snowblower moves faster in light snow than 1mph. It also travels faster than any blade in heavy snow. The snowblower doesn't run out of room to push snow. The snowblower also doesn't makes drifts that make the road drift in faster. The snowblower takes less time and fuel .
 
(quoted from post at 22:17:23 12/22/12) I live in the 3rd snowiest area of the US so we get a lot of snow. If I used a blower every time it snowed I would have to hire a full-time helper just to run a blower 24/7.

Plowing my yard and driveway with my pickup at 20mph it still takes me a few hours everyday. If that was done with a blower at 1/20 of the speed it would take me all day and then some. And often times I plow snow daily for weeks on end.

Push the snow far back and downwind and I don't have too much trouble with drifting.

If anybody wants a full-time volunteer job running a snow blower then come on UP and start now and finish in about March or April.

I'm calling your story pure and total Bull Crap. I live in the snowbelt on the east coast of Lake Huron and know what snow is.
 
Hey steve, you get your new tractor home yet? I envy u having that heated cab! Lol, my brother bought a NH L 180
Skid steer in august, it also has a heated cab! I only have heat and AC in my trucks! Lol
 
Growing up we had a dozer blade on an 806 Farmall that worked well. used a 3 point blade with a pipe over the cutting edge for several years. switched to a fel for a couple years. this year I will be using a Gnuse Bucket, supposed to be the best of both worlds, blade/fel.
 
a V-plow is worthless up north, the snow pushed off to the side drifts full and what was 1 ft. deep ends up 4' deep, we use a loader and an 8' Lorenz blower
 
I don't know were u are up north, but were I am, if we have the rare blizzard, the town puts v plows on there trucks, instead of the Viking side plows!
 
Way back we used scoop shovels and Dad sometimes used some planks nailed together that he pulled with a team of horses. He'd have us kids stand on the planks for extra weight.

Then we got a loader on a tractor that was inadequate, but beat a scoop shovel. Then we went to an HD7 with dozer that could move those deep ND snowdrifts out of the way.

Later my brother got a large 2-stage blower that he mounts on his 1030 Case. One of his son's lives in the 2nd house on the place so he uses the blower while my brother & SIL spend the winter down here in AZ (AZ desert is a very good snow removal tool.)
 
One of the best machine I have seen for snow is a Skid steer loader. Piles it high and the torque and weight of a skid steer runs circles around a 8N or small utility tractor. The very best to use if you have the money is a large wheel loader for those blizzards.
 
My dad drove it home last weekend...ad them take it through the shop and fix any problems...mechanic said Jim lost a few bucks on our deal....need an owners/operators manual...no idea what all the buttons and switches do...gonna throw chains and the blade on it tomorrow...merry Christmas to you and family.
 
They each have their plusses and minuses! Depends on the situation. One each is the answer for me!
JMHO, Dave

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With the 3910, I can drop the plow and have the loader on, or drop the loader and have the plow on in 10-15 minutes.

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(quoted from post at 21:18:01 12/22/12) I'm calling your story pure and total Bull Crap. I live in the snowbelt on the east coast of Lake Huron and know what snow is.

I live on the western shore of the UP along Lake Superior. 3rd snowiest city behind someplace in the Rockies and Valdez Alaska....

http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/snowiest-six-cities_2011-11-29?page=5


As for a blower traveling faster that's only true in very deep snow (IE multiple feet). For someplace like a driveway that gets plowed once or twice daily the snow doesn't usually get that deep so a plow is 20x faster.
 
Our county highway dept spent gobs of money for some big Oshkosh trucks with snowblowers. A big Cat engine and a large fuel tank sit on the frame rails on the back to power the blower. I have never seen one with a blower mounted. 99.999% of the time they have a big plow mounted on the front with the Cat engine and fuel tank just sitting there for dead weight. With a good head of steam they look like a blower coming down the road. The design of the plow propels that snow way up perhaps 40' in the air and way back off the road. No moving parts. Money better spent on a dump truck, though. It can carry a load of sand with a spreader and do other work all year round. Same with a blade/loader combo. My 2c. (;>))
 
http://www.gnusemfg.com/

My neighbors have these and I finally got a used one a year ago. It is the most handy thing next to my telehandler! I can back down into a wet draw and pull out mud to clean a drain where I could never get a pull scraper. It will move so much more snow than a blade. I can tip it open and back up like a plow, use it as a scoop and have traction without MFWD, or open it up and pull snow going forward by a building.

I have the medium size one, without the high lift mast option. If you get the largest one, better have a big horse out front! I'm sure a blower would be better for the huge snows, but this sure fits my needs. I regret not buying one, somehow, someway, 20 years ago!
 
Some of you guys have some fancy riggin'.

I built this out of a bunch of junk about 10 years ago, beats sittin' out in the cold on the Fergie with a back blade.

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Can not agree since I have watched V-Plows use up north. I did live up in MN years ago and also NE and CT and shoot been up north a lot farther then most people have been and that was even north of Canada as in the arctic circle
 
The tractor is an 841 ford with a Sherman combo transmission. The loader is a heavy duty one un-know brand and the rear tires are full of fluid plus I have a back blade on with 6-85lbs suit case weights on the blade and a 150lbs wheel weight on the center link so I have lots of weight for traction. Being on a loader I can lift and push snow off to the side so drifts are no problem either. I could tell you a story about a V-Plow and my dad and a car he had up in S.D.
 
for your snowblower add one of theese kits
added it on 3 different walkbehinds last place I worked at and it made good blowers out of them in heavy wet nasty slush snow.
just make sure you get them mounted right and it will work great.
sure believe it will work on a bigger unit the same way
good luck
Ron
snow
 
Huskers86, Right nice "Ensilage Special" Pushed a lot, with almost Identical rig back in the 80s. Pulled a 35 ft Big G disk with ours in High Plains Sand in the Okla Panhandle, 30 ft JD 1610 folding chisel. Ours was set just under 300 HP. The 40s were head and shoulders over the 30s.
Anyway sure enough Nice rig!
Later,
John A.
 
The ford with the blade looks like a 4610,?? Same tractor I
have! I don't have that high air intake on mine.
 
Out here in west MN having used a F250 with plow, skid steer, loader, rear blade, Gt with a blower and a IH 1206 with a 8' blower the bolwer is quicker than most and takes about the same time as the pickup and plow did. Plus I don't have to worry about stacking snow. Plus the blower puts little strain on the tractor where a plow is hard on a truck (trust me on this....worked as a mechanic here for a while and a heck of a lot of our winter work was pickups used for plowing).

Rick
 
Minnesota, Is that far enough north? A V is only good for breaking through, you need a wing on a truck or maintainer to go with it so you can get it pushed out so it doesn't blow back in, a tractor doesn't have enough speed to make a V work right. Many of you don't have the wind and open spaces we have in the upper plains.
 
(quoted from post at 17:44:06 12/23/12) Minnesota, Is that far enough north? A V is only good for breaking through, you need a wing on a truck or maintainer to go with it so you can get it pushed out so it doesn't blow back in, a tractor doesn't have enough speed to make a V work right. Many of you don't have the wind and open spaces we have in the upper plains.
Agree on that. A v plow is good the first trip through but it forms a perfect snow trap for the next time the wind blows. And that could be tomorrow. After a few storms the snow gets too deep for even the tractor and v plow to push through. In the old days they would just open the fence and start a new trail in the field. Once we got the snowblower we quite making "snow traps" and the snow drifts never got that deep. I've never found a drift so deep that my old Cockshutt 40 and rear mount blower couldn't chew it's way through. Yet I have seen drifts so big that my 2090 CAse with 8 foot dozer blade up front could not hammer it's way through.
Snowblower maintenance? After nearly 35 winters the old McKee has not needed anything major replaced.
This photo is from back in the days when municipal graders used the v plow and wing to open the country roads. Believe it or not there are ditches beside that road. 1971
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A lot depends on the tractor. And yes if your say up next to Russian border the last state of the union Ya but in my area and many areas a V-Plow works just fine and yes if I had more snow I would have to out wider with wings etc but I do not have to worry about that much. But I can tell you about a V plow and a car my dad had back in the 50s and lets just say a car will not back up fast enough to get out of the way
 
Jay, it's an '82 5610! The loader tractor is a '73 5000, and is my brother's tractor.
The 'Bota in an earlier post of mine is an "02 3410, but has been replaced with an '89 5610-2 with loader.

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I hate to brag but i got 3 women that show up every year to clean my yard out,,,Slick and clean :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: April 8) May 8) And June :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p Junes kinda always been my favorite...
 

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