PDA

View Full Version : Snow plowing - anybody use the 3-pt hitch type?



Tom Fischer
12-29-2012, 9:41 AM
I have a 400 foot driveway, paved.
For wet snow removal, I currently use a 5hp Troybuilt rototiller with a 3 foot blade.
When doing that in a freezing rain, it gets old really fast.

I have a Ford 641 tractor.
Outside width of the tires is 66 inches.
Seems a 6 foot blade would be correct size.
Thinking about getting this three point hitch blade.
Price is right.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/countyline-reg-rear-blade-6-ft--2130039

Business end is a rubber squeegee, so it is designed for snow, not dirt (OK with me)
Not sure about this thing, pulling snow in first gear, versus, spin the blade around, push snow in reverse.

Anybody here own one of these, or know someone who does?

Thanks!

Tony De Masi
12-29-2012, 10:28 AM
Tom, with that particular blade you can angle it so that the excess snow will be pushed off the side of the driveway and you wouldn't be "pulling" 400' of snow. Plus as I'm sure you know it's so much easier to go forward than backward on a tractor, for that distance anyway.

Tom Fischer
12-29-2012, 10:39 AM
Yes, thanks Tony. The blade has several presets of angle for forward speeds, and backward as well.
I suspect it will work at least OK, and for $350, what do you want.
But maybe what I am waiting to hear (or not hear) are "horror stories"
No cab on my tractor, no roll bar. But Ford tractors do have a low center of gravity.
Pushing heavy weight while driving on slippery surfaces ...
but I see that many manufacturers of these things.
Tells me there are not a lot lawsuits.

Any other thoughts?

Dick Phillip
12-29-2012, 11:29 AM
Tom,
I got the 6' blade for my ATV and it is less than 4' wide. It was recommended that any less than 6' and I would be leaving tracks with the tires as they would be outside of the angled swath that the blade took.

Jerome Stanek
12-29-2012, 11:59 AM
I have a 6 footer on my ford but prefer the snow blower.

Kevin Bourque
12-29-2012, 12:10 PM
3 pt. blades are just plain awkward. It looks like a lot of trouble to go to for a 400' driveway.
Not to mention all the time spent putting it on and taking it off and then storing it away each season
Have you considered buying a decent size snow blower instead?
The big ones are fast and the snow doesn't pile up on the sides of the driveway.

Tom Fischer
12-29-2012, 12:14 PM
Hi Jerome.
I have a Yardman 1333 snow blower as well.
Work great in deep dry snow (18" high without any driftcutter)
But the couple of inches of slush can be a problem for it.
That's why a want the blade.
Is your 6' plow a three point hitch? Which ford is that? How do you like it?

thanks

Tom Fischer
12-29-2012, 12:17 PM
Hi Kevin,
"Have you considered buying a decent size snow blower instead?"

I do have a Yardman 1333. That's two stage.
Works great for dry fluffy snow, throws nearly 50 feet. Fresh sleet too.
No so well with slush.
If I get the 3pt hitch blade, would just leave the tractor behind the house all winter/ tarped, with a trickle charger on it.
I think my plan B would be to get a used ATV/cab/plow combo, something with heat.

thanks.

Matt Meiser
12-29-2012, 12:23 PM
I have a very similar 5' blade on my JD 4110 compact tractor. It's an Ok way to do it. A dozed blade would be a lot better. I do a combination of pushing and pulling in addition to using the loader. All the farmers use back blades too on everything from bigger compacts to their big field tractors.

David G Baker
12-29-2012, 12:32 PM
The blade sold by Tractor Supply has a metal blade according to the posted site. I have a gravel driveway and use my 6 foot 3pt blade to clear it of snow. The drive is 300 feet long. I have not used my blade on a paved surface but I think it would be fine. The difference between a snow blower and a blade is the blade leaves a big mess along the length of your drive where a snow blower spreads the snow out over a wide surface and looks much neater. This year our first deep snow fell on my drive prior to the ground freezing so my blade left a very dirty looking pile of snow along my drive. My snow blower does not work well on wet snow and the first snow was so wet and heavy that I could barely lift it to clear my concrete pad in front of my garage so I didn't even think of using it on the driveway. The Tractor Supply blade in the photo is a lot lighter and has much thiner steel than my blade. I have had to weld my heavy blade several times to repair breaks in it. If you are only going to use your blade on a paved surface it should be no problem.

Matt Meiser
12-29-2012, 1:12 PM
Mine is a King Cutter brand from TSC bought 8 years ago and it seems to be holding up Ok other that the paint was crap. I modified it to fit my iMatch and had it sandblasted clean so I could start over on the paint. Probably have an extra $100 or so in sandblasting and paint.

Removing the cutting edge and replacing with rubber is an interesting idea. I run mine backwards to avoid digging up gravel until we get a good frozen base. That probably wouldn't matter with a rubber edge.

Tom Fischer
12-29-2012, 1:24 PM
"The blade sold by Tractor Supply has a metal blade according to the posted site."

Thanks guys.

My local Tractor Supply (Blairstown, NJ) has both the 5' and the 7' back blades (CountyLine) in the yard. Both definitely have rubber squeegee tips. One thing I am not sure of is if the 6' blade will swing 360 degrees (on the three point hitch) without hitting the back tires of the tractor. Pretty sure the 5' would swing clear, but the 7' would not swing clear. Or am I wrong, do they all somehow swing clear?

thanks again so much.

Jerome Stanek
12-29-2012, 2:15 PM
I have the Ford 1720 with 1920 tires on it also I have a Kabota L224 with turf tires the blade will swing 360 on both.