Snow plow or blower.

[Theyeti83]

Going to set up a 15 horse lawn tractor to clear snow . I have all spring summer and fall to figure it out. Would anyone have any advice on a plow set up vs a blower. Also how did you mount the blower or the plow.

Sorry if this is in the wrong thread. I figure its gonna take a bit of making though so i put it in fabrication

 

[Buckgnarly]

Plow is faster, but by the end of the season you may have to deal with snowbanks, blowers do not have that problem but are slower.
If you are talking about garden tractors, I would go blower all the way. No way to stack with little plows, so if you get a bunch of snow over the Winter you will either be plowed in or have to push real far early on.

 

[Bob P1]

Well, you may need both. I find a single stage snow thrower useless for the heavy wet snow. They just don't have the umf to throw it. There are guys that argue that you need additional ground speed & need to keep the inside shell polished, yatta yatta yatta. However a two stage blower usually does the trick even with the wet snow. I even shot a 2" thick phone book threw a 47" john deere. Plows are useful for the little snow 1"-3". Either one you will want tire chains and a rear weight.

 

[Shawn S]

Blower. Plow and bad winter means no where to pile.
I move snow commercially. The biggest thing for us when pushing snow is that first pile of the year. If my guys don't push it way to the back of wherever we are piling, we risk running out of room. The flip side of that is the first snow usually means a soft lawn. Blower can avoid that part too, no need to leave the road and rut up the lawn.

When running a lawn tractor and snow blower I will commonly use the snow blower as a box scraper. This allows me to only blow snow where I want. For example you can box scrape your driveway back so you aren't throwing snow at your house, turn the PTO on as soon as you can throw into the lawn.

 

[Bob P1]

You didn't mention your brand of tractor, it does make a difference. The craftsmen & box store tractors trannys are not really made to do "extreme" work. You would want to start with a heavy duty garden tractor. Older sears suburban, older JD, older cub cadet. I would recommend a John Deere 318 type tractor. Hydrostatic drive is ideal for snow removal.

 

[turbodave]

I have both for my tractor.

Plow is great for the lighter stuff and is faster and cleaner than a blower to use. Limitations are you get the piles built up and your limited as to where you can push it. You can push it far off the driveway early in the season and keep it back to prevent this, but hard to predict sometimes. If you get a really deep heavy snow it can also be a struggle, especially if you can't always just push the snow off to the sides of your drive.

Blower will handle pretty much anything you can throw at it. It's slower going than with the plow and if it's light snow you may end up covered in it (I can plow in my dress clothes before work, snowblowing usually leaves me with wet pant legs).

We've got an odd driveway with the garage behind the house and it follows a neighbor's drive so I can't always blow snow with the wind like maybe someone with a nice open driveway could.

I use the plow 90% of the time, but if I had to choose just one it would be the blower.

 

[01-7700]

depends on how much snow you have - and whether you're talking about a pto driven blower or a belt - deep snow will be a problem for either a plow or belt driven blower

 

[mikester]

I just came in from doing my driveway. We just had a storm that dumped 5 or 6" of wet snow and I used my 54" plow to clean it up.
I have a JD 425 that Ive been using for quite a few years. I also have both plow and blower but to be honest the plows on most of the time. I sometimes use the blower to make the first pass in really deep snow but I think the blade is much quicker after the first pass.
The only downside to the blade is I feel like it could be a few inches higher and 6" wider. When the snows deep the short blade doesnt push the snow far enough away and it tends to fall back under the rear tires.

 

[Showkey]

PLow on an ATV .......yes
Plow on a lawn tractor ..........generally no.......yes it will handle light snow.
Lawn Tractors with a belt drive transaxle are NOT designed to push snow or dirt and you can tear up the trans in one large snow fall. At a minimum hydrostatic trans is required and then be careful not to over tax the trans.

Effective plowing needs vehicle speed and power to curl the snow off the plow.......lawn tractor do not have the speed nor the power and traction. Traction is an issue witha blower and plow on a lawn tractor. Chains and wheel weights are often needed, hills bad news for the tractor as well , chains will scratch the drive way.

There is an art and technique to plowing no matter the vehicle used........speed, curl, planing on where to push the snow over the entire season..........pushing wet heavy snow where the is several tons of snow out front of the blade is NOT good technique. Ramming a frozen snow bank will just break parts on the plow and the vehicle.

There are dozen other posts on the ATV vs lawn tractor vs real truck or big tractor, skid steer plow/blower discussion.

 

[Lassen Forge]

Blower is Slower but you get more Miles without Piles.

 

[Theyeti83]

Thanks guys. I think im leaning towards a blower. Its not a big machine. Just a craftsman . Too bad sear packed up and left canada

 

[chaosracing]

Depending on how large of an area you have to remove snow, a 2 stage walk behind blower might be the better option rather than trying to find a decent snowblower for your tractor. We use Ariens at work for walks and small driveways and the newer one throws snow like crazy. You can also purchase a plow that attaches to them (its a universal, but Ariens are set up for them) to push slush and small snows out of the way.

In the long run, that approach might be cheaper as well.

 

[bimmer1980]

Depending on how large of an area you have to remove snow, a 2 stage walk behind blower might be the better option rather than trying to find a decent snowblower for your tractor. We use Ariens at work for walks and small driveways and the newer one throws snow like crazy. You can also purchase a plow that attaches to them (its a universal, but Ariens are set up for them) to push slush and small snows out of the way.

In the long run, that approach might be cheaper as well.

I agree with this approach.... The blower out front on a light duty lawn tractor is not a great combo...

My neighbor has JD x360 that he had also bought a blower for. I saw him use it once and it was not a pretty sight. He uses an older walk behind snow blower. I think the lawn tractor with blower out front is very awkward. My B-in-L had a larger craftsman with a blower and it gave him all sorts of fits... I finally got him to upgrade to a Kubota front mount mower (F2400, 60" deck, 60" plow and 54" blower). Much better... 4WD makes a difference and the overall layout of the equipment.

I have two snow blowers now... I have a larger Husquavarna 10 hp and a smaller toro 2-cycle snow thrower as well as a skid steer with 6' bucket. I use the skid steer for most of the plowing. On the very rare occasion that we have deep snow (1.5' or deeper) I will snow blow one or two swipes with the Husq and then push the rest with the skid steer. The smaller thrower works good to the annoying 1-2 inches of snow on the sidewalks.

In one of my weaker moments, I had an infatuation with John Deere 110 and 112 mowers... Had a 112 with hydraulic lift. I ran a plow with it once or twice... Then I was done playing..... I sold that a few years ago....

 

[BD1]

A real lawn tractor is required and not those box store throwaway ones.
Better yet get a Polaris, cab, and plow.
Here's mine and love it. I used this more than my loader tractor. Tractor is open station. Polaris has heat, defrosters, and can listen to the tunes.

 

[Joelk]

The answer partially depends on what area you need to plow/blow and how much snow you get.

I have blower and plow on a GT(Cub Cadet 3200) and a 4 wheeler with plow.

I am in portion of PA where we usually do not get a lot of snow and my driveway is approx. 150 yards long.

I normally use and prefer plow on GT. I have weight hanging about 2' behind the tractor to give it good traction.

Big snow, or expect a long period of snow without melt, blower is the way to go.

Blower gets the snow away from the area you are trying to clear. If you plow, it will build up and be hard for you to keep moving it back, especially subsequent snows where some of the snow has melted and frozen into an ice bank.

With the size and constraints of the area I need to clear I prefer GT over 4 wheeler. The hydro trans allows for effortless forward/reverse changes and power angle blade(rare on 4 wheelers) is great. On my 4 wheeler it is somewhat of a PITA to change directions. My GT will go 6/8MPH and that is fast enough for me.

If your driveway is long, especially a 1/4 mile or longer, UTV or pickup with plow is probably the way to go.

 

[Theyeti83]

Ya maybe ill end up putting a plow on the 2500 hd chevy. U guys got me scared now lol

 

[ken w.]

How much do you get at a time ? I have an Ariens 27" and it's ok in 2-3" of snow. You need to be in a high gear to get the volume of snow for it to blow it. Over 3" -12" it will blow snow awesome. Here in the Buffalo area a normal snow is 6" +.

 

[Theyeti83]

6 inches would be heavy here. Typically winters can be less than a foot all winter. Last two years been about triple that .
So the amount of snow is minor compared to what some of u are dealing with.

 

[ZAPPER68]

My neighbour and I keep the lane to our homes clean during the winter. He has a quad with a 5' blade and pushes the snow to the sides...the design of the blade and speed he goes isn't conducive to moving the snow off the shoulders of the lane. That's where I come along with my 24" snow blower and clean up the edges. Without the blower we would be down to a 'goat path' by the middle of winter. This combination works well..

 

[PelicanPines]

I have both...

 

[ken w.]

An Arines 24" snowblower would be more than enough for you. Here in Buffalo area a 24" is the most popular snowblower. Even if you get 4' of snow , this blower will get you out. It wont be fast , but it will work. After 5' of snow your screwed. I doesn't matter what you have , it's front loader time.

 

[beakie]

sorry, but any recommendations are near useless without knowing the following,

how long of a driveway?
how much room beside the driveway? and is it clear/roomy on both sides?
gravel/paved/interlocking?
hill or flat?
sidewalk and other areas to clear too?
straight or winding paths?



200' of winding gravel driveway with trees/shrubs along side, it's very different than a 30' straight paved drive with clear yard on either side.


a blower can (almost) always move snow whether blowing it, or pushing it if need be.
a plow can only move snow if it is light & low enough that your machine can move it.

a new single stage would be compact, easy to use and do 99% of city driveways if that city only gets a few inches at a time.
a hand plow, aka shovel, would also work for a small driveway with light dustings every now & then.

 

[Theyeti83]

200 ft gravel on a hill.

 

[Theyeti83]

Tired of shovelling it

 

[Kaizen]

Tired of shovelling it

I hear that. Remember you need weights and chains and neither is an easy install. On a little tractor no way. Go for a walk behind blower. 24 inch is fine. Just a nice walk in the park. You will have to adjust it a little for the gravel. Even though I have one I would NOT recommend a new ariens for gravel. The tolerances are so tight I’ve blown a lot of shear pins. My older one couldn’t have cared less. Just shot them right out. A truck plow might be overkill for a total one foot a year


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[shedfullatools]

I hear that. Remember you need weights and chains and neither is an easy install. On a little tractor no way. Go for a walk behind blower. 24 inch is fine. Just a nice walk in the park. You will have to adjust it a little for the gravel. Even though I have one I would NOT recommend a new ariens for gravel. The tolerances are so tight I’ve blown a lot of shear pins. My older one couldn’t have cared less. Just shot them right out. A truck plow might be overkill for a total one foot a year


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What he said, small tractor will just be fight unless you keep up with it constantly during the snowfall. 24" is the best because they are so light and easy to handle, I've also found the 24" model usually has the same size engine as the 28-30" models so they have loads of power. Takes a few more cuts but is an easy task and you can let it build up all night and know you can still clear the driveway +1 on the Ariens, very well built machines but the tolerances are very tight and they don't care for gravel

 

[finn]

If you only get a foot of snow per year, or even 36” over the season, it hardly seems worth plowing it.

If you absolutely must have a manicured driveway, with a gravel surface, and that little snow, I would suggest an atv or side by side with a plow, as I suspect your tractor is a light duty lawnmower rather than a garden tractor.

Snowblowers don’t work well on gravel unless you get enough snow, and the weather is cold enough, to build and maintain a snow mat over the gravel.

Budget time in the spring to rake the gravel off the lawn.

A snowblower will throw the gravel farther into the lawn.

 

[Copymutt]

I've used both. The only additional comment would be, if using a blower get or make a windscreen. Blowing snow in a wind can be pretty miserable. Or just take a sauna first.
Jim

 

[6PTsocket]

I had to make the same decision a few years ago. I have Cub cadet lawn tractor with a 14hp Onan on it. That is not enough power to push a lot of snow but I saw a guy clear a whole parking lot with an ancient Cub with 11hp and a snow blower attachment. You can throw a lot more than you can push with a small tractor. When I looked into the high cost of the blower attachment for my tractor plus wheel weights and chains and switch over time, I decided it made more sense for me to buy separarate walk behind snow blower. I bought a 30", 2 stage Ariens. After several years and a few good snow storms, I am happy with my choice. I have made none of those chute improvements that have been mentioned here and discussed on GJ in other threads. I have no performace problems I need to fix and will leave the Ariens in stock configuration. I lke my Ariens but I am sure others can recommend other good snow throwers.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk