Tractor Bucket Extensions for snow...Ideas?

[77Mini]

A friend of mine has a John Deer Tractor for around the yard. His bucket is 4' wide so its a little small for doing snow (he would like bigger). He mentioned to me about making 12"-16" extensions that go on each side of the bucket that he can use in the winter for clearing snow. His idea was to attach them together with plate across the top and bottom. I'm wondering if I would be better off to build a whole bucket.
Has anyone built anything for use moving snow like this ...or better?

 

[WhiffySpark]

How big of a tractor? We run pusher boxes and snow buckets if we have to load snow out.

 

[77Mini]

I'm actually not sure of the exact size of it. I have seen his other tractors but not this one.

He needs to be able to lift and dump the snow over the banks not just push it.

 

[BD1]

How big of a tractor? We run pusher boxes and snow buckets if we have to load snow out.

This ^^^^ and is it 4 wheel drive ? Quick attach buckets ? Horsepower ? Are tires bar ? Turf ? All this makes a difference.

 

[nikerret]

I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with. I'm guessing 1-Series, or similar?

 

[77Mini]

This ^^^^ and is it 4 wheel drive ? Quick attach buckets ? Horsepower ? Are tires bar ? Turf ? All this makes a difference.

Quick attach bucket
I believe turf tires

Waiting to hear back about hp and 4x4

 

[77Mini]

Just heard back

24hp with 4wd and hydrostatic drive

 

[77Mini]

Did some googling after you mentioned a snow bucket. Something like this might work nicely I think. I'll have to see if he wants to go that route.

 

[Richard Cranium]

My small little 4 foot bucket don't do well for snow

 

[77Mini]

How thick of material would something like that be made of? 1/8"? Would you use thicker for the bottom?

 

[WhiffySpark]

Not sure. The idea is to use thinner material than a regular bucket so you can make it larger. Saves weight same reason for the cut out on the rear. Buckets are one of the worst tools for snow removal though unless everything is completely smooth. Hitting a crack is going to **** when you're scrapping with a bucket

Maybe a rear blade would be better for him

 

[csp]

You can't lift and pile snow with a rear blade. Small tractors also get pushed around a lot with a rear blade angled off to one direction dragging heavy snow. The turned blade tends to turn the tractor with enough resistance.

Sounds like a perfect candidate for a 5' 3pt snowblower.

 

[77Mini]

Not sure. The idea is to use thinner material than a regular bucket so you can make it larger. Saves weight same reason for the cut out on the rear. Buckets are one of the worst tools for snow removal though unless everything is completely smooth. Hitting a crack is going to **** when you're scrapping with a bucket

Maybe a rear blade would be better for him

His driveway is large and completely paved so nice and smooth.

He needs to be able to pick snow up and move/dump it so a rear blade won't work.

 

[rsanter]

How thick of material would something like that be made of? 1/8"? Would you use thicker for the bottom?

1/8" will bend immediately
1/4" is more like it and will be too thin in critical,areas.

What I'm picturing is small buckets that will bolt on to the sides of the exsisting bucket.
Cheaper/less material
Will take less space to store in the off season

Bob

 

[77Mini]

I can see using 1/4" for the bottom of the bucket but I think that would be too heavy for the rest of it.

 

[WhiffySpark]

You can't lift and pile snow with a rear blade. Small tractors also get pushed around a lot with a rear blade angled off to one direction dragging heavy snow. The turned blade tends to turn the tractor with enough resistance.

Sounds like a perfect candidate for a 5' 3pt snowblower.

Blowers probably out of the price range. Drive in reverse with 3 pt blade flipped around pile snow up. Then use bucket and dump it over.

Everyone I know using blowers are on 75hp+ machines. They do a 2 car driveway in 2 minutes. Awesome lol

This is what all out machines run http://snopusher.com

28 hp is small though IMO

 

[Evilunclegrimace]

Blowers probably out of the price range. Drive in reverse with 3 pt blade flipped around pile snow up. Then use bucket and dump it over.

Everyone I know using blowers are on 75hp+ machines. They do a 2 car driveway in 2 minutes. Awesome lol

This is what all out machines run http://snopusher.com

28 hp is small though IMO

You can run a 72" snow blower with a lot less than 75 horsepower. My brother has a 36 unit snow account and was using a Kobota with a 72" blower and it was a 38 HP unit if I am not mistaken

 

[wnstwolf]

I do not have pic's but when I was up in Maine we had a neighbor with a kubota similar size to what you show. He had a homemade blade that just hooked over the bucket. Pushed snow to a pile easily unhooked the blade then used bucket to pile snow where needed. He could take blade on and off without getting off the tractor. The thing was so simple it should have been marked well at least at HF or something.

He stated next design needed to have ability to angle so snow could push off to the side.

 

[f150skidoo]

Snow buckets **** at plowing snow. He would be better off getting a angle blade using a 60" atv blade and mounting it to the Q/A plate.

 

[77Mini]

Snow buckets **** at plowing snow. He would be better off getting a angle blade using a 60" atv blade and mounting it to the Q/A plate.

Why would a snow bucket be any worse than a regular bucket?

Like I mentioned a plow alone is no good for his application.

 

[csp]

Everyone I know using blowers are on 75hp+ machines. They do a 2 car driveway in 2 minutes. Awesome lol

Something tells me that the OPs subject driveway isn't a two car.

I run a 60" snowblower on a 30hp machine with zero strain on the tractor. I have a 72" on a 45hp and a 96" blower on a 110hp tractor.

There's a size for every category tractor available, despite what everyone you know has sizewise.

Snow buckets **** at plowing snow. He would be better off getting a angle blade using a 60" atv blade and mounting it to the Q/A plate.

You missed this part f150

He needs to be able to pick snow up and move/dump it

 

[f150skidoo]

Why would a snow bucket be any worse than a regular bucket?

Like I mentioned a plow alone is no good for his application.

The bad part with buckets is that your always chasing the snow trailing off the edge. Where with a blade there's no chasing the snow trails. Another plus on blade attached to the loader arms is you can stack snow higher then with a bucket.

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[MP&C]

Has he ever had those turf tires stuck in a wet yard? My tractor has industrial tires, a co-worker has same tractor as mine with turf tires. Once his spun in any bit of mud and filled the turf tire's tread, it was done, as in find someone to pull you out. I would surmise your buddy will have similar experience in the snow, and trying to push more than his present bucket size will only make it worse..

 

[WhiffySpark]

Something tells me that the OPs subject driveway isn't a two car.

I run a 60" snowblower on a 30hp machine with zero strain on the tractor. I have a 72" on a 45hp and a 96" blower on a 110hp tractor.

There's a size for every category tractor available, despite what everyone you know has sizewise.




You missed this part f150

Just stating from my experience... And really a smaller blower is what 6 grand or so?

Do you run inverted blowers?

 

[WhiffySpark]

The bad part with buckets is that your always chasing the snow trailing off the edge. Where with a blade there's no chasing the snow trails. Another plus on blade attached to the loader arms is you can stack snow higher then with a bucket.

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You have trail off on a blade. That's why people use wings.

You could adopt an old Meyer plow. A lot of people do

 

[csp]

Just stating from my experience... And really a smaller blower is what 6 grand or so?

A new one is nowhere near $6k. Probably $3k for an expensive one and there are used three point blowers all over the place. My 60" was $700 and paid less than that for the 72".

Inverted wouldn't be practical for my road. We get drifts that can be over 6' deep and 150 yards long.

 

[RickP]

Just heard back

24hp with 4wd and hydrostatic drive

I've got the same size tractor and bucket, but with a manual trans. Moving snow with just a bucket really ***** - it doesn't hold much and it doesn't pack down like with a plow. And plowing without chains on those turf tires will be pretty tough. The first time I plowed my driveway with the bucket, it took me 8 hours - that was also the last time I used the bucket! I do have a long driveway, but it only takes an hour with a plow on an ATV.

Using both a plow and then a bucket might be the perfect solution for your friend. Could you fab up a plow that clamps onto the front of the bucket? Maybe with clamps similar to the snopusher that was posted earlier, but with the ability to angle the blade. The plow will quickly get all the snow into dense piles, and then the bucket will lift it where it needs to go.

Check out Cycle Country - they make a 6 foot plow for ATVs that might give you some ideas. It's turned on an angle manually, but it works okay on a long driveway - it only takes a few passes to figure out what angle works best in each area.

 

[WhiffySpark]

A new one is nowhere near $6k. Probably $3k for an expensive one and there are used three point blowers all over the place. My 60" was $700 and paid less than that for the 72".

Inverted wouldn't be practical for my road. We get drifts that can be over 6' deep and 150 yards long.

http://www.muttonpower.com/p-9688-frontier-5-3-point-snowblower-sb1154.aspx

Cheaper than I thought ;dunno:

But, my friends run these

http://www.pronovost.qc.ca/inva.html

or

http://www.pronovost.qc.ca/pxpla.html

The PXPL is just under $20k

 

[Fender1325]

We used to have a small garden tractor - roughly 18 horse, maybe a 50" mower deck. It was an early/mid 80's Wheel Horse.

The deck was removable and we had a snow plow, with weights and chains for the back tires. The plow had a frame that you drove over, running the length of the tractor, hitched in the back and middle so it was sturdy.

I plowed many a snowy connecticut driveway with that. Sometimes if it was heavy enough you had to back up and hit it at a higher speed but, it always got the job done. No buckets were necessary. It also had a handle so you could angle the plow whichever direction you wanted. Good stuff.

 

[f150skidoo]

You have trail off on a blade. That's why people use wings.

You could adopt an old Meyer plow. A lot of people do

You're right angle plows still have trail off but its minimal compared to a bucket. The OPs tractor wouldn't be able to lift a old pickup blade. The 8' Western blade I adapted to my skid steer weights 900lbs.

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[Buckgnarly]

You're right angle plows still have trail off but its minimal compared to a bucket. The OPs tractor wouldn't be able to lift a old pickup blade. The 8' Western blade I adapted to my skid steer weights 900lbs.

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What the hell did you make it out of?!?!
I put an old Fisher Speedcast 7'6" on my Kioti DS3510 (about 3k with loaded tires), used a standard QD plate...whole thing only weighs about 75-100 lbs over the Fisher, which is prob 350-400...total like 500lbs.
Works great for stacking and pushing banks over as the plow sticks out beyond the loader arms. Tractor handles it fine but does have a 400lb snowblower on the back for ballast.

 

[f150skidoo]

What the hell did you make it out of?!?!
I put an old Fisher Speedcast 7'6" on my Kioti DS3510 (about 3k with loaded tires), used a standard QD plate...whole thing only weighs about 75-100 lbs over the Fisher, which is prob 350-400...total like 500lbs.
Works great for stacking and pushing banks over as the plow sticks out beyond the loader arms. Tractor handles it fine but does have a 400lb snowblower on the back for ballast.

According to westerns website a 8' plow for a 3/4ton weighs 800 lbs and my Q/A setup is 1/4" steel with 1/2" brackets.

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[Nor'Easter]

I added a 5" extension onto the bucket I have, used 3/16". Bends over like nothing if you catch it right. Just FYI.

 

[stihlntime]

+1 on using a bucket for snow removal sucking big time. I've got tractors from 45hp 4wd with Ag tires to 125 Hp 4wd and both **** with their loaders. Blades are much easier to use. Unless he has an area to push to and then pile the snow like w parking lot using a loader bucket to load and move snow to another location would take forever.

 

[jkwilson]

Does he want to pick the snow up and move it, or plow it?

Hard to beat a V-blade mounted to the loader for plowing. Seen them made out of old propane tanks or steel pipe. Put caster wheels or skid shoes on them for depth control. One pass and the drive is clear.

If he wants to lift, he better have 4WD. With rear wheel drive, as soon as you pick up a heavy load the thing becomes helpless on anything but a dry surface.

Here's an example of a V-blade http://www.jebs-stuff.com/images/8n/v_blade.html

 

[RickP]

I put an old Fisher Speedcast 7'6" on my Kioti DS3510 (about 3k with loaded tires), used a standard QD plate...whole thing only weighs about 75-100 lbs over the Fisher, which is prob 350-400...total like 500lbs.

The OP's tractor would probably handle that weight easily, but I was thinking it might be overkill for his friend's driveway. It definitely would be for mine. Especially if he fabs the plow himself. That's why I was thinking the atv plow might be just right - about 180 lbs out of the box, plus the bucket clamps, should be about 250. Or maybe 300-350 lbs if he decides to make it a little beefier.

I push a 6' Cycle Country plow with a Polaris Ranger that only weighs a 1000 lbs, so I lose traction before the blade gets enough force to bend it. But I have off-road tires compared to the OP's turf tires, so the forces on his blade should be comparable.