# Scraper Blade, Bucket or Plow?



## 612rob

I have just picked up a 198? Ford 1500 4X4, compact tractor. New to tractors and the forum. I intend to use it for snow removal and wondered what the best method is. 

Should I just be using the bucket? Should I attach a blade or blower? If one of the attachments is best what would be a good size blower or blade the little tractor can handle?

I am in Southern Ontario and we can get a substantial amount of snow at times.


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## Thomas

How long your driveway etc. and do you get drifrting?

Snowblower like one shot deal...blow the snow and thats it,but to me down side take longer and leaves snow depending what slides are set at which cause build up and icing where plow can keep clearer w/out shoes or slides.

My setup I attach plow to plow frame which attach to bucket,pull two pins free bucket for use...little bit iron grinder and weld all needed.


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## 612rob

Thomas said:


> How long your driveway etc. and do you get drifrting?
> 
> Snowblower like one shot deal...blow the snow and thats it,but to me down side take longer and leaves snow depending what slides are set at which cause build up and icing where plow can keep clearer w/out shoes or slides.
> 
> My setup I attach plow to plow frame which attach to bucket,pull two pins free bucket for use...little bit iron grinder and weld all needed.


The driveway is about 100' with a 60' X 60' parking area beside the house. Drifting not too much of an issue.


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## Thomas

If snowblower,do want front or rear?, less w/rear you can still use front loader and blower would be great rear ballast...better bundle up warm if wind blowing.


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## 612rob

Yes, may have to come up with a make shift cab.

Anyone know how wide of a blower a little tractor like this can handle. Its a 2 cylinder diesel, 20hp


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## Thomas

Front mount blower...Ford 715..60" cut.

More Specs. try tractordata.com


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## film495

make sure it is at least as wide as your tractor, I have a 4' wide that is run by a 12hp motor. A little under powered, but I make it work.


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## Trubble

Living in Central WI, I hear ya about dealing w/snow,

The thrower attachment may be a uni-tasker, but it'll get the snow up and over the berm on the sides of the cleared area. Up here, our snow doesn't melt off mid-season, it stays cold and snow just keep piling up. Those berms can get pretty high*.

With the bucket, you get SO much use of those outside of snow season, that this might seem like a good idea. As far as clearing the berm, you can go in- pick up a bucket- move forward til the front end hits- and dump the bucket down the backside. Tedious, but it works.

With a blade, you get to watch your driveway get skinnier and skinnier with each clearing. (unless you got a real good dropoff next to the driveway you can push the berms toward)

My opinion is that all three will clear similarly, as you can only scrape down so far and then you're bouncing off pavement cracks.

At least that's been my experience. Without PICS (hint,hint) of what you're working with, all we can do is guess at what you need. I'd prefer blower/thrower myself.



*= Sorry, Kids. Thought I had some pics available of what we get to deal with up here, but can't find 'em now.


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## 612rob

Don't actually move into the house for just over a month so no way to take pics yet, we currently live in the city, bought the tractor for the new property.

Best I can say is about 100' of winding dirt/gravel driveway + the 60' X 60' of parking area. All quite level with lots of room to push or blow snow but no drop offfs anywhere.


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## ProfoundAg1

I know I'm late to the party. I'm from NW IA so I also understand the need for efficient snow removal.
If you can only afford 1 I would suggest a loader, especially if its a cab-less tractor, its not much fun running a big snow blower to have it blow back in your exposed face by the wind. 2nd suggestion, even if it is cab-less get a blower and a loader. Can't go wrong. You can use the blower the majority of the time. Those other times when the blower isn't so handy you can pile with the loader and as previously stated a rear mount blower makes a great ballast for a loader tractor. I use a Farmall 656 with a loader for pushing snow. It doesn't really take any more time than a blower but you have to have places to push the snow to that will keep water in the spring from running towards buildings and anything else you don't want ponded. You will be amazed at how much you will end up using a loader throughout the year on an acreage.


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## JiminRI

*Loader on dirt and gravel*

I have a dozer blade and a snow thrower. Because I can keep the whole driveway (paved) cleared no matter how many storms we get (over 100 inches last winter) I use the snow thrower and keep the dozer blade in the shed in case I have to spread sand or dirt in the garden. BUT, because you have a dirt and gravel driveway I think your best bet is the loader. The plow/dozer blade works well for a storm or two if the snow isn't deeper than the blade, but leaves you no place to put the snow from subsequent storms and can be hard to control on gravel. You don't want to be throwing gravel from the snow thrower/blower. So, I'd get a loader.

Good luck,
JiminRI


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## 1stminideere

i also live in SWO. with a blower you will be picking up gravel and blowing it all over your yard. a friend lives near 
Tillsonburg and he has a mid 80s JD 750(?) approx hp (cant recall offhand) and had no problem last year with the factory bucket, although he did buy a plow blade for it to help speed up the process. he can always move the banks back with the bucket if needs.


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