How much snow is too much for plow

MrRazz · #1 12-15-2020, 03:42 PM

Hi all, winter is here and along with winter comes the snow. Where i live the weather people are calling for 12-18 inches tomorrow night with possible heavy drifting since there will be high winds. I have an IH cub cadet 1250 with a front blade and a snow blower. I also use chains without wheel weights. This is the second winter owning my machine. Last year we didnt have much heavy snow. I used the blower once just to try it out and the rest of the winter i used the blade to plow. My driveway isnt huge but it is larger then average i guess. Its about 125 feet long and fits 3 cars wide comfortabley. The blade worked great last winter but im starting to second guess myself for putting it on yesterday instead of the blower. So my question is how much snow is too much for my setup with the blade before i need to start using the blower?

Mike McKown · #2 12-15-2020, 04:24 PM

If you get 18 inches, you may be out of luck with either the blade or the blower without wheel weights. Especially if your drive has an incline.

Up to 12 inches, I'd use the blade. Depends a lot on whether the snow is dry or wet.

Sam Mac · #3 12-15-2020, 04:45 PM

Plow every 3-4 inches. If you get 18" and wait till it's over you're screwed.

drglinski · #4 12-15-2020, 04:46 PM

I'd use the blade too. That doesn't work throw on the thrower and go to town.

Option 2 get another tractor and leave one with the blade on and one with the thrower so whatever you'll need you'll have ready to go.

I've got a blade on my 73 that I've been wanting to try out since I got the tractor in the Spring. That being said I don't really NEED snow either, but it would be nice to play with it a bit.

ol'George · #5 12-15-2020, 05:07 PM

All good advice, and if it were me, I'd attach the thrower and keep it cleared every 3-4 inches as Sam says, and get some weight in those rear tires
QUICK or it is pretty much useless.
Main point is stay with, or ahead of it!!!!!
Put on yer snowmobile suit and helmet with a face shield.

I hate snow

Red Dave · #6 12-15-2020, 05:42 PM

A lot depends on what kind of snow you get. Is it a light fluffy snow, or one of the snow/sleet/freezing rain slushy snows that we sometimes get?

For the light fluffy snows, the blower is great. I'd still go out a couple times and not let it get 18 inches deep before you start, or you will have to go through it very slowly. Hard on the blower and hard on the operator too.

For the heavy, wet and snow/sleet/freezing rain slushy snows we sometimes get here in the mid-Atlantic area, leave the snowblower in the shed. They might be better than nothing, but not by much. Those heavy, wet snows are best cleaned off by a blade. Most blowers can't blow the heavy stuff from the center of a driveway to the edge and you end up having to blow it two or three times to move it far enough.

I have one of those 3 stage Cub Cadet walk behind blowers now, and I like it better than the tractor mounted blower I had years ago. It is a snow eating machine if the snow is not too wet, but I use the old Reliable CC 125 with the blade for the wet heavy stuff.

MrRazz · #7 12-15-2020, 10:17 PM

Thanks for the advice guys! Its supposed to be a dry fluffy snow coming down at 2-3 inches per hour at times overnight. I guess i will give the plow a try first and see how it goes. The most we got last year was only 8 or 9 inches and my machine did great. Sounds like the cub will be getting a good workout with this storm. Its gonna be a messy thursday morning here in the pocono mountains!