How to plow snow

In Maryland - last year was the exception - we usually don't get an awful lot of snow.  Twelve inches in Maryland at one time is a lot and usually that melts before another snow falls. With that in mind the B was an excellent snow plowing tractor.  We mounted a myers front mounted blade on them - there were steel beams that braced the front hitch running all the way back to the drawbar.  Lift was made by a cable from the rear tool bar to the front running.  An excellent arrangement.  Worked very well.  Usually we had loaded rear and if rather new loaded front tires.  Usually - unless it was very heavy snow - there was not a need for chains.  In fact we sold very few sets of chains for B's.  Stay with the plow in the front.  By not running over the snow first it is not packed down and harder to move.  Also, on your first plow furrow especially on long roads make your push rather wide so there will be room to push any additional snow.  Also, it is hard to look at an implement on the rear.

if i build a frame, im wondering if i can run a couple 4 inch channles under the axle and attach to the blade, or wopuld it be better to go over the wheels and make more of a loader frame that can lift the blade up a couple feet higher. ??

The plow itself is only 1/8 steel and guessing 20" tall, it's not that heavy. Two guys could load the whole thing on a truck.

These chains were made for 14.9 x 28 tires but I cut the length to fit the 12.4's and before next winter I'll cut the width down to fit the 12.4's better. I made them out of chain stock from Lowes.

Here is how mine fit. They do fall between the lugs but it is night and day without them. The only time I get wheel slip is when I am pushed up to the snowbank. I bought the set for just under $100 at an auction if my memory serve me right.

there seems to be a dozen different designs for tire chains. some are just strap chains over the lugs. some cross or do an x patter. some have little VEE or X lugs on them.. What really works or is "any" type chain better than rubber tire lugs. Cost varies drastically and i would like to get economy, but good working chains ????

One of the great advantages of a loader with a bucket or blade on it is that the laoder hyeraulics can be used to get the tractor unstuck.  Front mounted blowers or frame mounted blades let you get into places where it is very difficult to back out. When the drifts and piles are tall I often roll the bucket all the way forward, drop it to the ground and roll the bucket back to use the bucket to push the tractor back out of a drift. Can't do that with a frame mounted blade or blower.

This is my little IB, home made 3 point, bought arms at Farm store for 8N. THe main part is a 4 x 4 angle 3/8 inch thick between final drives. arms and cylinder mount to that. Trouble is getting a cylinder to fit. I had to make a huge arm to rotate the rock shaft which i made. This is a CA cylinder.

Edited by steve(ill) - 12 Feb 2011 at 8:39am

This is what I use. Just walked through 18" yesterday with no problem.

I use a WD with chains and a 7 foot 3 point blade.

Leon,

Steve,

sounds like front blade, rear weight, and chains are all agreed upon. rear three point can be another blade, or to hold weights ?

Here is what I used this winter. I used an old Meyer plow, made brackets to mount to the factory loader. I also have chains on the duals, a must for the ice we had this year. Next year I will have chains on the inside tires as well and some more weight on the rear. My biggest problem is I seem to forget that the CA is only 25hp, I think at times it should push more, but this last snow we had was a foot of heavy snow and sleet mixed in. Inplace of the origanal skids I put the gauge wheels from my belly mower, now the plow rides over the gravel instead of digging in. I can also change the height of the gauge wheels. It did a good job, granted not as nimble as a skid-steer but it got the job done.