How to plow snow
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Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=25608
Printed Date: 15 Nov 2024 at 10:45pm
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Topic: How to plow snow
Posted By: steve(ill)
Subject: How to plow snow
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2011 at 4:53pm
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First let me say i have several small B tractors. I am trying not to by a WD45 or similar. We normally get snows of 4-6 inches. I have an IB with a 6 ft heavy rear blade on it. I does a very good job if the snow is not wet. I run over the snow and the rear blade rolls it to the side in a windrow manner. My troubles come in that the IB has about 12 inches of ground clearance and my blade only picks up about 10 inches or so..
Last week we had 14-16 inches. No way to plow it forward. I was reduced to backing into the snow and pushing, at angles to clean a straight path. I would like to "upgrade" one of my other B tractors ( not the IB) and use for plowing or dirt work next year. I have two belly mower tractors, sickle and a light blade tractor. One of the last tractors i have started building a 3 point hitch for it. I might finish this summer. What would be the best way to get the little B to be a better unit for snow.
------------- Like them all, but love the "B"s. |
Replies:
Posted By: Denis in MI
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2011 at 5:45pm
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The snow blower would be sweet, especially if the snow is very deep ------------- 1938 B, 1945 B, 1941 IB, 1949 C, 2 1938 WCs, 3 1950 WDs, 1951 WD, 2 1955 WD45, 1957 D-14 |
Posted By: morton(pa)
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2011 at 5:46pm
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I'll be honest, I personally don't speak from experience, but have researched the topic (snow plow for a B) quite a bit. I will also add this mostly comes from my opinion from what I have seen...
I would prefer a front mount blade. Tractors were made to work going forward, that said, you will have more visibility by looking forward then over your shoulder. I'm not familiar with how you have to plow (IE long driveway, lots of obsticles such as cars outside, childern, dogs, lots of curves, large parking area, etc.) but I would think the increased visiblity would be a plus for safety, and relaxation.
I would stay with rubber tires, but add chains. You will get more surface area with chains then you will with steel wheels. I have seen lot's of steel wheels, rebar wheels, etc. here used by Amish and Piker Mennonites around here, and I can tell you from helping my neighbors, you will slip quite a bit if you have the right conditions. Not good when your plowing on a hill or when your driveway is narrow and you get a tractor stuck in the middle with the milk truck coming in a few hours. Chains can also be taken on and off as needed very easily, which I also feel is a huge bonus. They can also be a heck of a lot cheeper then finding and buying steel wheels for a B if you find them in the right place.
I would think added weight on the back would always help for traction in slippery snows. I know it did when I pulled a few cars out with the B last year. I had 1 wheel weight on either side, and they might weigh 150-200 lbs a piece. Trust me, it helps.
No idea about the snow blower other then I think a plow would be better, but thats just my opinion. You can place the snow exactly where you want it, they work no matter how much snow you have, and you can move any kind of snow (powder or heavy/wet).
Again these are just my opinions and ideas from stepping back and watching others until I get a chance to find some material, time, and equipment to build my plow for one of my B's.
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Posted By: scott
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2011 at 5:56pm
 I use a 7040 to do 90 percent of the work then use a Case VAI to finish 'er up. The Case has a trip loader with adapted angling blade attached to the arms and a blade on the back. The back blade is way tougher to use than the front blade. Running over the snow and pulling it forward is a loser. The front blade is easiest, then the back blade pushing backwards or pulling, but always with the back blade facing backwards.
My take is weight wins in the snow. The 7040 will push a mountain of snow backwards with only a little use of the brakes. The Case has 13.9x28 rear wheels with weights and the weight of two blades. Much over the 6 or 8 inches and he is outclassed and just spins out.
Chains will add a bunch of traction but are tough on fenders and wiring. I dont use em.
A snowblower on the front would be extremely cool but you will get snow in your face and 4 ft. isnt really big enough to boast about.
 Notice how the plows top beam on the 7040 pivots to the side? The blade is set straight and the main beam is pivoted to the side to push snow farther away from the tractor. I am going to build a smaller blade for the Case that angles in the same way...
I also have a D-17 that is a turd for back blade work. The clutch pedal that kills the hydraulics is my enemy in the snow. I use it to feed bales with in the winter.
Using what you have I would consider loading the tires and attaching a front mounted pump so you have live hydraulics. A pivoting front blade thats two feet wider than the outside of the tires would allow it to be angled and still be wider than the tread. Then you'd need a for hire sign!
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Posted By: MNLonnie
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2011 at 6:00pm
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I would also stick with rubber tires on the rear with chains (the narrower the tire the better). Mounting a blower in front would be perfect, coming up with a lift for it would be the problem. I'd mount a motor right on the blower so you don't have to use up tractor power to run it. ------------- Waukesha B, B, IB, G, styled WF, D15, 615 backhoe, 2-Oliver OC3's, 4 Ford Model T's, 3 Model A Fords, AV8 Coupe, AV8 Roadster, 1933 Ford Wrecker |
Posted By: Dakota Dave
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2011 at 6:36pm
| I plowed snow with my C for 10 years. My blade had push arms going foward from the Plow mount drop brackets. Just go foward of the front tires and weld a blade on. keep the blade as close to the front tires as you can. I used a cable from the center of the rockshaft down to a pulley on the drawbar. and foward to pulleys on the cultivator bar to lift it. Don't worry about making it pivot the front of the tractor slides sidways to easy. I plowed 24 inch heavy snow with the C Just use a herringbone pattern when plowing. |
Posted By: Dave in il
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2011 at 6:47pm
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A front end loader with a snow bucket or a blade on it, and the rear blade you have now. Add plenty of weights to the rear. It's nice to push snow without looking backwards all the time. The loader will stack snow too. The blade will add weight for traction when it's up and can help with clean up.
Chains probabley aren't needed for the snow amounts your talking about. We never use them and we get more snow than you're talking about but the tractors are bigger, D17, 200 or 7060.
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Posted By: AC WD45
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2011 at 7:45pm
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Get a CA with a loader or with a rear blade. You get the smaller size of a C, and the snap-coupler of the WD's and WD45's. Plus the power adjust wheels. ------------- German Shepherd dad 1957 Allis Chalmers WD45 #WD234847 1951 Allis Chalmers WD #WD88193 |
Posted By: jaybmiller
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2011 at 8:52pm
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Everyone has their opinion, so here's mine.
I used my D-14 with rear blade for 4-5 winters.Yup, neck gets sore going backwards! it helps to flip the rears left onto right,right onto left to get more traction cause yer always going backwards.
This year I haven't used it once.Instead I've got a 42" snowblower mounted on a riding lawntractor.Since most of our snow has been light and fluffy, it blows real well and it's gone away,far ,far away !
The problem with blades is that if you don't get it pushed out of your way the first time, it's a real bear if not impossible to move the 2nd,3rd,4th,....time !
I've got a lot of obstacles around the shop plus 200' of 'driveways' to do.
Currently I'm looking for a 48" blower / hydrostatic garden tractor combo for next year...
..if I'm real lucky, I hope to find a 7-8' 2 stage unit to adapt to the Gleaner I recently bought.
------------- 3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112 Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor) Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water |
Posted By: Leon B MO
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2011 at 8:55pm
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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.
Leon B MO  ------------- Uncle always said "Fill the back of the shovel and the front will take care of itself". |
Posted By: klinemar
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2011 at 9:36pm
| Leon has my idea that I was going to post.I use the 7060 with an 8ft. rear blade but when the snow gets deep I bring out my 185 with 500 loader and 7ft. snow bucket and tire chains and then I move snow.I am looking for a commercial 9or 10ft. plow to put on the front of the 7060 so I have a heated cab but have not been able to find one at my price.A front mounted plow works a lot better in deep snow because you can back away from a drift and then push off either side to widen and you do not get a crooked neck from backing up plowing.Tire chains and weight are a must to move any deep snow.Neighbor has a B with a front mounted straight blade he has owned for thirty years and plows his driveway every year.The tractor used to be a hand crank until it broke his arm. |
Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2011 at 11:31pm
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sounds like front blade, rear weight, and chains are all agreed upon. rear three point can be another blade, or to hold weights ? ------------- Like them all, but love the "B"s. |
Posted By: JohnThomas
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 5:10am
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Klinemar.. There is a 9 footer for sale in Higgins Lake http://nmi.craigslist.org/for/2142657846.html And I saw a 10 footer for sale that is on a big dump truck on Craigs also but can't find it this AM. Truck had a belly plow under it too. I think they wanted to sell the front plow. Try snow plow Northern Michigan ------------- Life is short...Make haste to be kind |
Posted By: wbecker
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 5:32am
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Steve,
I sure would like to see a good picture of the rear blade set up on the IB, and how the lift is set up.
Bill B ------------- Allis B, IB, Low B, G, D10, JD M, 8KCAB, C152 |
Posted By: wbecker
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 5:41am
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I use my B with a 3 piont conversion and a 5' blade. It works ok for up to about 8" of powdery snow. would be better if I had rear weights or filled the tires. Bill B  ------------- Allis B, IB, Low B, G, D10, JD M, 8KCAB, C152 |
Posted By: dannyraddatz
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 6:05am
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Leon,
Can you post some close up picture's of your conversion from Meyers truck mount to tractor mount. I think that's the wat to go too, can convert back to bucket when you have to stack snow.
Thanks,
Danny ------------- Danny Raddatz |
Posted By: SteveC(NS)
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 6:46am
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I've blown snow with my B and my CA, the problem I find (aside from a sore neck) is that reverse is too fast. With the CA I can use the hand clutch to let the blower clear it's throat but if the snows real deep I have trouble getting moving again (I need chains) so I pull forward while lifting the blower and then get a bit of a run at it while I drop the blower again.
Plans for spring and summer are front mount the blower.
I've used the loader on the B but with 300' of driveway and a 150' x 200' parking lot I prefer the blower.
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Posted By: fixer1958
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 7:16am
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I use a WD with chains and a 7 foot 3 point blade.
1/2 mile driveway. Been using it for 20 years.
I don't backblade much, just at the ends of the drive.
Gets interesting sometimes with deep snow and ice because one section is on a steep grade that has a 15' drop on each side. The chains keep my britches cleaner on that hill when it's icy.
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Posted By: 8fan
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 8:20am
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Posted By: 8fan
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 8:20am
| This is what I use. Just walked through 18" yesterday with no problem. |
Posted By: 8fan
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 8:23am
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Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 8:38am
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.
 ------------- Like them all, but love the "B"s. |
Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 8:41am
Big heavy 6 ft blade i inherited from father in law. WAs on a D17, 15 years ago. Had to modify the blade mount for the short tractor.
 ------------- Like them all, but love the "B"s. |
Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 8:42am
 ------------- Like them all, but love the "B"s. |
Posted By: roughstock
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 9:12am
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Up until last winter, I cleared snow with a wheelhorse with a front mount snow blower and tire chains. My problem with snowblowers is they seem to only work with the following conditions, fluffy snow, no wind, no more than 8 inches, and no packed snow on the ground. Any deviation from these and it was a pain removing snow. So last winter I bought my WD. I plowed with a seven foot blade. I had to make short and small passes since my tires would spin with minimal pushing. This year I bought tire chains. i have no extra weight on the back and now you cant stop her. So my advice is a front mounted blade with tire chains. Also, don't go crazy with your blade width. I would keep the blade slightly wider than your rear tire width. Since you have a back blade to clear the roll off snow, an angled front blade is not a necessity. Just my opinion. Brian |
Posted By: oldironguy
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 10:05am
| 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. |
Posted By: RMD
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 10:36am
| With any of the B/C/CA or D10/12 tractors and a front blade it is important that the thrust loads on the blade be carried back to the final drives without putting load on the torque tube. |
Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 1:21pm
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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 ???? ------------- Like them all, but love the "B"s. |
Posted By: CTuckerNWIL
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 1:50pm
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The chains that just run straight across are a waste of time to put on IMO. The chain will drop down between the tire lugs and become useless. The x pattern chains are great, but you won't want to drive down the road with them on. Your rear blade would be the perfect partner for a front blade on the same tractor. Use the front blade to bet through the heavy stuff and the back blade acts as counter weight. Once the biggest part of the mess is pushed away, you can use the back blade to clean up with. It has worked great for me with the 45 for several years now. The only problem is the entire unit is longer with both blades on at the same time making turning and storing a little different. ------------- http://www.ae-ta.com" rel="nofollow - http://www.ae-ta.com Lena 1935 WC12xxx, Willie 1951 CA6xx Dad bought new, 1954WD45 PS, 1960 D17 NF |
Posted By: roughstock
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 2:13pm
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. |
Posted By: CTuckerNWIL
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 4:15pm
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Brian, looks like they would do some good. My experience with those kind of chains was with a different tread design. The tires had a flatter angle for the tread and the chains went all the way down between the lugs so no part of the chain contacted the ground. ------------- http://www.ae-ta.com" rel="nofollow - http://www.ae-ta.com Lena 1935 WC12xxx, Willie 1951 CA6xx Dad bought new, 1954WD45 PS, 1960 D17 NF |
Posted By: Leon B MO
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 4:20pm
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. 
The gauge wheels came off my belly mower( I don't think I'll need them on there for awhile). I can ajust the height so I can go from carrying the plow on the gravel to scrapping the concrete on the road. Those work much better than the skids, they would dig into the gravel and on the next pass the gravel would be in the pushed snow.
 To take it off all I need to do is pull the two pins. This is the first year I used this blade on a CA, it was on a 53 WD last year. I will have chains on the inner tires next year and more weights or a blade on the back. This last snow we had was hard to judge by because of the inch of ice underneath and the sleet mixed in. The plow is 7'6", just wide enough to clear the dauls when the plow is set in the middle angle position. for one or two snows a year, it would not be worth all the effort to put this together. But I had the time and the plow so what the heck.
Leon B MO  ------------- Uncle always said "Fill the back of the shovel and the front will take care of itself". |
Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 4:26pm
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on the chains, maybe two corresponding straps coupld be pinched together and linked, then on to the next two and pinch them together.. so you get a bunch of X patterns similar to Leon... also leon, i would be interested in how tall is the front blade, and is it 1/4 inch thick or more? Im wondering about the weight on front and counter weight needed. ------------- Like them all, but love the "B"s. |
Posted By: Leon B MO
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 4:39pm
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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.
Leon B MO ------------- Uncle always said "Fill the back of the shovel and the front will take care of itself". |
Posted By: swit
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 5:45pm
| I push with a front blade on my B this last storm i really had to work it hard 12in of snow with 4ft drifts i have a very long drive once i get thru it were good to go that first pass was tough I have very aggressive chains on it the type with the twisted links plus about 600 pouunds of weights if it wasnt for the drifts i walk right thru no problems ive pushed as much as 14in im not saying it was easy but that B just gets it done my brother even committed how well it does for alittle tractor of course i flipped him off for calling it little |
Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2011 at 10:36pm
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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. ?? ------------- Like them all, but love the "B"s. |
Posted By: swit
Date Posted: 13 Feb 2011 at 5:29am
| steve my frame goes under back to front I get about 10in of lift for the most part it hasnt been a problem when i go into these huge drifts to back blade some of the snow out i do wish i could get more height.i guess the bottom line it just takes me longer.but plowing generally im not in a hurry i enjoy being out side |
Posted By: Bill Long
Date Posted: 13 Feb 2011 at 8:43pm
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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.
Suggestions above are great for other parts of the country where there are more frequent and deeper snows.
Good Luck!
Bill Long
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