Plowing snow with an 8N

-- You might get away without chains if you're on flat ground, but if you're plowing snow in hill country, chains are a must. I just used ladder chains, which, with the occasional use of a brake pedal, and plowing mostly downhill or on flat ground worked fine. -- For long runs on driveway-width areas, use the blade facing forward, slanting a bit to one side. I used to do my gravel driveway with three passes, first down the center with the blade slanted to the right, then down the right side with blade slanted same, then down the left side with the blade slanted to the left. Since my driveway is steep downhill, I made all the passes from the top down. -- For shorter, wider spaces, like parking areas, use the blade reversed and not slanted. Good for shoving snow into piles, too. Plowing backwards with the blade reversed works a lot better if you have stabilizers on the hitch, otherwise the blade will sometimes shift from side to side.
-- Loader is nice for picking up snow and moving it around, especially after several heavy snowfalls where sometimes there's no more empty space to shove it into with a blade, but a narrow bucket, especially since you can't slant it to one side or the other, will make slow going of routine plowing. A blade is faster.
-- Gravel isn't too much of a problem once the ground is frozen, especially since the 8N hitch has no down pressure, but those first few snowfalls can be a problem. Probably the best solution is to fabricate some bolt-on shoes for the blade that you can use when the ground is soft. Being lazy, I'd turn the blade around and plow forward with the blade backwards. Worked fine if the snow wasn't too deep, and didn't move nearly as much gravel. Besides, if you think gravel is a problem with the blade on the 8N, just try plowing snow with the bucket on a Bobcat!

That said, I was in the same position as you a week ago... no snow removal experience (with the N, plenty with a plow truck) and reading all info on this board... it was very conflicting. Some people say chains are a must, some no... varying opinions about everything.

My advice? Try it out with what you have now before you buy anything. You'll get the snow cleared and learn what works and doesn't work for you. I was worried that it was going to be impossible with my N with no weights, no fluid, no chains, etc. but it works surprisingly well.

My neighbors all have driveways that are inclined, and most of them are gravel. Most are ~300 feet or so. I found pulling forward with the blade angled to be the most effective on gravel. I was amazed at how much snow it would pull uphill. Frankly, the comment "Forget even trying it going uphill" goes compeltely against what I found to be true just a few days ago. But we're not pulling the same snow on the same driveways with the same tractors, so I don't doubt that it's true for the poster. Again, that's why I suggest trying it out for yourself before you buy or modify anything. It's fun anyway.

I did find that using the blade 'backwards' (i.e., pulling forward with it turned backwards) worked better in the gravel since it didn't try to scoop up gravel as much.

On my paved driveway, I mostly pushed downhill backwards since traction was much more limited than the gravel.

Good luck and have fun,
Craig

I'm sure chains would make things easier, but I really was impressed with how well the 8N with empty tires and no chains did in the recent 10" of snow. I do have a couple of 65# suitcase weights on the frame for the rear blade which seems to help a little. If I get to a point where I can't get traction by working the brakes, I just pick the blade up off of the ground a couple of inches and off I go. I'm able to get the rest on a second pass.

This was a pretty light snow though... I suspect that with a heavy wet snow I'll have to take smaller 'bites' and make more passes. I'm going to avoid chains as long as it's possible since I don't want to mark up my paved driveway.

Craig

I do snow removal chores with my "new-to-me" '52 Ferguson. I have a gravel driveway about 100 - 150 yards long and a path to the barn about 75 - 100 yards. I use a rear facing snowblower and a 6 way blade (straight, angle left, angle right, forward facing & rear facing). Each mount on the 3 point hitch.

I was told to use the blade for the 1st couple of snowfalls so as to prevent throwing gravel with the blower. I now use the blower, and from time to time use the blade because the blower doesn't get right down to the base, but it leaves a small film of snow.

The driveway has a slight grade. Before I had my chains installed, the tractor would begin spinning and sliding sideways when i was using the blade - it was not very effective. Forget even trying it going uphill.

Since I had the cahins put on (my tires are not filled), the blade is very effective at removing all the snow from the driveway, but it creates snowbanks, which I then remove with the blower. Otherwise the snowbanks will creep in & the driveway will become very narrow.

I personally prefer using the blade in reverse and watch it work while still being able to see where I'm going - but I've read other posts where people complain about sore necks. Personal preference I guess. I don't think one is more effective than the other.

That is my $0.02 (Canadian Funds)

Have Fun

Gary

First I pull the snow forward using the back blade, but I have the blade turned around facing the rear. So I'm using the rear surface of the blade to pull the snow. I do this so that the blade doesn't dig in and pull the gravel as bad.

I pull all the snow to the edge of the road. Then I turn around and push the piles (driving backwards) across the road using the front face of the blade. I have no neighbors across the road, just empty field so no one complains.

You could pull the snow with the back blade then use the bucket to put it where you want it. I don't have a front loader. I know people who have taken one of those narrow buckets and widened it for use in snow. You can move more snow that way and the weight won't overtax the loader. If you tried to lift a big bucket of dirt you might tip over! If you can find a spare bucket you could enlarge one for use in the winter then swap in the spring back to the narrow bucket.