Snow is in the forecast and a particularly common question our clients ask us is “what attachment should I use for snow removal?” That's easy! John Deere and Frontier ensures you have plenty of options based on what will best suit the needs of you, your property, or your budget. Let us look at the most common four ways you can choose to remove your snow.
Snowblower
A snowblower is an obvious choice for many clients. Whether you have a long driveway or a large area you need to keep clear, a snowblower will get the tough jobs done. You can mount these on the front of your John Deere tractor by a quick-hitch system, or for a more economical option you can also mount them on the three-point hitch off the rear and drive backwards with the tractor. A snowblower is an excellent option if you need to be able to throw the snow out of the way so you aren't having snow and ice pile up on your driveway and narrow yourself in. Snowblowers are also a great option when it comes to a gravel driveway. Use your skid shoes and raise them approximately 1 inch off the ground so you are leaving a small amount of snow behind, that way you will avoid moving unwanted gravel through the machine and onto your grass.
Rear Blade
Going the route of the rear blade is a great cost-effective way to get your snow cleared. The Frontier rear blades come with multiple angle options, 360 degree pivot capability by a simple pin system and easy hooking and unhooking with the help of the optional iMatchTM Quick Hitch. It is a time efficient way to remove snow, especially if you have a loader equipped on the front of the tractor to use as a snow bucket. You can use the blade to push the snow into a pile by using it as a snow push facing the tractor backwards, or you can pull it behind you and use the loader to scoop the snow into a pile. Either way you do it, it is a great choice!
Front Blade
If looking behind you while you move snow is not something you want to do, a Frontier front blade may be a perfect alternative. With John Deere's quick attach loader capabilities, putting a front blade onto the loader mounts could not be easier. Within seconds you can have your bucket off and a front blade on and ready to work. With easy manual angle, or in some cases optional hydraulic angle, you can push the snow in the direction you need it to go. The Frontier front blades have a trip edge feature that protects the loader, the tractor, and the blade if you create contact with an unwanted obstacle. This works by having the front blade rotate forward and slide over the item.
Loader Bucket
Sometimes a quick, simple solution is the one that clients are looking for. If you have already purchased a loader with your tractor, you can also use the front loader bucket to help you get rid of snow. This would be a good option for someone who has a small area, or just need to scoop snow out of the way occasionally. Nothing wrong with using what you already have!
There are certainly other ways you can remove snow than these four options, such a a sweeper, or even getting out the old manual shovel! For any extra questions on which snow removal option is best for you, talk to one of our John Deere experts at any Martin Deerline location and let us help you make your job this winter a bit easier!