Cub 54 Blade Belly Mounted for Snow - input wanted

[MiCarl]

My Cub came with a severely abused 54 blade and only the parts for a belly mount, which is fine because the tractor is too long for the shed with a blade front mounted. I want to use it for plowing snow on pavement.

The blade had the cutting edge worn down to where the relief spring dragged on pavement and wore that into a bunch of curly fries. I replaced the relief spring, flipped the cutting edge and installed a pair of TM Tractor skid shoes.

At the lowest setting the skid shoes hold the blade edge about 1" off the ground. Probably great for gravel but I'll be plowing on pavement. I'm tempted to ditch the shoes and replace the spring loaded lifting link with a chain. That way the blade should just follow the ground without excess down pressure excessively wearing the cutting edge.

Thoughts?

[Gary S.]

My thoughts are what are you going to do with the pile when you get to the end of your run? Normally with a front mount as you come to the end I lift the blade so you keep piling the snow up and over. Every time you stop you will have to try to back out over your pile because it's under the tractor rather than out front. I have heard of others here getting a rubber stall mat at tractor supply and cutting a strip 4" x 4' and use that for a blade edge for use on pavement.

[SONNY]

I have one on my fav. cub,--undermount for dirt.----It's totally useless in more than an inch or two of snow.---Out front, different game all together. Also be sure to add plenty of weight on rear, and tire chains. thanks; sonny

[bookman51]

I have a belly mounted blade for a Farmall A. It is largely worthless for snow. What happens is that with any significant snow, the snow will eventually pile up in front the blade, even at a severe angle of the blade. That will stop you from going forward. And, neither can you go backward because you cannot back over the snow piled in front of the blade. In other words you are stuck. It does not take long. Wished I had better news. The good news the belly bade is great for leveling off dirt and for maintaining a gravel driveway.

[Bill Hudson]

I have been searching here for the dimensional drawings for the mounting brackets you need to mount the blade on the front. I can't find them, but somebody will know. If you, or a friend, are good with a welder you can fabricate the brackets needed. As others have said, you need the blade on the front to push snow and you can push a lot of snow.

Bill

[MiCarl]

Blade isn't going on the front. Even if I had the parts I'm not willing to leave it outside all winter for the little snow we get. If it doesn't work for me I'll just go back to the way I have been doing it.

I've got a 2 stage walk behind blower that does an exceptional job with more than a couple inches. Problem is if there is only a bit of snow I have to run with it to get enough volume so the snow doesn't just trickle out the chute.

I've been using a back blade on the Speedex for light snows the last couple years and it does an adequate job. I figure the belly blade on the Cub should do at least as well.

Could all be hypothetical though. No snow to speak of so far and going to be close to 60 Friday.

[Jim Becker]

There are a lot of "it depends" in answering your question. Front mounting your blade is definitely a better setup for snow. But how well it works belly mounted depends on:
- how deep the snow is
- how wet the snow is
- the total amount of snow likely to accumulate over the whole winter
- the shape of the area being plowed
- the sort of area you have to push the snow into
- how slippery your blade is
- (probably even) how wide your front axle is set.
You will run into all of the problems others have mentioned. But how much of a problem each causes can vary a lot.

If you are clearing a long and mostly straight drive, the belly mounted blade will be OK as long as conditions allow the snow to roll off the end of the blade. Depth of snow has a big bearing on whether this will work or not. The problem of the front wheels being buried in a pile you pushed up only happens when you are cleaning up at both ends. If you have plenty of room for the snow, push it farther and not so deep that you can't back out.

One winter we got an early snow when I still had the blade belly mounted. So I plowed that way. Then I never did get around to changing it, used it belly mounted all winter. If we had ever gotten a single heavy snow, I would have been forced to change it. It didn't happen. Another winter, I used a rear blade, never got around to mounting one on the front. I did most of the plowing going forward, just reversed it to do some of the apron in front of the garage.

There is no question, front mount works best. But you can handle quite a bit with it belly mounted.

[ricky racer]

There are a lot of "it depends" in answering your question. Front mounting your blade is definitely a better setup for snow. But how well it works belly mounted depends on:
- how deep the snow is
- how wet the snow is
- the total amount of snow likely to accumulate over the whole winter
- the shape of the area being plowed
- the sort of area you have to push the snow into
- how slippery your blade is
- (probably even) how wide your front axle is set.
You will run into all of the problems others have mentioned. But how much of a problem each causes can vary a lot.

If you are clearing a long and mostly straight drive, the belly mounted blade will be OK as long as conditions allow the snow to roll off the end of the blade. Depth of snow has a big bearing on whether this will work or not. The problem of the front wheels being buried in a pile you pushed up only happens when you are cleaning up at both ends. If you have plenty of room for the snow, push it farther and not so deep that you can't back out.

One winter we got an early snow when I still had the blade belly mounted. So I plowed that way. Then I never did get around to changing it, used it belly mounted all winter. If we had ever gotten a single heavy snow, I would have been forced to change it. It didn't happen. Another winter, I used a rear blade, never got around to mounting one on the front. I did most of the plowing going forward, just reversed it to do some of the apron in front of the garage.

There is no question, front mount works best. But you can handle quite a bit with it belly mounted.

Good answer Jim.