Ag equipment in snow removal

[Alan]

Early this winter there was a thred where somebody asked about using farm equipment for snow removal. And somebody else got thoroughly obnoxious about what a crackpot and unprofessional concept that was.

Well, here's a piece of ag equipment being used at our local Home Cheapo and I think it's right impressive. The pusher box is made by S. Houle Fabrications in St. Germain, Quebec and telescopes from 10 to 16 feet in width, on the fly. I haven't seen it working as I'm too busy elsewhere during a snow event, but I've seen the stack it can build.

[Alan]

There aer no shoes on the bottom of the side plates in the Houle design. The plates are heavy, on the order of 5/8" and are mounted with spacres that ride in slots in the plates so they can pivot upwards if they encounter variations in the pavement or the box isn't angled perfectly.

I've seen conventional pusher designs leave a lot of snow on the ground if the operator tips them forward a little and they ride on the toes of the side plates.

[snowjoker]

I have never seen any tractor look like that. What is it (other than a John Deere)? I know them newer tractors have them powershift tranny's so you can grab gears on the fly while pushing heavy loads. I think that would be the key to saving time in big lots where you can cruise at a pretty good clip. Another plus is you can use it in the winter and rent it out in the summer;)

[snowplowjay]

:eek:


WOW

Thats an amazing looking piece of equipment. Not something you see everyday, thats for sure.



Jay

[Alan]

It's not actually a tractor, it's a dedicated material handler. The bucket or other atachment is on the end of a telescoping boom. In agriculture they are used to dig corn or grass silage out of bunk silos, as the bunks get bigger it becomes a very dangerous process to work under a headwall of silage that may be 25-30 ft tall in the middle. With the telehandler you can sit back a safe(r) distance and break the pile down or actually dig out of it near the top instead of undermining the face. The other use is for stacking and unstacking the big round or square hay bales so common now. The ag units are very similar to the industrial "all terrain forklifts" that just about every equipment maker has. I didn't check is there was any provision for drawbar or 3 pt hitch on the rear, either of which would add quite a bit of versatility.

The only weak point I could see was the single tube boom. I tend to think it might be possible to bend it if you were cruising right along and caught the pusher on a curb or any other fixed obstacle

[CAMERON SERVICES]

:eek: Awesome looking piece of equipment. I've never seen anything quite like it either.

[JohnnyU]

But Alan, in the defense of those that scrutinize the use of large farm machinery for this type of work, at least the mertial handler is small, unlike this beast (that most would think of when they mention farm tractor) http://www.deere.com/servlet/com.deere.u90785.productcatalog.view.servlets.Prod CatProduct?pNbr=7820%20RW&cNbr=FR_TRACTORS&sCName=Row%20Crop%20Tractors%20%2895%20-%20255%20hp%29&tM=FR

That sucker weighs in at 18k, and IMO, is bulkier (in appearance) than a truck of similar weight. They may be much more productive, but to uneducated (or uninformed) people, they would look like total overkill, thus the scrutiny. I cannot find an operating weight for the telehandler, but I did find that you could make some CRAZY piles if you extended that boom!

[Big Nate's Plowing]

I have seen blades and small pushers (8-10') on material handlers before, never thought of the stacking posability, some can go as high as 55' and still carry a 2500# load...... dont forget they turn sharp too... maybe that willl be the new wave of snow moving

[Pelican]

Alan, does that machine have a 3 point hitch and hydraulics on the back? I wasn't aware anything like that existed, sure looks like it would do the job.

Snowybowtie, those larger 4x4 farm tractors have better traction than loaders do and are nearly unstoppable in snow!

[Alan]

I'll have to swing by Home Cheapo and check for hydraulics and 3 pt. This rig is either a subs rig or on lease to SMG, they got the job this year. I guess they picked up a package of HDs in the Northeast.

I saw another one of these in the area, still had dealr stickers in the window. It was on another site a few miles away and was accompanied by a big JD ag tractor with an ag loader and the same brand telescoping box. At that site the telehandler was carrying about 2 yd light materials bucket.

[JohnnyU]

Steve, I think they are only equipped with a rear hitch. There is no mention of a 3pt available.

http://www.deere.com/en_US/ProductCatalog/FR/product/agsales/asm/s9m/3800Telehandler/3800ta31.gif

[Pickering Snow]

Alan

I wish i could remember that thread cause i know there was one with me included all for ag tractors instead of buying wheel loaders . I had forgot to get back to this topic but last weekend i put the the depoist on a kubota m9000 with loader I took alot of advise and stayed away from the cub i was looking to buy ia, looking forward to using this tractor next year

[jerryjks]

Very nice machine ! My son and I tried on out at a local JD dealer. I was impressed ! With its $77,000.- price tag you might want to have something else for it to do in the off season. It weighs around 14,000 lbs. Could easily be hauled on a 9 ton trailer. I'm seriously thinking of getting rid of our 1992 Cat 446 Backhoe and our 1995 manitou rough terrian forklift for one of these machines.

[Big Nate's Plowing]

for $77k it better do alot more then push snow and make plowguys say OHHHHH!! :shades

[Mark Oomkes]

One of our subs is using a Cat Telehandler with a 12' pusher. This thing is awesome with the 4 wheel steer and the weight\HP to push a lot of snow.

I believe there was some reinforcing or wear pads (or something like that) that was done to the boom to strengthen it for plowing.

If I remember correctly, there is a contractor about an hour south of us that fabbed up a 3 point type hitch to mount a back plow on a telehandler--not sure what brand it was though.

SnowyBowtie: That's nothing for an ag tractor for plowing. There is a contractor by us that is using two 8 wheel tractors with pushers and back plows. I flew into O'Hare a couple weeks ago and saw all the equipment thy have for cleaning out around the concourses\gates. There had to be at least 100 loaders of every size, including skid steers. They ALL had pushers, some up to 30'. Mixed in were several of the 8 wheel tractors with the larger pushers. Like Steve said, I bet they can push a mountain of snow.

[JohnnyU]

8wheel tractors? Like the 300+ hp articulating beasts? WOW!

I bet they can move a mountain of snow, I'd like to see that, if anyone can find one to take a picture of, even if there isn't snow. The largest tractors I've seen around here are Loaders about the size of a Cat 966, 16' also being the largest pushers I've seen.