We have all asked the question, “can’t I just use the bucket I have on my skid steer or loader to move snow?” And the answer is yes. Of course you can, if you want to be less productive and less effective! Just to put it in perspective, an 8 ft bucket could scoop about 1.22 cubic yards of snow while a pusher could move and lift about 7 cubic yards; now that’s quite a difference!
Safety in Snow Removal
Whether you use a truck, skid steer, tractor, loader or even a walk behind blower, safety is always the main concern, especially when you have employees. When you are picking an attachment to go on, for example, a skid steer; safety is still a main concern. The main issue with using a bucket is that unless you are very experienced with a bucket, it can be very tricky, especially when pushing snow up and over curbs. The operator needs to go slow and be careful not to ram the bucket into the curb and throwing the operator through the windshield. By hitting the bucket on the curb at a fast speed, the operator could also cause major damage to the cylinders which as the owner of a skid steer, you know that isn’t going to be a cheap fix!
Is my Skid-steer Bucket Too Wide for Plowing?
The tough part about not having a pusher OR bucket that angles is that it can cause more damage, which leads to more down time. Even with an 8ft pusher or bucket, a common size for snow removal; if it doesn’t angle, the only thing you can do is plow forward in straight lines, so the operator is going to be about as efficient as a plow truck; which we know, a plow truck is not the best way to plow snow. Check out the Kage 2-in-1 pusher to see a angling plow and pusher!
How Can I Push Snow Further?
Have you ever struggled with pushing snow further from the curb instead of dumping it right on the curb? If you use a common pusher, or a snow bucket, that is why. With the snow bucket or common pusher, you do not have the reach that an angling pusher or plow would have because the attachment plate for “the common pusher” or bucket is mounted right up against the machine; not allowing the snow to be pushed out very far. Now of course an operator can climb up on to the curb, but this takes more practice and can also get an operator stuck, allowing more down time.
Can I Get a Rubber Edge for my Bucket?
The answer for this question is…no. Another downside to a bucket, is that there are no options for a different “cutting edge”. With a pusher, you could choose between rubber, trip edge (on select pushers) or even polyurethane, which is more durable than rubber. For back-dragging, or even running over curbs, a different trip edge option is nice to have.
Recent Comments