[jnaugle775]

Hey guys I am new to the fourm. I just bought an 4x4 XL with the 27Hp Kawaski engine. I have a about a 250 ft drive I will need to clear in the winter. I also have about 20 yards of mulch to spread. So my question is which one do I buy? A Loader? A snowthrower. I would then have to haul the mulch in a cart and load it by hand. So anyone have a loader they use for snow removal? How does it work? Thanks in advance
Jamie

 

[bx24d]

You may think/say that you would only use an FEL for mulch but, once you have it, your back will thank you over and over. I say get the FEL (which by most reports here is twice as expensive as a front snowblower. You don't say whether your dirveway is gravel or paved. After you get the fel, get a cheap rear blade. Best combination for a long, snowy driveway is fel plus rear blade.

 

[jnaugle775]

Thought the blower and the loader are about the same money?

 

[Andy]

The blower and hitch lists for about 2K I think and the FEL is around 3,100.00 list.

 

[Sergeant]

I don't own a Leagacy but have two GT's with front end loaders and my vote is Get a Loader for it First then maybe later on get the blower down the road.

 

[Cruiser]

I use my loader exclusively in the winter for moving snow. My guess is that the blower will do a better job move'n snow but will sit collecting dust for 10+ months of the year. The loader does a decent job move'n snow, it's fun and you'll find about another hundred uses for it.

 

[exNCite]

I use the FEL for snow, although admittedly not much around here. It works fine, but as mentioned, gravel drive or paved drive makes a big difference.

You'll find lots of uses for a FEL beyond snow removal and will wonder why you didn't get it long ago.

 

[jnaugle775]

My drive is paved Will I have to worry about tearing it up

 

[bx24d]

My drive is paved Will I have to worry about tearing it up

If its paved and you've got the money to invest, you'll love the blower. But the blower will sit idle for most of the year while you're straining your back lifting mulch and dirt. The FEL will move snow but inefficiently. After you're tired of scooping and pushing snow with the fel, just make a few more runs with the angled rear blade to clean off that nicely paved driveway. Can also use the RB in the summer for dirt work.

 

[exNCite]

My drive is paved Will I have to worry about tearing it up

As long as you keep the leading edge flat, you shouldn't have any more concern than a blade would give you. More likely you will find yourself tearing out the edge of grass along the drive until you get used to it.

I agree with the thoughts about having a blower collect dust while many year-round uses for the FEL.

 

[jnaugle775]

what are thoughts on the Johnny Bucket? Anyone here have one?

 

[Tall Dog]

what are thoughts on the Johnny Bucket? Anyone here have one?

I have a JB sr for my XL and it is great for it's intended purpose, but I would not try to move deep snow with it. It doesn't raise high enough to be able to pile up the snow.

 

[BKS]

I have the single stage snowblower. The dealer recommended it over the duel stage. We get a ton of snow in North East PA. I used it plenty of times in the winter and it was fine. It took about 15 minutes to remove it and then another 15 to put the deck on. Not too bad.

Works awesome with a 175lb agrifab spreader that I use to spread salt as I go down the driveway. My drive is 510 feet long and I am done very quickly...
Although, I am now contemplating the FEL because I too have some mulch and topsoil to spread around.

 

[slkpk]

I've had the FEL and JBSR and have used both in the winter for snow removal. Both work fine. The JBSR is great for moving stuff from point a to b as long as you don't need any real height. For digging with the JBSR it does a fatastic job with the tooth bar. I would get the FEL over the snowblower as your always finding uses for it and it can be put on/off in a matter of minutes. slkpk