How to Clean Snow With a Bobcat
A Bobcat makes an ideal choice for snow removal due to its narrowness and ability to pile snow quite high with its bucket lift. Piled snow can trap future blowing snow and drop it on the far side of the snow pile like a snow fence. You can also fit the Bobcat with a snow-blower attachment for snow removal in tight areas without a lot of area to pile it.
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Instructions
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Bucket Method
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Examine your surroundings to find the best area to pile the snow. Take care not to pile snow in an area that will hamper the view of everyday traffic in and out of the driveway or parking lot you plan to plow. Also consider your liability if the snow pile you create causes an auto accident.
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Lower the bucket until it sits flat on the ground with just a slight downward tilt forward. Plow one pass parallel with the driveway in a direction toward the highway. Plowing snow onto most public thoroughfares is illegal; stop short of plowing snow onto the road. Turn the Bobcat to deposit the bucket load of snow on the side of the driveway away from the wind.
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Orient your Bobcat to plow from the initial plowed pass. Use a bias or slant method to plow the snow starting from the cleaned swipe near the road, and pile the snow far enough from the road so the snow pile will not affect drivers' view or prevent them from entering the road safely. Continue working the Bobcat back away from the road until you have cleared the driveway.
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Pile the snow by using the bucket lift as you drive the Bobcat into the pile. If necessary, you can drive the Bobcat up the snow pile to increase snow pile height.
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Back drag the bucket by standing it up on edge with a slight tilt backward toward the Bobcat. Use the back drag method to cut into the driveway's hard-packed snow and scrape the accumulated snow close to the the snow pile, then turn the Bobcat and add the snow to the snow pile or snow bank.
Snow Blower Method
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Hook the snow blower to the Bobcat's quick hitch. The quick hitch requires no tools to hook up, and you can attach the blower to the Bobcat in under a minute. Simply line the Bobcat up to the snow blower, quick hitch lock the levers, plug the hydraulic hoses into the Bobcat and the snow blower is ready for work.
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Blow a swipe or swatch that runs parallel to the driveway heading in a direction toward the road or public thoroughfare. The blower makes it easy to spread the snow evenly over a small area and avoid snow piles that hamper the view.
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Blow another swatch with just slight overlapping at first to blow the driveway clean. Continue blowing parallel swatches until you have cleaned the snow from the entire area. Aim the blower discharge chute to distribute the snow and spread it in an area without piling it or placing it in the road.
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Drive the Bobcat close to building edges and other obstacles to remove snow. Aim the discharge chute away from the building or obstacles to distribute the snow in a uniform area without piling it.
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Tips & Warnings
Educate yourself on the Bobcat's safety features such as the lap bar, which you must pull down onto your lap before the Bobcat controls become functional.
Wear goggles to protect your eyes from the cold and snow while using the Bobcat for snow removal.
Always wear warm work gloves to prevent frostbite to your hands when operating a Bobcat for snow removal.
Be aware of the rotating auger in the snow blower when running the Bobcat on or near obstacles.
References
- Photo Credit loader clearing land - widening driveway image by monamakela.com from Fotolia.com
