# Snow Bucket Dangerous vs push box



## djjeff (Dec 2, 2011)

I am considering purchasing wither a push box or snow bucket for my skid steer. I moved snow wit my regular bucket last year and need to step up a level. I know they are two different beast.
In doing a lot of searches there have been a lot of comments on how it can be dangerous to push snow with a bucket. I assume this is because the bucket may catch on many things.

My question is does this not happen with a push box?

Jeff


----------



## newhere (Oct 13, 2009)

most boxes will have a rubber edge that will give way when you hit a man whole cover plate or such. Or the nicer ones have a steel trip edge that trips back like a truck plow. If i were you i would try to get a steel trip edge. I find rubber always is a pain to keep nice and keep it adjusted. 

check out the BOSS website, i would say the BX-12 is the nicest box out right now.


----------



## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

dont get a pusher box unless you need one. If you are doing long runs of parking lot is the only place they are really worth a sh*t. You can't stack near as well as you can with a bucket. It all depends on the type of area you are working with.

Also, push boxes that have a rubber cutting edge, will not scrape the pavement. In a snow/ice event, you will not want to use it as when the rubber crosses the pavement it will make that combo into a sheet of ice. You wil need a truck to scrape behind it.


----------



## djjeff (Dec 2, 2011)

I am mainly looking to push snow at my storage facility. 4 25ft wide rows, the longest is 300ft long.

Then I was going to offer service at a few other small lots and some drives in the area of 100-200ft. 

I was also going to help out a couple of guys I know that push snow if they get behind.


----------



## ford6.9 (Aug 17, 2006)

Check out the horst welding 4200 plow, If the budget is able to that's the best option. I have a 100" snow bucket and use it for parking space cleaning and plowing, BUT a bucket will catch on any bad pavement, make sure your contract says and notes where the pavement is already broken up. You also have to know the area you are plowing with a bucket. If its all clean blacktop which storage units aren't they have the belly going between the units.

Another cheaper option, cheaper than the 4200 plow is the kage plow system. That would give you pretty much everything you are looking for.

One more note, I use my snow bucket and bill a higher rate when moving or loading snow due to its size. I'm not sure how much time you spend stacking or hauling snow but that's something to think about.

http://www.hlasnow.com/displayblade.php?id=14

http://kageinnovation.com/newpages/snowfire_system.php

http://www.everythingattachments.com/FFC-96-inch-Heavy-Duty-Snow-Bucket-p/ffc-11197-0022.htm


----------



## nepatsfan (Sep 16, 2004)

I would consider a plow with wings for a skid steer. Push boxes dont scrape all the way down. They are typically just for coralling large amounts of snow pushed into windrows by other machines or trucks. We run a snow bucket and an 8' plow on our skidsteer and I really like that setup. The plow works great, has great down pressure compared to a truck, and is power angle. You could add wings to the plow if you wanted to make it act like a pusher. There is something called the arctic sectional snowplow that would serve as a pusher and a plow but I don't think I would ever spend that kind of money for a small machine.

From a productivity standpoint I would recommend getting an 8' power angle plow-wings if you choose for smaller storms and pusher box type work and keep your regular bucket for moving snow around if you really needed too. I find that we use the plow for pushing up piles more than the bucket. You can raise the plow in the air and push the top of the pile right over then push up again.

I actually made my plow. I bought an old fisher speedcast plow, painted it, had the mounting plate and some angle iron welded in lieu of using the chain and had the hoses made up with the flat face couplers. The whole thing cost me @$700 including the mounting plate $160 and the labor I payed the welder to fab up the rest. We dont have high flow hydraulics and the plow slams pretty fast from side to side. If you had high flow you would need to add a restrictor valve or something like that to slow down the fluid to the rams.

Sorry to be long winded....just something to think about, it works great for us and might be something you would consider.


----------



## Plow man Foster (Dec 10, 2010)

For a storage facility a V Plow And or a Kage Inovation system is your best bet!
I would NOT Use a Bucket for any long period of time..... They seem to be a ticking time bomb.. 
In other words the longer you use it the more dangerous it becomes before it breaks YOU or something else. 

Also with a bucket there is NO trip mechanism so if you hit a Crack or drain that force is coming at you! Most likely you will end up face planted to the windshield.. Let alone break something on the bobcat probably..


----------



## djjeff (Dec 2, 2011)

Yeah,

I have hit a rock in the dirt and it was kind of like hitting an iceberg. Machine stopped and I didn't. I could see that happening again. I am leaning away from the bucket. besides I still have my normal bucket if I absolutely had to. the Kage System looks really cool. It was a bit more than I was looking to spend for the amount of work I was doing. But...It does have its benefits over a traditional push box. Thanks for all of the help and opinions so far.

Jeff


----------



## Plow man Foster (Dec 10, 2010)

djjeff;1380912 said:


> Yeah,
> 
> I have hit a rock in the dirt and it was kind of like hitting an iceberg. Machine stopped and I didn't. I could see that happening again. I am leaning away from the bucket. besides I still have my normal bucket if I absolutely had to. the Kage System looks really cool. It was a bit more than I was looking to spend for the amount of work I was doing. But...It does have its benefits over a traditional push box. Thanks for all of the help and opinions so far.
> 
> Jeff


Yeah a Kage Is a bit pricy but once you get it, you will say its worth every penny.
If nothing else a V-plow Could probably do it! I do a Couple with a 10' Boss V plow. 
Only use a bucket to move snow... Not to Plow it.


----------



## NICHOLS LANDSCA (Sep 15, 2007)

A snow bucket won't work for what you are doing, it will never fill up. I'd do a pusher or a plow and make some box ends. All depends how much money you want to spend.


----------

