# Back Hoe Loader Cloggs With Snow



## ICindrich (Dec 21, 2005)

I move snow around our shop (huge drifts due to 10,000sq" peaked roof) and job sites with our Ford 655 backhoe. Front end bucket always gets packed w/ snow. Wondering if any one has any ideas or suggestions. Thanks!


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## Plow Meister (Oct 16, 2001)

It's probably going to get snow packed in it no matter what you do. However, this may help...

1. Does it sit outside or in a heated shop? If it sits in a heated shop you should let the bucket adjust to the outside temperature first. What may be happening is the snow you are trying to push is melting and re-freezing to the bucket since is is warmer than 32 degrees.

2. Try lightly coating the bucket in diesel fuel. This can help keep snow from sticking.

I'm guessing your loader is kept indoors and that is probably the main source of your problems.


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## Frostysnow (Dec 21, 2004)

You could always get a snow pusher for the front, if u just wanna throw money at the problem.payup


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## Jay brown (Dec 26, 2005)

we paint our buckets every year if we have time. bare metal will absorb moisture more so than a painted surface, causing snow to stick.


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## DugHD (Nov 1, 2005)

Like the others have said, the bucket has to be as cold as the snow. You cant leave it in a heated shop and go out and move snow. Paint the bucket, spray diesel on it or pam or pledge .


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## itsgottobegreen (Mar 31, 2004)

Every time you dump the bucket. While the cutting edge is facing down. Shake the heck out of the bucket. The shaking usually knocks the snow out of the bucket. Works good for wet dirt too.


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## phishoook (Jan 5, 2002)

put a little deisel in a pump sprayer and give it a coat.


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## pools&plowingct (Nov 18, 2005)

spraying diesel sounds good but at 2.69 a gallon is alittle rough i mean granted he isn't spraying a whole gallon but it owuld add up i wouldtry some pam


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## brunosplace (Dec 30, 2004)

pools&plowingct said:


> spraying diesel sounds good but at 2.69 a gallon is alittle rough i mean granted he isn't spraying a whole gallon but it owuld add up i wouldtry some pam


At about $1.19 per spray can of pam it is far more expensive per gallon than the diesel fuel. 128 ounces per gallon. 8 ounces per can of Pam equals 16 cans at $19.04 per gallon payup


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## Dirt_Werx (Nov 26, 2005)

haha nice math, looks like someone has too much time on his hands


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## SkykingHD (Jan 31, 2002)

*paint bucket*

The snow does not stick to snow plows very much. Wonder if you painted with there "snow flow" paint the problem would be better?

Dave


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## oarwhat (Nov 29, 2005)

*i agree*

A warm bucket or very cold temperatures make the snow stick. We use pushers now but when we used the buckets my brother started paintng them every year. I told him it's waste of paint but he proved me wrong. Paint doesn't stop all the sticking but it's about 75% better


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## justme- (Dec 28, 2004)

Dirt_Werx said:


> haha nice math, looks like someone has too much time on his hands


Common sense actually. Since Pam is expensive (and largely ineffective in my experiances) Pledge might work but is more expensive thn Pam. How about some used motor oil? That's cheap and can easily be cut with some diesel for spraying if needed- that's what alot of old timers used to use as undercoating on their trucks before the Govt and EPA stepped in.

We had the same issue in a much smaller scale several years ago with a Kabota loader we used for plowing- painting the bucket made the biggest improvement as it was kept outdoors or in an unheated garage.


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## Plow Meister (Oct 16, 2001)

It's just my opinion but I really wouldn't use any used motor oil. I know using diesel fuel as I suggested earlier is bad for the environment but I think used motor oil could be far worse. I bet it would work well though.


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## drmiller100 (Jan 26, 2005)

paint works. the glossier the better, as it has less pores.

pledge sort of works. 

pam works for a bit.

weed burner your bucket until it is good and hot, and melt parafin wax onto it works better yet.

automotive wax on paint works.

teh BEST thing is UHMW plastic. a pain to mount, but no stickies.


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## Groundmovers (Dec 3, 2005)

Just last night the same thing happened to my ice cream scooper when I was having a bowl of Edy's Chocolate Chunk...think I should use a little spray of diesel on my scooper too?


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## maxwell (Nov 5, 2005)

itsgottobegreen said:


> Every time you dump the bucket. While the cutting edge is facing down. Shake the heck out of the bucket. The shaking usually knocks the snow out of the bucket. Works good for wet dirt too.


lol you think this guys owns a backhoe and doesnt know that shaking the bucket will help dislodge snow and dirt?


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## itsgottobegreen (Mar 31, 2004)

maxwell said:


> lol you think this guys owns a backhoe and doesnt know that shaking the bucket will help dislodge snow and dirt?


You would be very surpized how many new operators don't know that trick.  Blows my mind.


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## SCL (Jul 27, 2000)

Go to your local JD dealer and buy a can of Fluid Film. More expensive than PLedge, but stays on for a while.


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## Dennis/Ohio (Jan 15, 2006)

A huge stainless steel bucket seems nice. The bucket could be huge for snow removal only. Its been years in my area but I do remember snow being hauled from the smaller shopping plazas. The loaders with huge buckets where expensive but a smaller loader with an oversize bucket would have worked in snow? Stainless steel isn't cheap, building it yourself or trading labor may work.


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## motoxdk24 (Nov 26, 2005)

itsgottobegreen said:


> You would be very surpized how many new operators don't know that trick.  Blows my mind.


my favorite is excavator operators that cant get up and down a steep incline and end up tracking a mile out of the way, wearing out yet another undercarriage. They overlook the fact that they have a arm with a bucket to use as a leg to go up and down steep inclines.


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## drmiller100 (Jan 26, 2005)

why stainless???snow willstill freeze to it.

plastic is the answer. uhmw plastic so far has lasted 10 plowing events, with no freezing.

only difference to learn is that the snow slides out at about a 20 degree angle, instead of the 80 degree angle when bucket was steel.


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## ICindrich (Dec 21, 2005)

on a 20 year old machine, shaking the sh!t out of the bucket isn't a very good idea, most of the pins and bushings have seen better days. Plus, I don't own the machine, my father does, he pays for repairs, he fires me if I break any thing being a jackass


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