Tractor mount snowblower advice needed

Rance · Feb 3, 2016

I've got 6 miles of dirt road to keep clear of snow and the 3 point blade behind my WD45 just isn't up to it. So for next year I'm thinking of a bigger tractor and rigging up a front mounted blower. My question is: Will a two wheel drive tractor (with wheel weights) be enough or do I need a 4 wheel drive? I'm in SW Colorado and dealing with lots and lots of snow this year. Thanks

Janicholson · Feb 3, 2016

More important than 2 or 4 is speed. Uou can weight a tractor to move, and put chains on it. You often can't go slow enough to prevent plugging in deep wet snow. The engine needs to be wide open for power and operation, and that means with some 2 mph. I would suggest a hydrostatic drive tractor, or one that goes less than 1.5 mph wide open low gear. Jim

BobinSD · Feb 3, 2016

[i:654c4848f0]More important than 2 or 4 is speed[/i:654c4848f0]

What he said. So long as you have a modern snowblower (with augers), being able to go slow enough is the issue. Reverse is too tall on my JD 3020 (and you don't want to back down a 6 mile road looking over your shoulder). First would be "OK" on that tractor, but my slowest reverse it 3rd.

I did have an old V-style blower where you were basically plowing to force the snow into the fan. I needed chains on that one.

Bob M · Feb 3, 2016

My son uses 2 WD Oliver 1850 and 3 point snowblower to clear his half mile long driveway. The rear tires are nearly worn out, and he does not have tire chains. But other giving him a stiff neck from operating "backward", the outfit works well, even through drifts 3 - 4 feet deep.

A Jim N points out the snowblower is most effective with the PTO spinning at the full 540 RPM. With the Oliver in deep snow it means operating in R1 and underdrive - about 1.7 mph; In less snow it works in R1 direct, or even R2 under/direct. But always with the throttle wide open!

flying belgian · Feb 3, 2016

Yes for a front mount blower fwa is almost a necessity. That being said you would be much more productive with a front mount plow either v-plow or one way. Better yet would be to add a wing to it. Problem with a blower is they are slow and take lots of power. Reason for power is you have to blow snow 50 ft. in the air just to move it over 10 ft. Think about it if you haven't already.

dlbuck · Feb 3, 2016

You will want a cab for sure. When the snow blows back on you for 6 miles because you can't play the wind right, it really helps.

DMP62 · Feb 3, 2016

A 2 wheel drive with weights and chains will work, 4 wheel drive is nice to have and you won't regret the likely extra cost if you go that route.

Not sure what your budget is going to be but you may want to consider looking at one of the Versatile or Ford bidirectionals, you wont't have the extra cost of the front mount blower setup, a regular 3 point blower will work, they're 4x4 and hydrostatic, cab, heat. I use an older Versatile with an 8' Lorenz blower and it's a great snow setup, no stiff neck without the cost and hassel of installing a likely expensive front mount setup, spend that money on the tractor instead. Hydrostatic is a real plus on a blower tractor too.

Married2Allis · Feb 3, 2016

With a snow blower on unpaved roads watch out for picking up big rocks in the blower auger which can do alot of damage, not to mention where they will land when exiting the chute. So you would have to keep the blower up off the road surface a few inches more than asphalt. With 2WD plenty of weight on the back and chains for sure, with the blower on the front you'll be weighting down the front wheels more.

Bruce from Can. · Feb 3, 2016

Six miles ??? Buy a road grader with a Vee plough and a wing.

2underage · Feb 3, 2016

I agree with Bruce, that or buy one of those surplus municipal dump trucks with a plow attachment. They are usually well maintained and are usually affordable.

Ray · Feb 3, 2016

6 miles, i'd buy an old state truck with a plow. Those older ones don't bring much.

dzc3 · Feb 3, 2016

You wont go wrong with a Lorenz snow blower regardless of the tractor you decide to mount it on.

DR. EVIL · Feb 3, 2016

A big frame IH hydro with a cab works great on snow blowers. Models like Hydro 186, 966 Hydro, 1066 Hydro, Hydro 100, and 3488 Hydro. All these are 100 or more HP.

Couple companies make front 3-points and pto's for them so can drive forward and run them.

paul · Feb 3, 2016

I would not consider a front mount snow blower without front wheel assist.

I would guess you could make it work, but why go to that agrimart ion when clearly front wheel assist will always prove better for such a setup.

Paul

Jim in Sask · Feb 3, 2016

For the distance you're doing a front-mount blower would be the practical choice, but they're not cheap. Schulte makes a push frame for their 3-point blowers but the whole setup would probably be in the $15-20,000 range. In years past Schulte and Richardson made front mount rotary blowers that didn't have the cross auger like current blowers have. There's a lot of these old blowers that show up on auction sales, usually bringing next to nothing but it'd be a long trip up here to get one.

Here's a link (copy/paste) to the new Schulte's:

http://www.schulte.ca/product/snow_removal/fm3502.html

rusty6 · Feb 3, 2016

Unless you have to climb mountains with it you will be fine with a two wheel drive tractor with front mount blower. This 4020 is pushing a front mount JD (McKee) just fine for a friend of mine. No chains or fluid in the rear tires.

Jim in Sask · Feb 3, 2016

Hello Rusty - I'd forgotten about those JD's with the front-facing pto. That setup your friend has would be a good choice for the opening poster.

tractorkrum · Feb 4, 2016

I have a front mount snowblower on a WD45 and it handles it OK as long as I do not have a lot on incline. I do not run chains on the tires, but have fluid in the tires and run a set of wheel weights. It works better if I get lots of snow compared to small amount. On six miles I would prefer a truck and plow.

rusty6 · Feb 4, 2016

(quoted from post at 22:50:09 02/03/16) Hello Rusty - I'd forgotten about those JD's with the front-facing pto. That setup your friend has would be a good choice for the opening poster.

Works great Jim. And the front pto on those JDs is 1000 rpm so he can run the 4020 at reduced rpm and still get more than enough fan speed to really throw the snow. This is the third tractor he has had that blower on. A 3020 previously and going way back, it was rear mounted on a 2010.
I wouldn't want to do six miles with it but I've kept my half mile driveway open for 40 years with an old McKee 6 foot rear mount on an even older tractor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3If1uIg7hA

vscummins · Feb 4, 2016

What is Agrimart ion some type of inbred gibberish ?

Tractor mount snowblower advice needed

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