Snowblower for a Kubota L4610hsthc

[martialplumber]

What would be the best style of snowblower for my Kubota L4610.It seems the rear snowblowers are the most cost effective but I think I would rather have a front mounted one.Is the anyone running either one of these on this tractor.

 

[George2615]

I would have liked a front blower but the price was too cost prohibitive for just doing a handful of driveways I do. I am happy using an old 7 1/2' truck plow I adapted to a QA plate on the front. Then I found a used 84" Lorenz double auger 3 pt. blower at a great price on CL. I refurbed and painted that and now use both where needed.

 

[Fallon]

Rear blowers are in the $2-3k range front is pushing $8k or so. Personally I prefer plowing as it's faster. I had a 3pt blower on the L3200 for the 10-20% of the time the plow wouldn't cut it.

 

[martialplumber]

I have about one mile of gravel roads that cut through the woods that have to be kept open, We have been using a pick up with a plow but as the snow banks get higher you just run out of room.I am hoping to get a snowblower to blow all the snow into the woods.We just got another 2' from yesterdays nor'easter and when the snow really piles up and snow banks get to high we have to hire someone with larger equipment to push back the snow banks.I know the rears are less expensive ,but I hate the thought of turning around looking back the whole time I am using the snow blower.I did find this on craigslist I do not know if it would work on my tractor.7' snow blower skid steer bob cat tractor attachment high flow trades

 

[sandyc]

I have used front blowers/plows for years. The front, for me is a nobrainer. I can switch from plow to blower in a couple of minutes. On my 3350 you have to remove the feel in order to use the front sub frame. My place is in the woods so plowing is problematic as the snow banks get too high and the drive gets too narrow. Also I have noted that if I turn to look out out the rear window the safety will shut down the motor.

 

[Fallon]

I have about one mile of gravel roads that cut through the woods that have to be kept open, We have been using a pick up with a plow but as the snow banks get higher you just run out of room.I am hoping to get a snowblower to blow all the snow into the woods.We just got another 2' from yesterdays nor'easter and when the snow really piles up and snow banks get to high we have to hire someone with larger equipment to push back the snow banks.I know the rears are less expensive ,but I hate the thought of turning around looking back the whole time I am using the snow blower.I did find this on craigslist I do not know if it would work on my tractor.

snow blower skid steer bob cat tractor attachment high flow trades

In short, NO.

The long version is a bit more nuanced. You could mount it on a SSQA loader & hook it up to your hydraulics. It would even spin. But tractors don't have nearly enough hydraulics to run one. That answer goes for a low flow impliment & that one is even worse needing high flow. You could buy or make a PTO powered hydraulic system to run it but that would cost several grand extra & be less efficient than PTO.

 

[martialplumber]

Fallon: Thank you for that information ,Looking around it seems that Erskine Attachments makes a back to front PTO kit, is that the way my tractor should be done. I take it this is why it is around 8k to do .Is there any other manufactures that also use that system or is a little more cost effective like Woods,Land Pride,etc

 

[sandyc]

A couple of other things you should no is that a front mount blower requires a sub frame,with related drive shafts. You might want a hydraulic chute rotator ($800). All the pieces and parts add up the $$$$$.

 

[DHD]

This youtube video was already linked to another thread on this forum, so maybe you've already seen it.

It's a possible alternative solution for you if you can't find a regular front mount to go on your Kubota L4610hsthc
Frankenblower shot with Nikon D71 - YouTube
What's good about this set-up is the tractors engine rpm does not have to be turned up to run PTO operating speed.

 

[KubotainNH]

This youtube video was already linked to another thread on this forum, so maybe you've already seen it.

It's a possible alternative solution for you if you can't find a regular front mount to go on your Kubota L4610hsthc
Frankenblower shot with Nikon D71 - YouTube
What's good about this set-up is the tractors engine rpm does not have to be turned up to run PTO operating speed.

That's my buddies setup, he still likes the way it works. Search Youtube for Frankenblower and you can see a video that tells more about it.

 

[DHD]

That's my buddies setup, he still likes the way it works. Search Youtube for Frankenblower and you can see a video that tells more about it.

Here's the youtube link
Frankenblower Explained - YouTube

 

[leonz]

Fallon: Thank you for that information ,Looking around it seems that Erskine Attachments makes a back to front PTO kit, is that the way my tractor should be done. I take it this is why it is around 8k to do .Is there any other manufactures that also use that system or is a little more cost effective like Woods,Land Pride,etc

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the only cost effective method is a rear mount per dollar spent.

The majority of them use a huge reverser gearbox attached to the front of the engine crankshaft and tractor frame to run a rear mount implement on the front spelled "much money".

The other major worry is whether or not your front axle can handle the extra weight of the snow caster and the Erskine mounting frame together.

You have to have the ground clearance for the under frame mount as well. witha rear mount you only have to worry about having a low enough angle for the PTO shaft to prevent premature wear of the PTO shaft. If you bought a rear mount a quick hitch would solve that issue for you as the mounting angle of the PTO shaft would be very low as the quick hitch extends the length and reduces the angle of the drive line from the joint at the PTO shaft stub to joint at the gear box PTO stub on the snow caster and you would not have to worry about cutting it to the right length.

For the money involved you should see if a swivel seat is available for your tractor and then go from there to buy a wider rear mount snow caster. you may be looking at 18K when all is said and done with an under frame to front attachment kit for the snow caster with all the parts and spare parts.

 

[DHD]

I don't believe a pull type snow blower has been mentioned yet.
Erskine and a few other snow blower manufactures have them.
http://www.erskineattachments.com/attachments-catalog/snowblower-rear-pull.pdf
http://lucknowproducts.com/sites/default/files/pull type2015.pdf
Beaver Valley Supply Company - Meteor Pull Type 3pt. Snow Blowers

I considered one for my Kubota B7800, but my tractors ground clearance is only 14.6 inches, which might not be high enough,
especially with this last storm (18+ inches) we had.
I elected to go for a 64" wide Rear mount snow blower, and snow blow backing up, but I don't have one mile of gravel road like you do.

Perhaps a pull type snow blower would work with your Kubota L4610

 

[KubotainNH]

Here's the youtube link
Frankenblower Explained - YouTube

I forgot he used a Barbie doll as a pointer. He's a bit off....lol.

 

[nybirdman]

Fallon: Thank you for that information ,Looking around it seems that Erskine Attachments makes a back to front PTO kit, is that the way my tractor should be done. I take it this is why it is around 8k to do .Is there any other manufactures that also use that system or is a little more cost effective like Woods,Land Pride,etc

My BIL has a used Lofness front,rear PTO ,electric shute rotator and undercarriage,drive shaft and gear box..6ft.wide and requires
35-80HP and the FEL to be removed.$2500.He purchased the tractor with only 176 hours on the clock.
Located in Northern NY.,on the Canadian Border.PM me if interested.I can send all kinds of pictures.

 

[nybirdman]

A couple pictures of the blower and tractor as purchased.We installed the FEL after removing the blower.Rear PTO driven,gear box,shaft ,sub-frame as they came off the L3300.

 

[Fallon]

I don't believe a pull type snow blower has been mentioned yet.
Erskine and a few other snow blower manufactures have them.
http://www.erskineattachments.com/attachments-catalog/snowblower-rear-pull.pdf
http://lucknowproducts.com/sites/default/files/pull type2015.pdf
Beaver Valley Supply Company - Meteor Pull Type 3pt. Snow Blowers

I considered one for my Kubota B7800, but my tractors ground clearance is only 14.6 inches, which might not be high enough,
especially with this last storm (18+ inches) we had.
I elected to go for a 64" wide Rear mount snow blower, and snow blow backing up, but I don't have one mile of gravel road like you do.

Perhaps a pull type snow blower would work with your Kubota L4610

They are cool, but you need a big machine to run them. Or more precisely you need a big machine that can drive through any snow drift you are likely to encounter.

In a good number of snows here in Denver CO we get a foot of heavy wet snow or 3-4'+ drifts (seen 6' drifts a good few times up against my sliding barn door... sucks digging 25' of that out to be able to open the door to get to my tractor). My L3200 couldn't drive through some of that much less plow through it. If you can't drive through it, you certainly can't pull a pull blower through it. Pushing a 3pt blower or front blower means you clear a path to drive on without problems.

There are several options for mounting & getting power to a front blower. Generally they all cost as much or noticeably more than the blower itself.

I don't like the pain in the neck factor of a 3pt blower, but it is by far the most cost effective option. To counter the neck issues & because it's faster I run my SSQA plow mostly. Flip around to blow only when the plow won't cut it. Or at least I did on the old L3200. Not sure if I need to replace the blower on my new L4060hstc, it's 72" wide so sold the old 60" blower after I sold the L3200. Will likely replace the blower as a backup with a good Craigslist or auction find at some point.

 

[FatTire]

They are cool, but you need a big machine to run them. Or more precisely you need a big machine that can drive through any snow drift you are likely to encounter.

In a good number of snows here in Denver CO we get a foot of heavy wet snow or 3-4'+ drifts (seen 6' drifts a good few times up against my sliding barn door... sucks digging 25' of that out to be able to open the door to get to my tractor). My L3200 couldn't drive through some of that much less plow through it. If you can't drive through it, you certainly can't pull a pull blower through it. Pushing a 3pt blower or front blower means you clear a path to drive on without problems.

There are several options for mounting & getting power to a front blower. Generally they all cost as much or noticeably more than the blower itself.

I don't like the pain in the neck factor of a 3pt blower, but it is by far the most cost effective option. To counter the neck issues & because it's faster I run my SSQA plow mostly. Flip around to blow only when the plow won't cut it. Or at least I did on the old L3200. Not sure if I need to replace the blower on my new L4060hstc, it's 72" wide so sold the old 60" blower after I sold the L3200. Will likely replace the blower as a backup with a good Craigslist or auction find at some point.

If I really wanted a front mount blower for a tractor, I'd get a skid steer hydraulic blower for the FEL and a 3pt PTO pump. It only takes a minute to switch over to an FEL plow. Fallon- If you ever have enough spare time to make a run up to the upper midwest, there are a ton of 3pt blowers on Craigslist in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the Dakotas. I watched the Denver and other Colorado Craigslist sites most of the winter before realizing that this just isn't a good place to find a good deal on a blower.

 

[Fallon]

If I really wanted a front mount blower for a tractor, I'd get a skid steer hydraulic blower for the FEL and a 3pt PTO pump. It only takes a minute to switch over to an FEL plow. Fallon- If you ever have enough spare time to make a run up to the upper midwest, there are a ton of 3pt blowers on Craigslist in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the Dakotas. I watched the Denver and other Colorado Craigslist sites most of the winter before realizing that this just isn't a good place to find a good deal on a blower.

Will keep an eye out. I think there is/was a 74" Schute here in Parker for under $1,500. Hard to get motivated to go look, much less spend anything on a blower when the $2.5k I spent on a new SSQA plow that never got enough snow to use this year. Although now that it's in the 70s here, probably a good time of the year to get a good deal on one.

I actually bought a single stage SSQA blower a while back. It was a 3pt conversion originally. Paid $400 for the blower & a 500 gallon tank on stand. Sold the blower for $450 after I decided I didn't want to concert it back to a 3pt.

I like the PTO hydraulic power pack idea, but it's just to expensive to justify & I have no other need for one... Yet. I find the plow WAY faster so prefer it to a blower up front. Would be nice to have a blower again to backup the plow when it's really deep or wet snow though.

A lot depends on your snow. Stuff here in the Parker (Denver) area melts fast so banks really aren't an issue.

 

[aczlan]

A couple pictures of the blower and tractor as purchased.We installed the FEL after removing the blower.Rear PTO driven,gear box,shaft ,sub-frame as they came off the L3300.

Can you post a couple of closeup pictures of the chute and the base of the chute?
I need to convert the "truck loading" chute on our Loftness to a regular chute.

Thanks

Aaron Z