Upstate NY Snow-Handling

[Got2BTru]

OK, so I picked up a snow push for my 2555HST and I'm not really impressed. Thought winter is not quite over, I can see that I will have quite a bit of fun getting the gravel back into the driveway come next month (crossing fingers anyhow).

I'm thinking of getting a snow blower. I do NOT want to drive backwards down our 1350' driveway, so I'm looking at either a front mount or a rear mounted pull behind (forward facing).

The Mahindra front mount would be $8k according to my dealer (with mid-mount PTO addition). Anyone have one of the rear mounted pull behind, that is forward facing?

 

[HEC]

You may want to look on you tube to see some in operation. It wouldn't be my choice but some people do like them . I have had snow storms here in Maine where my Kubota 5700 wouldn't drive through it , let alone pull a snow blower . I have a fairly long driveway that can get iced after a freezing rain making traction not so good underneath a new snow storm . I wouldn't want to have to back up for 1300 ft. either but it might be better choice as you can still have your bucket , you at least have a cab to stay warm . Maybe a back up camera would help out , sure would save some money as to the front or pull type blower .

 

[George2615]

I use an old truck plow on the FEL and use one of the rear remotes to angle it. Don't have a pull type 3 pt. blower but a double auger Lorenz type. The plow works great but I too have a lot of raking this spring to get the gravel back in the driveway. Plowing up gravel is one of the downfalls of having a gravel drive. Price is why I don't have a front mount blower either.
I bought my tractor with a 7' snow pusher box and used it for one season but found it not very good for plowing driveways, especially with curves. Box fills up then can't steer. Its meant for straight runs like a parking lot so I sold mine the second year.

 

[Coyote machine]

Can't advise on a snow blower forward pull unit. I have a HLA branded 6' designed for tractor use, made in Canada plow that works great. A guy just recently posted about buying one, modifying it for his really rough over mile long drive. He added 'true' 'float' to his and likes it a lot. I do agree with no backwards blowing for me, or front mount, with center PTO. Complete nightmare to mount/dismount. Wicked expensive too. I can put my plow on in seconds, just like any QA attachment, and I can move snow as high as the loader will lift/push. It's FUN!

 

[RNeumann]

Skip the front mount blower. Your machine isn’t big enough for the hydraulic type and the frame mount means you have to take the FEL off. You don’t need a Mahindra branded rear blower. I’d post something like “what’s the best brand of 3pt forward facing rear blower” over in the snow plow section. You will have about 10 pages of response and debate. It will show 2-3 common names and from there it will come down to cost (with shipping) or one your local dealer can source for you.

I’m wondering why the front blade was such a mess. If your ground doesn’t freeze and stay frozen all winter then the hinged chain type is what you need. My FEL blade doesn’t like the first and last snow storms. The ground isn’t frozen and all it does is dig. If your ground thaws I’d imagine you had a long winter fighting that! Another thing folks don’t realize is front blade = front chains. If you had big rear chains and a front plow I’m guessing the front end got pushed around a bit.

 

[Jcoon]

I’ve got 700 feet of drive, with my 3 point blower I can do the driveway part in 5 minutes or less, that’s with 14” of wet snow. It’s not bad at all on my neck, but I’m only 27 lol I’m pretty far UPSTATE lol 30 minutes south of the border.

 

[Thomas]

I don't have pull behind blower but friend does and likes it if snow fluffy less than foot,but when it comes to hard 2' snow drifts extra work w/front loader.

 

[Coyote machine]

Skip the front mount blower. Your machine isn’t big enough for the hydraulic type and the frame mount means you have to take the FEL off. You don’t need a Mahindra branded rear blower. I’d post something like “what’s the best brand of 3pt forward facing rear blower” over in the snow plow section. You will have about 10 pages of response and debate. It will show 2-3 common names and from there it will come down to cost (with shipping) or one your local dealer can source for you.

I’m wondering why the front blade was such a mess. If your ground doesn’t freeze and stay frozen all winter then the hinged chain type is what you need. My FEL blade doesn’t like the first and last snow storms. The ground isn’t frozen and all it does is dig. If your ground thaws I’d imagine you had a long winter fighting that! Another thing folks don’t realize is front blade = front chains. If you had big rear chains and a front plow I’m guessing the front end got pushed around a bit.

OP stated:"OK, so I picked up a snow push for my 2555HST and I'm not really impressed."

 

[LouNY]

I have thought about a pull type blower also.
At this time I have a plow for the FEL, I have the back blade, and of course the loader bucket and a plow truck.
My only concern with a blower would be the same concern with all the different blades when the driveway is soft
how to keep it from digging into the gravel.

 

[jb1390]

Before giving up on the front Pusher/plow, try putting a pipe over the cutting edge. It makes a huge difference.

 

[Got2BTru]

This is our first winter on our 32 acres, so we knew this would be a "learning experience". Our driveway is 1350' long with 2 turns.

With regard to the 7' snow push...when the ground was frozen, it was fine...but CNY winters (Verona NY, in between Syracuse & Utica) are up and down with temps. I don't think a plow blade would have been any better to be honest.

As for my 2555 not having enough for a front mount snow blower, I'm told the Mahindra front blower is done with a mid-mount PTO addition, but the cost is roughly $8k, which is NUTS to me.

Since it's done with the addition of the mid-mount PTO, the hydraulics are only used for chute, etc.

Hope that clarifies.

I *have* thought about installing a camera (for watching the dogs when I brush hog)...but then the Mrs. yells at me for pimping the tractor... ;o)

 

[nybirdman]

Note;when brush hogging you shouldn't allow any people/dogs/horses ect.any-where near where you are working.I value my dogs too much to allow them any-where near my tractor at any time(stay in the house or kennel).

 

[RNeumann]

The hydraulic blowers are driven by a hydraulic motor and don’t use the mid PTO. Your machine doesn’t have the hydraulic output to run the hydraulic motor.
The PTO style requires the removal of the FEL.
I’m in agreement that neither of those are a good idea.
The rear blower may be your best shot. But given your freeze thaw cycles I’d look into a front blade that is hinged and hangs off a chain. It may work for you, it may not- just throwing out another option. You have all summer to plan!

 

[Coyote machine]

The hydraulic blowers are driven by a hydraulic motor and don’t use the mid PTO. Your machine doesn’t have the hydraulic output to run the hydraulic motor.
The PTO style requires the removal of the FEL.
I’m in agreement that neither of those are a good idea.
The rear blower may be your best shot. But given your freeze thaw cycles I’d look into a front blade that is hinged and hangs off a chain. It may work for you, it may not- just throwing out another option. You have all summer to plan!

Using a front mounted blower it is near impossible to keep gravel from getting caught and blown wherever it lands, UNLESS you can keep the blower leading edge raised enough to not contact the drive's surface.
HLA makes full float blades, (like using a chain to lift the blade and let it float), in their 3000 series plows, BUT this series may be too heavy/big for your model tractor. The other thing to consider is what my pro-plower does. He won't plow my drive when conditions are adverse to a good result. That means until a thaw refreezes, no plowing takes place. And at beginning of season, no plowing is done until at least a frozen base of 3 inches of snow is already tracked into the drive's surface.
It can be done, it takes practice and discipline, but it's hardly rocket science.

 

[Dutch445]

Hey Tru,
keep this in mind about winters up here, 90% of the plowable snow we get is during the colder months,
and your push will work fine.
we will get some snow in early winter when the ground is not frozen yet, and we seem to be getting a few
more storms in march after a thaw, making the snow very heavy and hard to move. but normally we
don't get FEET of snow like we have this month ( i bet we had 60" here this month , as my yard is till 18"-24" deep
in most parts).
forward drive, 3ph blowers work good on long driveways when the snow isn't too deep, but i'm not so sure you will love having
one with a 24" heavy wet March snow as once you drive on that stuff the tires compress the slush to an icy pack
making removal difficult no matter what you have. a standard rear facing blower would give you the option to
blow in reverse on those occasions when the push doesn't work well, which really shouldn't be that many times a year

 

[Jcoon]

My 3 point blower has shoes on it, I never pick up anything and my driveway is crushed concrete and asphalt.

I have the back camera also, it is very handy, I went for the $30 one off amazon and it works great for what I want, I just have a sandwhich bag over the monitor.

 

[JerryK]

I currently use a 2555 front blower setup along with a smaller tractor with a 6' front blade, both have 2" ID split 1/4" wall pipes on the cutting edge. Both still need frozen ground/built up base to keep from picking up gravel/etc. I have a 78" JRW rear blower that I used for years. The advantages to a rear blower is that your can usually tilt the top of the unit towards the tractor at the first of the season, and if it has fairly substantial skids on it [ you can add these to any blower ], it rides over the ground better without digging in. Another advantage to a rear blower is that you can usually lift it up higher than a front blower, which comes in handy once and awhile. [ You still need to keep the PTO shaft loading down when operating at more than about 15 degrees ]. And rear blowers are pretty easy to move from tractor to tractor. The problem with your 2555, is the seat area [width ]does not allow you to sit side saddle to keep some of the strain off your neck. Rear blowers work best with bigger tractors with more operator room. I am not a fan of rear pull blowers. But that is your call. The Mahindra 78" front blower does not lift very high [ normal for front blowers ], but is a well designed/built unit. But at the first of the season before a base is built up or when the area around your mailbox is unfrozen.... it will blow the sand and gravel just as good as it blows snow.

 

[Got2BTru]

Thanks for the info Jerry...at the beginning of the season, before my base hardens, can't I simply lift the blower off the ground an inch or two, whether I go with rear pull blower or front Mahindra blower?

 

[JerryK]

Thanks for the info Jerry...at the beginning of the season, before my base hardens, can't I simply lift the blower off the ground an inch or two, whether I go with rear pull blower or front Mahindra blower?

What I used to do, is make up a set of skid shoes to use at the first/last of the season. Depending on how your blower is made. I used two pieces of 4" angle on the end of my JRW to hold it up some off the surface. Most blowers/blades have skid shoes that are maybe effective on a paved surface, but not big enough/well built to work on loose stone or wet mud. Finally, I just do not blow snow until the base is there. You will still blow dirt in unfrozen areas by your mailbox, etc. until that freezes up. I have never had any luck trying to just lift the blower up a little above the ground, nothing I have is that flat. But there are ways to put skids on just about anything if you keep your mind open. They will still dig in some on soft ground, but you live with what you have that you can not find a fix for. In the end, creating and maintaining your base is the wisest choice... some years it's a breeze, like last winter. Some is a pain... Their are no laws keeping you from reworking the stock skid shoes on blowers or blades... you will find a solution. Have at it.

PS: If you send me your new tractor and blower, I will mod your skid shoes and test your setup for a few years. No charge to you, other than the shipping, of course......

 

[Got2BTru]

Note;when brush hogging you shouldn't allow any people/dogs/horses ect.any-where near where you are working.I value my dogs too much to allow them any-where near my tractor at any time(stay in the house or kennel).

I don't encourage the dogs to be anywhere near me...but that's not always easy to do!