PTO Blower making my life miserable!

[torch2k]

I'll try to keep it brief, but I have a few questions that I need answers to! Thanks.

My 2009 Cub Cadet sc2400 came to me used with a 60" "Agro Trend" PTO blower. I always set the 3PH to the float position, but IMMEDIATELY upon contact with snow it just rides right up on top of the snow, and within a few feet I am driving on top of 3,4 or 5 inches of (now-compacted) snow.

I've played with the 3PH angle adjustments to no avail.

My theory is that the skids on the back of the blower are preventing the 3PH angle adjustment from actually putting the blower into a position where it will cut. The feet are too big and affect the angle of the blower too much.
Note: in the photos I intentionally have the blower slightly off the ground.

So on to my questions in no particular order:

1. Is that blower just too big, too much for my tractor?

2. Should I cut off those sleds/feet on the back of the blower, and would that fix my problem?

3. Should I cut my losses and move to a completely different setup? (ie. front mount blower, or different rear blower)

Thanks!

 

[DMW]

Gravel or paved driveway?

 

[msb1766]

Are you sure that the augers are spinning? Check to see if they are. Each auger should have a replaceable sheer bolt.
Try To add some weight to the blower, just make sure you put an equal amount of weight on each side so you do not twist the frame.

 

[torch2k]

paved driveway

 

[torch2k]

Are you sure that the augers are spinning? Check to see if they are. Each auger should have a replaceable sheer bolt.
Try To add some weight to the blower, just make sure you put an equal amount of weight on each side so you do not twist the frame.

The augers are definitely spinning, engine rpm set to correct spot for pto as well. I didn't consider adding weight, I thought the 250-300lbs of the blower would be enough?

 

[DMW]

If your blower is built the same as my 48" Agrotrend, there are no shoes, the brackets(skids) are part of the frame and ride the same height as the bottom of the blower. The 60" is oversized, but used at slower speeds, or smaller bites will be ok. Your going to have an issue with traction on the front tires for steering, unless you have a loader/front weights. Do not place in float, keep the 3pt lever pushed down, in float it will rise and not return to driveway level. It will keep rising as you move along. There is no down pressure on the 3pt, all gravity. Adjusting the angle of the blower can help. You want the blower to be facing level/slightly down. On gravel , too much angle starts spitting a lot of stones.

 

[torch2k]

If your blower is built the same as my 48" Agrotrend, there are no shoes, the brackets(skids) are part of the frame and ride the same height as the bottom of the blower. The 60" is oversized, but used at slower speeds, or smaller bites will be ok. Your going to have an issue with traction on the front tires for steering, unless you have a loader/front weights. Do not place in float, keep the 3pt lever pushed down, in float it will rise and not return to driveway level. It will keep rising as you move along. There is no down pressure on the 3pt, all gravity. Adjusting the angle of the blower can help. You want the blower to be facing level/slightly down. On gravel , too much angle starts spitting a lot of stones.

You are correct, mine has skids and no shoes. I do have the front loader and I seem to be able to turn and use 4x4 fine with the blower. When you say "pushed down" do you mean leave it as low as possible, just before the float position?

 

[DMW]

There really isn't a float for the 3pt. Do not center the 3pt lever, keep it in the "lower" position. If it keeps riding up on the snow, lengthen the top link for a more aggressive angle.

 

[torch2k]

There really isn't a float for the 3pt. Do not center the 3pt lever, keep it in the "lower" position. If it keeps riding up on the snow, lengthen the top link for a more aggressive angle.

I think my lever is labeled differently, but I'm going to try what you're talking about today and report back. Thanks!

 

[DMW]

Labeling may be different, There should be a position that allows the 3pt arms to drop by gravity, but not rise.

 

[atitus74]

I wasn't aware that there was such a thing as float for a 3-point; like DMW says its gravity fed. I also wasn't aware there is an option for down-pressure. DWM are you sure that is possible?

If that tractor has position control put it at the lowest. Position control means there are specific values (usually numbers) that correspond to the height. If there are no numbers and just up down where it returns to center by itself, then you have the type without position control. In this case just put it down until it contacts the ground.

Third option -- see if you can get fixed position brackets. This is what my kubota has for the grass catcher. You use two adjustable linkages instead of only 1, and take the top of the linkages off the 3 point arms and attach to the brackets. Downside of that of course is that you cannot raise it.

 

[atitus74]

Well, the more I think about it the less that third option is even really an option. I think you will really want to be able to lift it. Ok, strike that -- sorry!

 

[RjCorazza]

I can’t tell from the picture if your blower has a cutting edge, but my blower without a beveled cutting edge would also ride up on snow. I used it this way for a few years riding on the housing steel, then got tired of it and had a nice edge welded on. It now doesn’t ride up, and works much better.

 

[DMW]

The Agro Trend blowers are economy models. No adjustable shoes, ride on the flat bottom of the blower and skids that are part of the frame.Any upward angle will raise the blower. I found it best to angle the blower slightly with the top link.

 

[torch2k]

Ok, update after trying to wrestle with it some more.

Added a bunch of photos

- blower in upper position and when it first hits the driveway
- handle positions for each of those two photos
- driveway photo evidence of how it floats
- hole i dug with my boot to show how badly it floats
- close-up pic - there is no cutting blade, it's more like a horizontal strip of metal that runs parallel to the ground
- garage pic - the 3PH vs PTO angles look pretty bad to me, are they not? The PTO doesn't sound very good if I have it turned on while in the upper position.

Also: Added (as safely as I could) a 200lb person standing over the skids and it had no affect whatsoever.

 

[jgayman]

It looks like your blower is tilted way from the tractor too far. The big supports going back to the blower should be almost parallel to the ground. You should be able to drop the 3PH arms down more. That will require shortening your top link a bit. I can't quite tell if you already have the top-link screwed all the way in or not. Tilting it more towards the tractor and getting the arms level will increase the attach angle of the cutting blade along the bottom.

 

[oldnslo]

Loosen the adjustable stop for the 3 pt level so you can push the lever down to position 1. At position3-4 you may still be crying the blower on the 3 pt arms so as the snow gets left behind tractor tires rise, blower gets higher, etc.

Looks like you have the top link way to long but fully understand that this was an attempt to get the blower to cut

Heavy wet snow snow or driving too fast can also cause the blower to climb due to the augers lifting the blower slightly. Probably not a concern with this size blower on your tractor.

Patience and you will get this figured out.

 

[DMW]

Angle is too aggressive, start with the blower flat on the skids and make small adjustments with the top link from there.

The numbers beside the lever looks like a height setting for a mid mount mower. The lever should go all the way forward to the end to full lower the 3pt.

There may be enough play in the lever to shift it past the stop, without loosening the knob at the "3" setting..

 

[leonz]

The augers are definitely spinning, engine rpm set to correct spot for pto as well. I didn't consider adding weight, I thought the 250-300lbs of the blower would be enough?

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Your definitely going to need more weight. The question is how to mount it on the snow blower.

You could have a steel fabrication shop build a frame to hold 6 vertical bags of tube sand-4 on one side two on the other vertically welding the frame on the back side as that will add plenty of weight once it gets wet and stays frozen.

You could also do have them build a frame to hold solid concrete blocks as well using angle iron to slide the vertical blocks into it making it a narrow box.

You may only need 3 blocks for ballast in that case I have no idea how much 8 by 8 angle iron costs today but you would only need one piece with a full weld and 2 straps to hold the blocks in place. Once they are in the holder they will not have to come out either.

SO you would need a piece of 8" by 8" by 38" angle iron and 2 pieces of 1/4" by 2" by 8" strap iron plus 2 hours of welding labor.

 

[torch2k]

Looks like you have the top link way to long but fully understand that this was an attempt to get the blower to cut

Yes, I had it much more level before I had taken those photos

The numbers beside the lever looks like a height setting for a mid mount mower. The lever should go all the way forward to the end to full lower the 3pt.

The lever on this tractor controls the 3PH and mid-mount mower at the same time. I can put it all the way down past 3, it just doesn't have any affect on how it rides up the snow.

One thing mentioned earlier was about the height settings. On this tractor, it doesn't matter if it's in float position or in a set position (eg "3"), the 3PH still raises up on the snow.