Do front-mount snow blowers follow the ground ??

[rbargeron]

This is a question for the owners for front-mount snowblowers - especially the Erskine style. Does the cutting edge follow the ground, or does it stay lined up parallel with the tractor's rear axle?

My driveways are paved, curved and sloped - there is a small amount of "twist" to the surfaces, especially where they join together. In these spots the FEL bucket rides on one end, with the other end out of contact maybe 4"-6". My rear-mount blower is close enough to the rear axle that it stays in contact ok.

I've been thinking about trying out an Erskine front-mount blower - they have a great reputation for quality. But the Erskine linkage looks like it doesn't allow side-to-side tilt. I called Erskine and they said that no provision is built in for it. I was wondering if there is enough flex play in them to allow one end to be higher than the other. Any experience out there?

 

[hdbikercouple]

if it don't flex. look at the linkage to make it sloppy (it will have flex then )

 

[art]

I haven't seen one built yet that would tilt from side to side when new. That could put a new twist to the driveline!

 

[rbargeron]

A member posted in another forum that he had a six-foot Erkine front blower he was looking to part with - I had a surplus Farmi 601 so we traded machines.

Over the weekend I put the Erskine on my Kubota L5450. I installed it so the Erskine front mounting plate rests in the two FEL cradles. It is blocked from going forward or back, or sliding sideways, but it is free to lift on either side so the blower can rotate and follow the ground independent of the back tires. The back end of the Erskine frame hangs from the drawbar and the pin is loose enough to allow the whole unit to tilt a few degrees. I tried driving it around my twistiest places - the blower tilts and stays in full contact with the ground independent of the tractor.

So one answer to the original question is - Erskine front blowers can be mounted so they are full-floating and follow the ground.

Now here's hoping it snows around here this winter.