Front blower

[metalbender]

So it begins. Salvaged sprockets and chain from an old pull type combine. Had a bit of 8x6 tube. Snagged a solid 1 5/8 round from an old rod weeder. Princess Auto has lots of bearings. Split the tube with the plasma, took out material and milled the sides straight. The bits will be welded to make the chain case. The unit will be mounted close to the tractor so I can still use the three point.

 

[KWentling]

Have you taken into account the rotation direction needed for front mounting? If it's a rear mount blower being moved to the front, you'll need to reverse that rotation either
at the rear or at the blower. I used a swather swivel gearbox to do that. I have seen others use chain and sprockets using a third sprocket.

 

[metalbender]

The well laid plan of mice and men. If all goes well, The rotation will be reversed on the ssqa plate. I'll have to come in low from the tractor to avoid the cross bars on the loader. I have some 30 tooth #60 sprockets as well as idlers so the system will resemble a heart. Power in at the bottom, idlers above the driven on either side with good purchase on the driven. Picture looks good in my head so far, reality might set in and scramble things a tad. With all this Covid crap happening, I still have to go get the blower.

 

[KWentling]

That should work. This is going to be loader mounted? I had considered that. I made a parallel linkage mount to the front of the tractor. More work involved but tucks the blower up tight
to the tractor, and i can use it for a front weight bracket too when the loader is off.

 

[metalbender]

It will be loader mounted. Member Lakesidenursery posted one for his Kubota. Using that basic design, and features of the Erskine. Will need some form of limiter on the loader so stuff doesn't go south. Lots of sittn' n thinkin'

 

[metalbender]

Was all set to spend basically all of tomorrow going to pick up an older JD 59 inch blower for $600 for my project. Cheking FB marketplace this morning, the local Kubota dealer had a Farm King 660 for a super price. Nedless to say, I saved a whole lot of travel time, fuel and Covid aggravation. For a few dollars more, I have relatively new machine, even has the manual in the tube.

 

[metalbender]

Making progress, hopefully the blower will mount without mods.

 

[DaveOmak]

Below is one idea to get the "reverse rotation" needed to move a snow blower to the front of a tractor.......

 

[metalbender]

I've been searching all manner of systems. The reverse rotation will be right on the back side of the qa mounting plate. I'm using larger sprockets for the drive and driven for better power transfer .The blower will bolt on to the plate, it's too nice to screw up with mods. The rear chain case does hang down a bit, still have eight inches of clearence. My area is flat, no problem.

 

[Stomper]

Ill be watching this thread as I have a similar farmking blower that I have thought about doing this to. Just don't like the driving backwards. How do you plan on supporting the driveshaft to the front of the tractor. BTW nice to see another Saskatchewanian here.

 

[grsthegreat]

As long as you don’t accidentally lift loader arm and mess up shaft.

 

[metalbender]

I ditched the idea of the old 1 5/8 shaft in favour of a new 1 1/4 one. The old one is of questionable quality and doesn't fit through my lathe headstock to check if it's straight. The shaft will be supported with two bearings to minimize whip and another at the front pto mounting plate. Don't really know if 36 hp could cause whip, but easy to avert problems. A simple ladder frame, 2x3 x .125 box tube, attached to the chain case and a couple of bolts at the front. A fixed mount on the front will allow quick mounting at the front end.
The pto shaft concerns me a great deal. It will run between the loader cross braces with not much wiggle room. Won't be a problem with minimal loader elevation, don't see a happy event with curl though. Have to figure out what kind of travel limit options I need to put in place when the time comes. Unfortunately my Cardboard Aided Design system doesn't allow for 3D animation.

 

[DaveOmak]

You might have to put a coupler at the cross braces and 2 PTO shafts.... or a bearing support and CV joint to allow the shaft to turn the corner.....

OR.... Drive it with hydraulics... Put a hydraulic motor on the snow blower....If you need more hydraulic power, add a hydraulic pump to drive the blower...

Get it right so you don't have to do it again....

 

[metalbender]

Working on it. Milled the key slots, made up a shear bolt assembly, possible 1/4 or 5/16 shear bolts. The chain case drive floats on the pto. Need that as a safety in case the thing grenades. Using a double #50 chain coupler for the shaft. The unit will mount above the draw bar, using the draw bar bolt to tighten it. It would be a lot easier if I didn稚 want to keep the loader on. Erskine and Schulte have been running rear drives for a long time with success.