Snowblower Front vs Rear Snowblower; B7500 vs B7800 vs G60

[jcp]

Your experience on this would be appreciated. I live in the ridges of western PA and get 4 - 8" of snow with drifting for 3-4 months. I have to clear a 35x35' garage entrance, 50x10' of concrete driveway, 600x12' of private blacktop road plus an entrance that the township refiills regularly. About 100' of the blacktop has dangerous dropoffs on both sides.
Currently, I use a B7500 with a 5' Curtis blade on the FEL. This works and can be fun but has three drawbacks. It takes about 1-1/2 hrs per snowfall (including opening 2 neighboring widows small drives); requires about 3 hrs every other weekend or so to push the walls back; and the garage entrance starts to shrink in the last month or so.
Is this a lot for a rear snowblower? The Kubota dealer first suggested a 48" rear Luck Now blower but I was hesitant with my 50" tire width and concerns about size and dangerous sections. When I asked about front blowers he suggested moving to a B7800 given the amount to blow.
Lastly, when I mentioned that the FEL is not used much since the landscaping is basically finished (house contractor bankrupted), and that improved mowing would be nice he suggested a G60 machine with a blower. Overkill for 1 acre of grass though currently trimming after mowing with the B7500 takes twice as long as the mowing (lots of irregular edges).
Any comments on front vs rear and machine size would be appreciated.

 

[MadReferee]

I have a 75' x 75' parking area and about a 300' x 12' driveway and I use a rear snowblower on my B2710. I have a Pronovost Puma 64" blower. I can do my area in just over 30 minutes with another 15 minutes for moving vehicles.

The deepest snow we have had in the last year was about 16" and I had no problem with that. This blower just eats thru snow and drifts (its 24" high). High banks are no problem since the snow is being blown away into the woods and yard.

I have no problem sitting slightly sideways and looking over my shoulder. Get a blower that more than covers your tire tracks. Your B7500 will have no problem with a 54" blower.

 

[jcp]

Thanks Mad, the simplest solutions are typically the best. I looked for a source for Puma's without success before. Any recommendations? Anyone experienced with the Luck Now's that my dealer sells?

 

[hazmat]

Welcome to TBN.

I'd keep the the front plow & add the rear blower. When you get small amounts of snow, widrow it to the side with the plow & blow it into oblivion with the blower. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Don't sell your FEL. You will miss it.

You should be able to run a 54" no problem. My 18HP new holland runs a 48 no problem.

Don't know anything about the Lucknow blower. try the search feature here.

 

[pekabu]

I looked at some Lucknow blower's recently. Should do the job, but it is not at the top of my list.

My order of preference:
1. Woods (Big bucks)
2. Blizzard (tie)
2. Puma (tie)
3. Meteor
4. Lucknow

I think at the end of the day any will do a fine job unless you need deep snow capability then the Lorenz is the unit to have.

 

[B7500]

I just bought a new 48" PUMA rear snowblower for my 54" wide rear tires.
I hope It will work and that I won't be sorry I didn't go 54".
The dealer suggested the 48" so I took his word.
-Terry

 

[jcp]

Thnaks for all the feedback. I've priced Woods at one dealer. It seemed about 50% higher than the others. The Blizzard hoempage doesn't supply a dealers network and the Puma homepage is not responding this evening. Has anyone experienced the Erskine rear mounted but drive forward model. The concept seems interesting. Though it's a pull behind its pricing runs well ahead. Its surprising shipping weight, however, may make it the lowest price per pound snowblower out there. It suggests that it is well made.

 

[firemarshal]

Chappell Tractor in Milford, NH has a pile of Blizzard snow blowers. Not sure where you are at but no sales tax if you buy in tax free NH. The cost is $1600 for 54" with manual chute rotation. Not sure if they ship. I have the same tractor. Just received it last week. I am debating wether to buy new or wait until spring and buy used.

 

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

I have a Puma 54" on my BX22000, handles 2' of snow no problem. I paid $1K in May of 02 from a dealer in Mass. The FEL and rear blower is a great combo. BUT if $$$ was no object, a front blower is the way to go. I had an Ingersoll 16 hp gas tractor with a 48" front blower and it has nice not to look back while snow blowing. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[jcp]

Thanks for the lead. I went to their homepage and sent a query to see if they ship. After Sunday's football game, western PA may be blocked out. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif