pto snowblower size?

[Farmer495]

How much weight do you have total with the loaded rears? I'm still trying to figure out what the magic weight/width ratio for snowblowers is. Another thread seemed to say you want at least 5 PTO HP / foot of snowblower width.



Each snowfall normally isn't enormous, its the drift that happens that really closes the driveway. I honestly couldn't tell you how much I get, but I'll attach pictures of one of the worst days last winter. GRANTED, this is the result of plowing for 2+ months and creating berms which just aggravate the drifting issue.

Tractor weighs around 8500lb with loader and 78" HD bucket + weight of snow blower. More than heavy enough for 78", others near me run an 84" on same size of tractor. The 84" usually are taller and bigger fan, might move more snow and take more power, but they were way more money when I priced. (50% more)

You can carry the blower off the ground to put all weight on the drive wheels until final clean up/

I ran a different 78" on a much smaller 38 PTO HP 2wd with no chains with minimal complaints.

64 PTO HP plays with 78" I usually end up pushing snow with the blower without tractor lugging down.

For what you are picturing worst day with drifts, I'd have no issue with my set up. 3-4 foot tall drifts for long distances do require some extra work to open up first pass.

 

[JJT]

I'm running a 78" AgroTrend blower with 30 pto horses, no issues for 25 years. Fortunately I have HST and can creep into the snow banks. We see snow storms from 4" to 4'. I plowed with a tractor and a truck for years, I'll never go back to a plow. No snowbanks and I only have to move snow once.

 

[LouNY]

I have two blowers they are both just a bit wider then the tractors.

I like both blowers, the inverted works quite well on 20" or less more then 24" I would be concerned about riding up then digging a hole and high centering the tractor. A person could easily back up into a deep drift 5-6 feet then pull ahead.

I do run chains all of the time in the winter.

 

[MinnesotaMorg]

8500lb with loader and 78" HD bucket + weight of snow blower. More than heavy enough for 78"

I think I should be fine for weight then, as long as I stick to the 72-84" size. For chains I'll go a winter without and see if I need them.

I have two blowers they are both just a bit wider then the tractors.

What is your rear facing snowblower? It looks nice

 

[LouNY]

I have no idea what the brand is it's quite heavy and tall, it was old and used when I bought it.
I think this was the brand not sure I haven't figured it out;

It does seem to be a decently well built unit.

 

[Farmer495]

I have no idea what the brand is it's quite heavy and tall, it was old and used when I bought it.
I think this was the brand not sure I haven't figured it out;
View attachment 745853
It does seem to be a decently well built unit.

LOFTNESS?

 

[Farmer495]

I think I should be fine for weight then, as long as I stick to the 72-84" size. For chains I'll go a winter without and see if I need them.

Good plan, I haven't needed chains yet with 4wd. I do a lot of road travel in winter so sort of rules them out.

I do run chains on a 2wd loader tractor, they make a huge difference between being tractor useless and useful.

 

[MinnesotaMorg]

Does anyone have any opinion on open gear box vs oil bath?

I think I talked to one rep and he stated that the oil bath will last longer and less maintenance etc. How often do you need to lubricate open gears? Maybe open gear is fine for my own use?

 

[Farmer495]

Does anyone have any opinion on open gear box vs oil bath?

I think I talked to one rep and he stated that the oil bath will last longer and less maintenance etc. How often do you need to lubricate open gears? Maybe open gear is fine for my own use?

View attachment 745878

The actual gear box that the PTO shaft on the tractor connects to the fan and auger drive should be oil bath anyways, at least it was on all the ones I've looked at. The auger drive is typically open sprockets and roller chain on the end of the auger, but I've seen some augers driven off the center of the fan with an enclosed gear box. I've had no issues with chain drive auger, keep chain tight and oiled.

 

[CH4Ohio]

Buy a blower the width of the tractor, no narrower, but not much wider.

I have MK Martin. I run 78" on 64 PTO HP It's exactly the width of the tractor and was a lot cheaper than an 84".

4wd means next to zero need for chains. I do not run chains, loaded rears with cast wheels. I clear several houses plus farm yard every storm.

Creeper gearing is not necessary, most newer tractors, lowest reverse gear on proper sized blower usually sufficient with minimal clutching unless you are in really deep snow.

Once first pass is done you can take part width passes.

Get hyd rotate and tip (two remotes)

I hardly use loader for snow removal, just back dragging from doors or if I need to scrape with down pressure.

What are your average snow events? 6" or 24" for example?

I agree with the above. Have had a 64" and an 84" rear blower on several tractors.

Get a blower that covers your rear wheel tracks with a little overhang. I really don't think trying to go any wider buys you anything in the long run. This is the most nimble maneuverable configuration and maximizes your ability to power the blower in the heaviest snow.

I never run chains. Have never needed chains on a 4WD tractor. Can't understand why they'd be needed on a driveway. The few times that I've gotten stuck was because I dropped a tire into a ditch or a hole -- chains wouldn't help. And I've always been able to use the loader to push or pull myself out of those situations.

I bought one blower new and one used. The used one was kept in a barn, was like new, and less than half price of a new one. I looked for quite a while and was ready to pounce when I found it. Snowblowers, especially self-propelled ones, are often bought right after a big snowstorm and then get very little use -- at least in this part of the country.

Good luck with it.

 

[LouNY]

I never run chains. Have never needed chains on a 4WD tractor. Can't understand why they'd be needed on a driveway. The few times that I've gotten stuck was because I dropped a tire into a ditch or a hole -- chains wouldn't help. And I've always been able to use the loader to push or pull myself out of those situations.

I always run chains in the winter,
in my driveway with no chains you would not stop or get back up the hill.
A 2wd tractor with 4 link spaced V bar reinforced chains pulling a 9 or 10 foot back blade with the blade down will not stop just using the brakes.
You can blade snow with the clutch in on 80% of the driveway.
The loader bucket is the brake that will help stop you.

 

[tjandrews]

I'm from near Syracuse, NY. We've been known to get some blowing and drifting snow from time to time...

Currently using the only tractor snowblower we've ever owned, a Frontier 1164 on a John Deere 4600. 4WD, forward/reverse transmission, loaded industrial tires (that's what came on it), no chains. 64-inch working width, about the same as the tractor. 100 ft double-wide driveway at the house, longer and wider at the barn. Tractor has more than enough power to run the blower at full capacity. Yeah, we have to make more than one pass, but a blower that's too wide would limit maneuverability. Biggest thing is that we don't wait until it stops snowing to clear the driveway when a big storm is predicted. We'll clean it out as many times as necessary to get us out, or emergency vehicles in, as necessary.

 

[jayhawk238]

I am looking to get a PTO snowblower and I'm trying to narrow down my choices. My initial thought was get basically as wide as I can power. I have a MF 4707, and I was thinking of the Erskine 925RM. This is a 90" width 35" height, should fit right its PTO range is 40-90hp.

I am wondering is there any reason I should be trying to slightly wider or narrower? I'm hoping people who have used these things can give some insights, I imagine wider means Ill have fewer issues with my tires hitting the sides as I turn and adjust the path of the tractor. Narrower I imagine you'll have fewer slow downs and potentially do each down and back faster? Maybe I should be looking to get a blower that is just over half the width of my driveway so that I can do 1 down and back as fast as possible?

If anyone has recommendations for size / brand / whatever I'm all ears. Like most stuff in the tractor game it seems to be hard to find reviews, or even opinions.

For reference Ill be blowing drifts that build over my driveway, so its fairly packed snow.

Where I live in Idaho the are 3 100hp plus NH tractors and they all run a Schulte snowblowers. There is not much that slows them bad boys down. It would be at least worth your time to look into a Schulte blower.

 

[MinnesotaMorg]

I just thought of something. Should I consider the bucket as part of the tractor when it comes to width? The bucket is 84" so maybe I want a minimum of 84" snowblower?

 

[hube2]

I just thought of something. Should I consider the bucket as part of the tractor when it comes to width? The bucket is 84" so maybe I want a minimum of 84" snowblower?

I would, you need the bucket to fit through where you just blew or you'll need to blow with the bucket up.

 

[Farmer495]

I just thought of something. Should I consider the bucket as part of the tractor when it comes to width? The bucket is 84" so maybe I want a minimum of 84" snowblower?

You will normally carry the bucket higher than the snow anyways, otherwise the bucket cuts to the uncleared snow if you aren't blowing in a perfect straight line.

 

[MinnesotaMorg]

I think I have it narrowed down to the meteor SB87 or the SB87D (dual auger variant)

I want originally looking at the Erskine 925RM, was told to consider the LOFTNESS, as there are a few factory direct leftovers (they no longer produce them), and looked into Pronovosts. The Prono and the Erskine are just so expensive, I think I can get the Meteor SB87 for 5k, the others are going to be double that. The LOFTNESS one I was looking at that fit my PTO was 72" and I think I'm set on getting one that's 80+ inches.

the MF4707 has numerous wheel width configurations but it seems like only the narrowest 2 would allow for a 72" blower. I just prefer be able to set my wheel width to likely the default (1533mm track width + 420mm tire width = 1953mm (76.8 inches).

Any last thoughts on the MK martin Meteor SB87 or SB87D? The iron is getting hot and I figure I want to pull the trigger sooner than later so I'm not in some situation come fall where I am waiting on an order to come in.

 

[LouNY]

I would be sure to have clearance for tire chains when setting my tire spacing and then enough blower to cover my width plus a bit.
I realize that many people seem to get by without chains but I am well aware that I can not and I'd certainly want the option.

 

[Farmer495]

I think I have it narrowed down to the meteor SB87 or the SB87D (dual auger variant)

I want originally looking at the Erskine 925RM, was told to consider the LOFTNESS, as there are a few factory direct leftovers (they no longer produce them), and looked into Pronovosts. The Prono and the Erskine are just so expensive, I think I can get the Meteor SB87 for 5k, the others are going to be double that. The LOFTNESS one I was looking at that fit my PTO was 72" and I think I'm set on getting one that's 80+ inches.

the MF4707 has numerous wheel width configurations but it seems like only the narrowest 2 would allow for a 72" blower. I just prefer be able to set my wheel width to likely the default (1533mm track width + 420mm tire width = 1953mm (76.8 inches).

Any last thoughts on the MK martin Meteor SB87 or SB87D? The iron is getting hot and I figure I want to pull the trigger sooner than later so I'm not in some situation come fall where I am waiting on an order to come in.

I have zero regrets with SB78. No issues with MK Martin, I've used it several winters now. Only repair I made was to weld up the skid shoes, but I do a lot of blowing every storm.