Skid steer snow blower on tractor loader?

[Beaver Cove Deere]

Tempting, but I don't think so. I think the tractor would pack down a 12" snow fall enough that it would be difficult for the pull blower to then pick it up. I also have a number of areas where I really need to be able to go in auger-first. Especially when I need to break open a path to reach the propane tanks for filling. I can be cutting into 3' of snow at that point - way more than the tractor can drive through, even with very aggressive chains.

You'd be wrong. My nearly 1000 pound blower can be adjusted to be as aggressive or as easy to scrape. I can also use the full weight of the blower on the rear scraper edge

 

[Beaver Cove Deere]

So I'm really interested in whether anyone has experience with a 3ph mounted tank and pump assembly, or perhaps has built one. As I said earlier, I think I need about 20 gpm, but the snow blowers I've seen don't specify the pressure. So in the absence of a spec, I'm presuming 3000 psi. I think some skid steers probably go up to 5000 psi, but I think I'm OK holding it at 3000. With that, 20 gpm at 3000 psi should take about 40 PTO HP which I have. In fact, I might just need 5000 PSI to get equivalent power to what I have now. The snow blower is the only thing that really bogs down the engine, so it's consuming the full 55+ hp available at the PTO. 40 HP would be comparatively under powered. I don't want to have less power that I do now, at least not in an y significant way.

One thing I like about this whole approach is that I should be able to leave the hydraulic power pack in place, and easily swap the blower and bucket as needed. And removing and reinstalling the power pack should be pretty easy too - just like any 3PH implement.

Yes. I have a 72" Provonost and the loss of power is substantial and frankly a hindrance. I'd take my JD and the 84" Normand blower in any storm, any any conditions over the NH/Provonost arrangement any day. No questions asked.
Both machines are 56 HP at the PTO and the NH is a larger frame.

 

[hayden]

Yes. I have a 72" Provonost and the loss of power is substantial and frankly a hindrance. I'd take my JD and the 84" Normand blower in any storm, any any conditions over the NH/Provonost arrangement any day. No questions asked.
Both machines are 56 HP at the PTO and the NH is a larger frame.

So the pronovost is hydraulically powered from a PTO pump? What are the pressure and flow from the pump, and the expected flow and pressure specs for the blower?

 

[metalbender]

I did up a pto powered front blower for my fel last year. Still need the fel to unload deer feed in the winter, when it is available. Mine is powered by a chain case with a shaft to the front. SSQA on the blower, limit chains to prevent shaft issues. Price came in at around 2k. Some pics are in the snow equipment section. I'm also still able to use my rear blade when I need it.

 

[shooterdon]

SnowVac 60 Front Mounted Snowblowers - 3 Point Hitch PTO Snow Blowers for Utility Tractors

When I was doing my due diligence, I found this option, but it was too rich for me. I liked that it was easy on/off and self contained. Did not like having another engine to maintain but I could have lived with that. Price killed it.

I looked at your snow history and it appears you get less than I do. Your fears of compacting snow are the same ones I had, but I have had no problems. The pull blower works well in that regard.

You may want to look at preventing the need to move three foot piles of snow by moving your propane tanks to a more easily accessible location. Not too expensive to do if that is the only issue you need to address. But if the only way to deal with some of your snow is to auger into three foot mounds you will need a front mount blower. And unless things have changed, there are no affordable options.

BTW, I miscalculated my propane needs the first year and did not clear the snow to the tank. I had to deal with almost two feet of snow. The pull blower needed two passes but I was done in 10 minutes. I did not want to tear up the grass so I left 2-3" of snow on the ground, but I could have gone right to the ground.

 

[hayden]

SnowVac 60 Front Mounted Snowblowers - 3 Point Hitch PTO Snow Blowers for Utility Tractors

When I was doing my due diligence, I found this option, but it was too rich for me. I liked that it was easy on/off and self contained. Did not like having another engine to maintain but I could have lived with that. Price killed it.

I looked at your snow history and it appears you get less than I do. Your fears of compacting snow are the same ones I had, but I have had no problems. The pull blower works well in that regard.

You may want to look at preventing the need to move three foot piles of snow by moving your propane tanks to a more easily accessible location. Not too expensive to do if that is the only issue you need to address. But if the only way to deal with some of your snow is to auger into three foot mounds you will need a front mount blower. And unless things have changed, there are no affordable options.

BTW, I miscalculated my propane needs the first year and did not clear the snow to the tank. I had to deal with almost two feet of snow. The pull blower needed two passes but I was done in 10 minutes. I did not want to tear up the grass so I left 2-3" of snow on the ground, but I could have gone right to the ground.

Thanks for the pointer. I share your resistance to yet another motor. It's kind of the whole point of a PTO. Also 66" would be too small. The 84" would be nice, but $20k is a bit pricey.

I'll look into the pull-behind units a bit more.

As for relocating the propane, that would be very difficult since they are buried tanks.

 

[Beaver Cove Deere]

So the pronovost is hydraulically powered from a PTO pump? What are the pressure and flow from the pump, and the expected flow and pressure specs for the blower?

No idea on pressure or flow as it was a complete snowblower package from them.
The pump is run off a 1:4 speed increaser. It's had a lot of rather heavy use in MA. It's not so powerful to chip any branches under the snow and it did eat an old school metal trash barrel and didn't break the sheer bolt, it just stops the auger. Not so great on slush at all. In fact, I don't even bother trying.

The Normand INV 84 on the other hand is an absolute animal. First blow is always tough cause the driveway is Maine dirt and Maine dirt just grows rocks somehow. I end up replacing a few sheer bolts but it's for good reason when the machine is trying to send baseball sized rocks. It will send rocks no problem if they don't get jambed in the works. I take absolutely no chances with the chute pointing to the house or the garage at anytime.
I blew about 1/2 width thru a slush and water mixture that was about 6" deep. Gone.
It's a great combination but I've not given it a real blizzard workout to date because it's a weekend place and I have a plow guy because I'm not full time there yet. I've only done a 12" storm but a lot of clean up and moving his snow pile.

 

[dennis103]

I have an Erskine hydraulic snow blower with the rear PTO power pack. It works very well. The only thing I would want to do differently is the way the pump is mounted. I have to put the pump on the PTO shaft. The pump weighs around 80 pounds. It is very heavy to man handle into place with the tank mounted to the 3 point hitch. I would have the pump mounted to the tank and use a PTO shaft like all the other implements.

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[dennis103]

Oh one other thing. When I first got the unit it didn't have an oil cooler on the tank. Erskine said it wasn't necessary with just a snowblower because of the colder temps. I ended up adding the cooler after using it a few times and laser temp checked my fluid @ 160 to 180 degrees.

 

[grsthegreat]

mine mounts to the hitch also...it slips onto the pto splines. i do not look forward to hooking that thing up. i dont think a pto shaft would work on mine as its up close to the tractor body and i lift it up quite high. looks like it would be a radical angle for a pto shaft. i would have to do away with the legs to use a shaft.
mine does not have cooler. i too used a ir gun and temps never too bad. if i ever used the thing in summer powering something else i would need to add cooler