snow pusher vs. rear 3pt blower

[nybirdman]

Having lived and worked in Central NY;you do need a blower for sure.Perfect set-up would be a Quick connect plow on the front and a blower.People;they measure snow there by the foot.Pretty hairy to wake up and see that big lump of snow is the roof of your vehicle.

 

[chim]

For driveways and other places that aren't 40' wide the blower has been a great tool. I do a couple parking lots at the church. I can do some of it with the blower (cut a path in, some perimeter touchup, etc. The FEL is needed for pushing or stacking because the lots are too wide to throw the snow off the lots. I tried throwing the snow as far as I could, then hitting it again with the blower but the snow's density increased each time it was blown and it got to the point the shear bolts weren't happy.

 

[Kubotafan]

I used an open station B7500 and a 4' rear snowblower for 5 years. I bought a piece of Plexiglas about 4" wider on either side than the roll bar, and the height of the distance from the top link to the top of the roll bar. I drilled holes in the Plexiglas and attached it with 4 u-bolts. It wasn't a cab, but it made a BIG difference on how much snow the wind blew back on me. Face facts, you won't always be able to blow with the wind, and even in a cab there are times when the blowing snow will stick to the glass and obscure your view.

 

[hutchman]

For driveways and other places that aren't 40' wide the blower has been a great tool. I do a couple parking lots at the church. I can do some of it with the blower (cut a path in, some perimeter touchup, etc. The FEL is needed for pushing or stacking because the lots are too wide to throw the snow off the lots. I tried throwing the snow as far as I could, then hitting it again with the blower but the snow's density increased each time it was blown and it got to the point the shear bolts weren't happy.

I learned the shear bolt lesson this year too. Unfortunately it was during weather that made the stores close so they were unobtainable for a day. I picked up a used 6ft rear blower from a friend and got a few opportunities to play with it this winter. My real intent is to convert it to run off a hydraulic motor and put it on the FEL to save my neck!

 

[JWR]

I learned the shear bolt lesson this year too. Unfortunately it was during weather that made the stores close so they were unobtainable for a day. I picked up a used 6ft rear blower from a friend and got a few opportunities to play with it this winter. My real intent is to convert it to run off a hydraulic motor and put it on the FEL to save my neck!

The hyd motor driven blower up front is a great idea. A dealer told me of a hyd motor driven blower being used at a small airport. Problem was they failed to realize the hydraulic flow required. Dealer had to put in all new hoses of a larger size. Unless you have heroic amounts of hydraulic flow from your tractor it may not run the snow blower well. Gearing may be a solvable issue too. Still should be a great project. I think you will have to use a PTO-driven pump & long hoses to do that one because the flow on your LS is not going to hack it I'm afraid.
Note: I ran a hydraulic motor driven, very heavy bladed, 5' bush hog on my FEL using an 81HP MF tractor. It was barely operable, bogged down often, lacking enough flow to make the cutter robust.

 

[chim]

I learned the shear bolt lesson this year too. Unfortunately it was during weather that made the stores close so they were unobtainable for a day.................

I carry two zippered bags under the seat. One has a few tools and pins for normal operating. The other has a bunch of shear bolts and nylock nuts for the blower, along with wrenches to fit them. After snapping a few bolts for experience I have been able to get out, replace the bolt, and back in without having to put my coat on.

 

[hutchman]

The hyd motor driven blower up front is a great idea. A dealer told me of a hyd motor driven blower being used at a small airport. Problem was they failed to realize the hydraulic flow required. Dealer had to put in all new hoses of a larger size. Unless you have heroic amounts of hydraulic flow from your tractor it may not run the snow blower well. Gearing may be a solvable issue too. Still should be a great project. I think you will have to use a PTO-driven pump & long hoses to do that one because the flow on your LS is not going to hack it I'm afraid.
Note: I ran a hydraulic motor driven, very heavy bladed, 5' bush hog on my FEL using an 81HP MF tractor. It was barely operable, bogged down often, lacking enough flow to make the cutter robust.

Yes, thers no way the remotes on my tractor would handle it. I'm going to bold face copy a newer model and what others manufacturers have done ... PTO pump with large hydraulic tank on the 3pt with hoses going up front. Might do electric for chute control.

The blower is a 6ft MK Martin and it really is for a lower horsepower tractor but that didn't bother me since I planned to modify it anyway.

 

[hutchman]

I carry two zippered bags under the seat. One has a few tools and pins for normal operating. The other has a bunch of shear bolts and nylock nuts for the blower, along with wrenches to fit them. After snapping a few bolts for experience I have been able to get out, replace the bolt, and back in without having to put my coat on.

My other goal one day is a home made cab. I want to be able to move snow (we don't get it very often but our new place will have a 1/4 mile driveway so I need to be ready) while listening to tunes with the heat going sipping on hot chocolate.

 

[GManBart]

Cons for blower: It is very windy on the hill I live on (open work station snow blowing everywhere as it is), having to drive in reverse, having to add extra rear remotes at quite a good cost .

There is no need to drive in reverse with a 3pt blower if you get an inverted blower. They're extremely popular in places that get a lot of snow, and most of the good ones are actually made in Canada (where they're very popular). Some folks with small tractors (not your L3901) worry they won't be able to drive through the snow if it's really deep, and some folks think driving over the snow will compact it, but pretty much everybody who uses one says the blower easily lifts and throws the bit that gets driven over.

The only real downside is they cost a bit more than a regular 3pt blower, but it's still way less than a front-mount blower'

 

[JWR]

There is no need to drive in reverse with a 3pt blower if you get an inverted blower. They're extremely popular in places that get a lot of snow, and most of the good ones are actually made in Canada (where they're very popular). Some folks with small tractors (not your L3901) worry they won't be able to drive through the snow if it's really deep, and some folks think driving over the snow will compact it, but pretty much everybody who uses one says the blower easily lifts and throws the bit that gets driven over.

The only real downside is they cost a bit more than a regular 3pt blower, but it's still way less than a front-mount blower'

No, I disagree, that is not the only downside. The inverted snowblower means you have to run the tractor over or through the snow BEFORE it is removed or blown. No doubt "inverted" blowers are effective in many places under some conditions and they do offer an alternative. But if you wade into very deep snow, especially snow that has settled and packed some before removal, a small tractor dragging a blower behind will simply get hung. Won't work. They probably work well with large tractors with lots of clearance but not with smaller tractors having less clearance.

Also, the only cases where an inverted blower would work well with smaller tractors are cases where the snow is not very deep and to me that is where you did not need a blower in the first place.

 

[kevinwak]

I used an open station B7500 and a 4' rear snowblower for 5 years. I bought a piece of Plexiglas about 4" wider on either side than the roll bar, and the height of the distance from the top link to the top of the roll bar. I drilled holes in the Plexiglas and attached it with 4 u-bolts. It wasn't a cab, but it made a BIG difference on how much snow the wind blew back on me. Face facts, you won't always be able to blow with the wind, and even in a cab there are times when the blowing snow will stick to the glass and obscure your view.

I did the plexiglass on the ROPS when I had a rear blower. It was an enormous difference in the amount of snow that blew onto me. The only change to it that o wish I had done was leave the plexiglass about a foot wider then the rops on each side and make a 45 degree bend forward, so it kinda curved around me, blocking even more. Plexiglass can easily be bent with a torch or heat gun on the bending point.

 

[Kubotafan]

I did the plexiglass on the ROPS when I had a rear blower. It was an enormous difference in the amount of snow that blew onto me. The only change to it that o wish I had done was leave the plexiglass about a foot wider then the rops on each side and make a 45 degree bend forward, so it kinda curved around me, blocking even more. Plexiglass can easily be bent with a torch or heat gun on the bending point.

I am glad you can testiy to the difference the Plexiglas makes. I agree that bending it as you suggested would like help more. I think most people may underestimate the difference the Plexiglas makes. As there is no heat to warm it, snow sticks to it less than the glass on a heated cab.

 

[totouchantler]

Kevin.... any pics of the plexiglass?

 

[Jeff F.]

Not to derail the thread but how thick of plexiglass are you bending? I am going to build a cab and this will change my design.

 

[Fallon]

There is no need to drive in reverse with a 3pt blower if you get an inverted blower. They're extremely popular in places that get a lot of snow, and most of the good ones are actually made in Canada (where they're very popular). Some folks with small tractors (not your L3901) worry they won't be able to drive through the snow if it's really deep, and some folks think driving over the snow will compact it, but pretty much everybody who uses one says the blower easily lifts and throws the bit that gets driven over.

The only real downside is they cost a bit more than a regular 3pt blower, but it's still way less than a front-mount blower'

My L3200, which is the same tractor has not been able to drive through, much less plow through several snows here in the Denver, CO area in the past 2 winters.

A little over a foot of really wet slushy stuff was causing me problems. 2' of snow stops me from moving, much less plowing. Depending on the snow they get, an inverted blower is VERY INAPPROPRIATE for a 3000 series L tractor. I wouldn't want one if my tractor was double the weight of my current machine. For an inverted blower I'm guessing you need at least an 8,000lbs machine unless you just get a dusting of snow.

Heck when we got a foot & a half a month or so ago with a lot of wind I got some dense 4' drifts. With chains on the front I could barely even push my blower into them. I had to make repeated runs & was making progress at about 3' per minute. Those were super dense drifts from 60+ mile an hour wind though.

 

[GManBart]

No, I disagree, that is not the only downside. The inverted snowblower means you have to run the tractor over or through the snow BEFORE it is removed or blown. No doubt "inverted" blowers are effective in many places under some conditions and they do offer an alternative. But if you wade into very deep snow, especially snow that has settled and packed some before removal, a small tractor dragging a blower behind will simply get hung. Won't work. They probably work well with large tractors with lots of clearance but not with smaller tractors having less clearance.

Also, the only cases where an inverted blower would work well with smaller tractors are cases where the snow is not very deep and to me that is where you did not need a blower in the first place.

Lots of people with smaller tractors in places that get a lot of snow seem to disagree. The key seems to be not waiting until there's two feet of snow to drive through. That's the sort of compromises you have to make with a smaller tractor.

Nobody said it was a perfect solution, but neither is a conventional blower that forces you to drive backwards, or a front blower that removes your front bucket.

 

[JWR]

My L3200, which is the same tractor has not been able to drive through, much less plow through several snows here in the Denver, CO area in the past 2 winters.

A little over a foot of really wet slushy stuff was causing me problems. 2' of snow stops me from moving, much less plowing. Depending on the snow they get, an inverted blower is VERY INAPPROPRIATE for a 3000 series L tractor. I wouldn't want one if my tractor was double the weight of my current machine. For an inverted blower I'm guessing you need at least an 8,000lbs machine unless you just get a dusting of snow.

Heck when we got a foot & a half a month or so ago with a lot of wind I got some dense 4' drifts. With chains on the front I could barely even push my blower into them. I had to make repeated runs & was making progress at about 3' per minute. Those were super dense drifts from 60+ mile an hour wind though.

Yes, that is exactly what I was talking about in reply #30. The removal tool has to meet the snow first or you will just get hung up using these 20 to 40 hp range tractors. My vacation place is in the mountains where it is fairly common to arrive after a 260 mile trip to get there and find packed snow 1 to 2 feet deep (sometimes more.) Can't get car/truck in & have to wade in to get the tractor & blower. I use the front end loader to clear enough room to maneuver with a 5ft snow blower. Once the snow blower is aimed into the snow -- no problem. That's with a 24hp B2150. I did find AG tread tires helped a bunch. The creeper gear is a big help too.

 

[JWR]

Lots of people with smaller tractors in places that get a lot of snow seem to disagree. The key seems to be not waiting until there's two feet of snow to drive through. That's the sort of compromises you have to make with a smaller tractor.

Nobody said it was a perfect solution, but neither is a conventional blower that forces you to drive backwards, or a front blower that removes your front bucket.

Like essentially all tractor utilization situations, it depends on the circumstances and the best you can do is match the tools to what you deal with the most. Those with smaller tractors in places that get a lot of snow are not using an inverted blower unless they can watch it snow and pounce on it at the right times. What works best in an environment for some users is unworkable in others.

 

[GManBart]

Like essentially all tractor utilization situations, it depends on the circumstances and the best you can do is match the tools to what you deal with the most. Those with smaller tractors in places that get a lot of snow are not using an inverted blower unless they can watch it snow and pounce on it at the right times. What works best in an environment for some users is unworkable in others.

Sure. My point was that it's an option that works very well for some people. I don't know what the OP's exact situation is, and I doubt anybody else here does either. There is no perfect solution, especially when we're talking about a fairly small tractor, but it seems fair to point out the possible solutions to the OP rather than to make a blanket statement that something is "very inappropriate" when we don't have all the facts.

 

[GManBart]

Here's my situation... I just bought a Kubota L3901. It snows where I live... and I mean snows (150 inches average!) Straight across from my driveway after the shoulder is quite a nice little drop off (Ill explain later). My question: Should I buy a snow pusher or a rear mount blower. Now for the pros and cons (as i see them). Pro for blower. I will never run out of room for putting snow on either side of driveway which is blacktop, my bucket would be freed up for moving banks back, etc.. Cons for blower: It is very windy on the hill I live on (open work station snow blowing everywhere as it is), having to drive in reverse, having to add extra rear remotes at quite a good cost . Cons for pusher: because it doesn't have a bottom I don't feel like I can pick and move banks back, bucket is off machine, etc. Pros for pusher: Cheaper to buy, rubber scraper easier on driveway, I have that drop off across street to push snow off. What do you all think. Just trying to ask question snow so I can be ready to go by next winter. Ugh...winter.
Chris

Since this has come up....are you in a position where you can get to the snow as it builds, or are you forced to wait until you can get to it, regardless of how deep?