Snowblower on 25HP non-hydrostatic

[aesmith]

Hi,

We have a Chinese compact tractor, branded Siromer 304 in the UK but as far as I can see the same as Jinma 254 sold elsewhere. So let's say 25HP. Conventional transmission with three gears, and H/L and creeper. Not continuously variable hydrostatic. What do people think about using a rear mounted snowblower on something like this? I know the transmission isn't ideal, but it does at least give four reverse gears going from very slow indeed up to a jogging pace.

The UK distributor lists a 1.6m blower, supposedly suitable for 20-40HP, and there are a couple of other makes around as well. Price is kind of similar to a decent walk behind blower, or actually significantly less than we paid for our 28" hydrostatic walk behind. The application would mainly be to clear the track to our house, which is around 1/2 mile unmade road, and the goal to keep it clear enough for a four wheel drive car. I don't need to clear down to bare ground, and tidying round the house and yard can be done by hand or with the "little" blower.
Any thoughts?

Thanks, Tony S

 

[Z-Michigan]

I'm using a rear-mounted blower on an 8x8 gear tractor. You just go fairly slow, and if your lowest gear still results in too fast at travel speed, you push in the clutch, let the blower empty itself, then start again. Not ideal but perfectly functional.

How much snow do you get per snowfall, and how many snowfalls per season? Will you ever need to clear snow that's been sitting for a week or more with melt and re-freeze cycles? Re-frozen snow is much harder to blow than fresh snow.

For a 1/2 mile driveway, and not concerned about getting it 100% clean, I think an angled blade might be a faster and overall better option. Front mounted if possible, rear if not. It depends on how much snow you get though.

 

[leonz]

Hi,

We have a Chinese compact tractor, branded Siromer 304 in the UK but as far as I can see the same as Jinma 254 sold elsewhere. So let's say 25HP. Conventional transmission with three gears, and H/L and creeper. Not continuously variable hydrostatic. What do people think about using a rear mounted snowblower on something like this? I know the transmission isn't ideal, but it does at least give four reverse gears going from very slow indeed up to a jogging pace.

The UK distributor lists a 1.6m blower, supposedly suitable for 20-40HP, and there are a couple of other makes around as well. Price is kind of similar to a decent walk behind blower, or actually significantly less than we paid for our 28" hydrostatic walk behind. The application would mainly be to clear the track to our house, which is around 1/2 mile unmade road, and the goal to keep it clear enough for a four wheel drive car. I don't need to clear down to bare ground, and tidying round the house and yard can be done by hand or with the "little" blower.
Any thoughts?

Thanks, Tony S

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You need to ask the dealer if he can get you the smallest Berta brand rear mount three point hitch snow blower for your mule.

The thumbnail image I have uploaded is of the largest of these three Berta snow casters and the smallest one will work well for you.

If you can buy the Berta rear mount you will not have problems with your type of snow.


The other option is a Lorenz or Pronovost rear mount snow caster so you have no problems.

 

[aesmith]

Hi, thanks. We actually have two alternative routes each of 1/2 mile but we don't necessarily need both cleared. Heading North the drive runs between banks so there's not really any where to push snow. I've cleared that sort of track with a digger (backhoe loader) before and it's a real pain grabbing a bucketful then having to reverse back to somewhere it can be dumped. Here it's a slope so I couldn't do it with our two wheel drive digger anyway. I think based on the walk behind I'm kind of set on a blower as the correct answer, but need more oomph to get the job done in a reasonable time. Picture from a few years ago, snow gurus will immediately spot that the snow's been lying for around a week in both these pictures. It was only left that long because it takes all day to clear with my current equipment. If it was quicker I'd be able to clear each evening if necessary.

To the South it's more open but still drifts if not as bad. Uphill for the first part. This route can be ploughed but you couldn't run fast enough to throw it clear so it would build a steep bank each side and therefore fill in deeper each time. You can see an angled blade wouldn't work, it would need to be a V.

The other question is how often, and that's not easy. Last couple of years the track didn't get blocked at all, or happened late on in the spring so it thawed pretty quick.

 

[RNeumann]

The rear blower would be a perfect companion for this machine! Size it for your HP- typically about the width of your machine and let it rip!
Now the blower vs plow debate is a whole other topic!

 

[CobyRupert]

I'm using a rear-mounted blower on an 8x8 gear tractor. You just go fairly slow, and if your lowest gear still results in too fast at travel speed, you push in the clutch, let the blower empty itself, then start again. Not ideal but perfectly functional.

Just on the first pass. After that you can control how much snow goes in, while going at a set speed, by not taking a full width bite of snow.

I snow blowed with a 3 speed Cub Cadet 582 garden tractor with a crappy single stage blower for years. And that didn't have a creeper gear. It always got the job done .....eventually.

 

[oosik]

My first tractor was a 1982 Ford 1710 4WD(25 pto hp). It was geared. I mounted a 60" blower on the back and it worked great - slow, but great. I have a mile long, straight as an arrow, gravel driveway. The little Ford in its lowest gearing would go about 0.6 mph in reverse - throwing snow like a banshee. Normally, I would use the rear blade to clear the driveway but some winters with heavier snow fall - the frozen berms would build up. Rear blade & tractor were not heavy enough to cut and move them - that's where the 3-point blower came into play. Never lacked sufficient power to blow that hard, frozen snow at least 40 to 50 feet.

Two things that I didn't like about blowing snow - no matter what direction the discharge chute was pointed - powder snow always drifted back on me. It took 3 to 4 hours of continuous blowing to clear the yard, driveway and mailbox area. By that time, my neck and shoulders were sore and would take two to three days to recuperate. I tried operating in every position - except standing on my head - to alleviate the neck & shoulder pain. Nothing proved to be better than anything else.
Tylenol & Jack Daniels would ease the pain when I was finished for the day.

 

[leonz]

Hi, thanks. We actually have two alternative routes each of 1/2 mile but we don't necessarily need both cleared. Heading North the drive runs between banks so there's not really any where to push snow. I've cleared that sort of track with a digger (backhoe loader) before and it's a real pain grabbing a bucketful then having to reverse back to somewhere it can be dumped. Here it's a slope so I couldn't do it with our two wheel drive digger anyway. I think based on the walk behind I'm kind of set on a blower as the correct answer, but need more oomph to get the job done in a reasonable time. Picture from a few years ago, snow gurus will immediately spot that the snow's been lying for around a week in both these pictures. It was only left that long because it takes all day to clear with my current equipment. If it was quicker I'd be able to clear each evening if necessary.

To the South it's more open but still drifts if not as bad. Uphill for the first part. This route can be ploughed but you couldn't run fast enough to throw it clear so it would build a steep bank each side and therefore fill in deeper each time. You can see an angled blade wouldn't work, it would need to be a V.

The other question is how often, and that's not easy. Last couple of years the track didn't get blocked at all, or happened late on in the spring so it thawed pretty quick.

Short of calling Zaugg in Austria to find a used track drive bulldog 2 stage unit the only other advice I would give you is to invest in a new Yamaha 1332 track drive walk behind and purchase an inflatable snow cab from an Ariens dealer to have a dry work space while you work.

Machinio had a used Zaugg bulldog with low hours for sale a while back but it is no longer listed.

Another option would be a used track drive diesel Yanmar 2 stage machine. I know that there are more than a handful of the Japanese track drive units on the continent but the issue is finding one soon.

 

[leonz]

There was a gas powered steel track drive Zaugg 2 stage unit for sale in Colorado a few weeks ago but that is of little help to you now.

 

[oosik]

AH - HA. Pictures - great country - pretty deep snow. Your 1.6M(63") blower would do wonders on that driveway with the fence on each side. Should easily blow the snow up, over and beyond the fence. Same on the unfenced driveway. I don't know if a REAR BLADE and your tractor would be heavy enough to clear snow on the unfenced driveway. If its not - then the rear end of you tractor is simply pushed toward the center of the road as you move forward. Very quickly becomes a real PITA.

No question - your 25 hp tractor and the 1.6M blower will handle the snow you have pictured. Man - that must be a long, lonesome project - clearing those driveways with that little walk behind blower.

 

[leonz]

We do need to get you an impeller kit for your current snow caster and larger jets for the carburator so you can clear the snow faster if the engine is a gas engine.

 

[PHPaul]

I ran a Pronovost 64 on a John Deere 750 for years. 18 hp, gear transmission and NO live PTO. It took some planning to be able to stop without plugging the blower, but it was certainly doable.

I upgraded to a Kubota with a cab, live pto and hydro trans, running the same blower. Much nicer for sure.

I'd never go back to plowing.

 

[sd455dan]

Hi,

We have a Chinese compact tractor, branded Siromer 304 in the UK but as far as I can see the same as Jinma 254 sold elsewhere. So let's say 25HP. Conventional transmission with three gears, and H/L and creeper. Not continuously variable hydrostatic. What do people think about using a rear mounted snowblower on something like this? I know the transmission isn't ideal, but it does at least give four reverse gears going from very slow indeed up to a jogging pace.

The UK distributor lists a 1.6m blower, supposedly suitable for 20-40HP, and there are a couple of other makes around as well. Price is kind of similar to a decent walk behind blower, or actually significantly less than we paid for our 28" hydrostatic walk behind. The application would mainly be to clear the track to our house, which is around 1/2 mile unmade road, and the goal to keep it clear enough for a four wheel drive car. I don't need to clear down to bare ground, and tidying round the house and yard can be done by hand or with the "little" blower.
Any thoughts?

Thanks, Tony S

Jinma 254 Should work well with a blower.

Also most chinese tractors are underrated on horsepower because they are sold using
the HP the engine maintains over a 12 hour run time period.

That is not the same as some tractors advertised Gross HP.

Here's a 284 jinma doing a great job with a rear mounted blower,

Jinma 284 - YouTube

I use a track drive blower for trails and walkways now -but many years ago did the same as you are doing (the main driveway ) with a walk behind. It did get old.

Good luck on your search for a tractor mounted blower, After this winter may be looking into getting a blower for my chinese tractor, It was used for several years with a rear mounted 84 inch model and I should have bought it with the tractor, regretting that decision now.

 

[Z-Michigan]

Thanks, nice photos. Yes, it looks like a blower is what you need for that driveway. As I said it's perfectly doable with a gear tractor, you simply go slow. As much as you can, blow it when fresh.

Do you own the land either side of the driveway? Adding some snow fencing at the right distance (about 20-30' depending on height) could greatly reduce drifting of snow into your cleared driveway. You will still have to clear fallen snow, but only once.

 

[DaveOmak]

If your creeper gear works in reverse, You've got it made... My tractor, NAA, has under-over-direct and a Howard "creeper" gear... 24 forward and 6 reverse... AWESOME machine...

 

[PILOON]

My gear drive Mitsubishi is rated at 20 hp (less at the PTO) and I run a 60" rear blower here in snowy Quebec.
It is all about techniques that you soon learn.
4-6" events you take full bites, 12" and you make first pass with the blower raised about 4" and make 2nd pass for the bottom remainder.
Next only take a 1/2 or 1/3 or so pass.
Since I previously had a 48" similar blower I suggest that in the long run the wider is much better to have even with the inconveniences mentioned.
Another rule to maintain is that you want to be about 4-5" wider than your tires are.

And to add I have tackled as much as 16" events with wind blown drifts as well as the city plow making 3 ft compacted piles at my entrance.

Also my blower is not the better designs available.

 

[aesmith]

Thanks everyone, looks like this option is worth following up. At the moment we usually don't clear the whole route with the walk-behind, just cleared a pathway so we can easily walk to the public road, or to help bust through with the Land Rover. A path also makes it clear quicker in a thaw. If we could clear the whole width with the same or less effort that would be brilliant.

By the way walking along the drive this morning was an example of blower vs plough as the last 150 yards had been ploughed by a neighbour. When blowing we didn't find anything much deeper than the chute, say max of 30" and most significantly less. That deep cover has now shrunk down to may be 12 or 15" as it thaws. On the section that was ploughed several times the banks either side are four feet in some places.

 

[Bavarian]

Thanks everyone, looks like this option is worth following up. At the moment we usually don't clear the whole route with the walk-behind, just cleared a pathway so we can easily walk to the public road, or to help bust through with the Land Rover. A path also makes it clear quicker in a thaw. If we could clear the whole width with the same or less effort that would be brilliant.

By the way walking along the drive this morning was an example of blower vs plough as the last 150 yards had been ploughed by a neighbour. When blowing we didn't find anything much deeper than the chute, say max of 30" and most significantly less. That deep cover has now shrunk down to may be 12 or 15" as it thaws. On the section that was ploughed several times the banks either side are four feet in some places.

I ran a 74" Farm King on a JD 4200, rated at 26 Hp gross.
Once I cleared a section in the backyard in late winter. Snow as deep as the blowers opening. Sure the tractor didn't ask for more.
The temperature is a big factor. If it's cold enough and the snow is light, it will go through with ease. But the snow will come back easily as well.
I used to carry a helmet and snowmobile suit.

 

[K man]

I use a 66" front mount on my CK 30 hp, it is powerful will blow snow over 100 feet.

 

[aesmith]

Thanks for all the comments. There's not a huge amount of choice in the UK, probably no chance whatsoever of seeing anything in the flesh before ordering. I suppose there's a tiny chance of something turning up second hand, but if buying new these are the two models that I'm considering.

Siromer 1.6m Siromer Compact Tractors - Snow Equipment
Siromer are the importers for my tractor, essentially a rebadged Jinma 254 but there may be some minor differences. Advantages (1) size seems about right, just wider than the tractor (2) some chance that the supplier may be able comment on suitability with my particular tractor. Big disadvantage - their demo video makes it look really weedy, hardly throwing snow at all. I don't know if the tractor's not running up to proper revs or what, but that demo video is a real turn off. Siromer Snow Blower - YouTube

Kellfri Reversing snowblower
Slightly more expensive, but not enough to be a deciding factor. Kellfri have a local dealer although as far as I can tell he only handles their ATV attachments. However it might mean somewhere local to talk to if there are issues, or parts needed. It's bigger and heavier. I don't think the extra clearing width is a particular advantage, as neither 5ft nor 6ft would completely clear the drive so a second pass would be needed in either case on the return trip. Only advantage of the extra size would be if we changed to a slightly bigger tractor in the future. Their demo video at least shows it actually throwing snow, although it's not exactly clearing deep drifts .. 37-SF180 Snöfräs backande - YouTube

Really I'd be happier to see my chosen model actually working on deep snow.

Any comments on either of the models I've mentioned?