Snow Attachments some thoughts on my snow removal options

[Redfox2]

I would also question what RPM the folks with tractors are running. My dealer told me that I should run the RPM right up to 3000 . . . but I think I recall someone else saying that they run their sno-blower at 2000 . . .

 

[Redfox2]

Oh, I can afford a barn or shed . . . no problem! It's the divorce I couldn't afford if I did build one. The wife is quite adamant about not having any ' outbuildings ' up here on our hill. And in truth, there really isn't any suitable site unless I could sorta cantilever it into the woods. I ' spect the leach field would be unsuitable . . . I'm not worried about my tractor rusting too much before I'm no longer able to play in the snow . . . I might have four or five years more before I'll be wearing diapers . . .

 

[ruffdog]

I would also question what RPM the folks with tractors are running. My dealer told me that I should run the RPM right up to 3000 . . . but I think I recall someone else saying that they run their sno-blower at 2000 . . .

What rpm do you run to achieve 540 rear pto speed? I would run that speed at a minimum.

Rated engine speed for that model is 3200rpm

 

[AVIVIII]

I refuse to do my entire 750 ft road while twisted/contorted and trying to see where I'm going in reverse.

Mirrors.

 

[atitus74]

Mirrors.

That sounds like an easy, obvious solution. BUT ... at night when its snowing? You can't see anything with a mirror.

 

[Redfox2]

I don't know about ' rear PTO speed ' because I don't have any implements which utilize the rear PTO. My sno-blower is front-mounted and operates from the mid PTO. The book sez that @ 3200 RPM engine speed, the mid PTO speed would be 2100 RPM which is the proper speed for this sno-blower. However, 2100 RPM is NOT the impeller speed because there is a reduction ( unknown ratio ) from the drive chain sprocket in the sno-blower to the driven chain sprocket which is attached to the impeller shaft ( which also operates a worm-gear drive that rotates the augers ). The whole drive train for the sno-blower ' seems ' unnecessarily complicated, but I'm not enough of a mechanical engineer to see how it could be simplified and yet maintain the compatibility with the other interchangeable implements . . .

 

[oosik]

atitus - you must still be a working man. Otherwise - when retired like me, look out the window - check the temps - make yourself another hot toddy - wait for daylight - then decide if the snow is REALLY that deep. Get all bundled up - pour yourself a straight shot and go out and brave it.

When I worked I would go out in the dark of night and plow the driveway. ONLY because, when its snowing here I usually can't get thru to work on my cell phone and let them know that I was snowed in again.

I read an article by a mechanical engineer working for Schultz - farm equipment manufacturer - paint all their equipment lime green.

The main point I got out of the article - its not so much the rotational speed of the impeller as it is the power driving the impeller. As he stated - you can throw a lot more snow with 50 PTO hp and the impeller rotating at 300 rpm than 25 PTO hp and the impeller rotating at 600 rpm.

Idea being - - its brute force over rotational speed that will move the most snow.

 

[atitus74]

I don't know about ' rear PTO speed ' because I don't have any implements which utilize the rear PTO. My sno-blower is front-mounted and operates from the mid PTO. The book sez that @ 3200 RPM engine speed, the mid PTO speed would be 2100 RPM which is the proper speed for this sno-blower. However, 2100 RPM is NOT the impeller speed because there is a reduction ( unknown ratio ) from the drive chain sprocket in the sno-blower to the driven chain sprocket which is attached to the impeller shaft ( which also operates a worm-gear drive that rotates the augers ). The whole drive train for the sno-blower ' seems ' unnecessarily complicated, but I'm not enough of a mechanical engineer to see how it could be simplified and yet maintain the compatibility with the other interchangeable implements . . .

With pretty much any implement, the manufacturer will design it such that it operates best at a specific PTO speed. For rear implements this is usually 540. For mid-pto it varies more, but 2100 to 2300 seem typical. The tractor manual should tell you what engine RPM to use to achieve the expected PTO speed. In the case of my tractor there are markings on the tachometer so you can line up the needle with the 'PTO' and away you go. Many people will report they like to run it at a lower PTO speed for whatever reason. Highly doubt you'd damage the equipment by running it at a lower speed. If someone said they liked to run it lower, I would just ask why -- if they explain what they got out of it you may find out if that same thing would help you or not.

 

[atitus74]

atitus - you must still be a working man. Otherwise - when retired like me, look out the window - check the temps - make yourself another hot toddy - wait for daylight - then decide if the snow is REALLY that deep. Get all bundled up - pour yourself a straight shot and go out and brave it.

Ha ha ha yeah you are right about that. My wife is a teacher, and she has to leave very early in the morning too. Call it late at night or really early in the morning, more often then not I have to clear it in the dark. We don't find out until last minute sometimes if school is cancelled.

 

[oosik]

Living out here in the sticks - I've always had a 4WD. So - some evenings - look out at the snow - go to bed and drive to work the next morning without plowing.

What would frost my cookies - get up at 2AM. Dress up like an Eskimo - open station tractor - go out plow the yard, mile long gravel driveway and mail box area. That took three hours. Come back inside - take a nap until 7AM - then to find that the county had not yet plowed the county road. I could putt along and make it to work - sometimes needing 4WD - but realized the boss drove a big 'ol Buick and wouldn't be there and would leave a message on the phone - closed due to snow today.

That got to be real old - real soon.