Snowblower Snowblower - Allied Buhler versus Mk Martin Meteor

[zkurtb]

I've decided it's time to get a snowblower. The last 2 years I did our 1/2 mile gravel drive with just the back blade and bucket. The drive is kinda narrow and with the heavy snows we had the last 2 seasons I ran out of room to push the snow. This year I got an old F250 with a plow to push she snow, but if it's going to be anything like the last two seasons, I'll eventually need to move the banks back so there is more room to plow. I'm thinking a snowblower would be a better way to do this than all the bucket time spent previously.

Locally at the dealers the options are for an Allied Buhler or an MK Martin Meteor. It will be a 60". Any insight on which is the better blower? Mostly I'm concerned from a durability standpoint. Both cost the same at about $2150. It seems the Allied has exposed gears while the Meteor has en enclosed gearbox - is this a significant difference?

 

[DANOCHEESE]

I have the allied Buhler. No issues with it. Ran some gravel hru it and no issues

 

[Tig]

I chose a Buhler. I liked the features.
Meteor also looked like a good blower.

 

[Charles Billings]

zkurt,

I have a Buhler Allied YC7420 rear attached blower with a hand crank for the chute. This has been our only snow removal equipment for a hilly 1/4 mile dirt driveway. It manages to survive the occassional large stone, and frequent gravel and smaller stones. It does a great job of removing snow that is wet, dry, and iced. If I were to buy this again I would have hydraulic controls for the chute. Instead, this summer I added electric controls for rotation and chute hood angle. It works well and is durable.

 

[Couple of Achers]

I've had a Farmking for years now. (Same as a Buhler) My brother has a Meteor. And as brothers will do, we had to compare them. We both agreed that the Farmking seemed to be a little more refined and just over all a little neater construction. We also noticed the the tolerances where a little tighter. Such as the clearances between the impeller and the housing. I attributed that to the ability to throw the snow further than he could. I do think either blower would be fine for you. One other thing to consider in your selection is the availability of dealers. Around here there are many more Farmking dealers then Meteor dealers. Another reason I went for the Farmking.

 

[brandoro]

I've had a Farm King blower for 18 years, it was used when I got it, and have treated it badly. It might be the most abused piece of equipment I own if you consider some of the things that have gone through it besides snow. I give the open gears a dab of grease once or twice a year and touched up the paint on the chute once. It is becoming semi retired now that I have a front mount blower but I am keeping it around to use to move snow where I think there might be foreign objects hidden in the snow that I don't want to find with the new blower. Rocks, chunks of firewood, newspapers in plastic bags can be hard on snow blowers. In that length of time I think I have broken three shear pins and bent a couple of things that I was able to bend back and keep going.
Very durable piece of equipment, don't think you will have any regrets if you choose to purchase one.

 

[ToadHill]

I have a 74" Meteor and have had no problems with it. I still use a plow for anything under 6" and when the banks get too high I just use the blower to send the bank flying.

The plow is a lot faster for small snows but with the amount we get I use the blower more than half the time.

 

[zkurtb]

Great info, thanks everyone. I guess the external/internal gears don't make a difference. Seems both are good choices, what I end up with may depend on availability - they are starting to get scarce this time of year.

Charles Billings - how did you hook up the electric chute rotation - have any pictures you could post? I've been thinking about doing that myself since the tractor does not have rear aux hydraulics.

Kurt

 

[Charles Billings]

Kurt,

I intend to post what I have done, with pictures. I first wanted to actually get the blower on the tractor and connect the electrical components to the tractor's DC. It is very much like what someone did earlier and described on TBN. Basically, I purchased an ATV electric winch to rotate the chute and a linear actuator to move the chute hood. I also added some angle iron to support the winch. It shouldn't be too long before I get the blower mounted, and then I will post it. We had a dusting of snow last night. In the process of doing this I was frustrated by not being able to find the exact parts that I would have liked. Things should work fine without having everything looking perfect, but the desire to design parts that I could conceive but couldn't purchase has led me in a whole new direction--I intend to purchase a metal lathe and mill in the very near future.