Ballast for a 59 front mount snowblower

   / Ballast for a 59 front mount snowblower
  • Thread Starter
#21  
In case anyone is wondering (I was), on the 55 series tractors you can leave the Quick-Tatch bracket bolted to the tractor with the loader mounted. I needed to use the loader, but since I'm not 100% sure we won't get anymore snow this season, I didn't want to completely remove the Quick-Tatch bracket and Mid-to-bracket PTO shaft if I didn't have to. The design of the Quick-Tatch easily clears the parking stand of the 70A loader when mounting the loader on the tractor. It does hang down really low (below the front axle) so I wouldn't want to leave it there to do any serious loader work.

quicktatchfront.jpg quicktatchleft.jpg quicktatchright.jpg
 
   / Ballast for a 59 front mount snowblower #22  
In case anyone is wondering (I was), on the 55 series tractors you can leave the Quick-Tatch bracket bolted to the tractor with the loader mounted. I needed to use the loader, but since I'm not 100% sure we won't get anymore snow this season, I didn't want to completely remove the Quick-Tatch bracket and Mid-to-bracket PTO shaft if I didn't have to. The design of the Quick-Tatch easily clears the parking stand of the 70A loader when mounting the loader on the tractor. It does hang down really low (below the front axle) so I wouldn't want to leave it there to do any serious loader work.

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I suspected as much... another reason I wouldn't mind getting a 59. I did know the brackets are specific to the 55 series, hence why I would only consider a complete package from a 55.

I use my loader year-round and seldom even take it off during winter. Since my wallet won't allow me to buy an additional tractor, I need to get the most out of the one I have.
 
   / Ballast for a 59 front mount snowblower
  • Thread Starter
#23  
I suspected as much... another reason I wouldn't mind getting a 59. I did know the brackets are specific to the 55 series, hence why I would only consider a complete package from a 55.

I use my loader year-round and seldom even take it off during winter. Since my wallet won't allow me to buy an additional tractor, I need to get the most out of the one I have.
I also seem to always have a use for the loader. Whether it's unloading or loading something heavy, moving something heavy, moving firewood around to the house to replenish the stack just outside the back door, etc. etc. So it was nice to be able to just drop the blower off the front and mount up the loader. If I need the blower, I can drop the loader and mount the blower in a just a few minutes. When spring rolls around and I know I won't need the blower anymore, I'll take the mounting bracket and PTO shaft off since I tend to move a lot of dirt/material in the spring/summer/fall and I don't need to be dragging the front bracket through the dirt.

I've been quite impressed with the thought that's been put into the attachments for the x55 series tractors. The loader, sub-frame backhoe, front blower take just a few minutes to mount/dismount and brackets for one don't need to be removed in order to mount the other. I don't have the 380 front blade, but I understand the loader mounts need to be removed in order to install it. I also understand the belly mower can be a pain since you have to man-handle it into place or drag it out from under. I got around that by using a JD 272 RFM instead. The backhoe takes the longest since I do have to remove the 3pt draft/lifting/top links off.

I would really like to have a belly mounted grader blade, but I've never seen one the 55's. That would probably have to be a custom made unit.
 
   / Ballast for a 59 front mount snowblower #24  
I have the 72"mmm on my 855. It's not bad to remove if you are working on a concrete floor. Rolls very easily though you do need to lift the front of the tractor. If, like me, you don't have the option of always mounting/dismounting on a concrete floor, it gets old. I've been on the lookout for a 60" rear mount, not sure if my budget will allow it this year or not but I'm hopeful.
 
   / Ballast for a 59 front mount snowblower #25  
Just curious why you need to lift the tractor. Do you remove the left front deck wheel and turn the front tractor wheels full left before removal? I agree removal is not a problem as long as done on a concrete surface. Could be tough on the dirt/grass.
 
   / Ballast for a 59 front mount snowblower #26  
If I took the wheel off, I would have to put it back on. :D

As heavy as it is, I don't want it to have a corner minus a wheel. It's hard enough to push as it is.
 
   / Ballast for a 59 front mount snowblower
  • Thread Starter
#27  
Well, with Virgil bearing down on us, I pulled the 59 back out of storage and remounted it this afternoon. I just may get a chance to play with the new toy yet this season. I thought I had done my part to ensure that it would never snow here again by buying the 59.
 
   / Ballast for a 59 front mount snowblower #28  
Did you get to play with the toy? I thought I heard St Louis got 15".
 
   / Ballast for a 59 front mount snowblower
  • Thread Starter
#29  
Did you get to play with the toy? I thought I heard St Louis got 15".
I'm on the other side of the state, but yes, I did get a chance to use it. We got about 8" or so, but again it was a very wet, heavy snow. One thing that I've noticed is that the skids really leave drag marks on the paved drive. The little model 49 on my 322 barely leaves a mark, but then again, I'm sure the model 59 is a lot heavier. It got me to thinking about some kind of high density plastic wear pads for the bottoms of the skids, but I don't know what material would hold up the best.
 
   / Ballast for a 59 front mount snowblower #30  
Mechanos, Do you have any pictures of the marks on the driveway? I have been thinking about getting a larger 3 PT or 59" front mount snow blower for my 3320, but I don't want to mark up my asphalt driveway with it.

I have a 42" on my 345, and it doesn't mark up the driveway at all.
 
 
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