Wishing I had a Snowblower for my BX

   / Wishing I had a Snowblower for my BX #1  

proudestmonkey

Gold Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2006
Messages
439
Location
Cottage Grove, Minnesota
Tractor
Kubota BX 2230
A couple of months ago, after a 5" snowfall, my dealer talked me out of buying a snowblower (nice guy when you think about that). He did say I'd probably end up with one eventually for really deep snow, but he wanted me to get used to using the rear blade/FEL combo first, to see if I really needed anything else. Good advice. Only problem: last weekend we got about a foot of snow, and now I am watching, literally as I write this post, snow accumulate at more than an inch per hour, and totals are supposed to range from 12-20 inches by tomorrow. No way I'll be able to move this around with my rear blade, and using my FEL as a shovel would take many hours. So, its back to the walk-behind snowblower.

I am going to go out soon though and push off the 5 inches we've gotten so far with the rear blade, but the additional 10-15 inches we will probably get will be too much for the rear blade, unless I plow 3 or 4 times.

I am also seeing why folks want a snowblower for avoiding bank problems. Our driveway includes a circle around an inner courtyard. Right now, the courtyard looks like a pie, with the banks forming the pie crust. I won't be able to push more snow up there with the rear blade--too high. I would be able to blow it onto the courtyard with a snowblower.

Well, I'll get by fine with what I have, but next year, I'll be getting a rear snowblower for sure.
 
   / Wishing I had a Snowblower for my BX #2  
It might be a long shot, but I wonder if a local equipment rental firm or ag equipment dealer might have a 3ph blower that you could rent??

Backing up is a pain, but it would be much easier than a walk-behind.
 
   / Wishing I had a Snowblower for my BX #3  
Until a few days ago we were experiencing a VERY dry winter; however, we've received 14"-18" of snow over the past few days. The initial drop was fairly wet but subsequent snowfalls have been pretty dry. This is the first year I've done a bit of commercial snow removal and I've been using both the BX2750 blower and the BX2763 blade. The blade is ALOT cheaper, multi-seasonal, and does a good job on both wet and dry snow. The blower, however, cannot be matched when the snow is moderate to dry in terms of moisture content. The blower is, IMO, easier on my BX23 than the blade as well.

In a nutshell, you might consider a front blade instead of a blower for your snow removal needs. It's cheaper (about $1100) and will get the job done unless you typically have LOTS of snow.

Interestingly, I've found the blade needs different shoes for use on unfrozen DG/gravel roads. They don't have enough bearing area to just "float and forget" the front blade without digging-in. At least on the roads in my area. If the surface is concrete, pavement, or well-frozen roadmix, the stock shoes perform nicely.

One of my neighbors has a nice Mahindra with a 3pt attached blower. I wouldn't even consider that type of blower unless I had very limited removal requirements. (But many folks like that setup; to each their own.) Another neighbor has an old Ford tractor with a rear blade. That setup does pretty well and is cheaper than the front-mount Kubota blade.

This is definitely one of those YMMV scenarios. Good luck with whatever you choose. BTW, if you go with a blower make sure you have extra shear bolts for both the auger(s) and fan.
 
   / Wishing I had a Snowblower for my BX #4  
I dont have one, dont need one with the front loader..........and I can go forward with it.
 

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   / Wishing I had a Snowblower for my BX #5  
The sales guy is right you can pickup older 3 pt rear blower for cheap in the off season. I picked up this JD84 inch for 400 at a local auction sale this past summer. No repairs just change the hydraulic nipples to pioneer brand and I was set. Alot of farmers sell off there old 6 and 7 foot unit for larger units.
 

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   / Wishing I had a Snowblower for my BX #6  
proudestmonkey said:
I am also seeing why folks want a snowblower for avoiding bank problems. Our driveway includes a circle around an inner courtyard. Right now, the courtyard looks like a pie, with the banks forming the pie crust. I won't be able to push more snow up there with the rear blade--too high. I would be able to blow it onto the courtyard with a snowblower.

Well, I'll get by fine with what I have, but next year, I'll be getting a rear snowblower for sure.

Nothing beats the blower for getting the snow way off to the side fast. My drive is lined by trees and the blower is terrific. I have no problem drivng in reverse. I have hydraulic angling of the chute which is really fast and there is no cranking.

I can blow fairly wet and heavy snow with my blower. When we get slush it will plug and I use the back blade and loader which I keep on the Ford for the winter. I blade it to one side and then use the loader to dump it over the edge into the woods. Very time consuming.

The main drawback of a blower is wind. I try to keep up wind of the snow but when it is real gusty I get a bit snow covered, but that makes me enjoy the hot coffee and fireplace that much more when I'm done.
 
   / Wishing I had a Snowblower for my BX #7  
I think as people have mentioned that the blower may or may not be a good choice compared to other set ups.

In your case you really have to think about how many times the snow piles up like this and how often would you use the blower in a normal situation.

In the snow belts (like myself) I couldn't argue about NOT having a blower. Then again in my case the driveway is 650 feet long with not as much as a shrub to block the wind.

I watched my neighbor with his snow fence and he had as much trouble as I do. But even in 18 inches of snow I wonder if my tractor would be enough. I did call in a plow and the farmer a time or 2 for help. But to spend X dollars on something you might use 1x every few winters may not be worth it. I wonder if this is why your dealer talked you out of it.
 
   / Wishing I had a Snowblower for my BX #8  
Hey Proud... Thought you were looking forward to pushing that snow around. :D

I've said this before but I'll say it again...
I have a driveway that is 1000 + feet on a hill with an additional 200' of turnaround. I used to use a simplicity 38" walk behind which did a very good job although I was absolutely dead when I got finished. It took about 1/2 hour to blow the driveway. After getting fed up with the blower and the fact that sometimes I had to go teach 100+ 12-13 yr old kids after I blew out the yard I decided for the tractor.
The simplicity was $2200. The front blower for my B7610 was $2400. My father now owns the simplicity (which he says blows snow to china) and I got the front blower for $200 (it's nice having a dad who likes toys). I contemplated the rear blower but figured I'd go all out and not have a stiff neck afterward.
As for the manual chute rotator and the manual deflector, I bought a linear actuator and a friend gave me a car door window motor. I also bought a set of switches for the dash on the tractor. I had a guy weld a bracket to mount the motor to chute as well as a shaft on the motor to connect to the rotator shaft. The actuator went on the side of the chute. This system works like a charm as I can put the snow right where I want it without getting too much on me. I don't feel I need a cab in part because I like the outdoors and because I can control the chute enough to adjust it for the 'wind factor'. $200 later I have all the controls in the world.

If I had to recommend a way to get rid of the snow I'd go with the front blower. Maybe a bit expensive at first but what a breeze to use.
We're expecting only 3"-6" of snow tonight then changing over to sleet and freezing rain... then possibly all rain by tomorrow afternoon. Here's to another day without kids! :)
Keith
 
   / Wishing I had a Snowblower for my BX #9  
One other drawback to the snowblower:
You really should store it inside when not in use and that'll mean, for around 10 months out of the year, you'll be stumbling over it.

The blade, on the other hand, is useful all year long and can be dropped out in the bushes when not in use.

Like you, P-M, I'm trying to get by with FEL and blade. For the most part it's enough. Have only really needed a blower once so far this year but, like you, will probably end up with one.

One thing I've noticed; the feel, speed and ease with which I now use the loader and the blade have all increased dramatically since last fall. Can mere skill take the place of another implement?
Bob
 
   / Wishing I had a Snowblower for my BX #10  
I've been using the FEL and BB on a BX2200 to remove snow off my 300' drive, large parking area, and the drives of a number of neighbors since 2001. There are times I wish I had a blower, but it never stopped me from moving the snow very effectively with what I have.

I get drifts over 5 foot tall when the winds come with the snow. The drive is roadbase. Things work better when the base is froze, but that's not an all the time event. The snow fence down the drive covers about half of it very effectively. Keep it 40 feet from what you want to protect.

The trick is I DO NOT DIG with the FEL. I push. In the deep stuff push until you about stall, back out and push next to that. Keep at it until it's off to where you want it. I usually work about 3 bucket widths at a time. You'll be surprised how quickly you get the hang of it and how quickly you can move a lot of snow.
 
 
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