3pt. hitch snowblower selection (PT-1430)

   / 3pt. hitch snowblower selection (PT-1430) #1  

PTWannaHave

Silver Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2010
Messages
181
Location
Richmond, ON, Canada
Tractor
1997 Cub Cadet 2185; 2015 PT-1430
Hello all,

Now that the nice weather is here, snowblowers are going on sale! This coming winter will be my 1st full winter with the 1430, and I have sold my garden tractor with snowblower...

Since skidsteer snowblowers are so much more expensive than 3pt. hitch, and not readily available in the used market, they are not on my radar.

My current plan (please comment) is to buy a used 3pt. hitch snowblower (with electric or hydraulic chute rotation & deflection). It would be mounted on an adapter from the skidsteer industry: Skid Steer Quick Attach Adapter

Because my PT1430 is 53" wide, I'd be looking at either a 54 or 60" wide blower. 3pt. hitch blowers are rated by ag tractor horsepower... (Their engine horsepower I believe, not their rear PTO horsepower...) How do I calculate if my 12gpm @ 2500psi PTO is powerful enough? (Assuming it is, I'll figure out the chute operation challenge.)

Another reason for going this route is that I would have a 3pt. hitch for any possible future farm implement, which are plentiful in the Used market.

Thank-you in advance for your valued expertise,
 
   / 3pt. hitch snowblower selection (PT-1430) #2  
It takes about 19 HP to pump 12 GPM at 2500 psi.

A hyd motor using the 12 GPM and rated for 2500 psi, will develop about 85 to 90 % of the pumps HP, so about 16.5 to 17.1 HP.

How much HP does your snow blower require.
 
   / 3pt. hitch snowblower selection (PT-1430) #3  
I think the formula for figuring out mechanical to hydraulic is this:
Hydraulic horsepower = flow rate (US gal/min) × pressure (psi) × 7/12,000
or
= flow rate (US gal/min) × pressure (psi) / 1714
= 550 ft·lbf/s
= 745.69988145 W

So, for you:
12gpm X 2500psi X (7/12,000)
or
12 X 2500 X 0.000583
or
17.49 HP at the main PTO.

Therefore, it appears you should look for a 3pt blower that is rated to use less than 17.49 HP or it will be under-powered.

For example:
This 50" blower requires a minimum of 16HP and a max of 30. Its 4" narrower than what you want, but is close to the HP of 17.49.
NorTrac 3-Pt. Snow Blower — 50in.W Intake, Fits Tractors from 16 HP to 30 HP, Model# BE-SBS50G | 3-Pt. Snow Blowers| Northern Tool + Equipment

This 60" blower requires a minimum of 25HP, so it might not work on your 17.49.
NorTrac 3-Pt. Snow Blower — 60in.W Intake, Fits Tractors with 25 to 40 HP, Model# BE-SBS60G | 3-Pt. Snow Blowers| Northern Tool + Equipment

Then there is this WOODS brand unit that is 54" and says it requires between 15 and 25HP, so it may work on your 17.49.
Product Details

So, be careful which used blower you find and do your homework.
 
   / 3pt. hitch snowblower selection (PT-1430)
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Thanks for the feedback and info! So glad I asked.

I guess that a CUT (such as the Kubota BX series and the like) has its rear PTO power perhaps only slightly lower than the engine hp since it is probably a fairly direct (such as shaft) connection between engine crank and PTO splines...

With this information, it might be harder than I originally thought to find/select a 3pt. hitch snowblower... (Originally thought it wouldn't be too hard for the PT1430, and also because Power Trac offers a 60" blower.)

I might have a hard time finding a used 54+" blower rated for min. of 16hp...

I'll keep you posted,
 
   / 3pt. hitch snowblower selection (PT-1430) #5  
Snow blowers are nice for many reasons, but I would ask the question about whether a blade or a bucket might be a reasonable alternative. I realize that there are many different kinds of snow, and terrain, but if you could use a blade, it has many advantages, in reliability, and cost, to name two.

FWIW: Observationally, most PT owners here seem to use blades or buckets.

All the best,

Peter
 
   / 3pt. hitch snowblower selection (PT-1430) #6  
So lemme ask a stupid question here, and it relates to HP vs Torque. In a car, HP tends to equate to speed, and Torque tends to relate to grunt.

Even though the Hydraulic circuit is 17.5 HP (and lets say you need 20HP) wouldn't the fact that Torques is so much higher in a Hydraulic circuit (I assume it is) that it would not be a bad thing?
 
   / 3pt. hitch snowblower selection (PT-1430)
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Snow blowers are nice for many reasons, but I would ask the question about whether a blade or a bucket might be a reasonable alternative. I realize that there are many different kinds of snow, and terrain, but if you could use a blade, it has many advantages, in reliability, and cost, to name two.

FWIW: Observationally, most PT owners here seem to use blades or buckets.

All the best,

Peter

Hi Peter, I have the 72" blade and LMB. So, I don't need to rush for a snowblower... I have always cleared with a garden tractor snowblower, and have gotten used to the advantages... We get enough snow here that most people who plough/bucket end up with high snow banks that always make it hard to see when driving out of the driveway... When blowing, the sides that are cut with the snowblower average 3ft over the winter.

So lemme ask a stupid question here, and it relates to HP vs Torque. In a car, HP tends to equate to speed, and Torque tends to relate to grunt.

Even though the Hydraulic circuit is 17.5 HP (and lets say you need 20HP) wouldn't the fact that Torques is so much higher in a Hydraulic circuit (I assume it is) that it would not be a bad thing?

I think that's a good question, to which I don't have a great answer. I do know that for snowblowing, the rpms of the augers is important; speed is your friend...

Ciao,
 
   / 3pt. hitch snowblower selection (PT-1430) #8  
Yes, HP is power, and speed is limited by the work done (Drag, hill climbing, internal friction, etc.) Unit HP, kW (kJ/sec).
Torque is a measure of acceleration ft-lb or newton-meter (Kg/sec^2).

We measure both because they are different. Within a given type of power generator, they tend to be somewhat coupled, but, for example, changing the bore/stroke in an engine design will change the ratio of HP/torque. Depending on the problem, one may be the limiting feature. e.g. on a chipper, HP determines equilibrium rotor speed, torque is a measure of how fast the chipper will return to speed after loading.

To the OP question, you need enough HP to drive the snow blower, but you also need enough flow to generate the speed on the auger and blower to throw the snow a reasonable distance.

All the best,

Peter
 
   / 3pt. hitch snowblower selection (PT-1430) #9  
So I go to my stump grinder. Speed was more important than HP in the end. NOpe... Forget it.... OP needs a 540RPM Hydraulic. They make these motors BTW.

If it was me, I would give it a try. But that is just me.
 
   / 3pt. hitch snowblower selection (PT-1430) #10  
That skid steer hydraulic-to-skid steer adapter linked to above says 10-25gpm @ 2200-3000psi will yield (at maximum flow and pressure)15-31hp..... that's a lot of "to"s....

10 to 25gpm
2200 to 3000psi
15 to 31 hp

Apparently there are several different models of that adapter. Research the specs portion of their literature.

The PT1430 is rated at 12gpm@2500psi. You'll have to figure the numbers from those inputs, then figure out if the adapter will spin its motor at 540rpm (standard 3pt PTO speed on almost all conventional tractors).

Also, just the adapter weighs 425lbs. That brings your lift capacity down to 775#. The snowblowers I linked to weigh 450-650#. That's not much wiggle room, since you figure lift capacity at the quick attach plate. Stick that adapter on there, which appears to be a couple feet long, and you're going to be at or over the lift capacity once you figure the leverage.
 
 
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