Snow Equipment Buying/Pricing Loader Mount Snowblower - experience??

[SafetyLady]

We have just relocated from Long Island to Central NY. We have a 2000' long driveway located on a 90 degree curve where snow can pile quite high due to snow drifts and town plow trucks.

We are looking at 45-50hp tractors and have been inquiring about loader mounted snow blowers. The prices of loader mount snow blowers are steep ($9-13K) and the dealers near me don't have alot of experience with them. Can anyone provide first hand experience?

Thanks!

 

[grsthegreat]

We have just relocated from Long Island to Central NY. We have a 2000' long driveway located on a 90 degree curve where snow can pile quite high due to snow drifts and town plow trucks.

We are looking at 45-50hp tractors and have been inquiring about loader mounted snow blowers. The prices of loader mount snow blowers are steep ($9-13K) and the dealers near me don't have alot of experience with them. Can anyone provide first hand experience?

Thanks!

I purchased mine from Skid Steer Attachments : Bobcat Brush Cutter : Tractor Attachments : Snowblower Attachment : Quick Attach Attachments, Inc. and have it attached to my tractor, but i have not been able to use it this season yet.

I have a 45 HP Kioti tractor, and have been told by the manufacturer that they will work just fine on my rig. There are some youtube vids about loader mounted blowers out there.

I wont know exactly how this works for at least a month.... from wehat i hear.

Sorry

 

[art]

We have just relocated from Long Island to Central NY. We have a 2000' long driveway located on a 90 degree curve where snow can pile quite high due to snow drifts and town plow trucks.

We are looking at 45-50hp tractors and have been inquiring about loader mounted snow blowers. The prices of loader mount snow blowers are steep ($9-13K) and the dealers near me don't have alot of experience with them. Can anyone provide first hand experience?

Thanks!

The reason of the high price is that you have to buy a hydraulic system to drive it. You will have a tank and pump which will go on the three point to power it and store the fluid.

There will be hoses that will run to the front from the rear that will go under neath the tractor to the loader frame.

I live in central NY and in the snow belt. It is rare that there would be any advantage to the loader mount unless going commercial and cleaning where you might only clean once or twice a winter.
Most times while living at a location you are only removing up to a foot from an over nite fall.. When blowing you don't make drifts or have the blow in from banks made by plows so what you might be scared of is not a problem to begin with!

 

[foggy1111]

We have just relocated from Long Island to Central NY. We have a 2000' long driveway located on a 90 degree curve where snow can pile quite high due to snow drifts and town plow trucks.

We are looking at 45-50hp tractors and have been inquiring about loader mounted snow blowers. The prices of loader mount snow blowers are steep ($9-13K) and the dealers near me don't have alot of experience with them. Can anyone provide first hand experience?

Thanks!

That sounds awfully expensive for a front end loader mounted plow. I'm not sure what kind of tractor you have (or are looking to buy?)....but if it needs a hydraulic pump perhaps your tractor should be upgraded rather than add more to an old tractor?

Can you tell us more about the tractor? Also, are you sure you want a plow vs a blower?

 

[mpham]

You might be better served with a plow on the front and a snow blower mounted on the rear 3 pt. hitch. Purchasing both new would still be way cheaper than a front mount blower. Plus a plow would be faster on smaller storms. Worth checking into.

 

[devildog1]

That sounds awfully expensive for a front end loader mounted plow. I'm not sure what kind of tractor you have (or are looking to buy?)....but if it needs a hydraulic pump perhaps your tractor should be upgraded rather than add more to an old tractor?

We are looking at 45-50hp tractors and have been inquiring about loader mounted snow blowers. The prices of loader mount snow blowers are steep ($9-13K) and the dealers near me don't have alot of experience with them. Can anyone provide first hand experience?



I believe the OP said it was awfully expensive for a loader mounted Snow Blower.:thumbsup:
Devildog

 

[JohninCT]

Are the drifts that high that you need to have the blower mounted on the loader? If you are getting a new tractor get it with the mid PTO and get a regular front mount snowblower. Probably cheaper than the hyd power unit and a skid steer blower.

I don't know your other uses for a tractor. Would a skid steer or Toolcat fit your overall needs better?

 

[MFRED]

I think Art has the correct response here. The flow out of a compact is just not enough to effectively run a loader mounted blower, thus the need for an external hydraulic system. That adds to the cost. Though I have seen a SSQA blower that required just 8gpm on the low end of requirements, I haven't found anyone to take the plunge & find out if it does or doesn't work.

 

[grsthegreat]

Mine has an exterior tank that mounts on the 3 point hitch, holds 25 gal of hydraulic fluid and runs at 3,000 psi and 15 GPM.

I paid about $10,000 for my setup. Then again, with a 45 HP tractor, i was getting estimates in the 5-6,000 range for a USA made HEAVY duty rear drive snowblower. I'm not talking about the cheaper ones like my old farm king.

The new loader mounted blower is 79" wide and composed of 3/16 and 1/4" plate steel. Its made like a tank.

All the flighting is braced and cross braced. This thing will last many years. The problem with running a cheap lightweight snowblower on the larger HP tractors is the blower gets damaged. Even my old 28 HP tractor damaged by old farm king blower. I had it in the weld shop 3 times over the years. Mostly due to flighting issues. It was just too thin. always bent.

I guess yo get what you pay for.

We get at minimum 3 month and as much as 5 months of snow here. Average 120" per season. I have been driving backwoods since 1996...and i have had enough with that. We have had as much as 36" of snow overnight before. Luckly we average 4-6" per storm. I also have a loader mounted snowblade for the lighter snows and early seadon snows.

Well see how well this loader mounted unit works, but i don't gpm any issues as i have an HST tractor, so i can adjust my speeds as necessary.

 

[foggy1111]

That sounds awfully expensive for a front end loader mounted plow. I'm not sure what kind of tractor you have (or are looking to buy?)....but if it needs a hydraulic pump perhaps your tractor should be upgraded rather than add more to an old tractor?

We are looking at 45-50hp tractors and have been inquiring about loader mounted snow blowers. The prices of loader mount snow blowers are steep ($9-13K) and the dealers near me don't have alot of experience with them. Can anyone provide first hand experience?



I believe the OP said it was awfully expensive for a loader mounted Snow Blower.:thumbsup:
Devildog

Whoa.....my bad! Sorry for missreading what was said.