Bobcat CT235 snow blower selection

[Nlight]

I am looking to purchase a 3 PT snow blower for the CT235. I am undecided between a Woods SB64, 64 inch wide, about right for the rear wheel spacing or the SB74 which is 74 inches wide. The 64 weighs 436 lbs, the 74 weighs in at 592 pounds. The hp requirement of the 74 is 30 -50 PTO, the tractor is 29 PTO HP.
How well would the tractor handle the larger unit considering its weight and larger HP requirements?
Currently I can get the 74 for less money than the 64. (different dealers)

 

[krazsk]

I ran a 68 inch Martin meteor on my ct225 for 4 winters here in Dakoa Territory I won't tell you what to do, but if I was you I would buy the 74 inch in a heartbeat. I had a lot less hp than you and no hp problems. You can always slow down or take a smaller cut.

 

[94BULLITT]

The front blower they sold for those tractors was a 62." I think a CT235 is 26.5PTO. Looking at the specs you are on the low side for the 74" blower but I have never ran a blower on a tractor.

 

[krazsk]

I fussed a bit before getting the 68 inch. Martin says it recommends 35 hp for the 68 inch. I had 27 hp engine and 19.5 on pto. The Martin is about 520 pounds and weight is no problem. When I was looking I think I figured out the blower fan diameter is more indicative of hp requirement than cut width. Send me a pm next winter thanking me for talking you into the bigger one.

 

[Nlight]

The blower fan on the 64 is 22" by 6" deep, the 74 is 22" by 8" deep. Current data of a MK Martin shows 21" by 7" deep. I can see the blower being the biggest factor in cunsuming HP.
Krazsk, do you still have the Martin 68? What is it's blower size?
What issues did you have that inclines you to go for the 74?

 

[kiotiken]

I run a 74" inverted blower on my DK45. Most of the time I have plenty of power. Some big heavy snowfalls I really have to slow down when it start to bog down. If you were here in Ottawa, I'd say no way, but it probably depends on how much snow you get and what kind it is. We get more snow than most and the weather's getting more and more unpredictable, wet snow or mixed snow/rain can hit us at any point in the winter.

60" would barely cover your tracks, 64" is probably the right size for the tractor. The tractor won't care about the weight of either of those blowers, I used to have 1500# on the back of my CK30 and it was fine.

 

[krazsk]

The blower is at the ranch right now. A couple of weeks ago I thought winter was over, once again showing poor judgment on my part. I just would not want go for smaller on my CT225, and you even have 7 more hp or so, and you said the 74 inch costs less. 36% more hp shouldn't moan about 10% bigger snowblower. With hydrostatic drive you can always go slower if the heavy wet snow is making the tractor grunt.

I assume the blower size is what you see on the MK Martin site.

When I was a newby, I just worried way too much about buying something too big for the tractor hp.

 

[Nlight]

Ken,
Thanks for the input. I am leaning toward the Woods SB64, I have a couple more days to kick it around.
Also, Thanks for the input last April when I was trying to pick the right tractor. I am very happy with that purchase. I still owe the forum a photo!

 

[94BULLITT]

Ken,
Thanks for the input. I am leaning toward the Woods SB64, I have a couple more days to kick it around.
Also, Thanks for the input last April when I was trying to pick the right tractor. I am very happy with that purchase. I still owe the forum a photo!

Consider the area you are going to be clearing with it, the 74'' in some cases may not be any faster.

 

[krazsk]

Yeah, I agree. If you are dealing with a small area, and needing a lot of manuverability, or short on storage space, then the smaller one may work better. Either snowblower will be wonderful, you'll start to be cheering when you hear a big snowfall is coming. I am just saying the big one will NOT be too big if your concern is weight on the 3 point, or if you are worried about not having enough horsepower. I asked a lot of locals (here in Dakota Territory) about hp on their 3 cylinder diesels, and nobody said they were short of hp for their 3pt snowblower. Some said their blower looked ridiculous that is was so big on their kubota BX, but they never worried about hp.