front mounted snowblowers HP required

[milkie62]

There is no way I am trusting the dealer on what HP is actually needed to run a front mtd snowblower. My plan when I retire in 22 months is to have an enclosed cab tractor in the low 30 HP range for snowblowing 1300 feet of driveway and a 6 foot finish mower to keep roughly 8 acres of field groomed. I just bought a new 3500 Chevy that I will not put a plow on since I do not want to beat it and it will be my retirement truck. Just sold a 2013 Chevy and gave the plow to my son in law and daughter.I also do not need a FEL since I already have an M6800 with a FEL. Snowblowing and rear mower is all it will be doing. So lets hear from guys that do it and what kind of HP you use or wish you had. Thanks Ed

 

[Halftrack]

NH TC33D, 33 hp and 26 at PTO. 5 ft. front mount blower and tractor barely notices blower at full capacity. 7.5 ft, 5 blade rear finish deck and again, tractor barely notices mower at full capacity. The 5 blade actually pulls very easily, but I borrowed the neighbors Woods 7 ft, 3 blade with high lift blades, finish mower and it pulled noticeably harder. I attributed the difference to the high lift blades.

 

[PILOON]

I recall reading the rule of thumb was 5 hp per foot of blower.*
Naturally a hydrostatic tranny is your best friend.
That being said I run a 60 inch on a 20 hp gear box tranny and have done so for some 8-10 years.
It is all about techniques that U soon learn.

*might have been for a rear installation.

Depending on the front mount drive method more HP might be required as some systems take rear power via a series of gears and long underslung shafts.
Others take drive power directly from a frt PTO or again others from the engine crankshaft.
Generally the RPM's of frt mounts are not the same as rear mts.

 

[milkie62]

NH TC33D, 33 hp and 26 at PTO. 5 ft. front mount blower and tractor barely notices blower at full capacity. 7.5 ft, 5 blade rear finish deck and again, tractor barely notices mower at full capacity. The 5 blade actually pulls very easily, but I borrowed the neighbors Woods 7 ft, 3 blade with high lift blades, finish mower and it pulled noticeably harder. I attributed the difference to the high lift blades.

That sounds about right for what I have heard. I will be in no hurry to finish since I want a cab. Heavy sweatshirt,cup of Joe and some tunes playing and I will be happy. Same in the summer ----air on cup of ice tea and the same tunes playing as I mow.

 

[ruffdog]

NH TC33D, 33 hp and 26 at PTO. 5 ft. front mount blower and tractor barely notices blower at full capacity. 7.5 ft, 5 blade rear finish deck and again, tractor barely notices mower at full capacity. The 5 blade actually pulls very easily, but I borrowed the neighbors Woods 7 ft, 3 blade with high lift blades, finish mower and it pulled noticeably harder. I attributed the difference to the high lift blades.

This was my TC33D with a 60" blower in deep, hard packed drifted snow (you could walk on top). I would slowly creep as it took lots of power.

 

[Looking4new]

I have a 27 hp Kioti with hydrostatic tranny and a 5' blower on front. I believe it is about 24 hp at the PTO. The blower does a good job on dry snow, but on wet sloppy snot it plugs up. That is the main reason I took it off and will NEVER put it back on.
5 grand CDN takes it all away, blower front harness AND drive shaft with gear box. Buyer pays the shipping.

 

[finn1]

I have a 27 hp Kioti with hydrostatic tranny and a 5' blower on front. I believe it is about 24 hp at the PTO. The blower does a good job on dry snow, but on wet sloppy snot it plugs up. That is the main reason I took it off and will NEVER put it back on.
5 grand CDN takes it all away, blower front harness AND drive shaft with gear box. Buyer pays the shipping.

Happened once on my ck4010. Last snowfall of the year. We has 353” locally this year, and probably 70% had already melted. The remaining snow was probably 80% water, and we got another snowfall on top of that, plus, the temperature was just above freezing.

The blower discharge plugged solid when removing the snow that slid off the garage roof in front of he door. I just gave up and put the tractor inside the heated garage to let the snow in the Chute melt.

If it’s any consolation, my F450 which weighs 10000 lb empty couldn’t move that compacted snow with its 10’ Boss plow either.

Blower worked great in normal snow, ant plugging in dense, high water content snow is an issue on walk behind snowthtowers too.

 

[Looking4new]

It happened more often than not 4 years ago. I spent more time outside cleaning out the chute than I did blowing snow, it seemed like.
Since then I have only used the loader with a back blade and that works so good for me that the blower is never going on the Kioti again.

 

[masscity]

Happened once on my ck4010. Last snowfall of the year. We has 353 locally this year, and probably 70% had already melted. The remaining snow was probably 80% water, and we got another snowfall on top of that, plus, the temperature was just above freezing.

The blower discharge plugged solid when removing the snow that slid off the garage roof in front of he door. I just gave up and put the tractor inside the heated garage to let the snow in the Chute melt.

If it痴 any consolation, my F450 which weighs 10000 lb empty couldn稚 move that compacted snow with its 10 Boss plow either.

Blower worked great in normal snow, ant plugging in dense, high water content snow is an issue on walk behind snowthtowers too.

I live 50 miles SSW of you and that last storm was something else. My L3540HSTC-3 and my L2195 (6') work great, I've only had it plug up on me once in 7 years. I find that if you keep the rpm's up to max it won't happen. In my case 2600 rpm.
My only problem with the blower is when it's too warm, around 30 deg or warmer the wet snow builds up on my auger shaft and after an hour or two the auger won't work, because the blades are almost cover with snow.

If the snow is wet I only do what's necessary and blow the rest when it gets cold. I like blowing snow when the temp is between 10 above and 10 below.

 

[RjCorazza]

There is no way I am trusting the dealer on what HP is actually needed to run a front mtd snowblower. My plan when I retire in 22 months is to have an enclosed cab tractor in the low 30 HP range for snowblowing 1300 feet of driveway and a 6 foot finish mower to keep roughly 8 acres of field groomed. I just bought a new 3500 Chevy that I will not put a plow on since I do not want to beat it and it will be my retirement truck. Just sold a 2013 Chevy and gave the plow to my son in law and daughter.I also do not need a FEL since I already have an M6800 with a FEL. Snowblowing and rear mower is all it will be doing. So lets hear from guys that do it and what kind of HP you use or wish you had. Thanks Ed

Sounds like what I did 3 years ago! Cabbed L4060 and a new to me truck. I can't comment specifically on the front blowers hp requirements, but a 6' rear blower works fine on my machine with 32 hp at the PTO. Wet snow is going to be a problem with any blower. I know in a later response mowing time is a non issue, but if you go with 30 hp at the PTO or greater you can easily groom with a 7' mower.