Snow Attachments New Provonost Puma-74 delivered yesterday!

[Trails End]

What thickness plexiglass did you use? After my first snowblowing experience with the Puma-74, I
looked like the abominable snow man. Your idea looks more appealing to me now. When I used my
walk behind Ariens snow blower during windy weather, I had a cab attachment which kept most of
the snow off me.

 

[wmonroe]

Very nice looking blower. How many pto hp is your tractor? Let us know how the blower does in a wet heavy snow.

 

[Kubotafan]

What thickness plexiglass did you use? After my first snowblowing experience with the Puma-74, I
looked like the abominable snow man. Your idea looks more appealing to me now. When I used my
walk behind Ariens snow blower during windy weather, I had a cab attachment which kept most of
the snow off me.

I am not sure but it wasn't really heavy. I don't think it would have been 1/4" thick. Maybe 3/16" or a little less. It is only blocking snow.

 

[Trails End]

Very nice looking blower. How many pto hp is your tractor? Let us know how the blower does in a wet heavy snow.

PTO HP is 26.5, according to Bobcat specs for the CT335. I'm looking forward to seeing how it does
with heavy wet snow also. I'll keep you updated

I am not sure but it wasn't really heavy. I don't think it would have been 1/4" thick. Maybe 3/16" or a little less. It is only blocking snow.

Thanks Kubotafan for the information, and details on construction. Looks like a January thaw coming
in the next few days with rain by the weekend. Arrrrgh!

 

[Trails End]

Well, it's finally time for an update. We had 7" of wet snow yesterday so I
finally had a chance to see how the Puma-74 would do. I cleaned up my
475 foot gravel driveway and 40 foot paved driveway by the house with no
problems. It performed as I hoped it would, throwing the snow as far as I
needed it to, with no clogging.

The problem occurred while I was cleaning out in front of my garage. The Puma
suddenly stopped throwing snow. When I went back to see why, the impeller
was turning but the auger was not, which indicated that the auger shear bolt was
probably sheared. Unfortunately, closer inspection verified that the shear bolt
was fine. Since it was dark, and my back was killing me, I parked the tractor
and finished the job with my old Ariens 26" walk behind blower. This morning,
with more light to work with, I discovered that the drive shaft shear bolt was
also OK.

The auger is driven by a chain drive sprocket connected through a shear bolt
plate to a shaft and splined adapter connected to the main gear box. The
splined adapter was turning but the shaft was not. Unfortunately, the adapter
is (or was) welded to the shaft, and the weld apparently failed. Very disappointing.
Being Sunday, I'll have to wait until tomorrow morning to contact the dealer for
a replacement or repair. I was hoping that there was another shear bolt for that
splined adapter to shaft connection, but nope, just a weld which is not even
visible. I had to look at the parts list, which listed the assembly as a welded
assembly.

Has anyone else experienced a similar failure with Puma's or other 3pt hitch blowers?

 

[wmonroe]

That's disappointing, since it failed so soon I would guess it was a bad weld that didn't penetrate. Hopefully your dealer gets you fixed up quickly.

 

[Kubotafan]

The auger is driven by a chain drive sprocket connected through a shear bolt
plate to a shaft and splined adapter connected to the main gear box. The
splined adapter was turning but the shaft was not. Unfortunately, the adapter
is (or was) welded to the shaft, and the weld apparently failed. Very disappointing.
Being Sunday, I'll have to wait until tomorrow morning to contact the dealer for
a replacement or repair. I was hoping that there was another shear bolt for that
splined adapter to shaft connection, but nope, just a weld which is not even
visible. I had to look at the parts list, which listed the assembly as a welded
assembly.

I have had snowblowers from three different companies, Lucknow, RAD Industries (made for Kubota) and an Ecnor made by Normand (my favorite) but never had a similar problem. My guess is that the spline adaptor was shoved on the shaft and never welded. I was tight enough to make things work but once it started slipping it kept slipping. I had one wear out the spline, but I think it may have ben part my fault by not keeping if greased well enough. I had missed the grease fitting on it until it broke. It received better attention after that.

 

[devildog1]

TRAILS, Never have heard of that either as I have had three different 3 point hitch snow blowers also. Mine were Lorenz, Woods and now Kubota. The woods was so so as the impeller blade was 3 blades, the Lorenz was great because it had paddles instead of a cork screw type first stage auger. But for HD and toughness I do like the Kubota (Rad) the best so far, but it's only been 2 years with it. I had the Lorenz for more the 12 years and never had an issue at all. Best of luck with the Puma, keep us updated and the progress.
DevilDog

 

[Trails End]

Here's a picture of the shaft (on the right) and the splined adapter (on the left). It
appears that there was next to no penetration of the weld bead to the adapter.

 

[Trails End]

The dealer came up yesterday afternoon to pick up the snow blower. No word as to when it
will be repaired and returned. Two to five inches of snow forecast for late today into Wednesday.
Guess it's time to go out and put the plow back on the tractor.