I'm getting ready to buy a Kubota
B2650. Trying to figure out if I want to buy a snow blower for it. I already have a 42 HP with an 8 foot blade. This works very well but is time consuming. Does the snow blower work well with this tractor and will it save time moving snow in a wide area? With the blade it is back and forth many times as the snow falls to the side. When it's below zero I want to be done fast! I have 3 long driveways to clear.
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You have had many, many good examples and relevent examples of what is required
with snow removal AND the reminder that like politics ALL AND I MEAN ALL snow removal is local.
If you have not emptied your wallet yet. I hope not anyway, and I hope that if you
have the three day waiting for the retraction of a sale period has not passed I will
try to help you as we all have had issues in this discussion.
SO much depends on the following IN any examination of the purchase of a mule and
the attachments used on the mule.
1. ballast and chains are must for any snow removal job unless you have a very large mule in your possession as most all have loaded tires and chains as a rule.
2. If you have a power frame size in mind already-
are you going to mow with it too?
You must keep in mind that a hydrostatic tractor is already behind the
8 ball with inherent power loss from the heat created by the hydraulic
system which also operates the implements through the drive train .
Geared mules do not have this issue as most have a very low gear ratio for mounted implements and the Mid Mount and Rear Power Take Off if they are equiped with both.
It may be much more economical for you to purchase a used row crop tractor and a new rear mount snow blower for the following reasons:
1. swivel seat
2. many already have all weather cabs
3. the row crop tractors are taller at the seat
and have a higher groun clearance.
4. many have all weather cabs already and
have been very well taken care of even with
high hours on the clock because they have been used
for row crop work at low speeds.
a. Higher speeds are for road travel with row crop tractors.
5. service is availalable locally.
6. parts are easily obtainable.
7. larger frame row crop tractors are easier to work on.
8. buying a used row crop tractor will let you buy a new wider rear mount snow caster
which will let you clear the driveways in two passes.
NOW you have to understand that front mounts will be limited in snow clearing capacity
simply due to the poor design with open cross augers and smaller 3-4 blade impellers.
The majority of front mounts have a center drive system that uses a worm gear that rotates the impeller and through this shaft rotates a spiral gear that in turn rotates a spur gear that then rotates the two halves of the open cross auger. This is how the majority of belt drive front mounts are set up courtesy of RAD in Canada.
The design is a less costly way to do things and works.
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Many users have front and rear mounts both mounted on the same mule and use them for years the same way to solve issues with snow in all conditions.
Many users simply buy a wider rear mount and make thier first pass and then make half cuts at a faster pace BECAUSE the rear mount will have no issues clearing it.
I wish that I could have afforded mule with arear mount But I ended up with a lawn tractor with a snowblower as an afterthought to reach "joe consumer" The front mounts of today are nothing at all like the IH Cub Cadet from 1968 that were single stage units with a small V belt drive off the crank pulley connected to a bevel spur gear that rotated the cross auger at high speed and torque with an end mounted chain drive WHICH NEVER FAILED ME.
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A neighbor bought a
BX2350 with a front mount, chains, and a good cab so she could
clear her long driveway in her shortsleeves and she loved it.
The snow we deal with is heavy and wet and they use too much salt on the roads here
which makes the job that much worse creating ice dams which are tough on a cheap
snow caster like mine and they make ice dams by using too much salt..
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Its your money and you will not know what a mistake you made until you are
out there for hours clearing snow.
The front mounts also have a much lower ground clearance so keep that in mind.
You will have plenty of ground clearance with rear mont snow caster and it will be
much more efficient in clearing snow as the impeller is larger in diameter and operates at
540 RPM as compared to a front mount with the smaller impeller that operates at a higher RPM (2000+)with a reverser and reduction geared chain drive in most cases.
BUT if you buy a small BX 2350 iwith a cab and chains if you want a kubota with a good rear mount like a Pronovost P 620 with a wider cut and good HID rear work lights you will be ahead of the game as you will be comfortable and much less tired.
