Pros/Cons of Front Mount Snowblower vs Rear Mount

[FatTire]

I run a back blade for near-building-cleanup and a front blower. I sure wouldn't trade it!
I can easily blow at 3mph. The reason it is that slow is because I run wicked-mean V-bar ladder chains on all 4 wheels. Faster just jostles too much.

A bit OT, but I honestly don't understand plowing (with a tractor). People say it's faster, but I'd put my rig up against any of 'em. I go over an area exactly once. Any plow goes over an area more than that. I do my drive in 1/2 the time than it took me with a boss plow and pickup truck. about 900' drive and garage/turn-around area.

So yeah, my vote is front all the way. Go at least a size larger than you're "supposed" to, too. When the snow is deep, you go slower. But when the snow isn't deep, you can get that much more done per pass. Also helps covering your wheel tracks when turning.

How do you handle a light snow, like 3 to 5 inches? Just the rear blade? Or do you blow that?

Paved or gravel?

 

[aeblank]

How do you handle a light snow, like 3 to 5 inches? Just the rear blade? Or do you blow that?

Paved or gravel?

I blow it all. I often will leave nuisance (>3") snows without blowing, till I feel like "cleaning up" or UPS is coming or something. When it's light, I'll usually run lower RPM so it isn't "dusting" as much. I could adjust the deflector too, but I'm lazy. Someday I want to put a linear actuator on there (as if it'll ever happen).. So yeah, low rpm 1200, maybe, and go fast to keep it full, so at least the rabbit in medium range (L3940).

Anyway, I have pure sand. If it's not frozen, it's a pain. I either leave it till it freezes or just make a mess of it. Not much avoiding that. I can lift and "leave a little" as well. With the ups/downs I have, that only works so well. I think with gravel (not JUST rocks), it'd be better, as it packs harder. Loose rocks on top will always be subject to being gone, plowing or blowing.

Assuming you're plowing your snow past your gravel areas, I see the "losing gravel" to be the same. My truck plow, back blade, and front blower are all subject to going too deep and taking more than just snow. It's more dramatic when you hear it in a blower, but it's happening with all of them.

Also, the light snow is where the wider blower is nice, as it just does the open areas that much faster. Mine's 74" and I'd be happy if it were another foot wider. I'd be upset if I got the "recommended" one which is........I dunno, 68" or something. My wife insisted on the front blower, of all things, convinced it's safer.



dunno if this will work, but this is the whole album. No recent pics, cause everyone is inside when I'm blowing.......
Snowblower Story by aeblank | Photobucket

 

[leonz]

I run a back blade for near-building-cleanup and a front blower. I sure wouldn't trade it!
I can easily blow at 3mph. The reason it is that slow is because I run wicked-mean V-bar ladder chains on all 4 wheels. Faster just jostles too much.

A bit OT, but I honestly don't understand plowing (with a tractor). People say it's faster, but I'd put my rig up against any of 'em. I go over an area exactly once. Any plow goes over an area more than that. I do my drive in 1/2 the time than it took me with a boss plow and pickup truck. about 900' drive and garage/turn-around area.

So yeah, my vote is front all the way. Go at least a size larger than you're "supposed" to, too. When the snow is deep, you go slower. But when the snow isn't deep, you can get that much more done per pass. Also helps covering your wheel tracks when turning.

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Hello aeblank,


As I have more time now I am going to install some UHMW slick sheet from Horn Plastics in the cross auger housing and impeller housing and also take my sawzall to the cross auger to cut teeth in the ribbons as it is not good the way it is made. I would love to install a singel stage cross auger in it to make it feed better like the Berta 2 stage 3 point hitch models but it would cost more than the $1,200.00 to replace the left and right augers.

I will probably add wings to it as well to make the cut wider for it as well as it is 44 inches wide and I am sure I could add 6 inches to both sides now.
I am going to bite the bullet and do surgery on my old 2 link V bar chains to install them on the JDLA115 for the coming winter.
I also need to invest in some bolt cutters and extra cross link connectors and I am going to add one bag of tube sand and lay
it across the suitcase weights as they rest on the suitcase weight frame to add 60 more pounds of weight to the 84 pounds there
already plus the weight of my A&& and the 10 gallons of windshield washer fluid in the rear tires.

 

[art]

Good point Art. The rearward visibility on a modern cab tractor is excellent. And some even have swivel seats. For a lot of people a loader or plow on the front and blower on the back is a very efficient combination.

The only thing I had to turn around for is to see where the hydraulic shoot was aimed when I changed the direction. We have also installed the same cameras we are installing on the combines and self-propelled mowers and forage harvesters into some tractor cabs which also does a great job. The loader just cut my hand work so much but you can't beat moving snow once and having it gone!

 

[aeblank]

you can't beat moving snow once and having it gone!

This is my favorite bit. No annoying piles to look around/past, either.

 

[leonz]

I should have bought bigger mule with the loader but I needed a dump trailer and I purchased the snow blower attachment as I could not use a plow as I live on a state road and I have no place to dump the snow anyway. I just wish it was a single stage unit. one year it got so bad I had to rent a skid loader to get rid of it all as it was all deep packed snow and ice it was so bad.

when I put the wings on the snow blower I will mount the caster wheels on the wings as they will be out of the way and not have the chance to create more ice around the mules front wheels and the front axle.

 

[Looking4new]

I blow it all. I often will leave nuisance (>3") snows without blowing, till I feel like "cleaning up" or UPS is coming or something.

With nuisance snows (less than 3") I usually turn my back blade around so the convex side is to the front and just pack the snow into the gravel.

Your photobucket album works good.

 

[aeblank]

I don't understand the single-stage wish. Mine is 2-stage, and I've had no problems. It's plugged twice (this year, blowing slush) because I couldn't keep it full. That, in 3 years of use. First year I blew back the banks on my seasonal road. That made some friends. =) Anyway, that was plow-pack and no problem. I didn't even have chains then.

 

[FatTire]

Everyone's situation is unique, that's for sure. When I try to envision getting through a winter without a snowplow my brain practically shuts down. We have a rear blade too, but the only time I use that in the winter is when there is some special need to scrape down really hard, like when we know somebody with an inadequate vehicle is going to try and come up. ("I should be OK, I have front wheel drive with all-season tires, why would I need chains?" is the kind of question that can get me outside extra early.)

 

[FatTire]

I don't understand the single-stage wish. Mine is 2-stage, and I've had no problems. It's plugged twice (this year, blowing slush) because I couldn't keep it full. That, in 3 years of use. First year I blew back the banks on my seasonal road. That made some friends. =) Anyway, that was plow-pack and no problem. I didn't even have chains then.

I guess the answer is that if the equipment you have is getting the job done, then you have the right equipment! There is another active thread on single vs. two-stage so no point re-hashing that here, since we're supposed be arguing over front vs. rear. :laughing: