I did it. Roast and discuss my choice. (sharing experience + numbers for others)

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

Maybe someone on here knows if dual auger blowers are harder or easier to drive through snow than single auger. I really do not understand why a 8ft blower is too big for the 4707 but then goridedoo has the experience.

I do. Look at the HP numbers required for that blower. What I don't understand is why the poster didn't consider that before purchasing it.

 

[goridedoo]

You can certainly have some chips changed and do things for your 4707 that will give you more HP. My guess is, though, that traction will be your issue rather than horsepower. An 8ft blower trying to push heavy windpacked snow at more than a creeper speed is going to cause you to lose traction, I think. Don't you have that problem ?

Again dependent on alot of things. The one storm we had this year HP became an issue before traction. I had a 1086 on this blower before, 130 pto hp, and traction was always an issue. HP could be an issue in heavy snow too believe it or not, but low-low in that tractor is just way too fast for blowing snow.

 

[goridedoo]

I do. Look at the HP numbers required for that blower. What I don't understand is why the poster didn't consider that before purchasing it.

If you're referring to me, see the above post. I previously had the blower on a 1086, and decided I'd try the blower on the 4707 before trying to sell it.

 

[arrow]

As title suggests, I did it. I bought a tractor and paid far more money than I ever thought I would for something that isn't real estate. After many hours of reading, test driving, calling, and spitballing on what I should get I landed on the Massey 4707.

MF 4707
Cab
dyna 2
931 loader with soft drive
4x4
30 inch rears

60k even, delivered.

For reference, my main goal with this is to put a massive snowblower on the back and keep my driveway clear. I have a 500ft drive and the drifts are terrible where I am at. Secondary goals are driveway maintenance, pasture fence maintenance/moving, and managing 30 acres of pasture. I currently rent out my crop land but that might change in the future. Potentially could get into making hay to sell. Land is fairly level.

I'm a suburban dude who just wants to be comfortable while doing work outside. How did I do for a first time buyer?

From experience of ppl who have bought blowers from the tractor place I work at, with the exception of those who have short runs of say 50 to 100', they didn't mind the rear mounted blower.
The rest eventually regretted their purchase of not getting a front mount blower for the sanctity of the neck.
Your 500' drive warrants a front blower because here's what i've seen happen. "I'm only doing a 200' drive 16' wide. I'll be fine with the rear blower plus it's way cheaper". After two maybe 3 seasons: "I should have listened to you and gotten the front blower but I feel stuck with my purchase of the rear blower and don't want to spring for the front blower".
"Ok" I say back "then my recommendation is to get a 7' or 8' plow while keeping the rear blower but using the plow for the majority of snow removal".
This is a front plow that attaches with quick attach and gives the option of manual configuration or using hydraulics to manipulate the plow. If you are not getting loaded tires, the rear blower will make great ballast for a front plow.

My thinking is for the long game and not the present when you'll be a different person down the line confronting the same problems that are in the present.
Problems don't change but the body seems to. You aren't gonna take my advice of "don't get old" are ya?
Good luck w your purchase.

 

[Rustyiron]

If you're referring to me, see the above post. I previously had the blower on a 1086, and decided I'd try the blower on the 4707 before trying to sell it.

...then you'll agree with me when I say my M9540 (kubota) is hurting for power with my 8' dual auger in much over a foot. I can add a creeper gear to this tractor, but I'm not sure I really need a blower at all and other than blowing snow, I don't need a creeper gear that I believe is around $1000.

 

[MinnesotaMorg]

regretted their purchase of not getting a front mount blower for the sanctity of the neck.

Ill say your post made me dig into front mount blowers a lot more than I have previously. It's pretty nutty the options that are available, the prices seem like they are pretty nuts as well. I'm not completely against it, but I think for now the rear mount makes the most sense for me. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but if I was to get stuck for whatever reason, I can use the loader to help push or pull me out a few inches right? That's my primary reason right there, as far as plowing a light snowfall, can I just use the bucket? its 84" should be able to get the long part of the driveway in 1 down and back I think.

Either way, I'm going to keep the front blower in mind. IF on year one if I find myself hating the rear, maybe Ill give the fronts another look.

 

[RjCorazza]

The closest I ever came to a front blower was when specing out my Kubota L4060 6 years ago. They have a front quick hitch option for a blower, plow, and broom. Unfortunately, the loader has to be removed to use the front hitch, which was a deal breaker for me.
I don't get the same big snows that many here do, maybe a large 2-3' blizzard every 5 years or so. I still cannot mentally be without a loader and bucket option which is the guaranteed tool to handle the biggest storms.
The rear blade / blower and front ssqa plow / loader bucket has worked well for me over the years.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

The rear blade / blower and front ssqa plow / loader bucket has worked well for me over the years.

Out of curiosity how do you guys prevent the front plow/blade/bucket from tearing up the asphalt and driveways?

 

[RjCorazza]

Out of curiosity how do you guys prevent the front plow/blade/bucket from tearing up the asphalt and driveways?

On the rare occasion I use the bucket, I lay the edge flat then slightly tilt the bucket forward. My bucket has side plates that extend below the bottom of the bucket and they will dig into pavement bad if I don't.

For the ssqa blade, I use a polyethylene UHMW edge that worked great last season. It's 1.25 x 6 x 84. I have a 4 year old polyurethane edge on the rear which will need to be flipped over soon for 4 more years of use.
I plow anywhere from 15-20 driveways from 100' to over 1000'. I got tired of people complaining about barely noticable marks on sealed driveways from the steel edges.

 

[Saucymynx]

Congratulations on the new tractor. I’m sure you will love it. I live in the upper peninsula of Michigan and have the same problem with drifting. I can get the driveway done and have to start over again! I use a meteor 87 single auger blower with hydraulic rotation and chute. With 85 PTO horsepower I can usually blow the driveway in 540 E. . However, there are times when the drifts are so deep and winds packed that I have to put it in low range first gear 540 regular PTO. Once or twice I haven’t even had to use creeper gear. I say all that to suggest not going overboard on blower width. You’re probably going to have to do two passes on your driveway anyways, down and back, so going a bit narrow will make sure that you stay well within the range of your power and you can use 540 E if you have it. It is nice to have the better fuel economy and lower noise. Also, when I first bought my blower I didn’t get the hydraulic shoot deflection but after one season I added it on. And for all those people that talk about sore backs and necks, I think part of that has to do with how big a cab you have. I have plenty of room to sit comfortably so that I don’t have to stretch my neck too much. After 200 inches of snow this year with lots of drifting and a quarter mile driveway, I have no complaints about a rear mounted blower