Convert pto snow blower to engine

   / Convert pto snow blower to engine #11  
At 73, I don't like looking back at my blower either so I did the simple solution, I added a rear view camera with the screen next to my seat on the right hand side. Much easier and lots cheaper than any of the above solutions.

Actually, I have 3 cams, one facing backward in the middle, one facing to the right and one to the left but I installed them for running hay tools, not the blower but it works for the blower just fine too. Have had them for a number of years now and if I remember correctly, it cost me about 150 bucks and an hour to wire up and mount them. The cams are totally water and weather proof as well.

Been 3 years since I've had the blower on as being retired, if it snows I stay in the house toasting my feet in front of the fire now. On the remote chance we get snowed in, we just keep the fridge full and the dog food well stocked as I have no desire to go out and deal with bad roads and/or bad drivers. I have a real nice Lucknow 72" rear mount blower I'd sell cheap if anyone is interested. Even has a hydraulic chute rotator. It's CAT 1 or 2.....
 
   / Convert pto snow blower to engine #12  
With the snows we usually see (80-120” per season) and wing, and winds, rear cameras would not work for me. Heck, id have to leave windshield wiper on to clear blow back snow. The front wiper is on entire time im blowing. Even my leds get covered in snow
 
   / Convert pto snow blower to engine #13  
With the snows we usually see (80-120” per season) and wing, and winds, rear cameras would not work for me. Heck, id have to leave windshield wiper on to clear blow back snow. The front wiper is on entire time im blowing. Even my leds get covered in snow
While we don't see near that much snow my experience with a camera is much the same as yours. May work for some but didn't for me. Still was looking back way too much.
 
   / Convert pto snow blower to engine #14  
Years ago while visiting Maine I saw a 1950's era Allis Chalmers row crop tractor with a front mounter snow blower. They powered the snow blower by using the rear PTO. The PTO had a gear arrangement fabricated to reverse the rotation for the blower mounted in the front. A long drive shaft with universals supplied the power.
 
   / Convert pto snow blower to engine #15  
I have a 6’ new holland back up snow blower. My neck doesn’t like it anymore. I want to convert it to self powered and to mount on my front “bobcat” mount on my N.H. TC45da.

Has anyone tried this? Any thoughts or advice?
Been there, done that. I added a Wisconsin V465 air cooled to a 7' Loftness dual auger blower and mounted to my CAT 910 wheel loader. Fun project. Here is a picture taken back when the weather was a bit nicer. You'll want around 3 to 4 horsepower minimum per foot of blower width. The Wisconsin I used is rated at 65 Hp, so its plenty for my setup. I run the chute rotation with an auxiliary hydraulic circuit.
 

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   / Convert pto snow blower to engine #16  
I used a 2:1 ratio belt drive speed reduction to a jackshaft that then runs a 1.5:1 ratio chain drive down to the input gear box for the blower. That gives an overall 3:1 speed reduction from the engine to the blower input shaft. I usually run the engine speed to get around 700 RPM or so on the blower impeller. That will throw the snow around 60 feet or so.
 
   / Convert pto snow blower to engine #17  
Been there, done that. I added a Wisconsin V465 air cooled to a 7' Loftness dual auger blower and mounted to my CAT 910 wheel loader. Fun project. Here is a picture taken back when the weather was a bit nicer. You'll want around 3 to 4 horsepower minimum per foot of blower width. The Wisconsin I used is rated at 65 Hp, so its plenty for my setup. I run the chute rotation with an auxiliary hydraulic circuit.
How much does your blower weigh? That is one good looking machine.
 
   / Convert pto snow blower to engine #18  
I don’t know exactly. I’m sure it’s pretty heavy. According to the specs I have found, the Wisconsin weighs about 530 pounds. The blower is probably in the 1200 to 1500 pound range without the engine. The wheel loader picks it up without complaining. ;)
 
   / Convert pto snow blower to engine #19  
It’s certainly possible to build a setup that is smaller and lighter than what I built. Keeping the unit as close to the loader lift arms as possible will certainly help. I eliminated some unnecessary weight by using the loader’s battery to start the Wisconsin and run the ignition system rather than adding another battery on the snowblower itself. I fabricated my own quick attach mount on the snowblower to match the factory Balderson style on the loader. Here are a couple pictures showing the quick attach mount just after I painted the snowblower. The cable in the first picture is for the electrical connection to the loader.
 

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   / Convert pto snow blower to engine #20  
I have a 6’ new holland back up snow blower. My neck doesn’t like it anymore. I want to convert it to self powered and to mount on my front “bobcat” mount on my N.H. TC45da.

Has anyone tried this? Any thoughts or advice?
I assume your "bobcat" mount is on your front end loader (FEL). Is there a reason you want to use the blower on your FEL? Why not make a mount for the front of the tractor and lift the FEL up out of the way or remove it when you want to use the blower. That way, you could use a rear to front PTO adapter, or a mid PTO kit if one is available for your tractor, to power it.

Here's another thread on the subject:


I can see where a "bobcat" or SSQA attachment point would make the blower easier to connect, but how often would you need to do it? I mount mine once in the fall and remove it in the spring. No real need for SSQA.
 
 

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