Homemade 3pt Snowblower

  Dec 15, 2019 / Homemade 3pt Snowblower

#1  

L

LFEngineering

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Joined

Sep 25, 2013

Messages

92

Location

Western, MA

Tractor

Kubota B1700, IH Cub Lo-Boy 185( Sold) & Deutz Allis 5215 (Sold)

With the availability of cheap (or in my case, free) model specific garden tractor snow blowers I started toying with the idea of modifying one to be a 3pt blower.
I picked up a 42" deere front mount blower. The impeller was designed to turn counter clockwise at apx 1600 rpm. To achieve this I made a 3.25:1 gearbox with some surplus gears from eBay.
With some advisement from fellow TBN members I decided to cut my PTO shaft and tuck the blower as close to the tractor as possible. I welded up the 3pt cage to fit and now I can't wait for snow.

 

  Dec 15, 2019 / Homemade 3pt Snowblower

#2  

C

CalG

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Joined

Sep 29, 2011

Messages

5,841

Location

vermont

Tractor

Hurlimann 435, Fordson E27n, Bolens HT-23, Kubota B7200, Kubota B2601

I really like that reversing gear box.

I have a blower that turns "the wrong way" that could use such a device.

I like your shop!

 

  Dec 15, 2019 / Homemade 3pt Snowblower

#3  

D

davedj1

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Apr 30, 2011

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1,224

Location

Jackson, NY

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Kubota L2501

I like it.
I have been thinking that I want to build one out of two 30-36" front mounted blowers, I want it on the front though, like an underslung deal with a rear pto drive, I would make a chain and sprocket set up dropping the pto down and then running it forward under the tractor. Each blower will be driven via chain and sprockets that way I can gear them as needed. I have yet to find any "free" ones though...lol To be honest I haven't looked too hard just yet but I may start to.

 

  Dec 16, 2019 / Homemade 3pt Snowblower

#4  

airbiscuit

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Aug 28, 2004

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6,518

Location

NW Wisconsin

Tractor

New Holland T2310 (40hp), Kubota L3010 GST, New Holland TC21DA *** Previously - Farmall H, 1941 John Deere B, Shibaura SD1500, John Deere 850, Bobcat 642, New Holland 1925

How did you determine the gear ratio you needed?

 

  Dec 16, 2019 / Homemade 3pt Snowblower

• Thread Starter

#5  

OP

L

LFEngineering

Bronze Member

Joined

Sep 25, 2013

Messages

92

Location

Western, MA

Tractor

Kubota B1700, IH Cub Lo-Boy 185( Sold) & Deutz Allis 5215 (Sold)

Googled snowblower impeller rpm, the average was 1600. Checked my walk behind blower with an optical tach and got 1590rpm so I went with 1600.

1600÷540=2.96

Opted to go with a 3.25:1 so I can run the tractor a little slower or have some extra when the time comes.

 

Last edited: Dec 16, 2019

  Dec 18, 2019 / Homemade 3pt Snowblower

#6  

ottawarob

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May 27, 2017

Messages

178

Location

Ottawa, Ontario

Tractor

BCS, MF 1540

Very cool, interested to hear how it works!

 

  Dec 18, 2019 / Homemade 3pt Snowblower

#7  

C

CalG

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Messages

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Location

vermont

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Hurlimann 435, Fordson E27n, Bolens HT-23, Kubota B7200, Kubota B2601

LFEngineering said:

Googled snowblower impeller rpm, the average was 1600. Checked my walk behind blower with an optical tach and got 1590rpm so I went with 1600.

1600÷540=2.96

Opted to go with a 3.25:1 so I can run the tractor a little slower or have some extra when the time comes.

Click to expand...

If "size matters" converting the rule of thumb from RPM to tip speed will be a good option

60mph seems to be a good number ;-)

 

  Dec 18, 2019 / Homemade 3pt Snowblower

#8  

H

herm0016

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May 15, 2018

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758

Location

Carter lake, Colorado

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Branson 4720h

i have been thinking about this for my cub cadet blower. my old cub will not run in the cold. the AC runs great at 0 degrees. ( as long as it was plugged in a while to start it)

 

  Dec 18, 2019 / Homemade 3pt Snowblower

#9  

R

Reb954

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Nov 13, 2017

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20 miles from somewhere.

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Mahindra 2565

LFEngineering said:

Googled snowblower impeller rpm, the average was 1600. Checked my walk behind blower with an optical tach and got 1590rpm so I went with 1600.

1600?40=2.96

Opted to go with a 3.25:1 so I can run the tractor a little slower or have some extra when the time comes.

Click to expand...

The average of 1600 rpm was with what kind of blower? I can see that on a walk behind single stage blower but not on a bigger pto mounted blower. Every pto mounted blower I have been around was 540 rpm. I don't know what your impeller diameter is but following are examples of what your tip speed will be compared to my pto blower with a 27" diameter impeller.

27" diameter = 84.823 inches circumference @ 540 rpm = 45804 Tip speed in IPM
20" diameter = 62.8319 inches circumference @ 1600 rpm = 100531 Tip speed in IPM
16" diameter = 50.2655 inches circumference @ 1600 rpm = 80425 Tip speed in IPM

If you really are running 1600 rpm you will need to make sure the impeller is balanced well or it will shake you and the tractor apart.

 

  Dec 19, 2019 / Homemade 3pt Snowblower

• Thread Starter

#10  

OP

L

LFEngineering

Bronze Member

Joined

Sep 25, 2013

Messages

92

Location

Western, MA

Tractor

Kubota B1700, IH Cub Lo-Boy 185( Sold) & Deutz Allis 5215 (Sold)

Since it was belt drive off a garden tractor mower with little ratio change the the 1600 RPM range is right in the ballpark.

Regardless I tried it last night and it blows snow. Now I just need to tighten up the 1/2" impeller/drum gap.