2320 Snowblower Question

UpstateNYMarine · Jul 12, 2007

I have been looking on here for threads about mounting that 47" snowblower on the 2320. I am concerned about the rear tires sticking out past the blower. I am in upstate NY and we get a decent amount of snow and I have a 1,300ft driveway to clear. I'm looking for opinions of the snowblower for the 2320 and if JD is coming out with something that will extend past the tires of the 2320.

Thanks,
Mike

Mike5252 · Jul 12, 2007

Its too funny you're thinking about this too. I just made a similar post in the "attachments" section. How many people could there be w/ JD CUT's worrying about snow blowers in the middle of July?

I was planning on getting a snow blower for my 3pt hitch to avoid this issue. From the research I've done, there are quite a few pretty substantial looking units out there that could be made to work. The problem you may run into on a 2320 is PTO hp. I believe my 2520 has about 20 PTO hp, which seems to be on the low side for 60" units. Having a couple less hp at the PTO might be sub-optimal.

Good luck.

Dutch445 · Jul 12, 2007

For the life of me I can't understand the big
hub-bub about this 47 snowblower on these tractors!

the only time you are cutting a path with a full
cut of the snowblower is the first pass.
After that, you can only take 3/4 or so of a
cut, and even with only 1/2 lap you will get some
spill over sometimes depending on the snow
conditions etc. So, the back tire, (only 1)
drives over an inch of 2 of snow, so what? it's
getting picked up on the next pass anyways.
There's almost always some snow that falls down
behind the snowblower anyways.. so if the tractor
pushes some down... what harm does it do?

I have been using that blower for 6 years, and when I
turn I experience the exact scenario, my rear tires run into
the snowbank a little. NO BIG DEAL! If it's my last pass,
then I make one more pass close to the edge of the
snopack, and clean it up quickly.

here's some pics after our Valentine's day Storm
2007:

classic · Jul 12, 2007

I've also used a 47 blower for close to ten years. Width is a big problem if you have a curved driveway. Every time you go around a curve you're climbing on the bank to the tune of 5-6" As the winter goes on you're riding on a real ridge and the tractor is on a slop. This blower was designed for the 425 garden tractor when they were introduced. I can't for the life of me understand why the would expect the same one to work properly on a 28HP tractor.

I have searched high and low for a front blower that will fit but no luck.

DrainPondDesign · Jul 12, 2007

Hi,

I just posted this for someone else interested in blowers.

For comparison.

Our 59" JD blower on a 3320 uses max throttle with load match to average 1-2 mph going uphill blowing 12 to 18 inches of snow. Around turns the rear tires do run outisde of the blower path without a problem. We use chains on unloaded R-4s & a weight box on the 3pt to ballance the blower. A rear mounted blower may need less PTO power but I do not know.

In the float position the skid shoes can steer the tractor if they catch a rut so the blower is then raised to regain steering.

The blower cuts through a 3 foot high town plow ice wall just fine so there is no need to swap the blower for loader.

Hope this helps.

Manitou · Jul 12, 2007

Hi...picked up a 6 foot Agrotrend blower for my 4410 last week. It sure turns lots of heads when you drive around with a snowblower in the back of the truck in 90 degree temperatures, but the lineups for snowblowers at the dealerships are short at this time of year!

You usually require 5 HP per foot for your snowblower, so for a 6 foot blower, the tractor should be 30 PTO horsepower. Garry

UpstateNYMarine · Jul 13, 2007

If I was snowblowing a smal drive it wouldn't be a big problem but we get some rather heavy lake effect snow here in Upstate NY. And since the driveway is roughly 1,300 ft long the issue of snagging the snow bank with the rear tires kinda concerns me. Do you know if JD is doing anything for this? Also if the have the tires set to narrow stance on a 2320 do you know wha the width is anyone?

Thanks for all the help guys,
Mike

jdbower · Jul 13, 2007

I have no idea of pricing or HP requirements, but there are several third party options, including this interesting looking one:
Alcan front mount PTO snow blower for tractors

It sounds like going large enough to comfortably cover the tire width may just be too much for the 2305. A rear-mount snowthrower should be more efficient if you don't mind driving backwards, I'd guess that you could get slightly wider with one of those.

YASH2520 · Jul 13, 2007

Erskine makes a rear PTO drive front mounted blower in down to a 60" size. I have been seriously considering one, this might be in the range you need.

UpstateNYMarine · Jul 13, 2007

That requires 20 PTO HP. I think that the 2320 is only rated at 18 or so. Will this present a problem. I really wish that JD had something to remedy this problem.

ChuckinNH · Jul 13, 2007

I asked the question about the overall width too, and got this nice response from Dutch445:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...757-heres-your-chance-convert-orange-2320.doc

orlo · Jul 13, 2007

Not sure anybody sells them, but several folks here have talked about 'wings' that would extend the side of the blower a few inches and funnel the snow into the main blower.

Your other solution would be a 2305 with the blower.. ;O) Works great and the tires just about match the blower width.

Manitou · Jul 13, 2007

Orlo: Here is a picture of a snowblower with wings on it. I doubt that anyone sells them, I believe you have to make them yourself. Garry

orlo · Jul 13, 2007

They look simple enough to make. I wonder what thickness of steel would work well? I have a 12 ton shop press but I'm not sure I could make a clean bend in that length, might need a bending brake.

I may make some this winter as I'm getting 6" wheel extensions on my 3720. That'll bring it out to 72" in the narrow wheel position. The blower is only 59" wide. I was going to swap the extensions out for the winter but if I put wings on I can leave them on. Probably a lot easier making wings than having to remove large loaded R3's ;O)

DrainPondDesign · Jul 13, 2007

UpstateNYMarine said:
If I was snowblowing a smal drive it wouldn't be a big problem but we get some rather heavy lake effect snow here in Upstate NY. And since the driveway is roughly 1,300 ft long the issue of snagging the snow bank with the rear tires kinda concerns me. Do you know if JD is doing anything for this? Also if the have the tires set to narrow stance on a 2320 do you know wha the width is anyone?

Thanks for all the help guys,
Mike

I really appreciate your concern about the blower being narrower than the wheels, there are a number of posts asking about this in the TBN JD forum archives that you can check, some of them are mine. Try a search?

Blower width. The concensus was that having the wheels a few inches wider than the blower doesn't matter as the wheels just push the snow aside or go over it. I find that in turns when the wheels are out of the blower path that this is true. Frankly I think if the snow was ever ice hard enough to deflect the tires then the blower would not cut it & you would have to use the loader.

Snow banks. When our drive was plowed with a pickup it was one blade width wide by spring with no place left to push the snow. That's why we invested in the blower, check the avatar, no snow bank.

Wheel width setting. Our property is not flat so I asked that at delivery that the wheels be set at their widest setting & frankly it still seems tippy which will keep me from ever approaching the real tip over point.

JD. Our dealer said that JD had no plans for a larger than 59" front blower but someone does make bigger front blowers. I saw a 6 or 7 foot front blower on a full size JD utility tractor in Saranac Lake, NY blowing out the plowed snow banks to get ready for the next storm. If you tried the wing idea on the 47" blower & just bolted them in place then they could be removed or changed if needed?

You could ask your dealer if any of his customers have a similar setup & if they would talk to you about their local experience.

For us the blower was expensive but we find that it works well on 900' of gravel drive, 1/4 mile of gravel town road when they forget us plus 3' high town plow compacted snow banks when they really forget us.

Good luck & stay warm

UpstateNYMarine · Jul 23, 2007

Thanks for all the help guys. Any word on whether or not you can make the 59" blower work on a 2320 without any harm to the tractor? Just curious if JD was going to make that fit the tractor. Some of the aftermarket ones say it can accommadate a 60" blower. Just a thought.

Thanks again...

DrainPondDesign · Jul 24, 2007

The 59" blower mount for the 33XX series was a new design last year & some TBNers were real unhappy with it so they either modifed the old design mounts to fit their tractors or had their dealer do it for them.

The old mount parts should be available from JD so you could ask your dealer if they could fit the old 59" blower mount to your 2320.

Good luck & please post your results with pictures if you go ahead with the 59" blower.

ChuckinNH · Jul 25, 2007

Mike, I happened to measure a 2320 today with R-4's with the valve stems on the outside. It measured just about 48" perhaps a hair under. Given that width, I don't see the 47" blower being the problem that I, for one, thought it would be....

RayMunising · Jul 27, 2007

About a year ago a saw a 54" erskine front mount blower for sale on ebay. Eskine doesn't make 54" blowers any more but you could look around. Maybe you can find one for sale someplace. I don't know the PTO requirement but since it's made by erskine I'm sure it is a well built unit.