3 pt Snow Blower

[billybonds]

After much research and deliberation, I think a 3 pt Snow Blower is the right tool for me to handle my snow removal. We own a couple of houses with small horse farms, and my snow removal duties range from narrow 8' grass walkways between paddocks, gravel driveways, tight spaces around the barns, a 1/4 mile dirt road, and maybe 3/4 acre of combined parking areas. I've done this to date with the 68" bucket on my New Holland Workmaster 35, and it can take the better part of 2 days to accomplish if we get enough snow. I also end up with gravel in a lot of places I didnt want it.

I contemplated a plow on my truck or a plow blade for the tractor, but some of the areas I need to handle would not be conducive to a plow, and the maneuverability of a tractor is not that of a skid steer, making removal by the bucket tough in tight spots. So feel like weighing cost, time, and versatility, a 3 point blower seems like the winner here(I am open to opposing opinions)

The NorTrac Blowers offered through Northern Tool seem to have great reviews and at a reasonable price. So which one do I order, 60" or 72"? The 60' says its for 25-40 hp tractors, the 72" says 35-50 hp. The reviews on both, people say they are easily handling them with below rating tractors. The Workmaster 35 is 33 hp, 68" bucket, and 64" wide at the rear tires. Am I safe with the 72"?

 

[shooterdon]

Unless you are careful, a blower will throw gravel a fair ways. I was set to get one when I got my tractor but decided keeping the "beater" plow truck was a better option for me.

I have about 250 yards of driveway and about an acre of open area between the house, pole barn, and wood storage I keep clear. WE get 135" on snow per year so I get some good sized piles from the open area but I have space for it.

 

[George2615]

Welcome to TBN...........

For a 3 pt. blower width I'd suggest a blower that is wider than your tractor track width. My tractor is similar to yours at 36 HP and is 66" wide and I run a 7 1/2' plow on front and an 84" blower on the 3 pt. I have a plow for my truck but rarely use it because the tractor is much easier to maneuver in tight places.
For your 68" width a 72" blower would be fine. That's what I was looking for but found a deal on the 84" I bought on CL. My plow is an old truck plow I had laying around and adapted to a QA plate. I had previously run hydraulics from 1 rear remote to the front to control the angle. If you don't have front hyd. a manual angle plow will work too. For the gravel drive adjust the blower shoes to keep the blower up off the gravel as it will throw gravel.

 

[CobyRupert]

So which one do I order, 60" or 72"? The 60' says its for 25-40 hp tractors, the 72" says 35-50 hp. The reviews on both, people say they are easily handling them with below rating tractors. The Workmaster 35 is 33 hp, 68" bucket, and 64" wide at the rear tires. Am I safe with the 72"?

Can it physically handle it (lift it, not get light on front wheels)?

Horsepower is a measure of speed. (How fast you can do the job).

Width is just one factor that determines how much horsepower is needed.

How deep is the snow?
How dense (heavy) is the snow?
How fast are you trying to go?

Not every storm is the heaviest, deepest snow it can handle. Reality mixes these factors. Speed is the one you can control (along with how big of a "bite" you take after the first swath: full width or overlap some?) With a hydrostatic I wouldn't worry about going big because you can always go slower....as long as the tractor can physically handle it.

:2cents:

 

[billybonds]

Welcome to TBN...........

For a 3 pt. blower width I'd suggest a blower that is wider than your tractor track width. My tractor is similar to yours at 36 HP and is 66" wide and I run a 7 1/2' plow on front and an 84" blower on the 3 pt. I have a plow for my truck but rarely use it because the tractor is much easier to maneuver in tight places.
For your 68" width a 72" blower would be fine. That's what I was looking for but found a deal on the 84" I bought on CL. My plow is an old truck plow I had laying around and adapted to a QA plate. I had previously run hydraulics from 1 rear remote to the front to control the angle. If you don't have front hyd. a manual angle plow will work too. For the gravel drive adjust the blower shoes to keep the blower up off the gravel as it will throw gravel.

Funny, the New Holland Workmaster 35 is just a rebranded LS 3033. This is basicly the exact setup I was thinking, blower on the back and a blade up front, but I figured I would start with the blower, and see how necessary the blade would be. Trying to get the wife to pony up half the money since the horses are her business, and the gravel was her decision, but somehow Im the one doing all the work for free, and buying tractors, trailers, and attachments to do it to boot!

PS, I really wish I had sprung for the cab option, lol.

 

[PILOON]

For gravel situation simply install oversized skids or shoes.
Also always leave an inch or two to form a base.
(You can simply weld wider and longer onto the existing shoes)
Also a TBN member sells 'edge tamers' (a clamp on shoe or skid) to add onto a plow blade.

 

[George2615]

For your 1/4 road and 3/4 acres of parking area depending on your age you'll find sitting sideways looking back to blow snow that long will evenually create a pain in the neck as well as your back. Plus depending on the type of snow you get will determine the speed you can go. I plow 90% and use the blower to move back banks when they get too high.

 

[jblac197]

After much research and deliberation, I think a 3 pt Snow Blower is the right tool for me to handle my snow removal. We own a couple of houses with small horse farms, and my snow removal duties range from narrow 8' grass walkways between paddocks, gravel driveways, tight spaces around the barns, a 1/4 mile dirt road, and maybe 3/4 acre of combined parking areas. I've done this to date with the 68" bucket on my New Holland Workmaster 35, and it can take the better part of 2 days to accomplish if we get enough snow. I also end up with gravel in a lot of places I didnt want it.

I contemplated a plow on my truck or a plow blade for the tractor, but some of the areas I need to handle would not be conducive to a plow, and the maneuverability of a tractor is not that of a skid steer, making removal by the bucket tough in tight spots. So feel like weighing cost, time, and versatility, a 3 point blower seems like the winner here(I am open to opposing opinions)

The NorTrac Blowers offered through Northern Tool seem to have great reviews and at a reasonable price. So which one do I order, 60" or 72"? The 60' says its for 25-40 hp tractors, the 72" says 35-50 hp. The reviews on both, people say they are easily handling them with below rating tractors. The Workmaster 35 is 33 hp, 68" bucket, and 64" wide at the rear tires. Am I safe with the 72"?

You will be totally fine with a 72 inch blower. I have the same blower your looking at from Northern tool. My tractor is a l3800 (38 horsepower) and it handles the 6 foot blower no problem. Like you I thought hard and did alot of research and it's a great blower for the price. My driveway is about 200 yards long and I can clear it all in 2 passes. The rear blower is nice because you can still use the bucket when needed .

 

[billybonds]

For gravel situation simply install oversized skids or shoes.
Also always leave an inch or two to form a base.
(You can simply weld wider and longer onto the existing shoes)
Also a TBN member sells 'edge tamers' (a clamp on shoe or skid) to add onto a plow blade.

Yeah, I was thinking i could weld on almost like a set of skis, then clean up the last 2 inches on the non-gravel surfaces with the bucket. Sure there are some spots where a plow would be ideal, but nothing 2 passes with the blower couldnt handle.....unless the wind makes that a hassle.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Edge Tamers on your bucket will really help with carrying gravel with the snow on your current setup. Not sure if your ground freezes hard and stays that way. But normally for us, once the ground freezes, it stays that way until spring. So I normally don't need to worry about picking up gravel once everything freezes solid.

I'm currently still using my FEL bucket and rear box blade, and once we freeze up hard, I take the Edge Tamers off the bucket. I'm a little wider than you on the rear tires, so I'm looking pretty hard at an 84" 3 pt blower myself. I think you'll be fine with a 72" blower on your tractor. Looking back over your shoulder may or may not be an issue for you, but I find that looking back at my BB hasn't really been a problem. But with a blower instead, I'll be looking back more, using the blower more than the bucket (like now). I'd love to have a front blower, but since I don't do this for a living, I can't justify the added cost (and extra hardware hassles) over a 3 pt blower.

I hear you on the cab, lol. My neighbor went from a cabbed skid steer, to an old ('64) open station Deere. Man I feel for him, he sure looks COLD out there pushing snow with his open station (at least from my viewpoint in my heated cab). :laughing: