3PH Snowblowers - pros and cons

[Industrial Toys]

Here's a news flash. If you don't use your neck, you won't be able to eventually. You will end up driving your tractor looking like Steven Hawking (surrounded by your video monitors).

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Thanks for the comments. I think I'll look for a used blower this summer.

Best time to buy. I found an old McKey 720 sized perfectly for my tractor in the fall for $900. So far my harnessing Murphy's Law in order to manipulate the weather has worked perfectly.

 

[devildog1]

Best time to buy. I found an old McKey 720 sized perfectly for my tractor in the fall for $900. So far my harnessing Murphy's Law in order to manipulate the weather has worked perfectly.

Nice snow blower and your tractor will handle it just fine. That along with the front plow and you should just about handle any amount of snow that dares fall on you property, lol. I have basically the same setup on my tractor but about 5" total snow fall for upstate NY this year, and I'm not complaining.
DevilDog

 

[SARG]

Plows work great when you live in a low/no snow fall area or you have hours to push back snow way farther than needed when the snow isn't deep, or have other equipment or someone else to handle snow when going gets tough. I periodically help out a neighbor by opening up his yard when it's too much for his tractor / plow combo.

The last severe winter I did WITHOUT a snowblower (just front end loader) resulted in having banks so tall that the front end loader couldn't even lift and dump over and having to CARRY snow in the bucket and dump it elsewhere.

Snow blower is a must have for deep snow. If you have a hydro tractor, you have the perfect setup for one.

Best snow removal set up in my opinion is a snowblower and front end loader combo.

AMEN--AMEN-- & AMEN.

 

[5030]

Here's a news flash. If you don't use your neck, you won't be able to eventually. You will end up driving your tractor looking like Steven Hawking (surrounded by your video monitors).

News flash..... I use my neck for a bunch of other things. A monitor and camera makes it easier. I'm almost 70 and it works fine.... Other parts not so well.:laughing:

 

[Piston]

for most people think that isn't very often, and when that occurs you can just back in drop it and drive forward (i have done this up to 4-5 ft of pilled iced snow) , still much faster than using the FEL, all the rest of the time its super easy, quick and you don't get the sore neck you do with a rear push or even a rear blade, and the snow does not blow on you unless its super windy. I am not saying a rear pull is for everyone but if you notice, almost everyone i have seen posting that uses one raves, its the folks that haven't that largely have the issues with them.

Well said.
I agree that it seems like most people who advise against them are the ones who have never used one.
I don't own a pull behind but would if I could, seems like the best of both worlds aside from a few exceptions, as always.

 

[paulfun9]

I get some pretty tall drifts when the deep snow falls and also have to clear a few driveways that are all up hill from the start and they also get drifts near the top but far enough before the actual top to be a concern for me. I just cant imagine having to back into the hill drop the blower and go forward 100 times in order to get to the top. Backing up with the blower down and my left foot holding the diff lock seems to get me to the top with a standard rear blower without having to install chains and that to me is a plus as many of my customers don't want me running chains on their driveways

So what the general consensus on this from those that have them and don't run chains all the time?

ALso why would I want to have to back into a big drift and take small bites out of it when the hole point of a blower for me is so I can just keep on rolling threw The method mentioned seems like it would be only marginally faster than just using the FEL to dig up the drift. Any thoughts?

I actually have thought about buying one but those two things has kept me with a traditional blower so far.

 

[fishhead]

I get some pretty tall drifts when the deep snow falls and also have to clear a few driveways that are all up hill from the start and they also get drifts near the top but far enough before the actual top to be a concern for me. I just cant imagine having to back into the hill drop the blower and go forward 100 times in order to get to the top. Backing up with the blower down and my left foot holding the diff lock seems to get me to the top with a standard rear blower without having to install chains and that to me is a plus as many of my customers don't want me running chains on their driveways

So what the general consensus on this from those that have them and don't run chains all the time?

ALso why would I want to have to back into a big drift and take small bites out of it when the hole point of a blower for me is so I can just keep on rolling threw The method mentioned seems like it would be only marginally faster than just using the FEL to dig up the drift. Any thoughts?

I actually have thought about buying one but those two things has kept me with a traditional blower so far.

sounds like you may not be the right fit for a rear pull, I guess i gotta ask though: is this the normal snowfall and pattern or do you normally view a blower as something that only comes out when the snow is deep, plowing or blading when its not? The biggest difference to me with a rear pull is that unlike a rear push or even a front mount, its meant to be used for small snows as well as larger so i think it is best seen as the primary removal tool. If you normally plow and then use a blower for when its really deep and bad then the rear pull won't be a good replacement. If you are in a high snowfall area with frequent snows, and you clear during the big storms then it would be great as your everyday clearance machine. This is how they used in Quebec where the contractors kind of pioneered their modern use. For them the rear pull is significantly quicker than plowing (largely residential drives) and they also don't end up with dealing with moving snow multiple times. For areas with less frequent but large snows or very windy events the rear pull may not work as well. Also areas that don't see long reliable winters may not have as much of an issue with running out of places to push snow. The chains thing here is not an issue, almost everyone has studs and most delivery vehicles chain up periodically. I really don't find the chains mark the pavement unless the wheels spin- i won't do my drive without chains, just too dangerous even with loaded rears and 4wd. And the traction difference between r-4's and chained r-4's is significant, i would not think you would need your diff lock if you were chained. Can't help with the customers though.

 

[fishhead]

I get some pretty tall drifts when the deep snow falls and also have to clear a few driveways that are all up hill from the start and they also get drifts near the top but far enough before the actual top to be a concern for me. I just cant imagine having to back into the hill drop the blower and go forward 100 times in order to get to the top. Backing up with the blower down and my left foot holding the diff lock seems to get me to the top with a standard rear blower without having to install chains and that to me is a plus as many of my customers don't want me running chains on their driveways

So what the general consensus on this from those that have them and don't run chains all the time?

ALso why would I want to have to back into a big drift and take small bites out of it when the hole point of a blower for me is so I can just keep on rolling threw The method mentioned seems like it would be only marginally faster than just using the FEL to dig up the drift. Any thoughts?

I actually have thought about buying one but those two things has kept me with a traditional blower so far.

Paul there is a very long thread on a commercial plowing site that might help you or at least give you some insights/contacts.

google "switching to blowing service"

 

[paulfun9]

I have read multiple treads on them and am still stuck specifically at the same point. It almost seems that the answer is very dependent on how much time one wants to spend doing one thing verses the other as well the balance point between how big the tractor is compared to the snow or drift your confronted with. With the hills and not wanting to install chains I cant comprehend how an inverted blower could possibly work as well as a standard. I haven't seen any picks from anyone who has to go up hill first (at least nothing like what I have to do) without chains using an inverted one yet.



Maybe if I stumble on a real good deal for an inverted one I can give it a try but at this point I think I would only be happy with it doing the lower more level areas and end up having to switch the chains on and off for any of the uphill drives I do. That to me is the deal breaker as I really don't want to be wasting time fighting with the drifts and switching chains on and off. The main reason I have the blower is to minimize the work I do and speed my time frame up and unless everything is picture perfect I just don't see it happening with an inverted blower.