eddy622611
Member
Thanks, Dave I knew it had to pretty tough laid out in front of your garage.
eddy622611
eddy622611
60" or 72" snowblower for 3720
- Thread starter DocD
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Karl2
Gold Member
It's not as much the size that matters than the weight. I have a 72" industrial blower on my 4720 that is rated 60hp to 125hp and weighs just below the maximum this tractor will handle. On the other hand I know a guy who has a wider but lighter blower on his 3720. A blower's HP rating usually gives a good indication on what to expect in terms of compatibility. This is mine at the end of a snow run:
The heavy-gauge steel construction is necessary for the ice condition we have here.
JDeerekid
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2004
- Messages
- 878
- Location
- P-Town, Upstate New York
- Tractor
- Montana 4340C w/Loader, JD GX345 w/54in. mower
Tha is a nice blower. I did not know they made a blower that size. Their website only lists a large double auger one. Do you have any other information on it. What is the weight on the blower?? Cost?? I especially like the 3pt frame on the blower.
Karl2
Gold Member
This particular unit is a demo that Shoule has made available to a number of dealerships in the Northeast and parts of Canada, roughly the area where distributorship is covered by the manufacturer itself. It will be available to all customers as a 2009 model starting in February (there will also be an 84" model available for tractors in the 125hp-200hp range.) My dealer had ordered me one last September thinking they would be available in November. His mistake, so he lent me this one until the new one arrives. Nice gesture considering it forces him to use a larger model (and a larger tractor) to clear his lot, as he had intended to use this one.
It is made in Canada and distributed across North America. According to the leaflet (which I have unfortunately misplaced) it is only described as a "compact industrial blower" meant to be used on the larger CUT's and full-size tractors up to 125hp. If I recall well it listed the main benefit as being able to use more fuel-efficient tractors to perform smaller jobs that previously required larger machines nonetheless due to the size and weight of standard industrial blowers.
It weighs approximately 1900 lbs dry, which is within the extended lift capacity of many large CUT's including the JD 4720. Cost is about $6,000 (US), a little more if you opt for a telescopic chute for 10-wheeler loading (I didn't) and/or skid shoes with retractable rollers. Those small rollers are meant for minimizing gouging while blowing gravel roads and such.
So far I am satisfied with this blower, although its weight can cause the tractor to skid when pushing up grades so I try try to push downwards whenever possible. When going down even a very slight grade it's next to impossible to bog this thing down, its shear weight keep it close to the ground and pulls the tractor along so very little traction is required to deal with even with 3'-4' of very heavy compacted snow. On level surfaces it is sometimes necessary to gain some momentum in order to blow through large snow/ice banks but it's well worth the effort. If there is ice on the ground I raise the blower 2-3 inches and its blows through anything.
As far as fuel is concerned I have not noticed a huge difference compared with lighter blowers, despite the weight. One major difference though is road handling, this is one instance where you don't wish for a faster tractor. Takes some getting used to but eventually you get the hang of it and drive accordingly. I think the heavy reversible FEL snow bucket I have on order will help in this regard, in the meantime I usually carry a bucketful of heavy snow in front while driving from one job to the next otherwise roll and sway limits speed to 10mph.
Yes, that's what sold me on the unit as well. It's well designed and extremely sturdy.
JDeerekid
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2004
- Messages
- 878
- Location
- P-Town, Upstate New York
- Tractor
- Montana 4340C w/Loader, JD GX345 w/54in. mower
Thanks Karl2, I would be interested in seeing it in operation. Would you be able to take a video of it???
Also are you telling me that your tractor will only lift 2000#s. I have a 40hp tractor that lifts 3200#s at the ball end so I would think it would lift it like nothing.
There products are all built tough so I would expect nothing less in a snowblower. Thanks again and looking forward to seeing it in action.
Also are you telling me that your tractor will only lift 2000#s. I have a 40hp tractor that lifts 3200#s at the ball end so I would think it would lift it like nothing.
There products are all built tough so I would expect nothing less in a snowblower. Thanks again and looking forward to seeing it in action.
Karl2
Gold Member
I'm in the process of trying to convince wife to shoot one
My tractor lifts 2500lbs 24" behind link lines, 3130lbs at links end. Center of gravity for this blower is farther to the back so it's the former spec that matters. Also keep in mind that once caked with wet snow, slush and ice the blower can weigh several hundred pounds above dry weight. I reckon a 40hp tractor could carry this blower but with a PTO hp below spec it will likely not achieve the performance (tons per hour) specified by the manufacturer, which only specs for 50hp+ PTO output (60hp tractor). Of course that doesn't mean it won't work, just not as fast as with more powerful PTO. If you have Cat. 1 hitch you can hook it. The dealer says some guys with 125-150hp machines use the big double-decker SN-100 on the Shoule website even though it's only recommended for 200hp+ tractors/loaders, so there is some leeway for enterprising individuals to play with, as long as they understand that they can't complain that they're not achieving specified volume. This only matters for those whose main task is to load trucks anyway, when County or City tenders for blowers with X discharge capacity so they can compute how long it will take on average to load X number of trucks.
Indeed it's a company that specializes in heavy-duty implements only, up 'til recently the only snowblower they made (SN-100) was designed for major road clearing, usually hooked in front of an industrial loader that blows the snowbank created by plows into 10-wheelers for carting away. This requires brute force to deal with ice and rocks and large volume capacity, which explains the oversize impeller. I became interested in Shoule products after noticing a lot of road clearing crews using them, along with a few other "tough" brands. County owns several SN-100's. Mine is the SN-72s, I think the small "s" means "single auger". I am told it makes my little tractor look meaner than it should be
Spudland_Dave
Veteran Member
That has got to be the sweetest 72" blower I've seen yet....
What is the fan diameter on it?
What is the fan diameter on it?
Ductape
Elite Member
Karl2
Gold Member
Now that you mention it, I haven't measured the impeller lol. Will get to it next time I go outside, just spent the morning loading and hauling iced snow. Ice crust on the snowbanks was so thick on first try the bucket lifted the tractor instead of crunching through, had to ram it to get through.
Karl2
Gold Member
What looks like a black rod is for adjusting tilt, what looks like a shock absorber is a system that allows the bottom of the frame to bounce up if it hits a major obstacle, at least in theory. In practice it's better to know where the obstacles are and avoid them. Last week I inadvertently tested this feature and shattered a chain sprocket. Not a big deal, I had a spare and they only cost $12 but still.
Industrial-standard blowers of this size are becoming more common as CUT's are gaining popularity with public works departments and other agencies that are being pressured into using more fuel efficient machinery. They want smaller tractors but they still want the near-indestructible implements that used to come only with larger machines. Individuals who do commercial snow removal also find them attractive for their capacity to withstand rough handling.