Snowblower Adding wheels to a 3pt snowblower

rbargeron · Jan 25, 2011

dickday said:
....... I don't think that I will need swivel wheels since almost everyone of the "runs" I make is almost a straight line.

I think you are right. You may catch an edge when backing and turning but they should jump or slide ok. They look good.

LC7100 · Jan 26, 2011

Check this out. This was my solution. Works pretty good.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/113135-snowblower-wheels.html

mjncad · Jan 26, 2011

Bob_in_VT said:
I had the same problem with skids. My snow removal area consists of pavement, gravel and grass. The skids dig in too much when the ground is soft and require a different height setting for each surface. My solution was an adjustable full length roller. Using boat trailer rollers and a linear actuator I can adjust the height on the fly. I can drop the blower to scrap the pavement clean then raise it up when I hit the gravel or grass. This will be my 10th season using this set-up. I went electric because I didn't have rear hydraulics at the time. My chute rotation and chute deflector are also electric.

Clever use of linear actuators.

BARNACLE BILL · Oct 11, 2011

WHAT DID YOU USE FOR "ELECTRIC MOTORS" ON YOUR CHUTE ROTATION / DEFLECTOR.
BAR BILL

Huskerplowboy · Jan 20, 2012

Dickday,

Do you have much trouble with the tires sitting outside of the cut width, especially on the first pass through deep snow? I'd like to add those exact same tires to my 50" Fam King, and the best place to maintain cutting edge height is right on the sides inline with the edge. But, I was worried about them becoming plows that would make it tough to punch through that first pass, or drag too much on the uncleared side... I sometimes get 18" or deeper drifts in my driveway, so it can take some doing to get through that first cut.

JJZ 109 · Jan 21, 2012

LC7100 said:
Check this out. This was my solution. Works pretty good.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/113135-snowblower-wheels.html

Looking into this method myself. Been scouring the net for some used wheel forks. Have a line on some but still pondering.
Also investigating using wheelchair forks/wheels for the same type of installation.

Huskerplowboy · Jan 23, 2012

Added a set of the same $5 TSC tires to my Farm King blower yesterday afternoon. (I have a stockpile of those tires from various sales)

Anyway, this fall I had welded on some skids, which turned out to be ineffective on our large, loose, rolly-polly rocks on the driveway. Tried tacking on a piece of pipe/tube Saturday to help keep from trenching with the skids, no dice. Cut the skids off Sat night and built these wheel holders to replace them. Tried it out on a couple drifts that formed Saturday night, and it seems pretty promising. Found a few lumps in the driveway big enough to be scalped and toss stones, but overall a success. May need to reinforce the RH bracket or add a "dual" tire that'd sit outside the cut (not crazy about that w/o adding a wing or something to widen out the cut) since that side is a little heavier and I had to offset the tire to fit between the auger chain and the frame...

GPintheMitten · Jan 24, 2012

HuskerPlow, your blower looks a lot like my Kubota blower. They were probably made by the same manufacturer. If yours is like mine, the center of gravity is toward the cutting edge.

You might try shortening your top link to avoid the scalping.

Keep us posted on how the wheels work over time.

BARNACLE BILL · Jan 24, 2012

I HAVE 6 INCH EXTENDERS THAT BOLT ON EACH SIDE OF MY 5 FT. BLOWER. I WELDED SKID PLATES ON THE BOTTOM OF THEM BUT HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE (AND I'M GLAD) TO TRY IT OUT YET.
SEEMS LIKE THE WHEELS WOULD HAVE A TENDENCY TO SLIDE ON ICE / SNOW AND NOT STAY ON TOP AS "SKIDS" WOULD. ANYTHING IS WORTH A TRY THOUGH. AS THE MAN SAID --- KEEP US POSTED.
BAR BILL

JJZ 109 · Jan 24, 2012

Huskerplowboy said:
Added a set of the same $5 TSC tires to my Farm King blower yesterday afternoon. (I have a stockpile of those tires from various sales)

I like the looks of your method also, but was thinking more along the lines of something adjustable and/or quickly removable for when the driveway has a decent base of hardpack and I can go back to the factory shoes at lowest adjustment.
All I know is that right now I've blown a ton of crusher run into my yard and I'm **** sick of raking it back in spring. :thumbdown:

BARNACLE BILL · Jan 24, 2012

I'VE GOT "PEA ROCK" ON PART OF MY DRIVE AND I'M RESOLVED IN BELIEVING THERE ISN'T A MACHINE MADE OR ANY ADJUSTMENT TO THE MACHINE THAT WILL BLOW THE SNOW AND LEAVE THE ROCK LIKE I WOULD WANT IT TO DO. THE SKIDS WILL HOLD THE BLOWER UP OFF MOST OF THE ROCK AND I'LL DRIVE ON THE SNOW LEFT BEHEIND.
GOOD LUCK --- BAR BILL

slowzuki · Jan 24, 2012

With pea or river rock the only solution I found was to plow the first couple of storms with the skids down, pack by driving on it, then blower will work ok.

Huskerplowboy · Jan 24, 2012

JJZ 109 said:
I like the looks of your method also, but was thinking more along the lines of something adjustable and/or quickly removable for when the driveway has a decent base of hardpack and I can go back to the factory shoes at lowest adjustment.
All I know is that right now I've blown a ton of crusher run into my yard and I'm **** sick of raking it back in spring. :thumbdown:

I went with the brackets being bolt-on so I could yank them off if need be once the snow was packed on the driveway. Actually, if I just pull the two bolts closest to the tires and loosen the others, I can pivot it up, put the bolts back in, and let it rest on the nuts. Then they're high enough to let the blower ride on the snowpack.

Halftrack · Jan 24, 2012

I put these wheels on for my gravel drive and initially used it as a 3 pt blower. Although they are adjustable, the cut height could easily be set by adjusting the top link. They do not swivel but on snow and ice, they slide when turning. Tried of looking backwards and converted to a front unit. Set the wheels for about 3/4 inch clearence and it leaves the gravel in the drive. In 10+ years of use, I have had 1 hub go bad. Cheap wheels from Harbor Freight.

Huskerplowboy · Jan 24, 2012

Funny you should mention a hub failure on the cheapo wheels. Ihad to blow out the drive back to my shop tonight and in the process managed to break one of the wheels right where the hub "tube" turns into the flange that's spot welded to the wheel. The rim itself and all stayed true, but the corner cracked out where it turns into the hub portion. The good news: As mentioned, I have a stockpile of these little wheels, so a replacement was on hand. The bad news: The wheel that broke was the RH one that's sandwiched in between the frame and the auger chain, so I had to try out the swinging bracket/arm to get room for the new wheel to go on.

JJZ 109 · Jan 25, 2012

I'm thinking of somehow using 1 1/2" square tubing. That way I can slide it into the existing, larger square tube that currently holds my skids. This is on a Farm King Y600 blower.
I can buy square tube with holes already pre drilled at Lowe's or Tractor Supply. The holes may have to be enlarged a little to accomodate the current pin size, but that's easy enough to do.

PILOON · Jan 25, 2012

On my 60" rear blower I modified the skids to be about 2" X 10" and that has solved the problem.
The setting is such as to leave about 1 inch of snow which contributes to a good base once compacted.
It is all about PSI's (pounds per square inches) and the weight of your blower.
They tend to make those skids in the 'one size fits all' category and you will notice that they are the same be it a 24" walk behind or a 72" pto blower.
In fact many of the CUT blowers are made by the same folks that make walk behinds.
I noted that even the gear boxes on many front mounts are the same (and not all that heavy duty).