Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Bercomac 64" 3 point hitch "Economical" Snowblower opinions

[mangler]

Re: snowblowers

1. The Reist series 1000 and 2000 were convertable by the buyer if they desired to do so. MK Martin tossed that great benefit in the liquid manure spreader to put it politely.Shameful. Also explains why I don't see many used Reist single stage for sale (people just keep them...)

2. About your craftsman lawn mower-keep in mind that unless it has gear drive the hydrostatic transmission could crap out and then you have a snow blower that will need new mounting brackets.It's a true garden tractor with a K66 Tuff torque Hydro. But I get your point, anything less and you are on the clock until the hydro craps out.

3. A new PTO snow blower is money in the bank and it will not lose value and you can put it on a new upgraded power unit/engine frame size/prime mover.They look robust and simple enough. I wish more came with a slip clutch though. I am not looking forward to changing a shear pin at -15C

4. cough, gag, hack; a used walk behind snowblower is only as good as the maintenance it received(or lack of it) and only as reliable as the old V belts, tension springs and bearings on the snubber pulleys. As the mechanic in the old autolite commercials used to say "you can pay me now or pay me later". Some around here are light gauge, but literally brand new for around 400$. Older units that need work but have thicker guage steel $100 all day long. I am definitely not putting 3k on a walk-behind, no matter how good. At that price i want to ride

PS It's going to be 33degC today, with smog advisory. I am really getting a head start on snow removal this year

 

[leonz]

Re: snowblowers

1. The Reist series 1000 and 2000 were convertable by the buyer if they desired to do so. MK Martin tossed that great benefit in the liquid manure spreader to put it politely.Shameful. Also explains why I don't see many used Reist single stage for sale (people just keep them...)

2. About your craftsman lawn mower-keep in mind that unless it has gear drive the hydrostatic transmission could crap out and then you have a snow blower that will need new mounting brackets.It's a true garden tractor with a K66 Tuff torque Hydro. But I get your point, anything less and you are on the clock until the hydro craps out.

3. A new PTO snow blower is money in the bank and it will not lose value and you can put it on a new upgraded power unit/engine frame size/prime mover.They look robust and simple enough. I wish more came with a slip clutch though. I am not looking forward to changing a shear pin at -15C

4. cough, gag, hack; a used walk behind snowblower is only as good as the maintenance it received(or lack of it) and only as reliable as the old V belts, tension springs and bearings on the snubber pulleys. As the mechanic in the old autolite commercials used to say "you can pay me now or pay me later". Some around here are light gauge, but literally brand new for around 400$. Older units that need work but have thicker guage steel $100 all day long. I am definitely not putting 3k on a walk-behind, no matter how good. At that price i want to ride

PS It's going to be 33degC today, with smog advisory. I am really getting a head start on snow removal this year

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The issue with a slip clutch and a snow blower whether its a single stage or a two stage is the needed engine horsepower and required torque to operate it.
A slip clutch will prevent a snow blower or snow thrower from overcoming the torque needed to contact the snow pack and clear it.
The shear pin(s) and or roller chain are the first and second line of defense to protect the power transmission system of a single or two stage snow blower.
An improperly adjusted or rust frozen slip clutch will destroy driveline and gearbox.

I guess if you still intend on buying used you should buy a couple of them-preferably the same brand and model as you can scavenge them for parts.

 

[MotleyCrew]

Re: snowblowers

"...As the mechanic in the old autolite commercials used to say "you can pay me now or pay me later".


While my :2cents: is totally unrelated to the OP's questions and therefore not germane to the conversation, I always remembered those TV commercials from my childhood as being for FRAM oil filters. I could be 100% wrong about that, though. My wife would be happy to corroborate that I could be wrong about anything.

 

[leonz]

Yup, I believe your right. I guess I was so excited about helping a new member avoid making a mistake I jumped off the boat on to the iceberg.

 

[mangler]

I decided to wait on the snow blower, and see if I can get by with my "new" 72" blade and bucket with edge tamers. Since I plowed only once last year (6") with my 42" plow on the G5500 (which did surprisingly well, until I got to the plowed berm at the end of the laneway), it seems premature to drop big bucks and floor/yard space on a monster blower.

 

[leonz]

Be ready for snow storms now that you are passing on buying a single stage.

 

[shooterdon]

I decided to wait on the snow blower, and see if I can get by with my "new" 72" blade and bucket with edge tamers. Since I plowed only once last year (6") with my 42" plow on the G5500 (which did surprisingly well, until I got to the plowed berm at the end of the laneway), it seems premature to drop big bucks and floor/yard space on a monster blower.

IMHO you made the right decision. But you must be getting a lot less snow than when I lived in Ontario. BTW, even with a blower, if I get a light snow fall, 4" or less, I use a blade to clear it plus a blade is great for back dragging. I mount mine on a SSQA plate that allows mounting of 3PH attachments, and I have blower on the back for the snow events.

Amazon.com: 3 Point Attachment Adapter Skid Steer Trailer Hitch Front Loader case: Home Improvement

 

[mangler]

I really like those SSQA plates, both weld on and 3pt like you are showing. May have to spring for one. They are surprisingly close in CAD to what you posted, which is not a gimme for most things...

For comparison I was building the place in winter 2018, and I did not have any snow removal equipment. Now 2018 was a very low accumulation winter, but still, I did not move the snow once, in the entire winter, and the drive was always accessible. I am on "the right side" of lake Erie, and get very little lake effect snow. 2 hours north on the south shore of lake Huron, they probably get 3 more feet of snow than I do.

Of course, I probably just jinxed Southern Ontario, and this year will be a 4ft year...

 

[shooterdon]

For $200 the SSQA plate for 3PH was a bargain. Nice to be able to drive forward and know exactly where the blade is. I also use it with my landscape rake.

You cannot use it like a dozer as the loader is not designed to take large push loads, but for most snow events it will be fine. I get 120-140” of snow a year so a blower is nice to have to avoid 8’ banks of snow. BTW with the front mounted blade you can easily pile snow into banks using the loader without undue pushing. If I got less than 60” of snow, I would never get a blower.

 

[leonz]

I really like those SSQA plates, both weld on and 3pt like you are showing. May have to spring for one. They are surprisingly close in CAD to what you posted, which is not a gimme for most things...

For comparison I was building the place in winter 2018, and I did not have any snow removal equipment. Now 2018 was a very low accumulation winter, but still, I did not move the snow once, in the entire winter, and the drive was always accessible. I am on "the right side" of lake Erie, and get very little lake effect snow. 2 hours north on the south shore of lake Huron, they probably get 3 more feet of snow than I do.

Of course, I probably just jinxed Southern Ontario, and this year will be a 4ft year...

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I don't think you jinxed southern Ontario Mangler. The MK MArtin people have made a huge mistake not using a 13 inch snow blower rotor for the single stage series 1000 snow throwers. offering only a commercial version.



"Their" statement that snow throwers cannot throw snow as far as a two stage snow thrower is mistaken and not factual. Using high idle and slow travel speed will allow the user to throw the same snow very long distances.

I am not impressed with the video they have where they are using a kubota B2650 compact tractor with a cab and a 54 inch series 1000 snow thrower. It is not very informative at all compared to how well the Riest videos were made and MK Martin eliminating the flexibility of mounting options for this snow thrower and the design change of the rotor diameter to the 16 inch diameter has ended any chance of their reaching into the sub compact snow removal market.

The original 1968 IHC cub cadet I had growing up threw it 50 plus feet with wide open high idle throttle using a 12 horse horizontal crank engine which I believe was a Kohler engine from what I remember of it as it had a horizontal mount air filter.

I will no longer suggest that folks look at their 48 inch single stage snow throwers anymore as they have ruined the Riest design by replacing the 13 inch diameter rotor with the sixteen inch rotor.



For whatever reason the front mounted series 1000 snow thrower in the video is moving from side to side rather than remaining rigid with the mounting system using the kubota quick attach mounting system. I have only provided the link below for anyone to see the snowblower working in a shallow depth snow.



mkmartin.ca/videos.php