BX Snowblower or walk-behind?

[dodge man]

I had a walk behind blower before I bought my BX. I use a rear blade and an end loader. I sold the blower because I never used it. My driveway is about 600 feet long. Have you tried a rear blade? I will say unless the snow is really deep, say over 12", the rear blade and/or end loader is quicker. It all depends on how much snow you get. A rear blower is a lot cheaper but if you use it a lot front mount would be the easiest on your neck.

 

[atitus74]

I borrowed neighbor's 4wd truck with a plow on it and while it was effective I was never very happy with where the snow ended up. While sure I could use the loader to move the snow afterward, its less effective at reducing the time I spend on snow management. I feel like the blower lets me get the snow in an out-of-the-way place on the first pass. In my head I am now curious if I would have to completely remove the front hitch in order to use the loader ... yeah I would have to unhook the hydraulic but it might just tag along for the ride. I'll have to try it and see.

 

[diesel85]

I'm with JWR on his idea. That's why I bought a rear mount and leave the FEL on. It is so awesome to relocate snow, then turn around and blow it in another area. I do this a lot of time when I do bank cutting at the shoulders of my drive to the roadway. Very handy.

 

[Howling]

I borrowed neighbor's 4wd truck with a plow on it and while it was effective I was never very happy with where the snow ended up. While sure I could use the loader to move the snow afterward, its less effective at reducing the time I spend on snow management. I feel like the blower lets me get the snow in an out-of-the-way place on the first pass. In my head I am now curious if I would have to completely remove the front hitch in order to use the loader ... yeah I would have to unhook the hydraulic but it might just tag along for the ride. I'll have to try it and see.

On my BX2370-1 the loader does hit the quick hitch keeping the bucket from going flat of the ground. The BX1800 loader is different. See if your dealer has a quick hitch and see if interferes with the loader.

 

[atitus74]

I have the quick hitch already, if I get a few mins in the next day or two I'll throw it on there with the loader and see what happens. FYI I have the pin on bucket not skid steer quick attach so that might buy me a few inches.

 

[sandyc]

I’m 75 and fell on the ice last winter......broken wrist....
Guess what I use....a front mount blower ....and remember to wear my ice spikes.

 

[justoldjoe]

Our drive is also 1000', 900 gravel and 100 paved. I purchased a blower for the bx 2360 when I purchased it about 5 years ago and have no regrets. I did find the rotating chute control poorly designed from kubota and found a12v high torque low rpm (50) motor off of ebay. That adapted rather easily. Our driveway has a number of turns and varies from through the pine trees to about 500' which has only minimum trees on either side so the wind direction does vary. I do also have a B7200 with a rear mount woods 52" which just stays put for the heavy snow. After years of using a plow or walk behind, the front snowblower on the BX is dependable and does the job even in heavy snow.

 

[Byrdnyrd]

RayCo,

I have a 54 blower on my BX and it痴 AMAZING! I used my FEL for 1 Winter and would be hard pressed to think of a less efficient way to move snow! I then bought 60 Rear Mount Blower and that was a PIA.

I have a 500 paved driveway here in Massachusetts and I gotta tell ya Front Mount Blower is the way to go!! I am SO glad I spent the cash on the RIGHT tool for the job! I have a soft side cab from Original Tractor Cab and that too is great.
I have Hydraulic rotation and electric tilt, if I recall correctly it was about $4K, another $1k for the cab.

My property prevents me from having a cabbed tractor for summer mowing.

I think I have pics and Vids if you are interested, just PM me

Cheers,
BN

P

 

[check]

I have a 54 inch rear mount blower on my BX 25, and it is really quite amazing. It will blow through anything, and while I get a bit of a sore neck looking back, I do appreciate having the FEL on the front for windrows at the entrance to my driveway and what not. I do appreciate however, that there is a big debate between front mount and rear mount blowers. I still want to get a camera so that I don’t have to look back when I am blowing.

 

[robertm]

Last thing I want to do is hijack this thread, but I bought a rear Kubota 51" blower for my B2620 four years ago. It was never used. When I bought my current BX2670, I cut the shaft so it'd be ready, and it's STILL never been used. After four years of collecting Midwest dust, It's on Craigslist.
I struggle now trying to figure out what I need. I have been looking for a used front QH-mounted blade, but a dealer said it's a pain to take off/put on if I need the front-end loader to move snow piled up by the blade. I had the FEL-mounted blade, and after two seasons, I had enough. That was a waste on the BX.
If money was no object, I'd have both the front blower and blade, but $5,500 outlay for two implements that get used only a few times a month for barely four months in Illinois, is not gonna happen.
To the OP, I'd say, get the front blower if you receive real snow. To walk that yardage, is crazy, and you're only getting older.