Snow Equipment Buying/Pricing Front Blower vs. Rear

[oosik]

On a small tractor a front mount blower might work better in heavy, deep snow. Than a front mount blade. I had a 3-point blower on my 1982 Ford 1700 4WD. It worked very well - EXCEPT. I have a mile long gravel driveway, large yard & mail box area. My neck & shoulders would be sore for two or three days after the 3+ hours it took to clear it all. All that driving in reverse is not fun.

2009 - I traded the Ford and got a brand new Kubota M6040. Now I drive forward and clear it all with my HD Rhino rear blade. The Kubota is really loaded up - 820# grapple on the FEL, Rim Guard in the rear tires, Heavy duty Rhino rear blade. It all adds up to a 10,100# tractor. I clear it all, including any berms, by driving forward.

However - your options - right now - might be limited. Considering the most recent weather events.

If your clearing activities don't involve long hours in the saddle - consider a 3-point blower.

I've been waiting over three years, here, for enough snow to even consider plowing. Hey, I'm knocking on wood ................

 

[mikester]

Buy one of each and post your results and conclusions here. This topic has been talked to death on this forum, lets mix it up a little!

 

[jdandme]

Thanks for the input everyone.
Mikester thanks for nothing.
I'll likely wait till spring or summer anyway to get something. It's unlikely there would be any available anyway.
This snow hit fast, hard and deep. Over 3' over night and it was just too much for my side x side to handle.

 

[pmsmechanic]

I've had both a rear blower and now a front mount. They each have advantages and disadvantages. You pick what works for you.

And what is being said about blades (front or rear) is very valid too. It could very well be the most economical to just buy a blade and set the money you would spend on a blower aside and use it to hire someone to clean up the odd heavy snowfall. Again you pick what works for you.

 

[leonz]

The quickest way to buy a rear mount snow blower now is contact Paul Vanderzon at Deneigement Vanderzon for a rear mount Pronovost
that he can have shipped to you or he will deliver it to you himself.

Right now you have a few options that would get you a snow blower or snow thrower.

Toro 1428 or 1432 track drive snow blower with a snow cab from Toro shipped to your local Toro dealer

BCS 853 2 wheel tractor with a Rescia Giuliano 28 inch or 32 inch single stage snow thrower shipped from Earth Tools in Owenton, Kentucky and shipped to you ready to work. You can purchase a riding sulky to tow behind the 853 or a dump trailer with a seat so you can ride on the trailer and carry a can of gas and what ever else you need.

You could buy a Rammy Single stage snow thrower that you could mount on your side by side but it would take 6-8 weeks to get it from Europe.

 

[hube2]

I have a rear blower and I use my FEL bucket. I was a bit sorry that I had not put on my blower before the storm on Wednesday night/Thursday morning. Almost did not get out of the shed using the bucket.... will make sure I get it hooked up and pointed out if they're predicting any large overnight snowfalls in the future.

Anyway, most of the time I don't need the blower, as someone else called it nuisance snows, the bucket works fine most of the time, it is only the large snows I need the blower for. Yesterday I needed both the bucket and the blower to get dug out, I would not have been able to do if I could only use one of them. I suppose that a front blade would have worked as well as the bucket in this case, or a front blower with a rear blade, but having two tools available at the same time is why I went with the rear blower.

So, I can't tell you to get a rear or front blower, but what I can say is that you should consider what tool you're going to use on the other end.

 

[grsthegreat]

We have seen those rare 3 foot overnight snows before. You cant even prepare for it Sometimes. The last one that hit us wasnt predicted. Went to bed with 2” on ground, woke up to about 40-42” in backyard. It took forever just to clear a path to get to my tractor. Took 2 days to dig out. Our association had to call in 2 bulldozers to clear roads. Dont want to see that again.

 

[PILOON]

Main difference is $'s

Front is $$$ while rear is $.
Both blow it to kingdom come.

Size and tractor weight need to be considered.
For a blower to be effective you can't be driving over the snow that you wish to blow, That blower needs to have constant even contact with the road bed.
You need to be blowing B4 you drive on that road bed and that eliminated most rear pull blowers.
That leaves U with a front $$$ blower or rear $ 'back up' blower.

Then commercial? or private?

One option to consider is rear conventional plus a back up camera system if you hate backing up.
Those cameras actually do a fine job and that in an affordable price range, ($100 +/-)

Added is the simplicity of blower annual change over as a rear is fairly simple vs front, especially if U have a FEL.

FYI, I have operated both systems.

 

[airbiscuit]

I have a sidewalk, 300' driveway, 1/2 mile private road, neighbors to help. Here is what I have found works best.

• 2 cycle paddle snowblower - sidewalk light fluffy snow
• 8hp 2 stage snowblower - sidewalk 6"+ snow
• ATV w/5' blade - Driveway up to 8"snow
• 4x4 Plow Truck - Driveway/Private Road - any amount of snow
• Rear Blade - Driveway/Private Road up to 8" snow
• Rear facing Snowblower - Driveway/Private Road - 6"+ snow
• Rear Pull Snowblower - Driveway/Private Road Up to 24" snow

Those bolded are what I still have

• 2 cycle paddle snowblower - Light and easy
• 8hp 2 stage snowblower - Didn't get used enough
• ATV w/5' blade - Quick way to move snow
• 4x4 Plow Truck - nothing faster but Disintegrated from lack of use
• Rear Blade - Not great at rolling snow well off to the side
• Rear facing Snowblower - Removes any amount of snow, but comes with a stiff neck
• Rear Pull Snowblower - Fast and efficient - why didn't I do this sooner

No one tool is perfect. Your list might look different.

 

[jdandme]

My 4100 has a quick attach FEL plus a 3pt. hitch and rear PTO.
I'm probably gonna go with a rear blower for that and save the x758 strictly for mowing.
There seems to be an awful lot of extra mounts, hydraulic shutoff etc. that I would need to put on.
Keep it simple stupid!

Thanks for all your input!
Merry Christmas!