How many ponies to run a big 3pt snowblower?

[knightrider955]

Im still kicking around putting a snowblower on the back of my tractor. Ive looked at several used ones. I want at least 7 feet wide. Ive been told that I need at least 60 hp to run a 7 foot snowblower. Can anyone confirm this? My tractor is a 55 hp Diesel but I think the pto hp is less than that. So how big can I go? My tractor is 6 ft wide so that would be the minimum I could get. I hate the buy one and then my tractor not have the balls to spin it. Any pointers would be great.

 

[RickB]

You get in deep, wet or deep packed snow and a 7 foot blower will suck up an incredible amount of power. How many reverse gear choices does your tractor have, and what is the slowest reverse speed at rated RPM or PTO speed? I have a 74" blower and at times it is all my 42PTO HP Case 885 wants.

 

[slowzuki]

I run a 7 fter on a 42 pto hp tractor. Works fine because its HST. Neighbour has one on a 52 pto hp gear tractor, works great except in drifts they have to ride the clutch or stop and go.

I have also run the same 7 ft blower on my 100 hp tractor. What a dream, doesn't drag the engine down at all but also blew my pto shaft all to pieces when trying out the new found power.

 

[knightrider955]

You get in deep, wet or deep packed snow and a 7 foot blower will suck up an incredible amount of power. How many reverse gear choices does your tractor have, and what is the slowest reverse speed at rated RPM or PTO speed? I have a 74" blower and at times it is all my 42PTO HP Case 885 wants.

Not sure about PTO speed because my tach is broke but the Manual says 2.6 mph in low reverse. That seems a little fast to me. Its 53 HP at the PTO.

 

[RickB]

Not sure about PTO speed because my tach is broke but the Manual says 2.6 mph in low reverse. That seems a little fast to me. Its 53 HP at the PTO.

My Case travels @ 1.5MPH and 3.0 MPH in the two slower reverse speeds at rated PTO speed, 1800 ERPM. In light snow I can use the faster of the two, but in heavy accumulations, the lower speed is all it wants. Hydrostatic transmissions shine for a blower, as they do for a lot of chores.

 

[Mark Page]

I use a 6ft on my 45 horse massey and I don't really know it's there. Heavy snow, light snow it dosen't really matter. Now I'm in low range reverse with the engine running at 2200 hp. It helps to spray the morking parts with WD, PAM or spray lithium grease.
My neighbor gets by with a 5 footer on a 20 hp Yanmar.
I have a 38" front mount on my 17 horse JD, works great.
If you get really deep snow you might want to think about a double auger.

 

[Mark Page]

I run a 7 fter on a 42 pto hp tractor. Works fine because its HST. Neighbour has one on a 52 pto hp gear tractor, works great except in drifts they have to ride the clutch or stop and go.

I have also run the same 7 ft blower on my 100 hp tractor. What a dream, doesn't drag the engine down at all but also blew my pto shaft all to pieces when trying out the new found power.

You should have a shear pin on the blower to prevent that from happening. Took me a couple years to find it on mine.

 

[TrenaryDucks]

I have a Agri-Power 5000 (Zetor 5011) with 43 hp pto and a seven foot snowblower. Works fine under almost all conditions, but the lake effect snow around here is pretty light stuff. If the snow is too deep, you can take it in slices. You don't have to remove it all down to the ground in one shot.

 

[massy1635]

I have a 74" blower on the back of my 35 horse Massey Ferguson with a hydro transmisson. Does a very good job.

 

[reggiejr]

If it helps mine is a 38hp hst (30hp pto) pushing a six footer and it blows snow like no tomorrow.
You'll love it and kick yourself for not buying one sooner.Try and get one with a hyd schute makes life a lot easier.:thumbsup: