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:

 

[slowzuki]

I'm well acquainted with the shear pin locations, and the key which is another favourite thing to shear. The auger chain too, it has a shear but often the 80 series chain will blow instead. We are all gravel here, lots of busted parts on blowers over the last 10 years. Its simply not built to have 100 hp into it, at least not when doing 4-5 hours full tilt blowing per storm.

I have a Normand N86 with side chute for this year. Same width but about twice as heavy, we'll see how it does.

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

 

[grsthegreat]

I have a 7 foot front mounted snowblower hooked to a 45 HP tractor. Now a hydraulic powered blower is less efficient than a PTO powered unit. If i can power 7 foot with hydraulics that you can with PTO (IN my opinion).

Oh, and did i mention.... i LOVE HST with a snowblower.....

 

[doxford jim]

I too have a 55hp tractor which I use a 6ft (73") snowblower on. The rear wheels on my tractor are 74" outside to outside and end up rubbing the newly cut drift and making a mess. To get around that problem I have made and added wings on the blower - which help a lot. I regret not getting a 7ft blower for my needs

I am considering buying a 7ft blower (84") and selling the older 6ft blower.
I doubt you will have a problem with the 84" blower on a 55 hp tractor. If you bog the engine down, you need to go a bit slower or take a lighter cut of say twelve inches at a time - you don't have to do it all in one cut.. I am lucky as I have 8 reverse speeds which gives me a lot of choice.

 

[RickB]

I think the OP's limited choices of reverse speeds will work against him, especially if he were to choose a 7 foot blower. Blowing snow @ 3MPH will take over 50% more HP than the same depth of snow @ 2 MPH and more than twice as much than if he were travelling at 1.5 MPH. Of course I don't even hook my blower up unless there is at least a foot of snow, or the banks need to be blown back. My front plow is much, much faster and easier for lighter accumulations.

It is easy to say what works for each of us. What is being asked is will it work for him and that requires considering all the parameters.

 

[knightrider955]

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:

Ya the one Im looking at has a hydro chute which is great because my tractor is already plummed for it. My other concern is that my tractor is only
2wd. I hope I wont have any traction issues. My driveway has a slight incline. I know when it was glare ice last year, my tractor wouldnt climb it.

 

[crazyal]

I agree with the general idea that it's not HP that's going to limit you but gear range. You don't need to run the tractor at full PTO RPM in most snow conditions so that will help you go slower but you just might be stuck in some of the deeper snow falls/ heavy wet snow removing it by driving forward then stopping to let the blower clear itself out. I would avoid slipping the clutch.

 

[slowzuki]

If you couldn't get up it, you'll need chains with a blower. Takes traction to push it along.

Ya the one Im looking at has a hydro chute which is great because my tractor is already plummed for it. My other concern is that my tractor is only
2wd. I hope I wont have any traction issues. My driveway has a slight incline. I know when it was glare ice last year, my tractor wouldnt climb it.

 

[grsthegreat]

Ya the one Im looking at has a hydro chute which is great because my tractor is already plummed for it. My other concern is that my tractor is only
2wd. I hope I wont have any traction issues. My driveway has a slight incline. I know when it was glare ice last year, my tractor wouldnt climb it.

yeiks.. 2WD makes a big difference. If i forget to engage the 4x4 mode, my tractor has a real tough time blowing snow.

 

[doxford jim]

A few hundred dollars spent on tire chains will make a big difference to your traction. I don't think there is too much difference between pushing a blade and pushing a blower - both generate a lot of resistance. And yes, there is a marked difference between 2 and 4 wheel drive. My old MF65 was 2wd and was used with a snow blade at the front (not by me I might add ). It was also used with a rear mounted TPH snow blower and rear tire chains - successfully.

I guess like everything else - you can use the equipment or go at it with gusto ! The right chains will make a difference - as will how the blower is used.
For me, throwing the snow some thirty feet from the driveway beats pushing snow into piles. Of course everyones situation is different and asking around helps to bring up good ideas.

Hope you manage to find a suitable solution.

Cheers

Jim

 

[strum456]

I see you have a loader on the front of your tractor. Do you plan to take it off for blowing?

If operated properly, you're tractor will handle a 7' blower just fine.

Chains will be a necessity.