I did it. Roast and discuss my choice. (sharing experience + numbers for others)

[Saucymynx]

Ill say your post made me dig into front mount blowers a lot more than I have previously. It's pretty nutty the options that are available, the prices seem like they are pretty nuts as well. I'm not completely against it, but I think for now the rear mount makes the most sense for me. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but if I was to get stuck for whatever reason, I can use the loader to help push or pull me out a few inches right? That's my primary reason right there, as far as plowing a light snowfall, can I just use the bucket? its 84" should be able to get the long part of the driveway in 1 down and back I think.

Either way, I'm going to keep the front blower in mind. IF on year one if I find myself hating the rear, maybe Ill give the fronts another look.

I looked at an Erskine front mounted blower but just couldn’t deal with not having the front loader all winter. It turns a multipurpose tool into a single purpose tool. Also, while most people don’t mention it, a rear mounted blower is much more maneuver wall because it is much closer to the center point of rotation of the tractor. Much nicer for getting into tight places without tearing things up . As I set an in my previous post, I’ve had no neck or back discomfort. Maybe if you have pre-existing neck conditions that might be a different story.

 

[arrow]

Ill say your post made me dig into front mount blowers a lot more than I have previously. It's pretty nutty the options that are available, the prices seem like they are pretty nuts as well. I'm not completely against it, but I think for now the rear mount makes the most sense for me. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but if I was to get stuck for whatever reason, I can use the loader to help push or pull me out a few inches right? That's my primary reason right there, as far as plowing a light snowfall, can I just use the bucket? its 84" should be able to get the long part of the driveway in 1 down and back I think.

Either way, I'm going to keep the front blower in mind. IF on year one if I find myself hating the rear, maybe Ill give the fronts another look.

I can guarantee that with just one attempt of plowing your 500 foot drive with just the bucket, will make you pull whatever hair you have on your head right out. If you have a full head of hair, it's going to hurt real bad.
This is why I suggested the plow. No going back and forth. Controlling the windrows to just one side of your desire and making long sweeping runs that take minutes. The plow will be the fastest snow weapon you have. With the quick attach, you can put back the bucket in minutes if you need it for clean up carrying snow away.
As far as getting stuck, it is far more conducive to get a set of chains for your tractor tires if you're worried about this.

Let me get to the point: in my experience from what I've confronted and listened to, I'd get the rear blower as back up and consider the front plow as my main snow removal tool.

 

[Saucymynx]

I can guarantee that with just one attempt of plowing your 500 foot drive with just the bucket, will make you pull whatever hair you have on your head right out. If you have a full head of hair, it's going to hurt real bad.
This is why I suggested the plow. No going back and forth. Controlling the windrows to just one side of your desire and making long sweeping runs that take minutes. The plow will be the fastest snow weapon you have. With the quick attach, you can put back the bucket in minutes if you need it for clean up carrying snow away.
As far as getting stuck, it is far more conducive to get a set of chains for your tractor tires if you're worried about this.

Let me get to the point: in my experience from what I've confronted and listened to, I'd get the rear blower as back up and consider the front plow as my main snow removal tool.

The problem with a plow is the banks it puts up. My weather is similar to Western Minnesota and the wind can blow out of the north or out of the south or out of the west. No matter where I put a bank it would become a wind break to drift behind. When the wind blows at 40 miles an hour for hours on end those drifts get really hard. There is no way just a plow would handle deep Midwest drifted snow. I also worry about torrking the loader frame with a plow. Even though I have a very heavy loader, that’s still a risk

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

The problem with a plow is the banks it puts up. My weather is similar to Western Minnesota and the wind can blow out of the north or out of the south or out of the west. No matter where I put a bank it would become a wind break to drift behind. When the wind blows at 40 miles an hour for hours on end those drifts get really hard. There is no way just a plow would handle deep Midwest drifted snow. I also worry about torrking the loader frame with a plow. Even though I have a very heavy loader, that’s still a risk

Is there enough hydraulic flow on your tractor to operate a hydraulic driven blower instead of a PTO driven blower?

 

[arrow]

The problem with a plow is the banks it puts up. My weather is similar to Western Minnesota and the wind can blow out of the north or out of the south or out of the west. No matter where I put a bank it would become a wind break to drift behind. When the wind blows at 40 miles an hour for hours on end those drifts get really hard. There is no way just a plow would handle deep Midwest drifted snow. I also worry about torrking the loader frame with a plow. Even though I have a very heavy loader, that’s still a risk

This is a reasonable concern and is why I suggest the plow in unison with the rear blower.
I recall the year we had snow fall after snow fall w no weather to melt any away. 106" of the stuff that year.
My main weapon is a rear mounted scraper blade in unison with a snow pusher.
When the windrows closed up the lane, I would take bites out of the path w the snow pusher.
I would then push this pile to the side.
The op could simply use his plow to "center" a windrow and then blow it all away with the rear mount.
All in all, for up to the armageddon of wind and lake effects snow, the time one saves with the plow makes up for the eventual use of the blower.
Torquing the loader frame is also of a concern for some. Of course the wider the blade, the more of a chance. The alternative is to mount the plow on a specific frame or not allowing too much of a blade angle.
If the concern is so large, other alternatives are the snow pusher but that puts one in the same position as a bucket for long runs.

 

[MinnesotaMorg]

With 85 PTO horsepower I can usually blow the driveway in 540 E

I wonder if Ill be able to do this with the 4707. I would guess for small snowfalls but any big dumps or drifts ill for sure have to use regular 540. 4707 PTO HP is roughly 60.

Once or twice I haven’t even had to use creeper gear.

I've been wondering if I should get them to add this. I hear its not terribly expensive, and I saw another youtube video where a guy basically says creeper is good for snowblowing. Part of me wants to try it without it though...

hydraulic shoot deflection but after one season I added it on

I live in the middle of nowhere so I feel like shoot deflection isn't that important I just blow it basically as far as I can. But if I did want this, don't I need the 3rd remote? I only have 2 rears currently.

This is why I suggested the plow. No going back and forth. Controlling the windrows to just one side of your desire and making long sweeping runs that take minutes.

I do currently have a plow truck. I'm torn between trying to sell it for what I have into it, and just holding onto it. I only have $6k invested and its double duty as one of my 4WD vehicles. If I do decide to hold onto it, I'm sure ill use it to plow 2 inch snowfalls that we might get. Or do I just leave 2 inch snowfalls and let it pile up some and snowblow it once the drift has come? I suppose with a big blower I don't really need to stay on top of clearing my drive. I can let it drift all night if I want and then blow it the next day?

Is there enough hydraulic flow on your tractor to operate a hydraulic driven blower instead of a PTO driven blower?

This was a question I kind of had when I first started looking into snowblowers (as I was considering a skid steer as well). From my understanding most tractors won't be able to supply the gpm to really give the snowblower enough power.

Using the 4707 as an example, the PTO is 60HP. If we were to use the full power of the hydraulics you would get (17.7 * 2800) / 1714 = 28.9 HP from the hydraulics. Apparently there is some efficiency lost with pumps with those systems, but I don't really know much about that. Basically, the blower you would be able to operate would be much smaller but using the tractor hydraulics alone. Quick attach makes a power unit that converts PTO into hydraulic power, it then hoses that to your loader mounted blower. I believe Deere does the same thing for their 4 series tractors. These are pretty expensive on top of the cost of the blower. I would say if you're that dead set on using a front blower just get the one that routes the PTO power under the tractor to the front.

This is where things get a little strange, at least for me. While researching all of this I kept seeing pictures of a 4707 with a mid/front PTO. But searching for that feature specifically was kind of a dead end on Massey's website. Digging a bit I found that a few companies mostly in Europe make a modification (I guess?) that gives a front 3 pt and PTO on many different tractors. Front 3-point Hitch + Front PTO - Zuidberg North America

I asked them for a quote, I'm wondering if the 3 point arms are removable, or if they interfere with the loader when its attached. Either way I thought it was an interesting 3rd/4th/5th option that I should at least learn about. Does anyone know why this wouldn't be a more standard option on tractors on the US? It seems like its more common in Europe for whatever reason.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

This was a question I kind of had when I first started looking into snowblowers (as I was considering a skid steer as well).

What caused you to decide to not go that route?

 

[goridedoo]

I live in the middle of nowhere so I feel like shoot deflection isn't that important I just blow it basically as far as I can. But if I did want this, don't I need the 3rd remote? I only have 2 rears currently.

One remote for rotation, and one for deflection... unless you are running something else with one of the remotes?

I asked them for a quote, I'm wondering if the 3 point arms are removable, or if they interfere with the loader when its attached. Either way I thought it was an interesting 3rd/4th/5th option that I should at least learn about. Does anyone know why this wouldn't be a more standard option on tractors on the US? It seems like its more common in Europe for whatever reason.

A kind of broad answer... but it seems to be a dairymen thing, and there seems to be one of those on every corner in Europe, not so much here.

 

[kenmbz]

My MF has a mid-mount PTO to drive the Mower and/or snowblower.
Seems like it would be a bit of work to mount that shaft and remove it from a front blower.

 

[metalbender]

You can have it both ways. Built a rear powered system for my 1742