Snow Attachments I'm thinking snow removal

[Farwell]

Rim,
All of my neighbors have their drives plowed with a pickup truck mounted plow. I use a walk behind snow blower. The neighbors have large piles of dirty snow stacked all over the place and their driveways need re worked every Spring. My driveway has two small piles down by the street due to the county road plows loading up the entrance of my drive with salt laden snow. The rest of the drive has smooth mounds of snow the full length of it about 15 feet on each side of the drive. I do not have to re do my driveway in the Spring. All of our drives are around 300 feet long.
It always surprises me that it takes the snow plow guys almost the same length of time to do the drives as it does me with my walk behind. I also clear a path for the utility companies to access the gas and electric meters. the snow plow guys would have to do that by hand.
I have thought about getting a 3PH PTO snow blower but haven't found the deal I want.

 

[Hearth]

Farwell,

The Woods Snowblower on Ebay is in Michigan.. just half an hour to bid though !!

 

[rimshot]

Here is another good deal if you are in that area !

List price is around $2,900.00

New WOODS SS52 Tractor Snow Blower - No Reserve - eBay (item 190194032635 end time Feb-02-08 10:45:26 PST)

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Hi Hearth,

Yikes! This one is supposed to weigh in at over 600 lbs. The Meteor I just purchased only weighs 285 lbs. I wonder what in the world makes that Woods such a fat so. It is in Michigan but either I would have to pay shipping or would have a 500 mile roundtrip to get it. The one I just paid $1495 plus tax for gets delivered for free. Thanks for the link Hearth. This is all too much fun.

rim

 

[Dmace]

My neck and back hurt when you mention a rear snowblower. Sure they are cheaper but there is a better way plus you can see where your going. Alot of rear blowers for sale for this reason.

That is the point! With a rear mount blower you can see where you are going and can see directly in front of it. With a front mount blower you are lucky if you can see within 3-4ft in front of the blower. Plus all tractors and tires are designed to have more power and more traction in reverse rather than forward. Good luck trying to drive up hill while snowblowing and keep traction. You have much better traction and power in reverse.

Also, I was just out working on the tracrtor and noticed it is a JRW brand and not JRB. Oops!

 

[Hearth]

Rim,

I wasn't giving you the link since I figured you had a great deal already... I was actually giving it again to Farwell since it is only about an hour and half away from him.

I would like to think that there is no quality difference between the Meteor and the Woods.. but with the weight differential there must be some...

Still I think you got a great deal !

 

[Kendrick]

rim your only regeret will be not getting one 2 feet wider it always seems to be just a tad to narow... I was talking to a dealer here who mentioned wings may have to try that. been poking around seeing about a qa blade for the front and saw some that had wings, nice idea.

I find on my gravel which i have lots of 1500' ish. the blower works very good to get the bulk out but to finish i often need to scrape. currently i use my fel but would like to get a blade for next year. there are times where you get that quarter" slush that is enough to need to clean it up but not deep enough to really use the blower on. the blower is also slower when it comes to low ammount of material.

 

[rimshot]

I see the Ebay Woods 52" blower retails at around $3,000. It never got a bid at $1625. That is likely a very good machine as it must be made of 1/4" boilerplate steel to be so heavy and BTW, I confirmed that the model SS52 is actually that heavy:

Woods Equipment Company - 52'', 60'' & 74'' Standard-Duty Snow Blowers - SS Series

But who knows when it comes to ebay. For all we know maybe the seller bought a 285 llb. Meteor and spray painted it green with a Woods decal on the chute.

But having said this, what makes bigger and heavier better. I'm going to see what Opra has to say about this.

rimshot

 

[Farwell]

Farwell,

The Woods Snowblower on Ebay is in Michigan.. just half an hour to bid though !!

Thanks Hearth, the auction closed before I got home. I am not really ready yet to get a tractor mount snowblower but I always look for future purchases so I am educated by the time I am ready to buy.

 

[joes_427_vette]

DMACE; The next time I see a five bottom plow hooked to the radiator bracket and the farmer backing down the field I will believe tractors were designed to pull in reverse. I have done alot of snowblowing with a front mounted unit and it works just fine. Sometimes you have to adjust the chute for the wind direction. You buy the backwards unit, I will stick to driving where I can see what I'm doing. The four wheel drive works better with the additional blower weight also. I bet that is why they build both attachments.... to satisfy every customer.

 

[rfmr]

Congrats on your decision.
Having rear blower with FEL is a good combo. FEL comes in handy on days like today. Last night's precip was more ice than snow. RB couldn't brake the ice, but the FEL did. FEL also takes care of the heavy wet snow that can plug the RB shute.
IMO some sort of cab is a must. Having already spent the big bucks you could always use the "poor man's" cab, a golf cart cover over plywood.

 

[smfcpacfp]

Congratulations on your new tractor and related equipment, fellow yooper. Where are you located in the UP?

I also got a new tractor and blower for this season, although here in the Sands Township (Marquette County) area we haven't gotten a great deal of snow this year, well not a large quantity, only ten feet so far, but there really doesn't seem to be be much on the ground, since we have a few periods of melting.

All of those big storms we read about, and see on TV, passed south of the Northern UP.

 

[rimshot]

Congratulations on your new tractor and related equipment, fellow yooper. Where are you located in the UP?

I also got a new tractor and blower for this season, although here in the Sands Township (Marquette County) area we haven't gotten a great deal of snow this year, well not a large quantity, only ten feet so far, but there really doesn't seem to be be much on the ground, since we have a few periods of melting.

All of those big storms we read about, and see on TV, passed south of the Northern UP.

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We are catching the dickens with snow this year Steve. And you are right, Marquette always catches more snow than their share. But it looks like you and the Kubota can handle it. Great looking rig you have there. What model Kubota you have there anyway? I think you and I may have chatted once earlier. I might have singled you out to talk yooper and snow blower stuff. I'm from St. Ignace handlling the snow from Lake Michigan in an effort to protect your left flank. Your mission has got to be to be continue holding the line by manhandling the snows of Lake Superior to the North. Seriously, I wouldn't trade my snowy home in the U.P for six Florida mansions.

Wish I could get a cab like yours but for now will remain content with all my recent toys.


Hey back in learning mode now. With this rear snowblower I see skidshoes for this blower are listed as a weld on option and cost around $100. What's this about? Without skid shoes am I to be expected to keep the blower pickup height adjusted with the 3ph control or can I let it float? If it floats on the ground don't I need to first install the skidshoe accessory so as not to pick up rocks so much and abuse the bottom of the blower? I have never used a tractor to blow snow but have moved tons with walk behinds sliding on adjustable shoes.

rimshot

 

[ChuckinNH]

Rimshot,
I haven't used a rear mounted snowblower, so I'm sure others will chime in here with better information, but you do have some options. Adjusting the top link so that the leading edge of the snowblower is slightly above parallel with the ground seems to help folks avoid some of the gravel issues. Can't do that with a front mount!

 

[shvl73]

It would be interesting to see the weld-on skid shoes. Mine are adjustable, though I've got them on the highest clearance setting. It leaves some snow but I never pick up rocks or break shear pins.

 

[brandoro]

I have a 3pt snow blower that has two straps of flatbar on the bottom that start flush with the cutting edge and are thicker moving away from the edge. I play with the top link to have the edge on the ground or up a little bit depending on what surface I am on. If I'm cleaning ice for skating I extend the top link so the cutting edge is hard on the ice to make a clean cut. If it is first snow on the driveway I shorten the top link to roll it back on the skids and leave the stones on the driveway until there is a bit of packed snow on them.
I don't mind the 3pt blower too much because there are times when the fel is the right tool to have on the other end. A blown down tree is tough to wrestle out of the way in deep snow but not much trouble with the fel.
My tractor is a B7610 HST front wheel assist on turfs and I seldom have tracion issues when using the blower. Usually I run in 2 wheel drive and count on the tires slipping if I catch something unexpectedly. Keeps from tearing parts off .

 

[smfcpacfp]

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We are catching the dickens with snow this year Steve. And you are right, Marquette always catches more snow than their share. But it looks like you and the Kubota can handle it. Great looking rig you have there. What model Kubota you have there anyway? I think you and I may have chatted once earlier. I might have singled you out to talk yooper and snow blower stuff. I'm from St. Ignace handlling the snow from Lake Michigan in an effort to protect your left flank. Your mission has got to be to be continue holding the line by manhandling the snows of Lake Superior to the North. Seriously, I wouldn't trade my snowy home in the U.P for six Florida mansions.

Wish I could get a cab like yours but for now will remain content with all my recent toys.


rimshot

It is a model B3030HDSC. We really haven't gotten a lot of snow this year. I have snow blowed maybe 10 times and seldom over 5 inches, maybe 8" at the most. So while most of the country is getting record snow, we aren't. I am retiring at the beginning of May and people ask me if I am moving to some place warm like Florida, and I tell them no way. I have learned to love the UP.

I have been to St. Ignace more in the last two years than the other 30 years that I have lived in the UP. My daughter has worked a the Pink Pony bar/restaurant on Mackinac Island the last two summers. My wife and I have been spending a few days over there each year for the last several years, so we catch the boat from St Ignace.

We never really hear much about snow in your neck of the woods on the news, but I saw your girls high school basketball team play a playoff game over here a few years ago and they were something special.

 

[rimshot]

I have been to St. Ignace more in the last two years than the other 30 years that I have lived in the UP. My daughter has worked a the Pink Pony bar/restaurant on Mackinac Island the last two summers. My wife and I have been spending a few days over there each year for the last several years, so we catch the boat from St Ignace.

We never really hear much about snow in your neck of the woods on the news, but I saw your girls high school basketball team play a playoff game over here a few years ago and they were something special.

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Those girls had two or three seasons like that in a row and were an exciting bunch to keep up with. One of them went on to university of Michigan and is an asset to their girls team. Two from the team (sisters) advancedafter graduating to the Lake Superior State Basketball team. They just had it all.

My sons and daughter all earned their college educations working over there on Mackinac Island. The boys were aboard ferrys carrying fudgies (local name for tourists considering they buy so much of that Fudge the Island is known for) to and fromthe Island.

Sounds like we have received more snow that you guys which is a flip flop. A week ago we had US-2 shut down overnight due to a storm out of the S.W. I assume the copper country is down on snow also and they might lead the nation in feet of snow received annually or atleast be in contention for it. (rimshot)
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Brandora

I like leaving an inch or two early in the season also. The downside is those two to three thaw dates where one has to drive on what's left of the base. It gets like glass or can. time to pick it up and slide the sheet of crust over with the FEL (rimshot)
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SHVL73

After all this stuff and it still seems to me this blower will be better off with a pair of adjustable shoes. I'll be sure to check with the dealer just to be safe.Must be more to a Meteor 3PH snow blower bottom for protection. (rimshot)

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ChuckinNH

I never realized that one could throw an adjustment and tip the box back to stay atop any existing gravel. Makes me all the happier for getting the rear snowblower and still keep the FEL available.....thanks (rimshot)

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