Kubota M9000 or L5030hst for snowblowing

[razor]

I do approx. 70 residential driveways with my M9000. The clutch is driving me crazy. I want to trade it in for L5030hst but afraid L5030hst wouldn't have power to do 70 residential driveways. I have an inverse snowblower. Will the L5030hst be able to handle 6 inches of heavy wet snow?
thanks
chris

 

[Deerlope]

How much HP is required to run the blower? That is the question here.

 

[lawn_king]

From my experience snowblowing with B series kubota hydrostats, i would think an L5030 would have enough power to blow the earth out of orbit!

 

[JJT]

How big is your snow blower? I'm driving an 78" with a little L3710. HST makes a huge difference, easily 10%+ more productivity.

 

[razor]

I would have to buy a smaller blower for the L5030 if I traded the 2003 M9000 in. The M9000 right now is powering a 92" Normand inverted blower no problems. The blower weighs 2,000 lbs. The M9000 is a beast but for what I am doing and my preference I think it is overkill.

 

[RFB]

Do not understimate the 5030; 92" (7.5') is not overly large for the 5030.

Not a blower, but this 5030 http://www.tractorbynet.com/photos/data/529/25599Feb_10_2006_016-med.jpg

handles a 7.5 foot blade in 3 feet of snow very well.

 

[Deerlope]

According to the Normand web page 86"-92" reqiures 50 - 75 hp. You might have to go a little slower with the 5030.