Loader mounted snow blower

[Lowrider2120]

Thanks Leon...you're doing a fine job from afar!!

I just got the blower into my shop which was not a small chore. My 3510 is 48 miles South of my house at the new shop I'm building so I had to drag it over with a 4 wheeler and the pick it up with an engine crane to get it into the shop. Now to do some clean up and studying the whole mechanics of the thing. First snow here is usually late October so I have awhile to think about the design. Glad you talked me out of hydraulics!

I'm thinking 5 to 1 drive ratio will allow me to have a little extra umph if I need it. I usually run the blower at about 480 rpm PTO and it works fine except for heavy wet snow which is pretty rare except during Spring thaw.

 

[PILOON]

I am enjoying this discussion as 'been here done that'
I had a 4 ft Bervac and fabricated mountings to replace my FEL bucket.
By my calculations I needed 5 HP per ft of blower and located a Wisconsin that filled the needs.
Proceeded to mount the engine (easy enough) and good to go.
Well it did work out OK (until I hit a hidden metallic object) that trashed the blower.
I recall that the driven was 10 " and the Wisconsin used a 3" and the chain drive was # 40.
That calculated to run the blower at rated 500RPM using the engine at 2500 RPM.
I soon learned that I needed a chain tensioner as that chain liked to stretch. OK did that.
Actually the installation was what I'd consider 'awesome' as it performed just as I hoped (until I tried to ingest a hidden scrapped starter that was hidden under the snow)
At the time I considered dual V belts but due to snow (read wet) I felt that slippage would be a factor so went chain and sprocket.
All to say, yes you can do it and yes it will work.
In mt case the downfall was that the auger was rust welded to the shaft (did not know as it was a used blower) hence the destruction otherwise the project was a success IMHO.
IMHO a clutch mechanism is not needed as blowers have sheer pin protection both on auger and fan.
My only problem was starting the engine with the blower coupled as the load limited the start up RPMs. Here a clutch might have helped but I learned to 'work around' by bleeping the starter.
Actually it was an awesome installation and I wish it was still operational.
I had read (on TBN) that 5 hp/ft was the basis for blowers and would confirm that as my engine was 16 HP on a 4' blower so in fact perhaps even a bit overstated.

And Leonz, my friend, hi!.



o

 

[Lowrider2120]

Thanks for the confidence Piloon!!

5HP per foot would require a 25 hp for mine. Would we see any increase in torque with a 2 cyl engine to help with a "hard spot"? I kinda look at the impeller as a flywheel to carry some momentum in the system...maybe it's just a little bit but should help some, no?

 

[leonz]

Bonjour, Mon Ami Piloon!


Hello Lowrider2120,


The impeller by itself does not have enough mass and does not have the throw weight to act as a fly wheel :^(

As far as the new snow blower goes I would much rather see you call the folks at Wengers of Myerstown PA and see if they have an old scrapped Hesston swather crimper that they may in the yard(they made a lot of the uncabbed three wheel models) and has a good 4 cylinder Wisconsin air cooled engine that they could part out and sell you as they are perfect for this(they were used by Hesston to operate the axial piston pump that powered the wheel drive,sickle bar and and the rubber crimper rolls.
You can still buy parts for the electric start Wisconsin engines if needed and they are simple and easy to repair and have
complete dry air filters with precleaners on them too.

Short of that buying a New 2 cylinder Duetz or Hatz diesel with compression relief would be the other answer but the Wisconsin 4 cylinder gas engine with electric start would be the unit I would rather see you invest in. It may already have the manual Rockford clutch installed on it if it has not been stripped and set aside already.

The Rockford Manual PTO clutches are easy to adjust and repair-we had 7 of them on the fletcher mining equipment roof drills and the Joy face drill we used at the underground mine where I retired from as a diesel mechanic.

I dont want to steer you wrong Lowrider2120 I just do not like fighting with things and I know the Wisconsins and the manual Rockford PTO clutches are top notch and easy to work on and you can still buy parts for them.
If you stick with a quick hitch and a home built hitch stand to hold the engine, hitch and snow caster as one unit you will be all set and have a snow caster that can be used on other mules and if you set another mule up with a front three point hitch you will be the envy of the Magic Valley!

I hate the fact that the AG WEEKLY is no longer published!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Lowrider2120]

WOW...that's a lot to think about.

I am going to set this up on a skid steer QD plate so it could be used on an QD equipped machine. If it works as well as I think it will it will take more than an arm wrestle to get it away from me!

 

[Balerguy2]

Lowrider2120,

I built a 3 ph Hydraulic Power Pac and used my 66" snow blower w/o the bucket.............. used 3/4" Hi & low pressure lines plus a 3/8" case drain. Used it 3 seasons but so little snow I have it listed for sale in the classifieds. In winter I have/had it mounted on my Kubota L4610 with LA-852 loader. On mine you don't wrestle the 85# Cast Iron pump unto the pto because its rack mounted via the 3ph. Whew!

Look up on TBN my build of it plus pull up the classified section here................ look for "deere" and "snowblower" and you'll see what I have. It works perfectly. Your SSQA should adapt with some cutting and welding.


Carl

 

[Piston]

Geez Balerguy, that would be a direct fit to my L4610!

 

[Lowrider2120]

Baler,

Very nice set-up! The double universal drive on the pump is clever making no need to fit the actual pump to the PTO shaft which is a PIA and it takes the weight and stress off the PTO as well. The hydraulic drive certainly has it's benefits but I think I'm sold on the self contained unit with a 4 stroke driving the blower. Thanks for the ideas!

 

[Balerguy2]

Piston,
Lowrider2120 & et al,

Thanks guys. Years ago I had a small skid-steer (Sperry/New Holland) that was equipped with a Wisconsin VH-4D, 4 cyl (ball bearings at both ends of the crank). I added and overhauled a 2nd VH-4D and drove the mounted 66" blower thru a #60 roller chain and Rockford BW clutch. It worked for years like that but I didn't like the engine mounted on the blower being almost in my lap. Plus running at peak torque (I think it was a little less than 2400 rpm) I felt a need at times for more torque but a little slower/ less of the lane/track width fixed the issue.
For those thinking of a similar direct engine setup a company that once was in Janesville, Wisconsin seems like one in Columbus, Ohio but may no longer................. manufactured direct aircooled snowblowers mounted at the front of 3/4 ton and larger pickup trucks. The company name was "Hansen" or something similar. Just saying. Don't know if they still exist.

 

[leonz]

Piston,
Lowrider2120 & et al,

Thanks guys. Years ago I had a small skid-steer (Sperry/New Holland) that was equipped with a Wisconsin VH-4D, 4 cyl (ball bearings at both ends of the crank). I added and overhauled a 2nd VH-4D and drove the mounted 66" blower thru a #60 roller chain and Rockford BW clutch. It worked for years like that but I didn't like the engine mounted on the blower being almost in my lap. Plus running at peak torque (I think it was a little less than 2400 rpm) I felt a need at times for more torque but a little slower/ less of the lane/track width fixed the issue.
For those thinking of a similar direct engine setup a company that once was in Janesville, Wisconsin seems like one in Columbus, Ohio but may no longer................. manufactured direct aircooled snowblowers mounted at the front of 3/4 ton and larger pickup trucks. The company name was "Hansen" or something similar. Just saying. Don't know if they still exist.

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Nope, The Hansen Snowblower Company died when the owner died probably 10 years ago so............

It was a simple design with SAE/ASTM parts that could be obtained locally with an air cooled gas engine but it lacked power and slick sheet lined chutes and spouts and solid augers rather than open ribbon augers which reduced the 2 stage snow blowers ability to throw the snow further. Using a rotating impeller drum that would bypass the chute would help with that issue at all times when directing the snow to the right or left to an open area is not an issue to get rid of it.

The Snowgo people have the Hansen snowblower designs now and they are not interested in improving the design.

I would certainly love to see a Wisconsin VH-4D mounted on a Reist Series 1000 single stage snow caster as it would
be so easy to put together and use.

The engine would be set on the right or left with the Rockford manual PTO with a plastic guarded PTO Shaft from the Rockford to a right angle one to one Boston Gear bevel gearbox that would would be connected to the right angle gearbox with a 2 piece PTO shaft yoke and cross bearings used to power the single stage snow blower rotor.