Snowblower Puma by Pronovost 72 inch snowblower on standard tranny Kubota L3400?

[Desmo-Kid]

I have 300 feet of uphill, curving driveway 12 feet wide topped by a 30 x 100 foot parking area. A 26 inch walk behind snowblower can take forever, and a back blade on the tractor builds up small banks too high to push the snow over. The drive is so long that the snow spills over and around the blade. It's just too long a drive to push the snow out the end of the drive or to front loader it, the volume ends up being too high. My only other choices seem to be a real plow on front or a rear blower.

Backing up with the blade for over one hour does not bother me at all so I have no problem with a blower on the rear. Turning around to drive in reverse is not an issue.

We get storms over 1 foot sometimes, very wet snow sometimes here in New Hampshire. Before I pull the trigger does anyone have anything negative to say about the Puma (so far I've only read glowing reports about the Pronovost blowers) or 3 point blowers on manual tranny tractors or 34hp tractor using this 72 inch blower?

 

[groundcover]

They are pretty much top of the line,I think you will love it. I would only go with the rear mount as I wouldn't want to be without the FEL. You will become very aware of wind direction if you don't have a cab though!

 

[jaybrad]

Mine is a smaller unit (54") on the rear of a 23 hp tractor, and I like it a lot!

This is the second tractor on which I have had a rear mount snow blower so I could keep the FEL, and I wouldn't do it any other way.

This unit is very well built, much better than many of the other brands I've seen.

It's even red, which matches my tractor.

 

[Desmo-Kid]

Thanks fellow New Englanders, again, more raves about this brand. Must be tops.......

Yes, I agree, I HATE to give up that loader. Back blower is the way for me.

Folks talk about hurting your neck, spine damage (no kidding, I read that) but if I can't sit 1/4 way around on the seat, and twist my neck the next 1/4, and alternate sides so I don't get "stuck", I think I should hang it all up and get into a nursing home! I don't mind the hour and a half physically, it's the frustration of going over and over and over with the back blade when I know I could just blow it all to kingdom come!

One thing I keep forgetting: can you scrape down well with a 3 point blower like with a walk-behind blower?

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Thanks fellow New Englanders, again, more raves about this brand. Must be tops.......

One thing I keep forgetting: can you scrape down well with a 3 point blower like with a walk-behind blower?

The Puma is a really good HD Blower...You wont be dissapointed.

If you set up the blower right by adjusting the toplink length & skid shoes on the blower it will scrape excellent.

 

[jaybrad]

can you scrape down well with a 3 point blower like with a walk-behind blower?

Ditto on what Dave said, this is a great unit.

Here's a photo of the first pass I made last week after getting 18" of snow.

Jay

 

[john_bud]

Given that the weight is greater, you should be able to as long as you have leveled it off. Should be better than a walk behind.

I would wonder about the 72" with the 3400. Given the heavy wet snow you get that may be a lot of blower. Then again, if you have to take 1/2 to 3/4 cut's how big of a deal is that?

jb

 

[art]

I would think that you would be fine with the puma blowers. They do have the heavy duty units but for what you have the puma has been a great unit.

Gravel drives require the top link to be a little on the short side to allow the bottom to be tipped up at the cutting edge.

Paved will scrape fine with the top link a little long to put the edge on the pavement for scraping.

The easiest way not to get tired of looking and reaching back is to get hydraulic rotation!

I'd recommend that blower width for the tractor in your snow conditions.