Questions on 3x20 Front Mount Blowers

[morrisond]

In reading the John Deere specs, it seems to imply that the front mount blower does not have Hydraulic lift in the 3x20 series? Is this right? How do you lift it?

Can you use only 2,000 rpm blowers for the front, or will the 74" 540 rpm Farm King we have work as well?

Thanks

 

[Dutch445]

JD redesigned the front hitch system for the 20 series tractors, calling it
a "front 3 point hitch" type of attaching system. The system consists
of 2 lower lift arms, and a top center link. There is a hydraulic cylinder
that lifts the lower arm, on one side of the tractor frame. The system
is much easier to switch out from mower to blower than the previous system,
but is a bit $$$$$.

The blower and broom have gearboxes designed to run with the 2100
RPM mid/front PTO. A 540 implement probably wouldn't work very well
up there... also I can't speak for direction of rotation.. could run backwards!

 

[DrainPondDesign]

Hi,

The JD 59" blower mount does have a hydraulic lift and chute rotation controlled by the loader joy stick.

The front blower mount top link hits the lower cross memeber of the standard grill guard so I remove the grill guard for the winter.

Most dedicated front mount blowers & mounts I see are manufacturer specific, if you wanted to adapt your 540 rpm rear pto blower you would need a custom mount & gearing to lower the 2000 rpm mid pto to the 540 rpm your blower needs.

Erskine makes a front blower powered by the rear pto but I do not think that it would be cost effective versus the JD front blower & mount.

Stay warm

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Not saying the 59" blower isnt a good unit...BUT, IMO its not enough blower for a 3x20 sized machine...3x20 sized machines are in the 70"+ category....IF JD had a properly sized (72" IMO) front blower for the 3x20, I could have been talked into one...but I had ZERO intention of buying any blower smaller then 72" regardless of where it mounted...
CIH Has a 72" Front mount for a similar sized machine....

 

[Dutch445]

Dave,
are you confusing these tractors with the old
3020 row crop tractors?
the 3130-3720 compact tractors spec out at max width of
59.7 inches with R-4 tread. Yes, with the R-1 tires
they can be put out wider (68") but that isn't
very common.
But, I have no doubt the 44hp of the 3720 could handle
a 72" unit if JD was to offer one up front.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Dutch,
Nah, I'm not confusing the ol row croppers...I'm a proud owner of a 3520 with the large R4's out at 59.7" width...
Im saying it from a practical point of view...going straight as an arrow your rear tires would be rubbing the snow...add in a little steering and your soon making a mess...
The final shot across the bow for the front mount is financial...after donating a kidney and a couple pints of blood you can maybe afford the whole shebang...For 3K I got a top of the line 74" blower AND get to play with a plow on the other end...

 

[Dutch445]

Dave,
I guess it all comes down to what's the pain in your neck worth huh??


hey, i'm familiar with that sheeting on your driveway there, i used
to have a bunch of it in years past , my ex fil (or ex's father??)
worked in a papermill and i was given a few sheets of that stuff, used it in the back of
a pickup... great for unloading piles of dirt/stone etc.

Oh, btw,
nice job on the plow blade, love the decals.'

you outta paint up that blower to match!

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Dave,
I guess it all comes down to what's the pain in your neck worth huh??

I come from a family of professional farmers who spent their entire lives looking back at implements, etc... my grandfather is 98, uncles are in their 60's and all are doing fine...no neck issues...so I look at it in the way that if they could do it for YEARS with no issues, I can do it "part time" with no problem. Heck my grandfather never even owned a cabbed machine....so I at least got that going for me.

What killed the JD Front blower for me was the cost & size...by the time you get all the linkages/hitches/required parts, etc.. AND buy the blower, she's not a cheap date.
What we REALLY need is an industry standard front hitch & PTO Specification...so I could go buy a CIH 72" Front blower for my 3520

I love my wire felt! Nah, I wont paint it...IMO Repainting "off colors" kills resale... RAD Makes the same blower JD Green & Kubota Orange for both brands but the JD Dealer couldnt even get me pricing let alone a promise to have it by the time snow hit the ground (keep in mind I started shopping in June, purchased this one in July).....they were hung up on selling the crap cheapo off brands....I'm sure their margins are nicer in their favor on those...

 

[orlo]

Worth Mentioning.

I have a 3720 Cab with a 59" Front blower. I'm running unverferth 6" (each side) wheel extensions on each side with loaded R3's. I'm running 66" (I'd be a little over 71 in the wide position) in width in the NARROW position. I was worried last winter but ran this way the entire winter. Other than maybe a small compressed tiny bit of snow, the extra width didn't bother me a bit, even in maybe 15+ inches of snow.

Corners weren't an issue at all. I was worried I'd have to take them off but I didn't need to.

I do agree that the 3x20 series could take a wider blower. In all honesty for most snowstorms my 2305 could easily handle wider than 47" also.

It is expensive (close to 5K between the blower and the front mount, kit, etc.) but it works nice.
However I would like a rear one to be able to leave the loader on the front to break down banks, etc. If I ever upgrade to a 4720 I'll either get a rear blower or a high capacity PTO pump and a skid steer mount hydraulic blower.

 

[morrisond]

Thanks for everyones answers.

In the end it looks like our 5425 is actually going to show up, so I'm keeping the Farm King Blower and will mount it on the back. I like the idea of having the loader as well(we have an 73" 4 in 1 for that could use it as an plow, but I have an Polaris Ranger with an 72" Boss for that - works great).

I guess the ultimate would be something like the Erskine Rear Pull Blower

Skid Steer Attachments - Erskine Attachments, Inc.

Then you would be going in the right direction and have an loader.

Anybody have an idea of what they cost?

On the other hand the majority of our snow clearing is parking areas and around buildings where you are going in both directions about 50% of the time anyways, so does it really matter where it's mounted? I can see the point if you do it for an living and are at for 24 hours at an time, but I can probably do all our stuff in about an hour.

Thanks again