rambler
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2003
- Messages
- 1,994
- Location
- MN
- Tractor
- Ford 960, 7700, TW20, 1720; IHC H, 300; Ollie S77
It depends....
Where I live in Minnesota, we get 40-60 inches of snow all winter, we get prairie winds, and the snow does not go away until the end of February.
'Here' I need a blower to keep my driveway & farm yard clear. I problably do 2000' of driveway & pathes in the yard.
Before I bought the blower, dad had me do it with a rear blade. That took _forever_. The problem was, it made ridges & piles where I stacked the snow. Anytime anyone sneezed, it makes a strong wind here, and the snow would fill the driveway 2' deep with drifting snow.
I was out there a couple hours every day, whether it snowed or not. This was on a cabless tractor.
I got the 7' 3pt blower, put it on the 85hp tractor with cab, and was in heaven. When I blow the snow away, it goes away. The ridges on the side of the driveway stay 6-12" high, so far less drifting and far less snow to move. Because remember, _here_ when it snows in November, that same snow is still there in mid-February, with lots more added. It does not go away.
Now I put the 7' blower on my NH 1720 (a 27 hp 4wd with bucket, no cab) and blow with that. Much more manuverable, tho the blower is a little big for the tractor. In really bad conditions I'd need to put the big tractor on it again. And I get done quick enough that the cabless part isn't bad.
I do not like front mount snowblowers, as they weigh more, cost more, have more parts to break, and put a lot of weight & stress on the front axle instead of the rear. Now, a small front mount on a compact with 4wd & a front pto is a different story - I can see that, but would not be enough blower for me.
Now, that is _my_ needs. You couldn't give me a plow on a truck, worthless - for my needs.
There in Oregon, I suspect the snow is wet & slushy a lot of times, you don't have the wind drift problems, and the snow will melt away for you from time to time, only need to deal with new snowfalls?
In _those_ conditions I bet a plow on a truck makes a lot more sense. Snowblowers don't like wet slushy snow. They don't like gravel driveways that aren't frozen solid. And they are slow in light snowfall conditions.
--->Paul
Where I live in Minnesota, we get 40-60 inches of snow all winter, we get prairie winds, and the snow does not go away until the end of February.
'Here' I need a blower to keep my driveway & farm yard clear. I problably do 2000' of driveway & pathes in the yard.
Before I bought the blower, dad had me do it with a rear blade. That took _forever_. The problem was, it made ridges & piles where I stacked the snow. Anytime anyone sneezed, it makes a strong wind here, and the snow would fill the driveway 2' deep with drifting snow.
I was out there a couple hours every day, whether it snowed or not. This was on a cabless tractor.
I got the 7' 3pt blower, put it on the 85hp tractor with cab, and was in heaven. When I blow the snow away, it goes away. The ridges on the side of the driveway stay 6-12" high, so far less drifting and far less snow to move. Because remember, _here_ when it snows in November, that same snow is still there in mid-February, with lots more added. It does not go away.
Now I put the 7' blower on my NH 1720 (a 27 hp 4wd with bucket, no cab) and blow with that. Much more manuverable, tho the blower is a little big for the tractor. In really bad conditions I'd need to put the big tractor on it again. And I get done quick enough that the cabless part isn't bad.
I do not like front mount snowblowers, as they weigh more, cost more, have more parts to break, and put a lot of weight & stress on the front axle instead of the rear. Now, a small front mount on a compact with 4wd & a front pto is a different story - I can see that, but would not be enough blower for me.
Now, that is _my_ needs. You couldn't give me a plow on a truck, worthless - for my needs.
There in Oregon, I suspect the snow is wet & slushy a lot of times, you don't have the wind drift problems, and the snow will melt away for you from time to time, only need to deal with new snowfalls?
In _those_ conditions I bet a plow on a truck makes a lot more sense. Snowblowers don't like wet slushy snow. They don't like gravel driveways that aren't frozen solid. And they are slow in light snowfall conditions.
--->Paul