Rear mounted - pull vs. push type blower

[canoetrpr]

I talked to a dealer today who is pricing out an outfit for me - GL4740 or bigger tractor. I'm going to look into trading in my 68" Meteor blower and I am considering the pull type.

My driveway is not very big - about 400 feet, and I have no particular neck problems to report. Some day though I hope to get to a bigger property and might get a bigger driveway.

Dealer was saying that some of his customers complain that the pull type clog up with snow and others are quite happy with them.

I get snow at my place but it is rarely above a couple feet. Drifts can sometimes be bigger.

Do any of you have experience with both these types of blowers? What do you recommend? Pull will be more expensive than push as well although I'm not exactly sure how much yet.

 

[WilliamBos]

I talked to a dealer today who is pricing out an outfit for me - GL4740 or bigger tractor. I'm going to look into trading in my 68" Meteor blower and I am considering the pull type.

My driveway is not very big - about 400 feet, and I have no particular neck problems to report. Some day though I hope to get to a bigger property and might get a bigger driveway.

Dealer was saying that some of his customers complain that the pull type clog up with snow and others are quite happy with them.

I get snow at my place but it is rarely above a couple feet. Drifts can sometimes be bigger.

Do any of you have experience with both these types of blowers? What do you recommend? Pull will be more expensive than push as well although I'm not exactly sure how much yet.

Dads was a single stage, worked pretty good for 30 years, would get a 2 stage if we got another. If the snow was damp, the old single stage would plug up. (just asked Dad.)

Have plugged our push blower too, so the plugging is a moot point, AFAIAC.

Did you demo the 1643 today??

 

[leonz]

In order to get a pull type 2 stage snow caster with
enough power you need a tractor with 80 plus
horsepower and high clearances.

Please visit www.plowsite.com and search for snow blowers
as there is wealth of information regarding the rear mount
push type and the pull type of snow caster.

There are a lot of snow removal contractors that use the
pull type for residential use as they can simply back in and
blow or drag the snow out to get rid of it quickly.

The major builders are Normand, Lynx, Pronovost and a few others.

 

[WilliamBos]

In order to get a pull type 2 stage snow caster with
enough power you need a tractor with 80 plus
horsepower and high clearances.

Please visit www.plowsite.com and search for snow blowers
as there is wealth of information regarding the rear mount
push type and the pull type of snow caster.

There are a lot of snow removal contractors that use the
pull type for residential use as they can simply back in and
blow or drag the snow out to get rid of it quickly.

The major builders are Normond, Lynx, Pronovost and a few others.

Lucknow Pull types are 2 stage, as low as 25HP minimum.

Pull Type Snowblowers | Lucknow Products

 

[lungdoc]

I also disagree with the hp requirement for a pull type; am certain that for the same size of blower it is no different than usual rear blowers. The clogging ones were old single stage as noted.

I strongly considered one and still vaguely want one. Real advantage is for long lanes/roads, and in fact you are driving away from the 'plume'. Drawback in really deep snow as tractor needs to drive through it first, but usually can shove enough with loader to manage. People talk about the drawback of the tires packing snow first but with no time to freeze that apparently isn't an issue - will clear to the scraper level regardless. I decided against as harder to get the end of a driveway (e.g. up against building), also harder to use on plowed up banks which I need to do periodically - with conventional rear blower can raise it fairly high and back into the bank.

 

[WilliamBos]

I also disagree with the hp requirement for a pull type; am certain that for the same size of blower it is no different than usual rear blowers. The clogging ones were old single stage as noted.

I strongly considered one and still vaguely want one. Real advantage is for long lanes/roads, and in fact you are driving away from the 'plume'. Drawback in really deep snow as tractor needs to drive through it first, but usually can shove enough with loader to manage. People talk about the drawback of the tires packing snow first but with no time to freeze that apparently isn't an issue - will clear to the scraper level regardless. I decided against as harder to get the end of a driveway (e.g. up against building), also harder to use on plowed up banks which I need to do periodically - with conventional rear blower can raise it fairly high and back into the bank.

I agree. Dad used our trusty ol 35, and did the driveway at our place @1320', as well as a longer one at a farm we rented. Both were WIDE open, so had many drifts real deep, never had an issue. If you do, drop the blower, and use it as a blade, as our old Pull type was V shaped, so it worked well.

 

[leonz]

I was referring to the Pronovost and Normand units
in general requiring 60-80-100 horse power and their
specific need for higher ground clearances.

 

[WilliamBos]

I was referring to the Pronovost and Normand units
in general requiring 60-80-100 horse power and their
specific need for higher ground clearances.

Oh, ok. Lucknow makes lower HP version, one of the finest blower manufacturers on the Market.

 

[kco]

As posted in another thread, I've ordered a Meteor 75" pull type blower to clear my 800' driveway. I also looked at Lucknow and Erskine. For the Meteor, the pull-type added about $900 to the cost over the same size push type.

Here is a link to a video showing the MK Martin Meteor pull-type which my dealer (Timberstar in Vernon BC) made.

Snow Removal.mp4 - YouTube

I spoke with my dealer last Friday. He ordered four pull-type Meteor's this summer for delivery this month or next, and has already sold 3 (including the one I ordered). He is thinking he should have ordered more.

As others stated, I don't think the pull-type will require noticeably more hp than the push type. I'm not concerned with driving over the snow before it goes through the blower. That is how I operated with my rear blade.

 

[canoetrpr]

kco - curious as to why you went with the Martin over the others?

I've got an MK Martin push type now and it has worked quit well. Never clogged, never had any snow sticking to the chute. The only problem I had with it is that once I hit a tarp or something that my neighbour had lying on his driveway which I went to clear and the whole darn auger fell out/.

 

[kco]

kco - curious as to why you went with the Martin over the others?

I've got an MK Martin push type now and it has worked quit well. Never clogged, never had any snow sticking to the chute. The only problem I had with it is that once I hit a tarp or something that my neighbour had lying on his driveway which I went to clear and the whole darn auger fell out/.

Hi canoetrpr. Here are links to a couple of posts where I outined my reasoning:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/2447308-post12.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/2452774-post14.html

This is from a reply to you in another thread, but perhaps you missed it.

The Erskine seemed like the best mower but was too expensive for my needs. I decided against the Lucknow because Lucknow quoted $1,000 for shipping to BC in September and would reduce that if the actual shipping turned out to be less. The Meteor was a firm price including shipping.

Cheers

 

[studor]

Almost all of the commercial guys around here use larger horsepower (over 75) and pull type blowers. Thats because of the over 75hp tax break and the speed of the pull type blower on little driveways. They do get stuck occasionally by high centering themselves and they do not get points for the best job ever. None of these machines have FELs. I have a push type and a very long driveway in the country. I also have a hill in the driveway. I have always been able to work my way out of problems with the push type and the FEL. I don't like the idea of packing snow by driving over it and then blowing the remainder but thats just me. I am also too frugal (read cheap) to spend the extra on a pull type blower. I have used the old antique style pull that others have talked about and they work well enough but not like a two stage of any description. Just me, but I would put the extra $ towards a cab instead of a pull forward

 

[canoetrpr]

Hi canoetrpr. Here are links to a couple of posts where I outined my reasoning:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/2447308-post12.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/2452774-post14.html

This is from a reply to you in another thread, but perhaps you missed it.

The Erskine seemed like the best mower but was too expensive for my needs. I decided against the Lucknow because Lucknow quoted $1,000 for shipping to BC in September and would reduce that if the actual shipping turned out to be less. The Meteor was a firm price including shipping.

Cheers

My apologies for having to repost that kco.