Reversing Snowblower with HST

[metalbender]

Snow blowing Cab Cab Cab Heat, wiper, hst Half mile drive and a large yard. Blade some, blow some depending on conditions. Always keep the parka in the cab in case of trouble. Always have comms, either a phone or gmrs radio. Staying in the cab and calling for help in times of trouble is far safer.

 

[arrow]

I never got the "it's easier getting on and off an open station tractor" thing.

I get out of both quite frequently working at a place that sells tractors. Not only that, but l witness many as customers getting on and off our tractors.
1.Open station sometimes has the ability to mount and dismount from both sides.
2. Egress is not being blocked by cab structure if one likes to turn around to dismount.
3. There is no door to open first which may create an awkward position for some to dismount with weight balance issues..
4. Your type of work you do on your machine may not require constant mount/dismount such as logging requires.
5. There is no ducking so as not to have your head meet any cab structure.
All and all, l get on and off open station tractors with more efficiency.

 

[arrow]

If I have to plow a lot backwards with the rear blade because of deep snow, I'll sit sideways and use the pedals with my left foot instead of right. Cruise control is only set up on the forward pedal, it is just an electro magnet that hold the pedal in place until you hit the brake or switch on my tractor, but it probably wouldn't be too hard to move it over for the reverse pedal? Depends on the tractor, but some have a mid mount pto which can run a blower on the front, but that's not cheap to set up usually, or just get a front pull rear blower?

I have this discussion a lot when selling tractor mounted snow blowers.
Much has to do with budget as you mention but it is my feeling there are criteria that supersedes expenditure.
What l take into account is customer size of snow clearance.
Driveway structure of length, width, lay and flora confines.
Physical shape and age of user.
Size of tractor and types of snow.
When will customer get out to remove snow dump meaning after every flake falls or during storm itself
What other implement combinations may be had and lastly lighting requirements tied into time of removal.
After all of this is taken into account, we can drill down on snow remover method type.

 

[Runner]

I have this discussion a lot when selling tractor mounted snow blowers.
Much has to do with budget as you mention but it is my feeling there are criteria that supersedes expenditure.
What l take into account is customer size of snow clearance.
Driveway structure of length, width, lay and flora confines.
Physical shape and age of user.
Size of tractor and types of snow.
When will customer get out to remove snow dump meaning after every flake falls or during storm itself
What other implement combinations may be had and lastly lighting requirements tied into time of removal.
After all of this is taken into account, we can drill down on snow remover method type.

One more consideration is how much trouble do you want to go to in order to use the snow blower? If you have to remove your loader to install the front blower mount brackets, it might not be worth the trouble, particularly if you still need to use your loader for some part of the snow removal process. A rear blower might be the best way to go if you want to maintain loader use.

 

[arrow]

One more consideration is how much trouble do you want to go to in order to use the snow blower? If you have to remove your loader to install the front blower mount brackets, it might not be worth the trouble, particularly if you still need to use your loader for some part of the snow removal process. A rear blower might be the best way to go if you want to maintain loader use.

That’s part of the implement combinations l mentioned.
Had one guy buy two of the same tractor just so he could keep the snow blower on.
He was even married.

 

[5030]

If you're getting the HST tractor for snowblowing, you're probably looking at a cab tractor. Right???? Like RjCorazza said above . . . I twist around so I'm kinda sitting sideways in the seat, facing toward the right. Sometimes I even use my left foot on the HST pedal instead of my right. I raise the right armrest, lean back on the left armrest, and look over my shoulder to the right so I can see what I'm doing. Cupholder is on the right side too so easy reach for coffee or beverage. It's not a problem for me. I just get comfortable and go for it.

I end up with a stiff neck more from baling hay when I'm constantly looking over my shoulder to watch the baler.

I don't. I have 3 rear facing cams so I watch the viewscreen instead and with my bailer the computer tells me about everything I need to know anyway. Tells me when the bale chamber is full and tells me if I'm filling one side of the bale chamber more than the other plus it tells me the density of the forming bale in real time and it initiates the netting operation automatically and tells me how much net there is on the net roll until used up as well. I rarely have to look back and see what is transpiring as everything is on the bailer viewscreen in front of me and it's all touchscreen controlled. Finally, I can switch between net and twine (I keep 4 balls of twine in the bailer at all times, just in case). The twine storage on my bailer will carry 8 standard balls of twine if necessary and 3 rolls of net as well.

Back in the day with my old bailer, it was more of a manual operation. Now, it's all run by an on board computer. Progress is nice. My bailer even has centralized lubrication and chain oiling via a mechanical timed pump. Fill it up with oil and grease via a centralized location. Only thing I have to grease is the PTO driveline now.

All comes at a cost however. Bailers as well as everything farm related isn't cheap today.

 

[5030]

Both my tractors are gear drive with hydraulic shuttles (as in no dry clutch), HST don't work for me because of the parasitic power loss related to any HST transmission and with all the available gear ratios as well as the instant reversing hydraulic shuttle, I have no desire to own a much more complex HST unit. One thing I don't do anymore is remove snow accumulation. When it snows, I stay indoors and watch the boob tube and observe all the idiots out wrecking their buggies in icy roads. I own both a large width snowblower and a repurposed retired county snow blade and both are parked in the barn and have been.

Retirement is nice, no having to go to the 'salt mine' every morning. I did my time and don't desire to do it again.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I have a rear mount blower that I used for years behind my old gear tractor. When I traded up to an HST, there was a noticeable improvement with the ability to infinitely vary the speed.

I eventually bought a FEL plow, and haven't used the blower since. I don't miss the stiff neck I used to get from operating in reverse.

 

[5030]

Again, simple answer is to install a rear facing camera and monitor inside the cab in a convenient place. I find my rear cams to be invaluable as well as the rearview mirror I have in the upper right hand corner of the front windshield that I can see out back with. Bought a suction cup rearview mirror in Amascon for under 6 bucks. I have 3 cams facing backwards to monitor my hay tools, especially the big disc mower.

 

[grsthegreat]

That’s part of the implement combinations l mentioned.
Had one guy buy two of the same tractor just so he could keep the snow blower on.
He was even married.

Haha…i just tried to convince my wife i needed another tractor so i wouldnt need to install chains and hydraulic pump and hoses every year…..she wasnt buying it

 

[arrow]

Haha…i just tried to convince my wife i needed another tractor so i wouldnt need to install chains and hydraulic pump and hoses every year…..she wasnt buying it

This is the second time in 2 yrs I’ve had this happen. First guy bought a Mahindra 5155 tlb. Came in a month later and bought a 5145 so he didn’t have to take the bh off.
He is also married.
Must be sumpin about me

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Again, simple answer is to install a rear facing camera and monitor inside the cab in a convenient place.

What would be the easy way to keep a camera from getting snow-mist covered?

For me it doesn't seem to matter if I'm going backwards without a cab or forwards with a cab, wind or no wind, the snowblowers tend to cover everything with a layer.

Still, stopping to clear enough of it off the windshield to keep the wiper working beats being out in the open.

 

[bdhsfz6]

Haha…i just tried to convince my wife i needed another tractor so i wouldnt need to install chains and hydraulic pump and hoses every year…..she wasnt buying it

It's funny but I used a similar ploy to convince my wife we needed a second tractor.

She has a large garden and is always asking me to dig up this or that with the backhoe. Installing it on the tractor is always a hassle so I often resisted. I told her with a second tractor, I could leave the hoe installed and dig whenever she wanted. She went for it!

I also thought I could leave the chains installed year round for use in the winter with the FEL plow. It turned out not to be practical since the chains damaged the driveway and tore up the lawn.

 

[Runner]

It's funny but I used a similar ploy to convince my wife we needed a second tractor.

She has a large garden and is always asking me to dig up this or that with the backhoe. Installing it on the tractor is always a hassle so I often resisted. I told her with a second tractor, I could leave the hoe installed and dig whenever she wanted. She went for it!

I also thought I could leave the chains installed year round for use in the winter with the FEL plow. It turned out not to be practical since the chains damaged the driveway and tore up the lawn.

Same here. I want a "bare" JD 2720 (no loader) to run front blade/blower and rear attachments like mowers, etc. And, keep the 2520 with loader to have the backhoe semi-permanently mounted. Of course, they haven't made the 2720 for 12 years so......

 

[bdhsfz6]

Same here. I want a "bare" JD 2720 (no loader) to run front blade/blower and rear attachments like mowers, etc. And, keep the 2520 with loader to have the backhoe semi-permanently mounted. Of course, they haven't made the 2720 for 12 years so......

Have your wife plant a garden!

 

[Runner]

Have your wife plant a garden!

Actually, I don't think I'd have to convince my wife. She gets a big kick out of all the equipment we have around here. She be like "Well, what are you going to do today, grind that stump or dig it out with the backhoe?" My problems are (in no particular order):

• Don't want to buy a "Tier 4" tractor (but also don't want to buy someone else's problem, i.e., used 12 year old machine)
• Storage space
• I might actually feel a little silly having two tractors on only 6 acres (but then again, what do I care what anyone else thinks?)

 

[bigtiller]

6 acres? That's enough for more tractors.

 

[Runner]

6 acres? That's enough for more tractors.

Stop teasing me with that picture.

 

[arrow]

Same here. I want a "bare" JD 2720 (no loader) to run front blade/blower and rear attachments like mowers, etc. And, keep the 2520 with loader to have the backhoe semi-permanently mounted. Of course, they haven't made the 2720 for 12 years so......

You would have to change colors. Loader on or off in 3 minutes with the new line developed by our brand.
The spirit of Christmas wants you to have red and green at your house.

 

[Runner]

You would have to change colors. Loader on or off in 3 minutes with the new line developed by our brand.
The spirit of Christmas wants you to have red and green at your house.

I've never been a fan of JD colors. Just about anything looks better to me than green and yellow.