Snow Blower Dilema - Pronovost or Blizzard

[Spudland_Dave]

OK...heres the deal, I've been agonizing over this for the past 2 days and I need some help! I kinda want to pull the trigger sooner rather then later because of the "Pre season" sales...
I'm torn between 2 Snowblowers:

-Pronovost Puma 72, $2500.00 (20" Fan)
-Blizzard B74, $2800.00 (24" Fan)
..I Guess I should also mention I Could get the Puma 74 for $3400.00 which has a 22" Fan

The dealer with the Pronovost is local and head & shoulders above the other...real nice bunch of guys and excellent service...Blizzard dealer would be a "Drive by & pick up" never to see em again..not because they are "Bad" but because I found them while on the road.

I've always been under the impression that 90% of a blower is in the Fan diameter...my FIL has an older 72" Pronovost with a 24" fan and that thing huffs snow like nobody's business...Whats been "clouding" my decision is that since I got the 3520 I've been saying I wanted a Pronovost...looking at the specs, Blizzard looks better...my dad has a 20" Fan on his Lucknow 60" and that thing is a sorry excuse for a blower..its more of a SnowMover LOL..

Any Input or guidance anyone?

 

[scuvnut]

I'd feel very comfortable about the Pronovost.

Two reasons. First, I've been running that same unit here in Connecticut for a four winters. It is extremely well made and runs like a beast so I feel comfortable giving you this recommendation. Second, what you said about the dealer is key. Its always great to have a solid local dealer nearby for anything you own.

On a related note, I originally purchased the Pronovost Puma on the advise of a good friend of mine in way upstate NY. Where he lives they get a large amount of snowfall every year and he lives 1.3 miles down a paved road the town does not maintain. He clears the road with his Pronovost.

I've never had a problem with moving snow with it.

Hope this input helps.

 

[JerryK]

You are correct, the fan is the thing that does all the work. I'd go with the bigger fan, but look over the rest of the unit, too. Most bigger blowers have bracing from the bottom corners back to the three point. PTO shaft quality, and the gear reduction box for the auger are important, too. Another consideration, is how far off the ground is your PTO output on your tractor, and how close to level the PTO shaft will be running during operation. Most PTO shafts are derated for more than a 15 degree angle. Not real important for most snows, but if you get lots like I do, you have to consider alignment.

 

[Rara Avis]

Pronovost Puma 72, $2500.00 (20" Fan)...

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Pronovost Puma 72, $2500.00 (20" Fan)...

Paul, would/could you explain why?

Another option which came to light yesterday are the Kubota Blowers (Blizzard units painted Orange & Black)... Local dealer...good dealer...I called em and they said $2995.00...sure I can get it for a few bucks less....24" Fan and exactly the same as the Blizzard...

As far as dealer support on the blower...I'm really not worried about it, 99% of the parts in the blower are off the shelf items (gearboxes, chains, sprockets, bearings, etc)...

Those of you with the Puma 72" (20" Fan) do you know if the fan is "direct drive" i.e. one turn of the PTO is one turn of the fan...a guy at work was saying he had a smaller blower (60" dunno what brand) that had upped the speed..540 input, and the fan turned 750 or so...I know the blizzard is (checked it yesterday in person)...

 

[Rara Avis]

Paul, would/could you explain why?

The cheapest price I could find was $2650...and that was for a leftover from last season...
Zephyr Knoll Farms... Snow Blowers

 

[hayden]

My 74" blizzard worked great last winter. I'd lean towards the larger fan. Between the two blowers I've owned, I think the bigger fan really makes a difference in how far you can throw snow.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

The cheapest price I could find was $2650...and that was for a leftover from last season...
Zephyr Knoll Farms... Snow Blowers

So maybe I shouldnt tell you that if I act fast I actually can get one for quite a bit less...$2200 loaded in the bed of my truck...it was cosmetically damaged in transit so If I take it "as is" on the pallet, I'll fix (paint) and assemble it here...they'll let me have it cheap...
That being said, I can also get a new blizzard on the pallet for $2500

I'm just worried the Pronovost doesnt chuck the snow as far as I want it too... spending 300.00 now to get something that will "guaranteed" chuck snow is cheap compared to buying 2 blowers...

Paul...I just went to the link you provided and saw that the 2650 was for the Puma 74"...is that what you got? or did you get the 72"...either way, those are good prices...

 

[Rara Avis]

So maybe I shouldnt tell you that if I act fast I actually can get one for quite a bit less...$2200 loaded in the bed of my truck...it was cosmetically damaged in transit so If I take it "as is" on the pallet, I'll fix (paint) and assemble it here...they'll let me have it cheap...
That being said, I can also get a new blizzard on the pallet for $2500

I'm just worried the Pronovost doesnt chuck the snow as far as I want it too... spending 300.00 now to get something that will "guaranteed" chuck snow is cheap compared to buying 2 blowers...

Paul...I just went to the link you provided and saw that the 2650 was for the Puma 74"...is that what you got? or did you get the 72"...either way, those are good prices...

Yes, I run a 74" on the back of a non-cabbed JD2640 (70HP)...I've dealt with Zephyr Knoll before, because they tended to have better prices than many of the VT dealers...BUT THAT WAS BEFORE THE INCREASE IN FUEL PRICES...

I have never(knock on the formica) had a problem with my blower...

I think anything with STEEL in it is going to COST MORE this winter...