Hi everyone I'm new to the forum. I'm looking to buy a compact tractor for snow removal and mowing lawn in the summer. I have a long driveway about 1500 feet how big of a tractor and a blower would be the best for this I would like to use a front mount blower. Does anybody have experience with these? do they work good or should I get a plow on my pickup instead? I'm currently looking at a used new holland tc33 it has a 72inch belly mount mower and a fel but I would have to buy a blower for it. Would this tractor be big enough or should I go bigger? I don't want to spend all day blowing my driveway.
Welcome!
When sizing a tractor you should start with the applications first, then pick the implements, then choose a tractor "one size up" from that. You mentioned a 1500' driveway and a preference for a front mount blower. I also noticed you are located in Minnesota. Since you probably get more than your fair share of snow there and likely have to deal with snow drifts as well, a blower is practically a must. With a plow, you are more limited on the depth of snow you can move at one time and you may run out of places to put it as the season drags on. A front mount blower is the Cadillac option, but with a 1500' drive and fairly frequent snow removal, it is probably money well spent. How wide is your drive? Assuming a nominal 9'-10' width, a 72" blower will allow you to clear full width in two passes no problem. 60" may be cutting it close since you will need some overlap. Is your drive gravel or paved? That will dictate your equipment setup and technique.
How big is the area you want to mow? Lawn or field grass? Hilly or flat? Open or full of obstacles? How often do you mow? Those answers will help determine what type and size mower you need. Your tractor mounted options are a belly mower, rear finish mower, flail mower, or rotary cutter. Keep in mind, a dedicated zero turn mower is hard to beat, but its a second machine and they can be expensive.
Thanks the reply acedeuce your right drifting is an issue that is the main reason I want a blower I currently plow with a pickup and it doesn't work well with large snows and drifting. driveway is gravel 12' wide. As far as mowing its about 5acres of lawn mostly flat and open but the slopes on the drive do get steep currently do it with a garden tractor. I have tried my friends zero turn it does work sweet but I would like to just have one machine for everything and not have to have a plow on my truck.
i have a loader mount blower and it works great on my 45 HP tractor. But i had to get a rear pto powered hydraulic powerplant to power it up. They do make units that mount to the front of a tractor AFTER you remove the entire loader assembly, but i didnt want that. i want to be able to swap out the plow or blower or bucket in a few minutes, and thats what i have.
The kind that mounts inplace of the loader uses a shaft and gearbox that attaches to the rear PTO....OR if your tractor had a foreward facing mid pto thay have units that attach to those.
Both of these options cost $$$
A rear mount snowblower is way cheaper.
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A lot of the members have and use garden tractors with front blowers
on long driveways that are paver or simply gravel.
With a front or rear mount snow blower your going to want to let
the snow on the ground freeze if possible to have a good base.
Many of us use wheels bolted to the snow blower body to avoid gouging and
I have not put mine on my front mount yet ;^0
As you have said you time is a concern but you have to decide how much
money you can spend before you do anything
Many of us have monster drive ways and small mules with either front or a rear blower.
Growing up I used a 12 horse cub cadet with a single stage snow blower and it
had a hydro transmission and chains and we had a huge driveway with pavement
on a hill and it worked great.
The kubotas with the hard cabs-
B3030 etc can use a front blower and a mid mount mower in one example
you can put a hard cab on a
BX2360 and use a mid mount mowr and a front blower but you talking north of 13,000 +-
As it is snow season already the issue is going to be availability and unless a dealer has hoarded front mount snow blowers they will be nearly impossible to find versus a rear mount and a tractor with a hydrostatic transmission
The horse power and acreage recommedations are just that period.
I would ask your neighbors what they use before I spend any money
or at least buy a used one with afrint blower from a dealer and see how the winter goes.
You will want a cab after the first winter though if you buy a used one with out a cab.
Check with your neighbors and see what they use before you make a decision THAT MAY HAUNT YOU!!!
