Snowblower snowblower advice please

[hooked up]

New guy here begging for some help in finding the right blower for my needs.

I have never had or used a snowblower, but since I built my backyard rink sooooo big at 90X45 and with 4' high boards, now I have to get one!
I also run a business on the same property as my house and rink and have 1/4mile long driveway, parking lot and five loading docks. in the past I have used our plow truck (ford f250) and my DK50 Kioti's loader and rear plow to move the snow and yes I get a lot of snow here.

I will be limited to a 6' blower (or maybe a 7' MAX) to get in and out of the rink.

I was reading the thread about front vs. rear mount blowers and it got me thinking: Would I be better off to go with a front blower or will I need to pull it off and put the loader back on (a pain in the butt i would imagine) to move the large snow piles that accumulate over time or would the blower move them?
Or should I just get a rear one for the rink and use the plow truck and the loader for the rest?

I am currently looking at a 6' George White Blizzard Heavy Duty rear blower made in the late 90's that is in excellent condition (asking $1100 CAN) Anyone have an opinion on this?

BTW, this site has a ton of great info, I'm very glad I found it and I hope I can give some back in the future.

Bri

 

[rbargeron]

Once you have a snowblower there might not be any big piles left to move. A blower will chew up a pile - and if you point the chute right you should rarely need to handle the snow a second time. A good place to start is a big rear-facing back-up style blower. They are rugged and simple and not too expensive (the White you are looking at is a good example). Lots of owners say they like rear blowers because the front loader is still available.
I take off the loader in winter even with a rear mount blower - much better maneuverability in tight spots. For your DK50 the Cadillac blower would the Erskine front mount (driven from the rear pto). If the gods were really smiling, you'd find a decent used one somewhere, 78" wide, and priced under the national debt .

 

[studor]

Hi Bri -welcome aboard!! -- The rear mount blower will be fine and if the one you are looking at has hydraulic chute control the price appears to be pretty good. There are several models of six foot six blowers as well. You can still use the fel and as long as you have enough reverse speeds you will get pretty quick at cleaning up the snowfall
Make sure there are no broken sticks left on the ice -- the hardwood shaft is not good in the blower auger
JMHO

 

[pilot-werx]

For a 1/4 mile driveway I would not want to have deal with long periods of twisting my neck to go in reverse. If you can find a front mount you will not regret it. I have had both and sold the rear mount a few years ago. We get a ton of snow and I have needed the loader. The blower will move any pile you can throw at it....

 

[BeezFun]

I'd think about a rear mount, forward facing blower like this. If you're related to the Exorcist the rear facing style is probably fine, but my neck got really sore.

 

[Charles Billings]

BeezFun recommends a good compromise, I think, although I have never used the forward facing rear-mount blower. But, I am fully supportive of a rear mount, rear facing blower, as I have one and use it to plow 1/4 mile driveway, too. For me, the lack of an FEL would rule out the front mount. Honestly, I have not found driving backwards as much of a problem as I imagined. That is partly due to the fact that the NH TC45 seat swivels about 15 degrees, but even if it didn't I think the cost of the front mount and lack of an FEL still recommends the rear mount.

 

[lungdoc]

Rear mount blowers are essentially universal (as long as size is ok for tractor of course). This makes them much easier to both buy and sell used - a potential major advantage. I debated a lot about getting a rear mount conventional versus a pull-style rear mount. Ended up going conventional as most of my use will be clean up after pickup-mounted plowing at our cottage (we aren't there much of time so have to have someone do it). For that use the ability to blow away the banks as well as lower cost made conventional unit my choice. If I lived there permanently and did it all myself I'd go heated cab front mount for sure.

 

[smfcpacfp]

I prefer the front blower for the reasons already mentioned here and in the other thread that you mentioned.

Regarding the width of the blower...it should be wider than the tire width of the unit that you are pushing it with, to avoid driving over the unblown snow if you want a nice level finished surface.

 

[Builder]

I would think a nice set of side view cab mirrors and a bright set of lights should just about eliminate the need for turning around and neck pain.

Let's face it, the front mount blower is sexier and the cool factor is undeniable, but hardly justified unless you get 75" ++ or more snow. If you get that kind of snow, then it's a completely understandable. Same with the expense, my gosh are they expensive, but again, worth every penny for the big snowfalls.

I just can't have the front of my tractor married to a snowblower for 6 mos out of the year. Too much other work to do.

 

[JerryK]

Rear blowers can be raised up to clear banks, and also for ground clearance if you want to forray out in the woods for some reason...giving you usually the full normal ground clearance of your tractor..plus lots of rear traction. Most front blowers can only be raised way less than a foot off the ground, and the attaching framework is a lot lower than that. The looking backwards thing is not as much an issue in tractors with roomier seating areas where you can set at a 45 degree angle, or if your seat swivels. On long drives, once you have done it for a few times, you can do the long areas almost blindfolded...or staring forward, glassy eyed, dreaming of warmer days. Not much looking backwards than using a backblade, boxscraper, etc.. If I hit the lotto, I'd go for a shinny new tractor, soft removeable cab, and front blower [probably Erskine cuz' my new tractor would be too big to have a mid PTO]....but I will get by for now.