Snow Equipment Buying/Pricing Snowblowers: FEL Mount vs Rear Pull

[airbiscuit]

The Bercomac site (Bercomac) lists the 72" model starting at $7794.00.

The MK Martin 78" rear pull at Beaver Valley (MKSB78PT Beaver Valley Supply) Starts at $4794.00, adding options to make similar to Erskine rear pull takes that price to $6373.00

The Erskine 725RP (78") at Durattach.com (78" Erskine Rear-Pull Snow Blower Model 725RP) starts at $8395.00, adding hydraulic chute rotation takes that price to $9090.00

The Erskine hydraulic blower (also at Durattach.com 79" Erskine 22 Snowblower & Hydraulic Power Unit Model HP15 / HP2 / HP24) with PTO driven power unit is similarly priced to the Frontier unit ~$14,000.00.

A lot to think about...
For my situation I'm leaning towards a rear pull. Probably could find a good deal on a used unit in the spring...
Thanks to everyone for their input so far, y'all have been very helpful.

-John

I just called Iowa Farm Equipment. You could get that 78" MK Martin Meteor rear pull snowblower with hydraulic chute rotation for many hundreds less from them.

 

[Peter 315]

I just called Iowa Farm Equipment. You could get that 78" MK Martin Meteor rear pull snowblower with hydraulic chute rotation for many hundreds less from them.

How much stock do you own in rear pull snowblowers.....:laughing:

 

[airbiscuit]

Not enough! Can you tell how much I like them?

I am surprised how few dealers stock them. A few decades ago, Honda came out with 4 stroke fishing motors. Nobody would buy them. They worried about oil leaking out, maintenance, power etc. A local IH dealer of all places sold them. I asked him how they were selling. He said initially nobody was interested for all the concerns above. Then he changed his approach. He told his customers "I hear all these same concerns. Can you do me a favor and take this one home and use it and tell me if they are a problem?" I asked him how that worked. He smiled and said once they got them out they saw how quiet they were, how little fuel they used and no more fouled plugs. He said I didn't get any back - they all bought them!"

If dealers had a demo rear pull snowblower for people to try, they would sell like hot cakes.

 

[droptop]

I am thinking about getting a Meteor pull type but am not sure how wide to get. My tractor has a 66" bucket, so I was thinking a 72" would be about right, but I haven't found any pull type blowers at dealers, except a 92" Pronovost which was just too big for me. I drove past the distributor and they had 60's, 68's and 78's but no 72's. At this point in the year, I doubt they will be getting any more until next fall.
'

 

[fishhead]

I am thinking about getting a Meteor pull type but am not sure how wide to get. My tractor has a 66" bucket, so I was thinking a 72" would be about right, but I haven't found any pull type blowers at dealers, except a 92" Pronovost which was just too big for me. I drove past the distributor and they had 60's, 68's and 78's but no 72's. At this point in the year, I doubt they will be getting any more until next fall.
'

Seems like 72 might be the ideal size given the PTO horsepower you have, i'm sure that 78 would be pretty similar but you might need to go slower. Right now my tractor is roughly 60 inches wide and blower 74 that difference seems good and allows bit better clearing when turning and seems to be easy to keep in mind where the edge is.

I guess you could just get one shipped in from someplace like Iowa farm equipment as mentioned above, they are simple devices and durable so the risk is pretty low. Too, you aren't far from the border and could source there as that is where the bulk of these are made. I live in Montana and bought from ontario.

 

[airbiscuit]

My tractor is 66" wide. I have a 72" bucket. The 68" Meteor rear pull snowblower works just fine.

 

[fishhead]

My tractor is 66" wide. I have a 72" bucket. The 68" Meteor rear pull snowblower works just fine.

Good point that what matters is not bucket width but tractor width

 

[airbiscuit]

My previous 3pt snowblower was 60" wide, so I made wings to make it wider. They worked great.

 

[droptop]

Seems like 72 might be the ideal size given the PTO horsepower you have, i'm sure that 78 would be pretty similar but you might need to go slower. Right now my tractor is roughly 60 inches wide and blower 74 that difference seems good and allows bit better clearing when turning and seems to be easy to keep in mind where the edge is.

I guess you could just get one shipped in from someplace like Iowa farm equipment as mentioned above, they are simple devices and durable so the risk is pretty low. Too, you aren't far from the border and could source there as that is where the bulk of these are made. I live in Montana and bought from ontario.

I'd consider the 78" for the right price, but it jumps a frame size going from 72 to 78 and gets a lot heavier and costlier.

About 20 years ago I went up to Ontario and got an Agro Trend blower and the price was the same here as up there, the difference was I got to pay in Canadian Dollars which saved me about 30% at the time, I also got a rebate of the sales tax when I crossed the boarder. Unfortunately, with the boarder closed, going up to Ontario isn't an option. Since we are already half way thru January, I don't think there's a big rush, it looks like we won't be needing blowers too much anyway this year.

 

[gstrom99]

I'd give Andrew a call at Iowa Farm Equipment (563 946-2121) a call and see what they can do for price.

I drive past them often, on the north side of I-80, but have never stopped in. Their inventory/lot always seems rather sparse. Do they drop ship most of their sales? The ag dealer on the south side of the expressway from them seems much better supplied (never been in there either).