This snow blower's path is narrower than my tractor...

[NormL]

I'm looking for advice!:listen:

A snowblower will be on auction in a few days and I took some measurements of my tractor to see if the path it cuts is wide enough. The machine will clear 74" while the wheels of my Oliver are spread to 81". If I succeed in the bidding, I will need to fabricate "wings" to make up the difference. Has anyone done this successfully and did the added resistance pushing into a drifted snowbank pose problems? This would mount on the 3pth and operate with the tractor in reverse. Another issue for me is that I don't function well looking to the rear of the tractor while raking and baling so I will have to add some mirrors because blowing snow involves even more looking over my shoulder than baling or raking does.

So, does all this look do-able, or should I be running the other way?

 

[George2615]

There have been threads here on adding wings to a snow blower but I don't have any luck searching for such threads. Yes, they can be added. Shouldn't be too hard to add a 4-5" wing on each side using the same gauge metal as the blower has now. Mirrors can also be added with some fab work to mount them. A 3 pt snow blower cost 1/3 to 1/2 the price of a front mount. Just look up what a new 74" blower sells for and figure about 1/2 or less at auction.

 

[pmsmechanic]

There were "wings" available for John Deere snow blowers on eBay a while ago. You should be able to have something bent up to suit your snow blower. Why not just move your wheels in enough to do the job?

 

[NormL]

There were "wings" available for John Deere snow blowers on eBay a while ago. You should be able to have something bent up to suit your snow blower. Why not just move your wheels in enough to do the job?

I posed the same question at the local coffeeshop this morning and the consensus was that I should be more concerned with traction than the few inches the wheels will be making their own path. As for moving the wheels in a bit more; no room left, they're already crowding the fenders and if, as was suggested at the coffeeshop, I try to install chains on them, I barely have room to do it. So for now, I'll see if the blower winds up on my yard after the auction and take it one step at a time from there. Thanks for the advice and suggestion(s)!:thumbsup:

 

[doxford jim]

Here is what I did if it is of any help. My wings are three and half inch gain each side on the snow blower. I think any more than that will possibly too much - your call of course. For me my mods have worked quite well and the material was 11 or 12 gauge (0.110" thick) and cost $50 for the bent/trimmed blanks.
HTH

 

[NormL]

Here is what I did if it is of any help. My wings are three and half inch gain each side on the snow blower. I think any more than that will possibly too much - your call of course. For me my mods have worked quite well and the material was 11 or 12 gauge (0.110" thick) and cost $50 for the bent/trimmed blanks.
HTH

What you've done there is exactly what I have in mind. I have some 3/16th" plate that I can shear a couple pieces like that from. I'll have to find someone with a sturdy break to put the kinks in though. But first I'll have to get it and try it the way it is. It's that first pass through a hard drift like we often get around here that tests the mettle of your equipment.

 

[doxford jim]

I chose to go thinner than 3/16" so that the wings would be sacrificial - rather than the end plates on the snow blower.
I have bent two wings completely back when encountering something that didn't want to move - I suspect it was pieces of ice frozen to the ground (temps around -15C or lower).
Let us know how you make out at the auction and if you do buy, what the snow blower turns out like.
I would like to get a 7ft blower with a four bladed fan but good used blowers are at a premium around here. I would probably have to go to Edmonton to get a half decent deal :-( - some six hours drive each way !

 

[NormL]

I chose to go thinner than 3/16" so that the wings would be sacrificial - rather than the end plates on the snow blower.
I have bent two wings completely back when encountering something that didn't want to move - I suspect it was pieces of ice frozen to the ground (temps around -15C or lower).
Let us know how you make out at the auction and if you do buy, what the snow blower turns out like.
I would like to get a 7ft blower with a four bladed fan but good used blowers are at a premium around here. I would probably have to go to Edmonton to get a half decent deal :-( - some six hours drive each way !

Hmm...I had not thought in those terms. Even so, the end plates of the the blower are 1/4" so would not the 3/16th" be somewhat sacrificial? I will certainly keep you posted on what happens at auction. If I succeed in the bidding I will post those results here and if I go with adding the wings I'll start a thread under the "Projects " category and provide the link to it here.

 

[NormL]

Hmm...I had not thought in those terms. Even so, the end plates of the the blower are 1/4" so would not the 3/16th" be somewhat sacrificial? I will certainly keep you posted on what happens at auction. If I succeed in the bidding I will post those results here and if I go with adding the wings I'll start a thread under the "Projects " category and provide the link to it here.

Well, I missed this one when another bidder with deeper pockets got involved.:smiley_aafz: So, off to the next one in about a week. Maybe I'll have better luck there - or not.

 

[Buckgnarly]

Well, I missed this one when another bidder with deeper pockets got involved.:smiley_aafz: So, off to the next one in about a week. Maybe I'll have better luck there - or not.

Be glad. I bought a smaller blower, restored it, then wound up selling it to buy the right sized blower. Wings seemed sort of a patch type fix, and tires would ride on the banks. Do it right and you will not regret it!