Tractor with cab for snowblowing

[milkie62]

I am looking for a tractor probably in the 35 to 40 HP range with 4wd and a cab. Will be used for snowblowing and a 6 foot rear finish mower. A bucket is not needed since I have 2 tractors with buckets. What is everybody using and what are the opinions for hp required. Looking for used and speed will not be a necessity. How about a snowplow for the front and a rear blower ? The front blowers seem to be pricey. Thanks Ed

 

[RjCorazza]

I am looking for a tractor probably in the 35 to 40 HP range with 4wd and a cab. Will be used for snowblowing and a 6 foot rear finish mower. A bucket is not needed since I have 2 tractors with buckets. What is everybody using and what are the opinions for hp required. Looking for used and speed will not be a necessity. How about a snowplow for the front and a rear blower ? The front blowers seem to be pricey. Thanks Ed

If you specifically do not want or need a fel, a front mount blower would seem to be the best option. They are expensive, tractor specific, and will limit your options in the used tractor market though. I personally like rear mount blowers, and don't mind looking over my shoulder.
I run a 72" blower on 32hp (PTO) without issue, and ran the same blower on 27hp with the previous tractor. As far as finish mowers, I run a heavy duty 7' finish mower and it was fine on both tractors.

 

[chim]

The places you clear snow may dictate how useful a blower is. I ran a rear blower for a few years and found it to be unsatisfactory for where most of the snow needed to be cleared - a couple parking lots. The blower couldn't throw the snow far enough to get it off the parking lot except for near the perimeter. Re-blowing snow wasn't working well at all. I do much better with an 8' power angle front mount.

If you are only doing driveways or places where you can toss the snow out of the way, a blower would do fine. If you have a lot to do a front mounted blower is often preferred.

 

[metalbender]

One big question is, how long will you spend using the blower? I'm using a front mount this year and during the course of two to three hrs, my body is thanking me. Used to use a rear mount and front blade.

 

[droptop]

I've got a MF1635 (35HP) with a cab running a 78" blower with no issues. I had originally purchased the tractor with turfs with the intention of using my 72" rear discharge mower to continue to mow my lawn. My mower was fine on my previous JD 770, but the additional weight of the larger tractor made mowing in the spring impossible without making a lot of ruts in the wetter parts of my lawn. I ended up selling the finish mower and purchasing a zero turn to mow with. Mowing with AC was nice, but the zero turn cut my mowing time in half even being a foot narrower. I'd never give up my zero turn for mowing.

My next move will be going for a pull type blower this spring. The more videos I watch of them, the more I like them.

 

[joe48]

If you specifically do not want or need a fel, a front mount blower would seem to be the best option. They are expensive, tractor specific, and will limit your options in the used tractor market though. I personally like rear mount blowers, and don't mind looking over my shoulder.
I run a 72" blower on 32hp (PTO) without issue, and ran the same blower on 27hp with the previous tractor. As far as finish mowers, I run a heavy duty 7' finish mower and it was fine on both tractors.

I started with a rear 60" blower and open station 20hp Kioti, worked fine but cold and a pain in the neck after I got to 60-65. Bought a new Kioti CK2510 cab with heat and front mount Kioti 54" blower all hydraulic controls(sweet). Blower is a two man job to mount subframe, pita, blower has had a series of drive chain problems (and no shear pin protection for tractor PTO if drive chain breaks) and problems with frame and skids, in 6 seasons I've rebuilt much of it. Too light duty! Talked with factory (made by Normand Snowblowers in Can.) many times, absolutely no help!

NEXT TIME will buy an ERSKINE FRONT BLOWER. Blower is standard and sub frame is adaptable to almost any tractor. Once it's setup drive over put in pins hook up PTO and go 5 to 10 mins. 5 mins. to take off. If I'd only known they were available when I bought tractor, about same price as manufacturers units.

 

[BrkMstr]

My 35 runs my front mount 66" blower easily - no stress - I have a 72" rear finish again no issues at all - more than enough power - I do have a loader, mounting the blower is not difficult, one man job, take the loader off - set the snowblower frame on the ground - drive over it I use a small scissor jack to assist with the frame, once the frame is on it is all hydraulic from there, hook up the hoses and lift / lock the blower in place - on the Kioti CK's you need to install the mid mount pto, the blower and set up is pricy but the set up is well made and functions very well.....

 

[MiserableOldFart]

If using a rear blower, I'd have a bucket in the front. I have used the bucket many times to paddle my way out of being good n' stuck. I only use the rear blower for the really heavy stuff, and that when I either didn't get out in the storm every few inches, or I did and it just drifted back. I like using the rear blade going forward for the 1/4 mile or so I clear. It's faster and easier than the blower, but pretty much tops out at about 6 inches, so it means getting out in the storm and plowing a few times. A front blower is very nice, but too rich for my blood. When our gravel road is frozen over, the rear blade with shoes glides over it very nicely and even though it takes four passes with the six foot blade, it goes pretty quickly.
prior to the blade and blower, I dealt with a four foot storm with the bucket on my little TC26DA. I went thru 2 five gallon cans of diesel, plus most of a full tank, until I was afraid of running out. Then had to walk down the hill thru 4 feet of snow with two empty cans, to get my cousin to take me to town for fuel. Then, leaving a can at the bottom of the hill, walked back up with the other full can and dug my way down to the one at the bottom. Because the snow was so high, I often had to back up like 100 yards with each bucket to dump it off the bank on one part of the road. It was like using a teaspoon.
Things tend to get a bit icy in the spring.

 

[Beaver Cove Deere]

Hard to beat a bucket up front and an inverted blower. I run both a 72" front blower and a 84" inverted. The inverted will out perform in every storm. Both machines are 56HP at the PTO but the 72 is a hydro.

 

[RoyJackson]

Never had a problem clearing snow until I moved to Vermont and got my first (used) 72" rear mount blower. One season running that blower behind an open station Deere 4400 was enough (I was 63 at the time). So, traded the 4400 for a Dere 4520 with a Curtis cab. That was a great improvement, but the cab was rather crude and the worse for wear (4520 was 10-12 years old when I bought it). Latest is a 4052R cab machine running a 73" Frontier blower on the 3PH.
I priced a loader mounted hydraulic blower 2 or 3 months ago. That's an $11K investment, and I just didn't have the funds available...truck is almost paid off, so maybe after that's paid off...or, if I can find a used one
But cabs are definitely the way to go, if you live in the northeast (OP is in upstate NY)