What size snowblower?

[JWR]

Apps: I did some searching and found that Agro-Trend snowblowers have been manufactured continually at the same facility there in Ontario while the company has been bought and sold a few times over the years. You can see their specifications and products at gingrich-reps | Snow Blowers They were last bought out by Marvin Gingrich of Metco Manufacturing there in Ontario.

I recommend these blowers highly. I've had my 60" unit for about 20 to 25 years and never a problem, though my utilization is very low compared to what you need up there in the Sudbury area. In the literature mentioned above I see that mine is the equivalent of the newer model 2060 and weighs about 520 lbs. Note that in the specs they state both a minimum and a maximum HP for each model. Their 60" units say minimum of either 18hp for the compact or 20 hp for the standard. I do not know what a "compact" is. I think the 2060 would be about right for your GC1715. As I said earlier I do not think horsepower will be a problem for you. You may just have to go very slow in hardpacked snow. In unpacked snow you'll be able to move along very rapidly.

Good luck and let us know if there are other questions. Also we are a curious bunch and like to see and hear what you end up doing, reports on the results, etc.

 

[Langanobob]

Anther data point from a front mount blower. I was out this morning with my GC1720 and 63” front blower clearing a drive that had not been plowed at all this winter. Several storms worth of old packed snow. I didn’t have a power problem, the only issue was traction. It took some force to push the blower into that deep heavy packed porridge and even with all 4 tires chained up and the rear differential locked it was real easy to get the tires churning. I’m at close to 6,000 feet so I’m losing a few HP.

 

[atsah]

If I fill my 54 inch that is 28 inches high with snow from bankings, it's a slow going process, it will stall the tractor in low range if I push into to hard.. A fresh snow is easy but that is about half of what I use it for..

 

[geekwithoutacause]

In the day, I had a 60" unit on a 4WD Ford 1700( 26 engine HP ). Worked well. There were times, really deep snow > around three plus feet, where I had to slow down or make two passes. I've got a mile long gravel driveway. There are a couple places where the wind can cause drifting. I would just make things easy and take two passes thru these short areas. Half with the first pass - remainder with the second pass.

Nice thing about a blower. You can usually get the snow completely out of the way. Won't ever have to deal with it a second time. Some times I have to bust old berms I've created along my driveway. With my heavy tractor and rear blade it's not a problem but a waste of time.

The ONE thing that is disagreeable with a 3-point blower. Going in reverse. It would take me three to four hours to clean the yard, driveway and mail box area. My neck and shoulders would be sore the following day. Such is life.

With my heavy Kubota and rear blade - the same job takes an hour or two now. And I'm always going forward.

I came up with the same argument when someone told me: install mirrors ! Seems a great idea.

 

[PILOON]

I also use a 60 inch blower and that is on a 20 HP Mitsubishi that is NOT hydrostatic, so I have only 2 reverse speeds, LOL too fast or too slow.
I have handled up to 16 " events and frequent wet snows (the worst).
It is all about techniques.
Deep snow, raise the blower and blow the top half, return and do the bottom half and that for your first pass.
Next passes only take 1/2 widths.
OK, slower but being cheap I don't wish to invest thousand $'s just to save 1 hr every few months, besides I'm retired.

All that to say, you can use a 60" on as little as a 20 HP tractor and if you have hydrostatic it will be just fine but even so with a gear tranny.

Not long back I installed a back up $50.00 camera and that works just fine for me however I still mostly sit sideways to blow.
Blowing is always a slow process so I have a home made front plow for those lesser events.
I often plow about 100ft or so, drive over that pile, reverse and blow the pile away.

AND I'm in a real snow belt. So much so that my drift cutters are 4 ft 'blades' on both sides of my blower.
Where my drive meets the street the piles on both sides completely hide me from oncoming traffic.
Yes, driving is getting very treacherous in this area, roofs are collapsing, every 3 PU is sporting ladders and roof shoveling crews.
And those canvass car shelters?? don't ask how many have collapsed.

I am actually considering mounting a convex mirror on my front left fender in order to safely merge into traffic. (I'd magnet mount it if I could find an about 4-5" version. (I have an 8", too large and some little 2" but that too small)

 

[geekwithoutacause]

I also use a 60 inch blower and that is on a 20 HP Mitsubishi that is NOT hydrostatic, so I have only 2 reverse speeds, LOL too fast or too slow.
I have handled up to 16 " events and frequent wet snows (the worst).
It is all about techniques.
Deep snow, raise the blower and blow the top half, return and do the bottom half and that for your first pass.
Next passes only take 1/2 widths.
OK, slower but being cheap I don't wish to invest thousand $'s just to save 1 hr every few months, besides I'm retired.

All that to say, you can use a 60" on as little as a 20 HP tractor and if you have hydrostatic it will be just fine but even so with a gear tranny.

Not long back I installed a back up $50.00 camera and that works just fine for me however I still mostly sit sideways to blow.
Blowing is always a slow process so I have a home made front plow for those lesser events.
I often plow about 100ft or so, drive over that pile, reverse and blow the pile away.

AND I'm in a real snow belt. So much so that my drift cutters are 4 ft 'blades' on both sides of my blower.
Where my drive meets the street the piles on both sides completely hide me from oncoming traffic.
Yes, driving is getting very treacherous in this area, roofs are collapsing, every 3 PU is sporting ladders and roof shoveling crews.
And those canvass car shelters?? don't ask how many have collapsed.

I am actually considering mounting a convex mirror on my front left fender in order to safely merge into traffic. (I'd magnet mount it if I could find an about 4-5" version. (I have an 8", too large and some little 2" but that too small)

If you have gears AND ranges it shouldn't be a problem at all to run a manual.

 

[geekwithoutacause]

All,
I am also about to aquire a 60 inch blower for my 1240. How does one transport a blower ? Back of pickup and lift w FEL ?

 

[PILOON]

If you have gears AND ranges it shouldn't be a problem at all to run a manual.

LOL, but I sure wish I had power steering.
RE ranges I have 2.
Too slow and too fast, generally I use the low as high has the habit of clogging the blower.

 

[PILOON]

All,
I am also about to aquire a 60 inch blower for my 1240. How does one transport a blower ? Back of pickup and lift w FEL ?

Yep that'll work, or a trailer.
But note you'll need a FEL to down load as well.

 

[George2615]

All,
I am also about to aquire a 60 inch blower for my 1240. How does one transport a blower ? Back of pickup and lift w FEL ?

The blower can be transported in a pickup bed if the seller has a loader to get it in there. I used a trailer as my blower is too big to fit in a pickup bed. A trailer is much easier to transport a tractor and / or implements. Must be you don't own one.