Which blower delima (Off season I know)

Wyld Bill · Jul 6, 2008

I recently sold some stuff & have $2000 available. I decided since I HAVE TO have a snowblower for my tractor before this winter,..and since the prices on everything are steadly going up,..I would purchase a blower right off soon.

Here's where I am at. I have Mahindra 2615 HST. That is 27 HP with I think a HP rating of around 22HP at the rear PTO.

Last year I bought a some sweet 2 link rear tire chains for $100 like new used.
I need the chains for my steep driveway.

I went to put the chains on & they won't clear the inner fender frame bar (connects to ROPS). I'd need AT LEAST another 1" for the chains to fit on w/o hitting.

So I searched for a option to get the chains on & found one. I scored some 7-1/2" shaft stock for FREE!!! I'm going to have 1-1/2" wheel spacers made up.

So now the stock width of my tractor is going to change from 60" to 63" wide.

Most people I have talked to, and what I have read on here is don't get a snowblower the same width OR narrower than the width of your tractor.

So,...this eliminates the common cheaper brand 60" blowers

So I am left with the Shlute(?) that is 62" & the Pronovost Puma that is 64" wide & I just found a Meteor that is 68".

I found a left over new Meteor 68" across the border in Canada 6 hours away for $2200 no tax, a left over new Shulte 62" for $1700+tax at a dealership 10 mins. from my house (this thing is HEAVY too heavy really), & a Puma 64" used, 5 years old, 8+ hours away, never seen in person only dig. pictures for $1000.

Option 1-
Buy the Shlute & make wings to make is wider.
Option 2-
Spend some money & bite thebullet & buy the 68" Meteor BUT will my little 26 HP tractor be enough to power it???? On the Website it desires 35HP (PTO or tractor?)
Option 3-
Serious road trip to get Puma in a truck that gets 13 MPG+ food & lodging. Hope it is in really good shape. Hope that 64" will be wide enough or try to add wings but I think the Puma is ALREADY winged out at the front.

Anyone know what the price on the 2008 Pumas are going to be??
I know that the PRICE on the Shulte is a steal as they are usually $4200+ but it is only 62" wide, the ugliest color I've ever seen, & weighs a LOT more than it needs to.
The price for the 2008 Meteor 68's is $2600 so $2200 isn't a steal but still cheaper than $2600.

I'm currently visiting where the Meteor is (family lives here) but going home Monday. I don't have enough money on me to get the Meteor right now

Wyld Bill · Jul 6, 2008

I was just thinking the 68" would be really sweet but I bet my tractor would struggle to power it.

wny770 · Jul 7, 2008

I have NH TZ25 and run a Woods ss52 no problem. I was really impressed with the woods blower. 52" just covers my wheel tread and seems to work good.

Spudland_Dave · Jul 7, 2008

Wyld Bill said:
So,...this eliminates the common cheaper brand 60" blowers
So I am left with the Shlute(?) that is 62" & the Pronovost Puma that is 64" wide & I just found a Meteor that is 68".

I found a left over new Meteor 68" across the border in Canada 6 hours away for $2200 no tax, a left over new Shulte 62" for $1700+tax at a dealership 10 mins. from my house (this thing is HEAVY too heavy really), & a Puma 64" used, 5 years old, 8+ hours away, never seen in person only dig. pictures for $1000.

Anyone know what the price on the 2008 Pumas are going to be??
I know that the PRICE on the Shulte is a steal as they are usually $4200+ but it is only 62" wide, the ugliest color I've ever seen, & weighs a LOT more than it needs to.
The price for the 2008 Meteor 68's is $2600 so $2200 isn't a steal but still cheaper than $2600.

I'm currently visiting where the Meteor is (family lives here) but going home Monday. I don't have enough money on me to get the Meteor right now

Lemme guess...the Schultes in question are at Hammond's Minot Ave Auburn Location heh? IF those are the ones, I wouldnt touch em with a stick...they've got the old 3 Blade fan...plus for the condition they're in I think what they're asking is WAYYY too much.
IF We've got the location right, Hammond is now carrying the Meteor's...they've got an order placed and I'd guess you'll see them arrive in the near future.

I'm shopping around as well, because I WILL have a blower before the snow hits the ground....Pricing on the Canadian units still isnt in (Puma/Pronovost/Blizzard/BerVac) I suspect its due to the exchange/steel costs/etc... as soon as pricing is in I'm supposed to be getting a call. I've got my heart set on a BerVac SA74 or SA80

As for width...I wouldnt mess with wings and the like...my uncle has some "Factory" wings on a Kubota blower and as soon as you hit any hardpack or icy snow it sucks the whole blower in..

herringchoker · Jul 9, 2008

I wouldn't worry about power with the HST. I run an old 72" blower on my Kubota B7800 (22 HP @ PTO) with no power problems whatsoever. Just adjust your ground speed to suit. I find mine to be plenty fast except in the heavy wet banks piled up by the road plow, where I sometimes have to slow down a little.

studor · Jul 9, 2008

I was worried about the 72" width of my old Ford blower when I switched it onto my Jinma 284 this winter -- no problems - just adjust your ground speed

. It worked well even in five foot drifts! The only problem I had is some snowfalls had an icy layer on top that the blower would ride over

It required several passes to break up so the blower would "bite" Six foot is fairly common so you might find one cheaper -- just a thought

JDeerekid · Jul 9, 2008

I would go with the meteor or something within the same size. Most people want at least 3-6inches extra on each side to get a clean cut on the sides of the driveway.
Horsepower is not that big of an issue it is just how fast you go.

Try looking for AgroTrend units. They are nice units have 4blade fans. I picked up a new 78in for $2300 about 6 month ago.

hayden · Jul 9, 2008

Like others have said, you can compensate for the HP by going slow.

However, I would be concerned about weight and size relative to your tractor's size. I had a 54" Erskine on a Kubota 2910 which is 29HP, and the weight reduced front wheel traction and steering enough that I bought front chains. Also, when snow gets packed hard you may find a wide blower hits the snow and the wheels just sping. I had a hard time pushing mine into deep, hard snow, especially on an incline.

Your wheel width really does set a minimum size, but I'd watch the weight of the snow blower carefully relative to the weight of your tractor, and I wouldn't go any more than an inch or two wider than your tires. Both my old Erskine and my new Blizzard are the same width as the tires or no more than 2" wide, and they worked fine.

atgreene · Jul 9, 2008

The aftermarket no-name brands out there are pretty stout units. I bought a 90" last year used for $750 and the thing is amazing. It's on my 45 hp Kubota and I use it commercially. What I like about it is that it is all flat steel, no cheap pressed metal. All the bearings etc... are stock Timkens that any bearing store has.

I have seen and used some others, buddy of mine grenaded a brand new Puma last winter. The Woods another friend has cracked all to heck and has had other issues. I'd rather spend less money and get something I can work on.

Here's one example from Wengers in PA. Agrotrend 5' 3pt snowblower - Other Equipment - Farm Equipment

All these companies that build this style use the same set-up. Lots of them are out of Quebec. If you want a basic snowblower that your not paying for the name, find something similar.

I know Brownfield Equipment just outside Fryeburg has them as I'm sure others do.

BTW, your rear tires couldn't be set out to a wider setting on the rim?

Good luck.

Spudland_Dave · Jul 10, 2008

hayden said:
However, I would be concerned about weight and size relative to your tractor's size. I had a 54" Erskine on a Kubota 2910 which is 29HP, and the weight reduced front wheel traction and steering enough that I bought front chains. Also, when snow gets packed hard you may find a wide blower hits the snow and the wheels just sping. I had a hard time pushing mine into deep, hard snow, especially on an incline.

What Tires you got? My Dad has a 2900 GST riding on R1's and he has had no problems with traction....Heck he added 12" worth of wings to speed things up...He's got a 60" (now 72") Lucknow blower which has been VERY good to him....he's at the point where every fall and now sometimes DURING winter, he's got to fix er up...