Winter storage / to buy or not snowblower?

Ductape · Sep 13, 2006

MadReferee said:
canoetrpr,

I determined that there were advantages to having a blower, 1. I could do it the way I want it done when I wanted it done, like real early in the morning, 2. no more big piles of snow that ended up blocking parts of my driveway parking area, 3. elimination of sloppy plowing causing ice problems, 4. seat time.

Apparently, judging by the picture, you forgot reason #5. I can have my son out clearing the driveway while i'm inside where its warm, sipping my cup of hot coffee !

MadReferee · Sep 13, 2006

Ductape said:
Apparently, judging by the picture, you forgot reason #5. I can have my son out clearing the driveway while i'm inside where its warm, sipping my cup of hot coffee !

Right on.

Also notice that he is wearing sneakers, a scarf and a lightweight hooded sweatshirt. I told him to bundle up but then again you can't tell them college kids anything and expect them to do it.

scott_vt · Sep 13, 2006

firemanpat2910 said:
Wow I cant believe y'all are talkin bout snow already. Its 90 degrees here and we have at least 3 months left before its too cold to get on a tractor, 40 degrees. BRRRRRR when it drops down that low it cant be good for the tractor (or operator) to be outside.

Huhhh ?
40 degrees is just nice for cuttin down trees for next years firewood and towin it back to the house with the tractor

Dont even work up a sweat !

schmism · Sep 13, 2006

the other advantage, YOUR neighbor might need a driveway cleared for $400 also! so you can pay for it double quick... (or more)

George2615 · Sep 13, 2006

I also have the same blower as Mad. 64" Pronovost Puma with manual shute adjustment. Works great. Bought it with my tractor 2 1/2 yrs. ago. I only used it the 5 times the first season since the smaller snowfalls we had were faster to clean up with the loader. It sure feels like winter is coming soon here too. Past couple weeks have been rainy and cool (low 70's day - low 40's night). I'm sure we'll get a few more warm days before snow though.

ToadHill · Sep 13, 2006

Several years ago I bought a used blower for the Ford 8N, just a small 48" then I realized the reverse gear in the ford was way to fast to effectively use the blower. I just kept it because I only paid $150 for it. Last fall I got a bigger tractor with duel range and a very slow low range 1st gear. I used a 7' woods back blade to move the snow and when the banks got high I put on the old blower and backed into them to blow the banks out of the way. It worked great.

Jerome · Sep 14, 2006

I got my blower last winter, it has been the best purchase I have made. I no longer have to wait for my neighbour to show up, I can blow out the drive more than once a day if it needs it, considering I live in a snowbelt with lots of drifting this is quite normal. Install a heater for the engine if you do get one it makes starting in -20 much easier.

canoetrpr · Sep 14, 2006

Hi Jerome - you're not too far away from me. Have a good friend who grew up in your area - Sheldon Bell. His dad still has a dairy farm up there - Don Bell.

Thanks for your input

canoetrpr · Sep 17, 2006

Well all - I decided to bite the bullet and have ordered up a 68" Walco Meteor snowblower for my rig. I'm also getting the skid shoes for it. Do the rest of you have these on your blower. Figured it would help with the gravel?

Just didn't make sense to pay someone four or five hundred bucks to do the driveway when I have a perfectly good tractor sitting in the barn which I just enjoy driving. I've also asked to price out tire chains.

While I was at it and in the spending mood I also decided that I really hated screwing around hooking up my bush hog and so I've ordered a Pat's system.

I never did get remotes installed and I sort of regret that I didn't just do it upfront with the tractor purchase so for now it looks like it will be a manual crank for the blower. Still tempted to get those remotes but it sounds like a fair bit of money to spend to turn the chute hydraulically rather than with a manual crank which is just as easily accessible from behind the seat.

We'll see how my spending spree goes. If it does not stop, the remotes might arrive also..... but after I explained to my wife that they would allow me to turn the chute with a hydraulic lever rather than a manual crank for which I don't have to leave the seat either - lets just say I likely won't be spending that money.

MadReferee · Sep 18, 2006

canoetrpr said:
Well all - I decided to bite the bullet and have ordered up a 68" Walco Meteor snowblower for my rig. I'm also getting the skid shoes for it. Do the rest of you have these on your blower. Figured it would help with the gravel?

I have a gravel driveway. I adjust my skid shoes all the way down to their closest position to the blower edge and use the hydraulic top link to adjust the angle of attach for the lower blower blade edge. Just another reason to have an HTL.