# Anybody using tractor mounted snowblowers?



## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

Most of the discussions here on SBF are about walk behind snowblowers. Anybody using a tractor mounted unit? Whether it be on a lawn or garden tractor, or larger CUT mounted to the front or 3 point, there's got to be some other than my clunker '74 Sears Suburban.


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## vmaxed (Feb 23, 2014)

I use a 2011 John Deere AWD X728 with a 47"Quick Hitch Snowblower for the big snow.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

I have an ancient JD 185 with a SS 38" blower. The rider is a former puller that I salvaged, rebuilt but haven't got around to doing any cosmetics on it yet.
The gas tank on the ground in front is the one it was running on. The full size tank was full of sand for ballast. That was fun washing that out.
The body pan was painted peach too but I swapped it out with a spare one I had.
I'd like to fit a two stage to it as the single really seems to have a hard time throwing the snow any distance. Maybe 20' on a good day. That said it does handle the snow well and clears a path pretty fast just seems a little weak in distance.


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

I have 4 snowblower attachments:
* Craftsman 40"
* MTD 42"
* Husqvarna 42"
* Kubota 46"

But I have no tractor (s) :icon-hgtg: :icon-hgtg: :icon-hgtg:

The Kubota 46" will be used on my ride on tracked snowblower (if I ever build it :facepalm_zpsdj194qh)


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## russkat (Feb 25, 2015)

I don't have one any longer, but the case/ingersoll tractors with their single stage blowers work very well.
They are plentiful in the midwest and can be found for a song.

A 14hp Kohler single...





The Gravely tractors are some of the heaviest garden tractors around and their 2 stage shaft driven blowers can really move the snow.
Most Gravely's are seen from the midwest to the east coast.


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

This is my favorite tractor mounted snowblower video


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## russkat (Feb 25, 2015)

Wheel Horse are nice, capable machines also.


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## bad69cat (Nov 30, 2015)

I just sold off my JD 214 with a blower. It was in great shape for it's age. I got it at an auction fixed a few things and sold her off to a very happy soul. I can whip out my driveways faster with the walkers anyway....... but I have had a few nice old machines like that Suburban (great tractor), and dad had a wheel horse for many years. Then he upgraded to a Satoh 4x4 garden tractor and Iw ill tell you that was the best **** Jap tractor ever. "The Beaver" as we called her - I sure miss her. Dad traded her in on a JD 455 about 18 years ago. I just recently rebuilt that engine actually...... let me tell you they are proud of the parts for that one!! :>( I'll never buy one for myself because of the rape job on parts!


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

I had a friend pick up a Gilson tractor for me a few months ago, it's still at his house and I couldn't tell you what it looks like cause I haven't gone by to see it


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## Spectrum (Jan 6, 2013)

We have to be liberal with the term "use" these days. Mine hasn't seen any action yet this year. I tend to use it on smaller storms when i want to just get it over with.


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## Rob711 (Feb 5, 2015)

My uncle had a lawnboy tractor with a single stage blower, really not good for our wet stuff, fluffy powder was ok. Tractor was great, used it to move boats and landscaper trailers.


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## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

I'll add a little more to my original post. I got that Suburban at an estate sale quite a few years ago. The price was hard to beat. Free! With a 42" deck, dozer blade, 3 point hitch, wheel weights, chains and a 10" plow. Judy was a little skeptical when I brought it home, but has become a believer. This is what it looked like when I got it, and what it looked like after a lot of wire brushing and rattle can work. I found the snow thrower attachment on ebay not far from home and got it for $25. The belts for it cost almost that much. It's mowed a lot of grass and thrown or pushed a lot of snow and has always started regardless of the temperature and, ahem, amount of oil or number of cylinders it was running on. That's another story to be filed under, "Always check your oil."


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## 69ariens (Jan 29, 2011)

I rescued my fathers 1978 powerking 1614 with a 48'' single stage haban blower. The cheap carb I bought on e-bay float is no good. I hope today I can find some time to fix it.


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## vmaxed (Feb 23, 2014)

Here is a video of my old rear wheel drive Husqvarna Tractor with snowblower,
It traded in for the 4/4 John Deere X728 :icon_whistling:


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## Kielbasa (Dec 21, 2013)

I envy you guys with these tractor set ups... :tongue4:


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## ELaw (Feb 4, 2015)

Hey here's a related question: are any of you using tractor-mount snowblowers not originally intended to work with your model tractor?

I've got a Toro / Wheel Horse 16-38HXL that I've toyed with putting a blower on, especially when I see them cheap on Craigslist. But I've never seen one made for that exact model, and I'm curious what it might take to adapt one made for a different tractor.

I don't think I'd want to go as far as adapting one that uses a different drive system - my tractor has a front mounted vertical shaft engine with a belt drive. I'm just wondering if I found a blower for a different make/model tractor that had a similar drive setup, what it might take to make it work.


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## vmaxed (Feb 23, 2014)

I had a Agri-Fab on my Husqvarna Tractor :wink:

Agri-Fab 42 in. Snow Blower-LST42C - The Home Depot


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## mikeinri (Mar 16, 2015)

Lots of guys convert mismatched blowers to work on tractors over on the sister site, MTF.

I have a 46 inch Craftsman on a GT5000. The tractor hasn't been overly reliable over the past few years, so I bought a Honda HS1132TAS walk-behind a few years ago as a backup. The salesmen were all telling me how much I'd love its size and power until I mentioned coming off a tractor-mount, lol... It is definitely a nice, reliable unit, but is definitely slow in the deep stuff of the sidewalks (road plow piles).

Prior to that, I had a 42 inch Craftsman on a DLT3000 (until I caught the tractor on fire, but that's another story).

Mike


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## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

ELaw said:


> Hey here's a related question: are any of you using tractor-mount snowblowers not originally intended to work with your model tractor?
> 
> I've got a Toro / Wheel Horse 16-38HXL that I've toyed with putting a blower on, especially when I see them cheap on Craigslist. But I've never seen one made for that exact model, and I'm curious what it might take to adapt one made for a different tractor.
> 
> I don't think I'd want to go as far as adapting one that uses a different drive system - my tractor has a front mounted vertical shaft engine with a belt drive. I'm just wondering if I found a blower for a different make/model tractor that had a similar drive setup, what it might take to make it work.


I did some research for my son when he bought a John Deere D140 and matching 44" snowblower. Some of the bigger manufacturers of tractor snowblowers have kits to match the tractor power source to their snowblower. Berco is such a manufacturer with a very good name. Here is a reference to the tractors they can be matched to: Snowblower for lawn and garden tractors and snowthrower for snow removal 

The John Deere D140 is a lawn tractor with 22 hp but the transmission is not intended for heavy work like ground breaking equipment or very steep grades using heavy equipment. A garden tractor is twice the price but the transmission is heavy duty. Tractors get very expensive very quickly. 

My son is thrilled with his tractor setup. A 44" cut makes short work of the biggest job. He had a 32" Toro Powershift previosly.

Good luck.


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## Bolens 1000 (Dec 23, 2015)

I keep a whole fleet of snow equipment around!
This pic uploader must be outdated as it said alot of the ones I uploaded were too large...


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## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

Bolens 1000 said:


> I keep a whole fleet of snow equipment around!
> This pic uploader must be outdated as it said alot of the ones I uploaded were too large...


The max picture filesize is 976.6 KB. The max width is 1920, max height is 1200. It is easy to convert picture formats to these dimensions and the filesize is reduced accordingly.

Good luck.


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## caddydaddy (Dec 10, 2014)

Town said:


> The John Deere D140 is a lawn tractor with 22 hp but the transmission is not intended for heavy work like ground breaking equipment or very steep grades using heavy equipment. A garden tractor is twice the price but the transmission is heavy duty. Tractors get very expensive very quickly.


I have a JD LA135 lawn tractor, which is known to have a weak transaxle. I'd never put a plow on it for that reason. I'd like a snowblower on it, but haven't been able to find a used one at a decent price.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Back in the day I owned a J.D.332 with triple hydraulics. I mounted a Berco 48" two stage blower on it. I also added four 40# suitcase weights and an Ford 460 cylinder head for rear weight. It was a pretty nice setup but in heavy snow it would really start to work. I don't miss it at all nor do I miss those days of clearing out a driveway/lane that was a couple hundred yards long. I don't remember the exact length but now anything more than three car lengths is more than I want to deal with.
This was also the same driveway that I cleared with my old 1994 MTD blower. If I recall correctly it was an 8/26" blower (Maybe it was an 8/24. I don't remember.) No bells or whistles but I do know that when I sold it I had just changed the original belts and drive disc. 17 or 18 years of very reliable service. I always stored it inside and kept the oil changed. I don't think I ever pulled the spark plug on it.


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## rhenning (Sep 19, 2013)

I use a 1997 JD 345 with newer 42 inch blower and a MTD Pro single stage for cleaning up the walks etc. Roger


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