Just in time for summer, I am looking for some recommendations for snowblowers. We are hoping to move up north and I would need to invest in something substantial for the property we’re hoping to get. Present owner uses a bobcat utility vehicle with a blower attachment. Priced them new, but I can’t justify a $30K outlay. Looking for used skid steers that would take a blower attachment, but don’t see too many. So, anyone tell me what to look at or stay away from in a walk behind blower?
THanks
Listeners write in about air-sealing numbers and wildfire recovery, before asking questions about replacing a row house roof and what kind of roof insulation is needed.
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial NowGet instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial Now
Replies
Got a truck? Get a plow. Then get a smaller walk-behind for the sidewalk and such.
MY first thought as well, but there is the risk of running out of space to push the snow to. 10 cottages squeezed into 3 acres - open all winter. Last season they got 143" of snow; the blow piles were 20' tall.
Think you're gonna need that $30k then. I don't know if there's a tractor mounted system that is cheaper than a Bobcat, but 143" is a bit much for a walk behind. Particularly with any large open areas.But then again, I've a got a 1/4 mile that a do with a 6 foot blade on a jeep. And I got tired of that...so I'm moving south next week.
Where are you moving to?
must be the northern leg of the Rockies....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Not necessarily,3o miles north of us they average close to 200" per year. I have seen 10-12' fall in one storm before!
I live in upstate NY, snow country. The 143" are a little more than we get but, the 20' piles are not created all at once. You can find a good used tractor and snowblower attachment for a lot less than 30k, more like 7-8000
Hoping to move to the Mt Washington Valley of NH. 143" was some what of an anomaly, but they do get their share.
I make do with the heaviest snowblower that sears sells. I thing you could do the same, with the number of a plow service backup. 143 is not all that much as it won't all be falling at once!
My father has a Kubota, with a 6' snowblower on one end and a front end loader. You can buy a smaller farm or construction tractor, used and get done a lot faster if you have the budget.
NH has a want add digest available at any convienence store etc. This is a mag with 100's of pages of used things to buy. I think you could find a solution there.
Contract with someone to clear it.
What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out, which is the exact opposite. --Bertrand Russell
Thought of that, but this would be a cottage rental business, customers will need to get in and out. A late or no-show snow removal would still have me out there doing it.
Must not be like around here, then. Snow removal is an industry, and the go-getters are out at 3AM moving snow. Being a no-show doesn't put food on the table.
What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out, which is the exact opposite. --Bertrand Russell
Your right, snow removal is big business. It's no different in NH.
I'm thinking with gas prices it's going to be expensive this year.
If your trying to remove alot of snow upnorth and quickly you probably want to pick up a few driveways to offset the costs, when people hear you have a blower they like the idea. <!----><!---->
<!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!---->
Yeah I'm tired of shoveling my driveway back in the spring. W.Mass, I'll hire ya. how far will you drive that blower?
That unit is at my winter place in millinocket, the drive would kill me. You can imagine the looks you get going ever the road with it. <!----><!---->
<!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!---->
Yeah, and you'd have to be here by six...
Just kidding around of course. I'm sick of freezing my #### off in this cloth top jeep!
Maybe we could get a package deal, as long as he is coming!<G>
Personally, I would lean towards a tractor with a rear mounted blower. Partly just because I'm so used to tractors. But also because they have so many other attachments available that will work year round. Like mowers, rear mounted blades, box blades, etc.
Q: Why did Frosty the Snowman get excited?
A: He head a snow blower was coming by.
So you recommend the green and yellow ones? ;)
Yup - Get a REAL tractor.(-:
The history of liberty is a history of resistance. The history of liberty is a history of limitations of governmental power, not the increase of it. [ Woodrow Wilson, 1912]
You like like driving backwards, twisted around in your seat, in driving snow for hours? The wind driving the snow down your neck where it's exposed by the stretching?
No thanks, I'll take a front blower.
I like the weight over the drive tires, not the front end. With a good blower it won't take "hours" to do the job.
It must have taken a lot of courage to discover that frog's legs are edible.
That's the price you pay for a two wheel drive tractor. Them's Kubota's use 4. And the extra weight from the blower attachment centers the weight nicely.
Back to the original question.
The skid steer uses it's hydralyic system to run a hydralic motor on the blower. In some ways that's nice. It's also more costly and can only be used on a skidsteer. Kubotas don't seem to have that much pumping capacity to use a hydralic blower. Theirs are mechanical. But the Kubota doesn't tear up the unpaved areas like a skidsteer. A low houred used one could be quite the deal.
10 cottages squeezed into 3 acres - open all winter. Last season they got 143" of snow; the blow piles were 20' tall.
If you want to try a walk behind blower, one that will handle heavy snow with ease, I'd suggest a big Ariens, probably one of the Professional series.
http://www.ariens.com
They sell a windscreen for them, so that you can avoid windblown snow, if that becomes a problem.
Maybe I've shoveled too much snow but I find that a powerful walk behind is fun to operate, as long as I'm dressed for it.
You walk on a cleared path and play with the chute, sending the snow cascading wherever you wish. It's the best way to avoid shoveling altogether because a walk behind gives you nearly perfect coverage and control.
Edited 5/19/2008 10:46 am by Hudson Valley Carpenter
Where are you moving? and what's the drive/parking situation?
I've got a truly challenging driveway and it's more a question of time when the snow piles up then space.
Besides you could pick up a new Kubota for 20k with a bucket loader if you had to.
Looking at a little cottage rental business in the Mt. Washington Valley of New "God's Country" Hampshire. Not a straight run driveway. Some loops and a lot of little dead end parking areas. Not paved - sand. Since it is open year round, potentially clearing around parked cars...
I'd say it's a question of budget.
If you can afford a Kubota with the snow blower attachment go for it. You can use the bucket to get things done, or snow blower to be careful.
If that's a bit steep then a truck with a plow.
I have a steep winding driveway. Two "s" turns tight trees on both sides. My set up is a CJ5 with a narrow plow and chains. Very maneuverable with the short wheelbase.
Wait until Fall. Around here (MA) Bobcats get cheap and plentiful when the landscapers start shutting down for the winter. I've picked up two very good machines for around 10K each this way... both had heated/enclosed cabs and would accept a blower attachment. With the amount of snow and area you're talking about a walk-behind blower will darn near kill ya.
can't plow...
get a truck mounted blower... 8K ish...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
How much do you have to clear?
I've been studying this lately.
I'd go for the B3030 cabbed Kubota with a 63" blower and at least a 60" back blade.
Both implements at once will give you a baby butt clean drive. Be sure to get the hydralyic chute deflectors and CD player.
But plan on doing the snow in no more than 8 to 12" increments.
American Yard Products (owned by Electrolux) makes Husqvarna, Poulan, and iirc Craftsman blowers. MTD makes TroyBilt, Yard Man, White. Toro and Ariens still make their own. The older Ariens ST824 were well regarded, lasted for years. I don't know about their curent models. Most brands use various versions of the Tecumseh Snow King engine. Most problems I've seen with the Snow King are from not preppng the blower for storage; not using a fuel stablizer and letting the fuel sit in the tank for the better part of the year is just asking for problems. How much driveway do you have to clear? A small tractor might be the ticket. Our place has 300 ft of driveway to clear and 2 1/2 acres to cut. Picked up a John Deere X320 last year. 48" mowing deck and 44" snowblower along with a dump trailer. About $5800 tied up in all of it. The blower works well and makes short work of the driveway. About the only downside besides the initial cost is the time spent changing the blower/mower. http://www.deere.com/en_US/ProductCatalog/HO/servlet/Attachment?attNmbr=SKU23045&prodNmbr=SKU21848&tM=HO
Edited 5/19/2008 12:42 am ET by jc21
Like jc21, I have a small set up.A little John Deere GT235 garden tractor fronted with a Bercomac 44" 2-stage thrower. Bought the GT235 used and the Berco new, about $3k for the entire package.Works like a charm on my 900' long driveway.The change over from mowing to blowing isn't bad, about 5 minutes to take the mowing deck off and 15-20 minutes to get the blower sub-frame and blower on, no tools required.
"The older Ariens ST824 were well regarded, lasted for years." mine is about six years old and I replaced the rubber drive disc this past Winter, I gotta say the paint job is very tough on the unit, but the Sno King engine looks like it went through a combat zone aside from that it has been trouble free, I need to buy stock in Sta-Bil, I put the stuff in everything.
.
.. . . . . . . .
I bought my backhoe for under 10k. There wasn't a snowstorm alive that could slow me down.
Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
For a walk behind to move significant amounts and other than walkways of snow there is only one good option imo:
http://www.zauggamerica.com/resort/blowers.shtml
You aren't going to save any money there though, but they are amazing machines. We demoed one this winter and it does is a little slower, but does better than a skidsteer w/ a blower.
I think a pickup or a skidsteer with a plow and or a bucket or a backhoe, or a small wheel loader is a better idea. We get about twice that much snow a year, but none of the machine-powered snowblowers do very well imo. Any way you go though chains, persistence and vigilance is the key. And probably knowing the number for the rental store, or making a friend with somebody that has big equipment.
But it's almost spring I'm hoping I can make it through this week without plowing.
Rob
DUDE, "its almost spring" WTF?
spring was like a month ago dude. thats gotta suck!
maybe where you live!
hmj
Take a differant tack.. I live in heavy snow country. What I did is buy 4x4 vehicles.. three reasons,
first if you do manage to get out of your driveway hills etc.. will prove impassable without 4x4 untill they are cleared.
second you will pack down your own paths and snow won't fall under the vehicles if left outside.
third heavy snow falls also means muddy springs and falls so traction will be critical much of the year..
Since I bought my 4x4's I haven't plowed my driveway once in 24 years and I never get stuck.. when things are really deep I offer one of the plow guys $20.00 to make a couple of passes but I haven't had to do that now for several years, heck more than a decade.. We get more than 24 inches in single snow falls some years.
Finally you won't need to park fix fuel or repair a snow blower this way!
Frenchy, you drive out the driveway with 2' of snow?
Snowblowers aren't all that expensive. I own 2 4x4's and still blow out my driveway. Of course my driveway is a hill and i have had my jeep slide backwards into the street! The cops think its funny.
Ariens, bought an ST824 in 1983 for $1050, sold it 2 yrs ago for $250 when I bought a 8524 for $1100. Wanted the newer model with bells and whistles. In all that time other than changing belts and shoes, 3 shop visits for no start due to carb needing cleaning and once for a major tune up. I replaced the main pulley wheel and bearing myself (in a heavy snow, of course)
frammer52.
Absolutely! Like I said I've never been stuck. If I can't blast thru the 3 or 4 foot high pile the snow plow makes in a single attempt I back up and attack it again. I've noted that when the sun comes out to melt the snow my driveway is cleared a day or so after those who plow and blow. Part of that delay is because my driveway gets absolutely no southern exposure like my neighbors do.
I do have a tuck under garage which gives me a 20 foot dry spot to get momentum but since I take no special precaution to park I have to do it backing up..
If you got out and blew or shoveled the snow, you wouldn't have the weight aroud the middle<G>
frammer 52
looking at the number of people who die from heart attacks every year shoveling snow, Thanks I'll work mine off in safer ways..
come on frenchy, live dangerously!
It's funny that you mention driving through the snow, 2 winters ago before it stopped snowing, I went 4 wheeling on the streets, it was fun stopping and helping the stuck fords out! There is nothing like low 4 wheel drive in a Jeep!
frammer52
Chevy/GM have that same feature, I found the only time I use it is parking my boat.. (big 28 footer I tow around with my short box reg cab. pickup. and the low range gives me the grunt I need to shove that 7000#+ beast around into the tight spots I have to in order to park it.
thats because the chevy and chrysler trans are made in the same plant!
Thanks frenchy, but as this would be a lodging business, leaving it there is not an option. Selling my sprinter and getting a 4x4 diesel.
hmj
Reconsider the diesel option.. several reasons.. the first is that diesels only come in longer trucks.. not short box regular cabs.. You are moving where space will be tight and a long truck will be awkward.
second the higher cost of diesel makes them not have a payback.
I couldn't find a payback and I keep my vehicles at least 250,000 miles and put about 50,000 miles per year on them..
third cold weather and diesel freqently are a starting or fuel line freezing problem..
4th tune ups on Gas engines now can be put off past 100,000 miles negating some of the previous reason to use diesel engines..
The <!----><!----><!---->Mount Washington<!----> <!---->Valley<!----><!----> is a beautiful place. All the best luck with the move. <!----><!----><!---->
I will second Frenchy on suggesting reconsidering the diesel. He had some great points. They also tend to be a lot heavier and harder to get out if you do get stuck, and tend to have a lot more torque and will spin tires a lot easier and probably get you stuck more often than a gas. If you put a plow on it (If you can avoid it don't though) you will either be annoyed by trying to shift, and run the plow at the same time and get quite a work out clutching, or hate the turbo lag and eat tranny's until you spend big money on an ATS or similar high-end performance transmission.
I'd say just get a used skid-steer and no blower. Maybe a hydraulic plow or a snow bucket.
Rob
Have yo spent a winter in your new destination? maybe you should wait and see. I see lots of people waste money on stuff they don't need when they move the mountains.
Besides, a few weeks at home in mid-winter is good for the soul. ; )
"Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd."
~ Voltaire
I don't mind bein snowbound for a short spell, but this would be a business (cottage rental), not just my house...