Tractor Mount Snowblowers The Best Solution to Ultra Heavy Snow
Tractor mount snowblowers refer to snow blower attachments that are mounted onto tractors. Basically, what you buy is only the snow thrower blade, which cannot work on its own. Thus, you need to connect it to a tractor and use the tractor’s engine to move the snow blower.
Tractor snow blowers are most commonly used in commercial and industrial applications. But if you are a consumer and you live in a region that gets plenty of snow, this piece of equipment should also be considered if the two stage snow blowers prove insufficient.
While the largest consumer grade snow blowers can clear up to 30-inch wide paths, a tractor snow blower can clear up to 8 feet wide paths with a single pass. Also, while regular snowblowers throw up to 25 fo 30 feet away, tractor snow blowers can double that distance. In short, it will make heavy snow a very small problem, thanks to its size.
If you’re shopping for tractor mount snowblowers, make sure to consider durability first and foremost. Check the material used for the frame and the blade. Since these equipment are used to haul heavy loads of snow and they are also expensive, they need to be as durable as possible. Also, look for snow blowers that are easy to connect to tractors so you won’t have a difficult time installing them.
MTD is one of the well-trusted snow blower brands around, so it’s a good lead for those looking for heavy duty tractor mount snowblowers. Sure enough, MTD offers the OEM-190-032 model, a 42-inch snow blower designed to be attached to a tractor. The attachment features a two stage design, which means it comes with both an auger and an impeller. The auger’s job is to pick snow up, while the impeller’s job is to make sure the snow goes out of the discharge chute with as much force as needed to throw it to an optimum distance.
And to make sure you can throw toward the right direction, the chute can be rotated up to 220 degrees.
Since this model has a 42-inch clearing width, it is not one of the biggest tractor mount snow blowers around, but it is a good size nevertheless, and cleaning by 42-inch passes will significantly shorten your cleaning time.
And it is also designed to make clearing snow easier, thanks to its auto-drive step and its chute and auger controls found at the tractor seat.
The construction of the model also gives it several good points, from the serrated steel impeller, the welded steel body, and the plastic chute. It also comes with other models such as a remote deflector and skid shoes. All in all, this mid-sized tractor mount snow blower is a good choice, owing to its wide range of features.
You can find a similar product from trusted brand Toro. Toro’s offer is a two stage attachment that has been designed for consumer use. Aside from its 42 inch clearing path, it boasts of a 21 inch intake height. The attachment can clear more snow in less time, even in large areas, thanks to its size, and it can also be used on both paved and unpaved paths. All the snow are then thrown with force out of the chute, which does not just rotate up to 220 degrees but also tilts to give you more control over the direction of your throw.
And the chute, as well as the blower itself, are easy to control using the operator panel located near the tractor seat.
This package includes the snowblower attachment, adjustable and replaceable skid shoes, and a scraper blade. It is designed to work with Toro’s LX and GT series of tractors.
John Deere/Frontier
John Deere is another trusted snow blower manufacturer on the market, but since it focuses on consumer-grade equipment, its industrial and commercial tractor mount snowblowers are listed under another brand name, Frontier. Frontier offers 3-point snow blowers, which are rear-mounted ones, as well as front blades models.
If you want the 3-point models, check out the SB11 series, which comes with a chute deflector to make your throws more accurate and a two stage auger and impeller combination to speed up all your heavy snow blowing tasks. With the 3 point hitch system, the attachment has several hitch capabilities to fit your specific purposes.
The Frontier SB11 can be accessorized with a field-installed hydraulic chute deflector kit and a cylinder kit. These are optional, though. Thankfully, the basic package already comes with adjustable skid shoes that are helpful in extending the life span and durability of the attachment.
How to Choose Tractor Mount Snowblowers
The most important thing that should be considered when choosing a tractor mount snow blower is the purpose in which you intend to use it for. This will help you decide whether to go with a front-mounted snowblower or a rear-mounted one. A rear mounted tractor uses a standard three point hitch system, which is quite simple to install.
However, this is difficult to use since you have to drive your tractor in reverse. For those who are not heavily experienced in driving tractors, using a rear mount model can be dangerous. A front mount tractor is more difficult to install, but since they are pushed along in front of the tractor, they are easier and safer to use.
