Snowblower Switched To Loader Mount

2018 - Volume #42, Issue #5, Page #23

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Frustrated with his front-mount snowblower’s inability to handle big drifts, William Nadeau decided to mount it on a front-end loader. That meant changing it from a pto drive to motor-powered.
    “It only lifted about 4 to 5 in. off the ground, and we have snow banks 6 ft. high,” says Nadeau. “Plus, mounting it on the tractor required removing the loader. By making a quick-attach plate for it and putting a motor on it, I can use it on deep drifts or replace it quickly with the bucket when needed.”
    When Nadeau bought the 1025R Deere tractor with loader, snowblower and mower deck, he didn’t realize the limitations until it came time to move snow. In addition to removing the loader, he had to switch from a short pto shaft needed for the deck mower to a long one for the snowblower.
    “I bought a skid steer plate and converted it to work with the Deere loader,” says Nadeau. “I welded rectangular tubing to it to pin the snowblower in place.”
    Nadeau extended the very short pto stub shaft and added a double belt, 5/8-in. pulley. The belts connect to a 22 hp. Predator engine from Harbor Freight.
    “I wanted to use an electric clutch with the motor, but the one company I found that offered one for a 22 hp. motor required an engineer’s certificate of safety before they would sell it,” says Nadeau. “Instead I used belts with a little slack and an over-the-center, spring applied idler for manual control. I added a remote control box that also had ignition shutoff, a light switch and spout control.”
    He has to get off his tractor seat to engage or disengage the belts, but the shutoff gives him a quick way to stop the snowblower if needed.
    He also changed the spout from a hydraulic cylinder to a linear actuator. It added about $80 to Nadeau’s estimated $800 to $900 cost. The idler was in Nadeau’s salvage pile, but the engine cost $699. The skid steer plate was another $160 to $180.
    “I’m very pleased with it, “ says Nadeau. “However, to do it over, I would get a self-powered loader-mount snowblower in the first place.”
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, William Nadeau, 254 Carroll Rd., Warren, Maine 04864 (ph 207 594-9046 or 207 691-5332; billsspecial1@hotmail.com).

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Snowblower Switched To Loader Mount SNOWBLOWERS Frustrated with his front-mount snowblower’s inability to handle big drifts William Nadeau decided to mount it on a front-end loader That meant changing it from a pto drive to motor-powered “It only lifted about 4 to 5 in off the ground and we have snow banks 6 ft high ” says Nadeau “Plus mounting it on the tractor required removing the loader By making a quick-attach plate for it and putting a motor on it I can use it on deep drifts or replace it quickly with the bucket when needed ” When Nadeau bought the 1025R Deere tractor with loader snowblower and mower deck he didn’t realize the limitations until it came time to move snow In addition to removing the loader he had to switch from a short pto shaft needed for the deck mower to a long one for the snowblower “I bought a skid steer plate and converted it to work with the Deere loader ” says Nadeau “I welded rectangular tubing to it to pin the snowblower in place ” Nadeau extended the very short pto stub shaft and added a double belt 5/8-in pulley The belts connect to a 22 hp Predator engine from Harbor Freight “I wanted to use an electric clutch with the motor but the one company I found that offered one for a 22 hp motor required an engineer’s certificate of safety before they would sell it ” says Nadeau “Instead I used belts with a little slack and an over-the-center spring applied idler for manual control I added a remote control box that also had ignition shutoff a light switch and spout control ” He has to get off his tractor seat to engage or disengage the belts but the shutoff gives him a quick way to stop the snowblower if needed He also changed the spout from a hydraulic cylinder to a linear actuator It added about $80 to Nadeau’s estimated $800 to $900 cost The idler was in Nadeau’s salvage pile but the engine cost $699 The skid steer plate was another $160 to $180 “I’m very pleased with it “ says Nadeau “However to do it over I would get a self-powered loader-mount snowblower in the first place ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup William Nadeau 254 Carroll Rd Warren Maine 04864 ph 207 594-9046 or 207 691-5332; billsspecial1@hotmail com

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