Snow Blower project (UPDATED PICS)

[Rick Prentice]

Hi All . I have a project going on now that should be done in time for George's Cubfest in January. This project is for a friend, another George (IH48) and we decided to mount a two stage snow blower to the front of his '48 Cub. George has a 16hp engine that will drive this blower, separate from the Cub's engine. The framework will extend to the rear finals, and the engine will set about midway under the torque tube for easy viewing. All the controls will be at his reach. This blower seems to fit the Cub well and is about as heavy as the stock snow blade set-up. It's also the perfect width. We plan to simply pull some pins for easy, drive off backwards, removal. The engine will clear the front axle when backing over it. Here's a couple picture of the planning stages. I'll keep everyone posted from day to day as we make progress. It will be equiped with the snow cab also. Let it snow(in a couple weeks)

Rick

[WKPoor]

Way to go rick, quite some yrs ago I almost conjured up a front mount blower myself. Somewhere in Canada there is a guy who has one that runs off of a jack shaft all the way under front rear to front. I think using a seperate powerplant is the way to go though that way the blower can run full power while the Cub idles around at the slowest possible speed.
Now wouldn't a hydro Cub be just sweet here. Somebody ought to dream one up.

[Gary S.]

Just curious Rick, what is that blower from? Gary

[Rick Prentice]

It's an MTD from Tractor Supply. It's new and has never been mounted on anything. Just been setting for a couple years.

Rick

[Rudi]

Rick:

It is kind of neat how this is coming together. I have been dreaming about building a snow blower for my cubs for a couple of years, and I think I have posted questions on the feasibility of this project.

I have always believed that whatever was used would have to have an independant power source separate from the Cub, one where the actual speed of the augers and impellers would be much higher than can be developed from the Cubs PTO.. that way a creeper gear would not be needed.

I have also looked at getting an older MTD etc., 54 inch blower but they are even old and well used outside of my price bracket.. but a pair of 26 or 28" blowers would be do-able.. although they would have to be matched.

My thoughts have turned to a single 12 or 13 hp B&S or Tecumseh to power the one blower via a drive shaft with pulleys mounted to the shaft and to the other blower unit so that the single engine will power both blowers. Certainly is do-able as has been confirmed by my small engine guru... so now the search is on.

I have been trying to figure out how to mount em up.. on the front end using a framework similar to the Cub-54A mounts and extended back to the rear finals or to the substitute or regular draw-bar. I also believed that the weight of even two blower units would not come close to the weight of the Cub-54A blade setup.. so again do-able.

I am eagerly awaiting your progess reports on this project, and it is a definite candidate for another one of your How To Articles...

[Peter Person]

Rick,
This is neat. Just last week the boys and I were talking about how we could mount a snowblower to the Cub.
Rudi,
We had the same idea as you, two blowers hooked together side-by-each, etc.

What prompted this is that I have a 1963 S226 Snow Bird that still runs, weighs a ton, but don't really need it anymore now that I have the Cub.
Look forward to seeing pictures of the finished product.
Peter

[Jeff M]

I foolishly read that post without at first looking who posted it. I said to myself, "Much heavier than 54 blade. Engine under the Cub? Gimme me a break. No creeper, either." Then I backed up to see who would come up with such a cockamamie idea. Billyandmillie! Silly me! It'll work. It'll work well! Can't wait to see pics....

[Ken (48 Cub)]

This is a way cool idea. At Cubarama there was a Cub with a snowblower. The engine was mounted at the rear with a drive shaft that ran all the way under the tractor. It was very well done. Antbody have any pics?

I know yours will be a mechanical work of art

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

More pix at http://home.centurytel.net/ejpuckett/Snow%20blower/

It is removable by pulling 4 pins, and the belt is tightened by the depth control lever.

[Matt Kirsch]

In "Farmall Cub and Cub Cadet" by Ken Updike, on page 51, is a picture of just such an arrangement in action.

The blower was manufactured by Danco, and was powered by a separate engine mounted on the drawbar.

[Don McCombs]

[BigBill]

Good idea and we have to think out of the box and break the norm and make it work. Way to go.

Since the blowers run a tad from the ground you can offest the weight by using casters on the rear of the blower housing. A drive shaft can be run from the PTO with pillow blocks to run the blower. You just need to figure out the ratio so the speed is correct.

[john2189]

You could drive the blower with a hydraulic motor and have the pump driven with the power take off

[George Willer]

You could drive the blower with a hydraulic motor and have the pump driven with the power take off

That's definitely true... if you had sufficient horsepower from the engine to burn. Not with a Cub.

[Matt Kirsch]

Yes, notice that the Danco unit is powered by its own engine mounted on the rear drawbar.

Cubs are far too fast in low gear and/or lack sufficient power (and live PTO) to run a snowblower. If you have to push the clutch to chew through a hard spot, the PTO stops, and the snowblower plugs

Number-series LoBoys have an "independent" PTO, higher horsepower, and a more widely-available creeper gear. Snowblowers for these tractors are driven off the engine.