Depending on where you live and how much stock you put in The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the coming winter could be a snow-filled one. While heavy snowfall brings much needed moisture, moving it and making areas passable creates its own set of challenges. For light snows and smaller areas, bucket loaders and skid steers can get the job done, but for heavy, deep snow, you may want to consider a tractor-mounted snowblower. HitchDoc, manufacturer of Travis Seed Carts, snowblowers for tractors, and other agricultural products has put together a brief guide of things to think about before investing n a snowblower for your tractor.

Tractor Considerations

Before you look at snowblowers, you need to look at the tractor you intend to use for snow removal. Is the PTO 540 or 1,000 RPM? If it’s 1,000, is it large or small? While we’re talking about PTOs, how much PTO horsepower is available?

Photo submitted by HitchDoc

The next thing to consider as it relates to the tractor is where you plan on mounting the snowblower. Traditionally, snowblowers were mounted on the rear because that’s where the PTO was. Nowadays, some tractors may be available with both a front and rear PTO. This opens up the possibility of mounting the snowblower to the front end. Mounting to the front has the advantage of a more natural driving posture and increased field of vision because you don’t have to constantly look over your shoulder while clearing snow. If you decide to go with the front mount option, pay special attention to the direction of rotation of the PTO because some have a left hand rotation which will require a different gearbox.

Snowblower Considerations

Tractor-mounted snowblowers are available in a variety of heights and widths. When looking at these dimensions, consider both the cutting and overall measurements. The cutting height and width directly affect how much snow you can expect to move. In addition to cutting dimensions, think about the augers. Generally speaking, the taller the blower, the more augers it can house and the more augers your snowblower has, the more capable of chewing through deep, hard-packed snow your blower is.

Photo submitted by HitchDoc

One final but important thing to check is the overall construction of the snowblower. Is the housing thick and reinforced? What about the fan blades and fan housing? A strong fan with equally spaced, heavy duty paddles will more efficiently discharge snow.

Getting a snowblower for your tractor is an investment that will save you time. Like any other investment for your farm, be sure to look at all your options before you buy.

HitchDoc has been manufacturing quality items for the agriculture industry for over 30 years. They are located in the heart of the Midwest and are proud to work with a trusted dealer network. For more information on all HitchDoc products or to become a dealer, visit www.hitchdoc.com.