8-foot wide self-powered snowblower for 2018 3500 HD dually Ram?

Is there a self-motorized 96 inch wide snow blower that can be used, mounted similarly to a plow but not needing the “push” strength that a plow needs, for our 2018 3500 dually 6.7 Cummins/Aisin transmission truck? It has ample charging capacity for lights or controls (440 amps), but no snow plow mounting hardware from the factory. We have a new situation with clearcut forest causing new large wind-driven deep drifts that can isolate us for days without “from the shop out” snow blowing ability to use with our dually. Now have V-bar icebreaker chains for all 6 wheels, so we can get around with the truck and manage the work. Need a “can-do” blowing solution for our safety now.

 

P.S. We need to be able to blow not only our private road for us and 3 neighbors, but also to clear a couple hundred yards of the public road that now can have deep drifts up to 3 feet or so in places.

 

Here is an 84" with 27 or 38 hp engines. I didn't find an 8', maybe too heavy for a pickup?

http://www.snowvac.com/snowvac_01.php

 

Looks like they make a set of wings to get you to 8' or wider.

 

Topzide, thank your for finding their “wings” photos. It looks like they act as side plows rather than gathering snow for the blower. I’ve emailed them to ask if there is a way to use them the other way, so I don’t gradually get the whole affair wedged in a deep drift. Going slow with some forward/back maneuvering to allow the snow to find its way to the blower is fine. We’ll see what they have to say. Thanks!

 

For 20k you can buy as good a used wheel loader in a decent size and clean everything you want all day long without breaking parts.
I don't think that a snowblower is ideal for a pickup truck.

 

Probably right all things equal. Available shop square footage for keeping it makes blower better for us. This thing will be a shop queen except for the rare snow emergencies when it will be a lifesaver. No plows get here for days in the worst storms, so an ambulance couldn’t get here either. Need it like a hole in the head otherwise! We won’t wear it out, that’s for sure.

 

Okay, just ask them the right questions.
For me the size of the blower and the horsepowers it has doesn't correlate right.
You don't want to end up with a unit that bogs down as soon as you start pushing on it.
34hp is very little for a unit that size.
Ask them what kind of snow that thing is supposed to blow at which cf per minute.

 

Thank you, that is a big help. I was definitely going to to with the higher of their two HP ratings, but didn’t know to be concerned even at that level. I expect to go very slowly given it has only a one-level “screw”. In the circumstance where I’d be doing this, I would have nothing but time with everything shut down by the weather. I will ask them about wet or wind-packed snow and how it handles those, including the CFM numbers associated with different snow conditions.

 

Even this tiny thing here has 34hp at half the width than what you are looking for.

http://www.taxi-a.ch/schneefrasen 27-34 PS.html

Speed is about 0.8mph!* I don't know how much the ram transmission likes to work at that low speeds for hours.
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Run the homepage through Google translate so you get all the specs at the bottom of the page.

 

Here is an interesting thread on a tractor forum that has multiple comments about dealing with HP limitations, lots of straight opinion but a few that seem based on actual experience.
https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=ttalk&th=1902856
One 4-min YouTube of a “40” tractor blowing some medium-deep snow and a good size drift. I think the net of all of it is, with an automatic trans heavy pickup like ours that can creep along, all chained up, and the higher HP blower motor from SnowVac, I should be able to handle anything we are likely to see as long as I don’t force it. One trick I hadn’t known to think about us using the lifting function to start into a drift with the blower elevated a bit for short way, back up and lower it to get bottom layer, “rinse and repeat.”
In the bad storm we had late this last winter, I would have been the only show in town for about 3 days for our stretch of drifted public road as well as our 0.3 mile of private road. We got a little one lane plowing by the county about two days in, but it wind-drifted right back in and made the road impassible again except for the highest jacked-up ground-clearance trucks soon after.
I like the Meyer E-Z Mount Pro quick-detachable system for being able to stand the unit where I need to store it, and drive the truck up to it with quick attachment using their clevises. Anyone with experience there specifically, would be nice to hear about it.
I’m hoping some HD truck/wide blower (84”) experienced folks will see this and comment about their own use.

 

@DonRam240, I would for the money watch for an airport on gov. auction for there big snow-throwers! Those big boys are made to handle just about anything you can through at them. That's a lot of wear and tear on the truck! Your truck and money, your choice!

 

i know the 60" version i have for my 45 hp tractor will bog it down quick.
i suspect you'd be better served with a smaller tractor.

 

Another vote from me for a tractor with a front mount snowblower…

 

OK, given the probable 25K+ total cost for what I’m considering, worth rethinking alternatives. What small tractor and blower? Shop space to keep it secure is limited, don’t want to add a building for this. On the order of 5’ x 8-9’. Those compact tractors, good ones, are not cheap. One with a closed cab and some heat is another issue for the situation where I would need this. More mechanical components to maintain, as well. Not my area of expertise, knowing how to choose or how to evaluate a good used specimen of one of the good choices if I knew them in the first place. I see the Kubota ads and see $$$$$$ when I do . Educate me if you would.

 

All I can say is the Kubotas (at least the older ones) hold their value really well. Our 1978 B7100 has a few thousand hours on it, probably over 4000. It has survived heavy use by our son through Junior High and High School building bike tracks and jumps. I mean it's just been thrashed yet it goes and goes and goes. Every part is easy to get to, easy to replace. Also have a newer B-21, not sure if those can run a small snow blower, we just plow it off around here but we rarely get much snow. That one is a little more complicated but still super reliable. I think that one is around 2000 MY or something. What about just adding a shed roof on the side of one of your buildings? Couple or 3 PT poles, gravel floor, I re-purposed a 4x10 salvaged from an old deck for the beam, 2x6 rafters and some metal roofing, cheap addition, works great to keep tractor out of the weather. Somebody else will know how big of a Kubota you would need for your purposes. Or a John Deere, not sure if the newer ones are built as stout as they used to be. Hated the last JD lawn tractor we had. It ate belts and the steering mechanism completely failed after a few years-metal soft as butter. A real piece of junk. Their actual farm tractors are much better I think.

 

Just as an idea what am I talking about....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/404302321436?hash=item5e224bd71c:g:zC8AAOSw6N9kbRBa

Or check out this category...

https://www.ebay.com/b/Backhoe-Loaders/95493/bn_1511547

Or the whole line up here....

https://www.ebay.com/b/Wheel-Loaders/58161/bn_1511508


There is a lot of solid stuff available for less money and way more capable at the very same time.

No Garage needed for these, just park it outside.
Especially backhoes are very versatile, can be used all year round for everything around the property.

 

You could even find a posi-track skid steer to cut through those drifts. Bit smaller foot print for storage.

 

https://www.ebay.com/b/Skid-Steer-Loaders/95494/bn_1511519

Jep, good stuff there too.
But for my liking they are to leight weight and tend to slip and spin very easy on slippery surfaces.

 

Kubota for sure. I have a BX 2680 with a heated cab.

It moves a lot of snow without much effort or Diesel Fuel.

You might want to consider the LX model, bigger tractor, cab and snowblower.

Used ones are out there…