154 with snowthrower

[Findoggy]

Anyone ever used their 154 with a snowthrower? I have been looking at a 154 with creeper and snowthrower. I was wondering how it handled the snowthrower. I have used a single stage snowthrower on my cub cadet 73 with creeper and actually preferred a hydro tractor for that task. I wonder though, if it was because the CC 73 (7hp) was a tad underpowered for running the snowthrower. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,
jason

[Rudi]

Jason:

I am going to be watching this thread, cause I just acquired one of them thar snowthrowers

[outdoors4evr]

I don't have any experience with the 154, but I do have the 184 with the snowthrower.
The creeper is a must as 1st gear (regular) is too fast at WOT.
3" of heavy snow can be handled in 2nd gear creeper at WOT.
6" of heavy snow can be handled in 1st gear creeper at WOT.

Keeping the belt tight between the PTO and the driveshaft is key. I wish I had a spring loaded tensioner for it rather than the manual method of belt tensioning.

Something must be done to ease the steering effort. Eitehr use narrow front tires or load a weight on the 3-point hitch.

If you have 3-point hitch, make sure you have a selector switch or a method to lock out the 3-point. This is so you don't have to wait for the 3-point to raise before the snowthrower. (heaviest option moves last)

The system is quite beastly and really does a good job.
Would like to hear about the 154 from others.

[BigBill]

I'm interested in the 154 snowblower info too. I'd like to pick one up or build one. I have one 154 with the creeper right now and i have an extra creeper setup thats going in my int154 with the 3pt hitch. This will allow me to use a rear tiller too.

If i can find a snowblower that i'm looking for i'll fabricate a two stage blower for my int154. I'm thinking a 54" to 60" width would work.

I already have the fully enclosed SIMS cab for it too.

You can't breathe the fine snow the snowblower is throwing. If you breathe it in enough you can have a heart attack. This is what killed my uncle he was blowing snow with no face protection. They think thats what caused his heart attack.(doctors)

[Findoggy]

I decided to pass on it...need it like I need a hole in my head. Anyway, it's a 154 with snowthrower and a fully enclosed IH windbreaker. If anyone wants info I can provide it. Findoggy

[DanBuckman]

I've never used a snow blower, and I've never used anything as small as a cub to push snow.
I know how slow the cub is in creeper and though, (but don't know), it should be able to push a plow much faster..
I guess I'm wondering if it's more limited with a snow plow than I expected or is there something about a blower that makes up for resorting to a creeper gear?

[SONNY]

I have a 36" thrower off my cc # 80- hydro. tractor, and its only a single stage, so you had to feed it VERY slow or it just clogged!--also didnt throw very far, and 8 hp would NOT pull it.--cadet wouldnt push it very good either, even with chains on it!
I have the use of a 10 hp MTD 2-stage blower now and that puppy will put the snow into the next county as fast as you can walk!---Beats the heck out of blades and throwers, plus the snow cant blow back in any deeper than it was before you blew it away!--Dont have to look for place to stack snow either!
From what I have been around, the blowers need to have some sort of speed control!--Also HORSEPOWER!!LOL! LOTS of it!---The 6' to 8 or 10' units that go on big tractors need live pto on tractor to work very well.
Look at some of the videos on U-Tube about snow blowers and you will also get a good idea of the power and traction needed to push a blower!---My favorite vid is "smokin Joe" and his 40,000 pound blower,--That thing has to toss snow 130 feet into the air!--and I think most of that type use around 500 hp (or more) engines for the main power!---some have their own engine mounted on the blower itself!
If making a home brew unit for cub,, consider an extra engine to drive just the thrower and this would allow pushing at a much slower rate, (even inching into the snow), while keeping the auger running at rated speed!---another trick to do on single stage units is to change the drive ratio to speed up the unit. (if you have plenty of hp to pull it)!
I drove township snowplows(both graders with wings and trucks) for 30 years and been some bad stuff during that time, also got frozen feet that now turn black even today because I froze them back then!--part of my ears are also missing!---Be very careful out there in the snow,---Its mean stuff! thanks; sonny

[BigBill]

My 7.6hp gravely tractor would throw snow over the tops of the telephone poles with ease wether the snow was heavy wet snow or powdery snow. Its all about the correct ratio between the auger and the fan. My old open side blower had a 1 to 4 ratio while the newer ones have the 1 to 10 ratios. Thats 1 turn of the auger to 10 turns of the fan. That keeps the snow moving very fast thru it. I'm sure if i made a blower for my 154 it would be at least a 1 to 10 or more.

[tklunder]

I have a 154 with a snow thrower. I have a creeeper dive and 3PH. The secret to blowing snow, that I found ,was getting just the right speed for the amont of snow. If you go too slow or fast the auger is not full enough and will plug the blower. I have cub wheels on the back with ag tires and one set of weights. On the back,I keep my scrapoer blade for extra rear wieght and for pulling or pushing snow, I find it works quite well. McKee made a 2 stadge blower for the 154, but I think they are quite hard to find. Ted

[BigBill]

I'm thinking as we get older how am i still going to get work done and not need to bother anyone to help me(kids). I figure someday the snowblower would be the key to keeping the snow removal going as i or if i hit the 60's and 70's. Plowing snow with a snowplow is a lot of work as to using a snowblower. A snowblower on a 154 would do my driveway in two passes were a snowplow will take 3 or 4 passes. As we get older i'm not sure if the seat time will really matter. Mowng the lawn gets really old by the fall and so does plowing snow after the first few snow falls too.