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Woods Vs Pronovost Puma Snowblowers

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aking50
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 11 maine
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2003-08-03          60827

I'm looking at a Kubota 3130 HST with ag tires. One of the implements I plan to get with it is a 6' snowblower. The dealers here in Maine have the Woods SS74 or the Pronovost Puma 72. I would appreciate any feedback on how these models compare. thanks, Jim

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Woods Vs Pronovost Puma Snowblowers

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blizzard
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 282 Central Maine
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2003-08-03          60838

I chose a Puma 64 for my 3130. Reasons: Reputation, price. Would have gone to 74" if I had more power or sharp curves.
Winter will show if this was a wise choice.
Just my 2cents.. ....

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Woods Vs Pronovost Puma Snowblowers

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TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2003-08-04          60875

Can't comment on specifics. I have a 5' Meteor, which is a middle quality/price blower and has worked well for me through four winters.

Other than strength of construction and I hear that Pronovost is very good there, the best way to compare blowers is to ask how much snow they blow and how far. The answer to that is mostly the fan diameter and rpm. If a blower doesn't throw much snow, then going will be pretty slow. You have to cut ground speed or the blower turns into a plow and starts pushing snow ahead of it until traction breaks. Then you have to stop and chew away at the pile or turn around and move some with the loader.

I do have to use my lowest reverse for wet snows starting about 2' deep so I could use a blower with a bigger fan. It blows it far enough, just not enough of it sometimes. I don't know if my 24hp tractor could run a much bigger fan though. Oh, I have to do frequent and precise aiming. I wouldn't be without my hydraulic chute, although there are electrically rotated ones as well. ....

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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2003-08-04          60902

I'm alittle partial here, we sell Puma's! ....

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Woods Vs Pronovost Puma Snowblowers

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harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2003-08-04          60946

Well, Art, since you weighted. I don't know if the one I bought from you is a Puma. Me thinks my Pronovost is a littler heavier than a Puma.

I will say this about the 68" Pronovost, that I have, it is just as heavy as the best loftness in the same class and it is UNBELIAVABLE how far it will throw snow. I bought this past season in the spring and used it to open up heavy snow banks that 4x4's couldn't move any longer. I had a loader stacked snowpile out back and it chewed it up ice and all.

GET THE HYD CHUTE ROTATOR OPTION it is truley worth it.

Thanks again ART! Harvey ....

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aking50
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 11 maine
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2003-08-04          60956

The hydraulic chute sounds like a good idea, though I suppose it means I would need the remote hydraulic control valve option which I haven't priced on the 3130HST.
The Puma specs. I have lists a Puma-64 and Puma-74 but no 68.
The Puma-74 has a 22" impeller diameter and weighs 680 lbs. while the Woods SS74 has a 23" impeller diameter and weighs 507 lbs. The Woods does have a bolt-on cutting edge but no hydraulic option listed for the chute. It sure would be nice to try them out before buying. I thank you guys for your thoughts, Jim. ....

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Woods Vs Pronovost Puma Snowblowers

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TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2003-08-05          60965

I don't think you'd regret getting a rear outlet either. I wish I had two. Seems like almost every implement has a hydraulic something option nowadays. I think about the only time I don't have something connected to mine is when digging post holes. The PHA down pressure kit I didn't get would need one though.

Seems strange Woods wouldn't offer a hydraulic chute option but maybe they offer an electric one. I've never operated a mechanical rotator so I don't know how awkward they are.

I do know that when I'm clearing a highway entrance and turning out onto the shoulder. I'm steering to keep from going into the ditch, looking through the blowing snow at the ditch and watching for traffic at the same time. I also have to keep the chute turning so the snow blows into the ditch.

The police take a dim view of people who push snow onto the highway or let it blow across traffic, and so they should. My chute control is a handle at shoulder height right next to the steering wheel and I just don't want to deal with anything more awkward than that. A rear outlet would be worth it to me just for that. My wife gets real cranky if I blow snow on her car when I'm clearing between parking and the house too. Don't know if I'd rather face cranky police or cranky wife but my hydraulic chute saves me from either. ....

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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2003-08-05          60998

Harvey, the one you own is a professional model. The Puma uses many of the same design features as yours but does lack some of the beef! ....

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aking50
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 11 maine
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2003-08-06          61063

My driveway is gravel. Is the Woods or Puma model mentioned better adapted to handling rocks? I assume a high skid adjustment will reduce this problem. ....

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Woods Vs Pronovost Puma Snowblowers

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TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2003-08-07          61116

I doubt that either would be very good with rocks, but it's something to avoid anyway.

I have compacted gravel (pit run) dives and there isn't much loose rock on top during the summer. Still the blower is about useless until the gravel freezes and I can clean off any loose stone with the loader before switching to the blower for the winter. Shortening the top-link pulls the blade off the surface, but the problem is that before freeze-up the skid shoes sink into the gravel. Mine are ordinary skid-shoes and there may be some options for one of these blowers but I'm not sure if wide shoes would really solve the problem. Blades and plows have the same problem.

Holding the blower up with the 3ph doesn't work too well, especially if there are dips or hills on the drive. Every time the front wheels go up the blower goes down. At best, I'd end up having to use the loader anyway because I'd have to leave at least 6" of snow to avoid getting stone in the blower. Early snows tend to be wet and sticky and even a fairly high blower tends to push snow along the surface of the ground. Stone sticks to the bottom of the snow and rolls up into the blower. Since I have to use the loader anyway, I just do the whole thing with the loader until freezup.

If you have large aggregate that doesn't freeze solid or doesn't stay frozen all winter you might rethink the blower idea. The main reason I use a blower is that we get lots of snow and people who plow have to worry about running out of storage space before spring. Then they have to try to push back frozen birms with a tractor and loader, which doesn't work very well.
....

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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2003-08-07          61123

For stones Tom was right on with the top link being shortened. Look at the skid shoes, the wider they are the better for floating across the driveway. ....

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