Need Advice on converting a PTO blower to Skidsteer

[Mr_C]

My dad bought a New Holland LS170 this spring. He wants to use it for snow removal for his driveway this winter. This won't be used comercially, but a blower would be a lot more convinient than a bucket.
He has a Mckee "snolander" model 320 5ft blower he had front mount on a little cub lowboy. Mounting the blower to a plate will be pretty easy, but we are still trying to work out the logistics with the hydraulics. Neither of us have much experience in this area. We suspect the blower is a 1000 rpm blower. (the lowboy has a 1600-1800 PTO and has a 2:1 pully reducing it down to about 800-900rpm). The lowboy is rated at 9.75 hp at the belt. It seemed to work find on the lowboy but it was pretty slow.
I can't find anything that states if it is a 540 or 1000 rpm blower. Not sure how to find out for sure.
The skidsteer is rated at 17.7gpm at 1000psi. By my calculations thats 10.3hp. Assuming its a 1000rpm blower, and we are going to operate at 17gpm, then I think we need a motor with a 3.9ci displacment. Something like this looks like it is close to what we would need (maybe slightly undersized).
https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=9-7907-63&catname=hydraulic
Keep in mind, we are used to babying old tractors, so we don't abuse our stuff, it also won't be used by others so I am not really concerned about overbuilding it.
Are my numbers right?
Anything else I need to concern myself with or other parts we should get?
We want to make sure we get everything figured out first before we start hacking. thanks in advance.
Mr_C

 

[TriHonu]

A couple of issues. My spec sheet shows the LS170 with a hydraulic pressure of 2600 psi not 1000. This will equate to about 26.8 HP.
The things to consider on any hydraulic motor is how much pressure and max flow they will handle. You also need to determine if the output shaft is supported by bearings. If the motor does not have bearings on the output shaft, you can not put any radial load on the shaft. These motors are designed to be coupled to a supported shaft.
The motor you selected will not not handle the max flow from your loader or the max pressure. If you get a chunk of ice jammed in the blower and stall it, the pressure from the loader will probably blow the motor seals. The only way around this is to plumb a pressure relief valve in parallel with the motor and set it to less than the max psi of the motor. This will allow the pressure to bypass the motor and dump into the return hose.
The flow issue can be handled by not running your loader wide open. (Less engine speed equals less hydraulic flow). Not a big deal, you just have to be aware of it.
I have a hydraulic handheld breaker that will only handle 5-6 gal per minute. I just start my machine at idle, engage the auxiliary hydraulics and try the hammer. I bump up the engine speed until the hammer is working properly.
I have used the CharLynn 2000 series motors on a number of skid steer projects. They work well and will handle the flow and pressure. They are more expensive and the smallest displacement motor in this series is 4.9 cubic inch motor. If you are belt/chain driving off the motor you can always gear up down to get the desired speed.

 

[Mr_C]

A couple of issues. My spec sheet shows the LS170 with a hydraulic pressure of 2600 psi not 1000. This will equate to about 26.8 HP.
The things to consider on any hydraulic motor is how much pressure and max flow they will handle. You also need to determine if the output shaft is supported by bearings. If the motor does not have bearings on the output shaft, you can not put any radial load on the shaft. These motors are designed to be coupled to a supported shaft.
The motor you selected will not not handle the max flow from your loader or the max pressure. If you get a chunk of ice jammed in the blower and stall it, the pressure from the loader will probably blow the motor seals. The only way around this is to plumb a pressure relief valve in parallel with the motor and set it to less than the max psi of the motor. This will allow the pressure to bypass the motor and dump into the return hose.
The flow issue can be handled by not running your loader wide open. (Less engine speed equals less hydraulic flow). Not a big deal, you just have to be aware of it.
I have a hydraulic handheld breaker that will only handle 5-6 gal per minute. I just start my machine at idle, engage the auxiliary hydraulics and try the hammer. I bump up the engine speed until the hammer is working properly.
I have used the CharLynn 2000 series motors on a number of skid steer projects. They work well and will handle the flow and pressure. They are more expensive and the smallest displacement motor in this series is 4.9 cubic inch motor. If you are belt/chain driving off the motor you can always gear up down to get the desired speed.

Thanks! To clarify, the rated flow I read in the manual was 17.7gpm at 1000psi. I am not sure what the flow rate is at the max psi (Which is 2600, as you said). I guess I wasn't very clear there. I will definately look into getting preasure relief valve. Honestly, I didn't spend a whole lot of time looking at motor options because I wasn't sure I had all the specs right. For instance, I totally missed the fact that I need to verify the motor has bearings on the output shaft if we end up doing a belt drive (I am hoping we can do a direct drive). I will look clser at the charlynn 2000 series motors.... it is nice to have a good starting point.

 

[dozer]

Thanks! To clarify, the rated flow I read in the manual was 17.7gpm at 1000psi. I am not sure what the flow rate is at the max psi (Which is 2600, as you said). I guess I wasn't very clear there. I will definately look into getting preasure relief valve. Honestly, I didn't spend a whole lot of time looking at motor options because I wasn't sure I had all the specs right. For instance, I totally missed the fact that I need to verify the motor has bearings on the output shaft if we end up doing a belt drive (I am hoping we can do a direct drive). I will look clser at the charlynn 2000 series motors.... it is nice to have a good starting point.

I actually converted a PTO snowblower over last year. It worked fantastic and sold for twice what I had into it. My Machine was an ASV 4810 pushing 24 GPM @ 2800 PSI.
I used this motor
https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2009110920171933&item=9-072-1040&catname=hydraulic
I only ran the machine at 3/4 throttle and it would eat as much as I could get in it. THe biggest issue I had was with the chute clogging up in wet snow. (snowblowers fault, not lack of power) I also used this blower on a 873 Bobcat and had great results although I did have to run the machine closer to operating RPM.
If your blower is 1000RPM though you will have to look around a little more.
Good Luck, Building attachments is a drug. Once you do it once your addicted for life.
Dozer

 

[Mr_C]

I actually converted a PTO snowblower over last year. It worked fantastic and sold for twice what I had into it. My Machine was an ASV 4810 pushing 24 GPM @ 2800 PSI.
I used this motor
https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2009110920171933&item=9-072-1040&catname=hydraulic
I only ran the machine at 3/4 throttle and it would eat as much as I could get in it. THe biggest issue I had was with the chute clogging up in wet snow. (snowblowers fault, not lack of power) I also used this blower on a 873 Bobcat and had great results although I did have to run the machine closer to operating RPM.
If your blower is 1000RPM though you will have to look around a little more.
Good Luck, Building attachments is a drug. Once you do it once your addicted for life.
Dozer

Just thought I would send out an update. We got the cheap motor I posted the link to earlier. Mounted it up and the blower seems to work pretty good. Now we are working on designing a cheap way to rotate the chute (currenlty looking at using an old 12v cordless drill and rewiring it to be controled from inside the cab. http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f263/riveroakranch/bobcat/IMG_0681.jpg http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f263/riveroakranch/bobcat/IMG_0680.jpg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqkE4rGv9TQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAIeRlH3o6E

 

[dune33]

Just thought I would send out an update. We got the cheap motor I posted the link to earlier. Mounted it up and the blower seems to work pretty good. Now we are working on designing a cheap way to rotate the chute (currenlty looking at using an old 12v cordless drill and rewiring it to be controled from inside the cab. http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f263/riveroakranch/bobcat/IMG_0681.jpg http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f263/riveroakranch/bobcat/IMG_0680.jpg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqkE4rGv9TQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAIeRlH3o6E

a wiper motor from a car or truck will work great for that just couple the shafts and use a reversing switch in the cab it looks like you are getting the same white stuff that we have hear in MN dune33

 

[Mr_C]

a wiper motor from a car or truck will work great for that just couple the shafts and use a reversing switch in the cab it looks like you are getting the same white stuff that we have hear in MN dune33

I had thought of that, but wasn't sure if wiper motors were reversable... I had considered using a power window motor, but dad liked the ideal of the drill (with a reversing switch in the cab), if it doesn't work out, we will probably try a different motor. That snow probably looks a lot like yours cause we are in MN also (west central).

 

[dune33]

I had thought of that, but wasn't sure if wiper motors were reversable... I had considered using a power window motor, but dad liked the ideal of the drill (with a reversing switch in the cab), if it doesn't work out, we will probably try a different motor. That snow probably looks a lot like yours cause we are in MN also (west central).

yes you can reverse them but you just need to have one with a isolated ground wire so it wont short in one direction, i have used them for deferent things and is's amazing how much power they have and they seem to last a long time

 

[rrexp4]

I know this is a old post but i was wondering if you might still have the drive shaft that came off of the loboy for the mckee 320 I would be intrested in buying it if you do?