SNOWBLOWERS

[JCS]

I have been looking at used snowblowers for AC 912 or Simplicity 7016 and want to know why some run from the front pully and need additional parts and some run from mower deck PTO? Is one better than the other?

[Les]

On the 900-7100 series tractors the exhaust was changed to exit through the frame. Apparently this change did not leave enough room for a front PTO so they started running the blowers off the rear PTO using a very long belt. There are two bolt on positions for the rear PTO idler pulley to give the correct belt angle. The blowers themselves are the same, just a different hitch. Last year I ran the blower on my B-112 using the rear PTO. Finding the right belt length is a problem. A bigger problem is getting the idler pulleys to the right angles to prevent excessive belt wear. I made a U shaped piece of metal, drilled holes in it, then bent the open end in a vice to make a V shaped piece to change the angle of the front idler, it worked. On a 700-7000 series it may be a little more difficult because you also have to change the angle of the rear idler pulley. You would also need a very long belt that is shorter than that used on a 900-7100 series.

[Al]

Hi, The early 7100s used the front clutch also, but in the mid 80s the center drive was adopted. On the 3400, 7000 Sim and 700 ACs the center drive is not very satisfactory, as both pullies are on the tightener pivot and it is very dificult to keep the belt tight on a heavy pull like the blower. On the 7100s the rear idler [pull side] is mounted solid to the frame and the slack side is spring tensioned. Works well on this tractor. If you are putting on the clutch, the one from a single will fit, but you need the disc with the larger crankshaft hole to put it on the twin cyls. These plates are still available new. Good luck, AL

[JCS]

So if I keep the Simplicity 7016 then I want to run the blower from the front pully and need the assessory clutch because the mower deck PTO is NOT a solid mount? And if I use the AC 912 then I used the mower PTO becaus e it is a solid mount? Is the blower the same and I need different "hitches" or do I just need different belts and move the idler pulleys to different holes? Does that mean that the current blower drives from the mower PTO?

[PhilD]

As I understand it, you need different hitches for the blower depending on where you want to drive it from and or which tractor your going to use. It was also mentioned to me that I could drive the blower from the center PTO if I had the right hitch and a longer belt but it wouldn't work very good. I have an AC 716H and I drive the blower from an electric clutch that was off a different horsepower engine that I adapted to my engine. No problems so far, and I don't expect any. I believe AL was talking about using the mechanical clutch front PTO. Or did I get this wrong AL. I would suppose you could figure out how to mount an electric clutch to the engine of the AC 912 if you have or can get the proper hitch. I'm sure that someone will correct me if I am wrong about this. PhilD

[Guest]

There is nothing wrong with using the bevel gear box PTO - it is the current style and works very well - also eliminating the need for a second PTO setup. Both PTOs are mounted solidly with spring loaded idlers tensioning the belt. 7000 use short hitch with engine PTO - 7100 use longer hitch for bevel gear box PTO. The changeover was made around 1979.