# Hydraulic chute rotation on front mount snowblower



## thirdroc17

I recently purchased a Kubota BX-2670 sub compact tractor with a front snow blower. The manual chute rotation assembly that came with it, well, sucks, in my opinion. Kubota offers a hydraulic rotation, but it's a premium in price at over $800.

The tractor hydraulics provide 6GPM with 1850PSI max. It has a two spool loader valve, only one of which is being used for lifting the blower.

So I'm thinking a bracket, a small hydraulic motor, say, 1/4" lines if I can get the proper fittings, couple the motor to shaft on the chute, plug it into the two existing quick fittings, and walla, compulsive selective participation syndrome satisfied. IE, I'm lazy and this fits the bill.

Yes, many people use an electric motor. Then go to lengths in an attempt to waterproof them, etc. Then there is where to put the switch. There is no good place to put the switch so it can used readily, but that joy stick that runs both spools is already in my palm. No reaching or dicking around. Just push it sideways, and the chute rotates. Up and down for up and down on the blower. A PERFECT scenario if you ask me, and I will be the one using it.....

Now my questions come up. If it turns too fast, it'll need a flow control to slow it down. I see they come in both one way, with full flow the other, and restricted flow both ways. Would I need to use two one way controls, one on each side of the motor, or would one, both way control work? The chute would turn the same speed either way after all. I'm kinda hoping the small diameter hose just slows things down. After all, does it matter how the flow is restricted to slow it down?

The motors I'm looking at are reversible of course, but they also have a "drain port available". Would it have to be hooked up? Second, where the devil would it plumb into the system?

I should be able to assemble all these components for about $200. Surplus Center has a couple of affordable motors, one or the other should fit the bill.

Thanks in advance! I've never plumbed a hydraulic motor before, so would like to have a handle ahead of time on what to do, and more importantly, what NOT to do.


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## Country Boy

A simple gear motor should work fine for you. How do you plan to connect it to the chute? Roller chain and sprockets? Worm gear drive? Friction drive? As for your flow restrictor, either way would work as using two of the one way restrictors will have the same effect as the two way model. Smaller hoses will help as well with restricting flow. I'm not sure on what the drain port would be used for. Possibly to drain the oil from the motor for some reason? All the motors I've worked with have two ports open for the hoses to hook to.

Another thing on restricting the speed of the motor... does your control valve for your hydraulics have a feathering option? In other words, when you pull the lever a little bit, does the hydraulics kick on full blast, or is it slowed based on how far you pull the lever? If flow is dependent on how far you move the lever, then in theory, you wouldn't have to bother with a restrictor in the line as you could control the speed with the lever. Our Bobcat's loader is that way. The more you move the lever, the faster the loader moves. The aux control for the grapple isn't the same. That's controlled by a toggle switch on the top of the joystick, and it is either on or off, with nothing in between.


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## thirdroc17

As I'm figuring it all out.....

I plan a direct drive between the motor and the chute rotor shaft. The chute shaft isn't designed for side loads so don't want to add them. I believe what I'm looking at is commonly called a lovejoy coupler.

The tractor and blower are new, but I'm 99% sure the valve will feather. Since it has no current use, it's kinda hard to say for sure. Darn well should though!

The current plan is to start with all 1/4" fittings. It's a subcompact, so those will probably flow more than I want to anyway, but that's where I'm going to start. Hook it all up, and see what it does. If it's too fast, or not controllable enough with the lever, I'll add restricters as needed.


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## Country Boy

You could use a lovejoy coupler, or simply a piece of hydraulic hose cut to 4-6" long and slid over the shaft and the motor output. Clamp them down with some hose clamps and see what happens. That's how the ring drive on our silo unloader was set up until we converted it over to a separate motor drive setup. There used to be a shaft with two hose couplers on it that drove from the auger gearbox to the outer ring drive gearbox. It was simple and it worked. Plus, it allows for any variance in the shaft alignment without stress on the shaft.


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## thirdroc17

Wooo HOOOO! That's a plan!!!!! All too often, I find a complicated solution to a simple problem. A hose. How simple. How appropriate. If not overtightened, also a slip device so the torque of the motor won't tear things apart.

That's the thing with buying a bigger displacement motor to slow it down, it makes a LOT of torque.

Dang.... Thanks again!


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## Country Boy

No problem. I don't know if it will work for you, but its cheap and worth a try. They used that same idea on the speed crank for the bale thrower on our New Holland small square baler. I've seen it used on some snow heads on lawn and garden tractors too.


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## thirdroc17

I've seen it before too, just can't say where. Makes one smack oneself on the forehead, ya know? :argh: 

Frankly? If this worked out of the gate, it would be the first time. I'm constantly fiddling with stuff to improve the performance, and not to proud to admit it often starts with a step backwards.

I could go with Kubota's set up, but who the heck can afford that? Broke my bank getting the dern thing.

Any and all suggestions taken in content intended. All results are my own darn fault! Unless it works right, in which case, THANKS GUYS!


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