Hydraulic drive replacement for belt drive snowblower

[RICK PILGRIM]

I’d like to convert our belt driven garden tractor snowblower to hydraulic drive, the tractor has a 16hp 34cid engine and a 42” wide snowblower.
Pump rpm would need to be 3600 rpm and hydraulic motor rpm should be +/-3000.
Local sources are telling me I need a 16-18gpm pump and a 20gm motor and min 15 gallon tank to do this. That sounds excessive to me and my hydraulic design knowledge is very limited.
Help Please

 

[hydtools]

They probably based their answer on the horsepower of your engine, 16 hp.
1 gpm @ 1500 psi is roughly 1 hp.
Does the snowblower need 16hp?

Ted

 

[RICK PILGRIM]

It’s a single stage blower that rotates at +/- 1200 rpm so 12hp would enough

Rick

 

[hydtools]

I guess I have to back up and ask why do you want to change to hydraulic drive if hydraulic power is not currently available. You are starting from scratch.

Ted

 

[RICK PILGRIM]

The reason for this is the current drive system is an a145 v belt that runs from the center of the machine to the front under the machine to a 7” pulley. That pulley is on a .750 23” long shaft in needle bearings. The other end of the shaft which drives a #50 roller chain to the snow blower auger/impeller.
We use it commercially for around 7 city blocks of sidewalk, and it fits in the back of our plow trucks.
The problem with this system is the belt location and strength, it either slips the belt if snow gets on it(even with 30lbs tension on the return side) or worse in over 5” or greater snow will rip the belt in half even at the lowest tension. The pulleys are smooth and within spec also.
Over this past winter we spent $367.21 on belts and over 5 yrs you can see why I’d like to change the design.
The blower has 3 flat plates I can mount the motor and I can belt drive the pump with a B 40 v belt off the rear pto pulley.

 

[hydtools]

You might look at Muncie Power Products for ideas. Even PTO pump drives.

https://www.munciepower.com/

Ted