Personally, I would go with the 47" so its got the metal impeller already. The 47 should have the metal impeller unless they have cheapened that model with the poly one. I bet its metal.

The width difference isn't that big of a deal for the improved function of the metal impeller in sloppy wet snow. Otherwise, its a coin toss, really.

My $02.'s worth.....

 

Personally, I would go with the 47" so its got the metal impeller already. The 47 should have the metal impeller unless they have cheapened that model with the poly one. I bet its metal.

The width difference isn't that big of a deal for the improved function of the metal impeller in sloppy wet snow. Otherwise, its a coin toss, really.

The 47-inch blowers also switched to a poly impeller several years ago.

 

Not to make your decision more difficult, but I have the exact opposite opinion of SulleyBear. I own and use the 54" QH blower on my x738. It throws snow like 40 to 50 feet and has the dreaded poly impeller. As best as I can tell, the poly impeller issue is vastly overblown on online forums and matters little in practical use. In my opinion, the bigger issue is the blower width. The 47" blower is just slightly narrower than the tire width of your x758. So that means you can only go straight without compressing the snow on either side with the tires prior to blowing. It becomes extremely difficult if not impossible to turn without the tires riding up over the adjacent unblown snow with the 47". You still get a small amount of that for tight turns with the 54". For the price difference, the 54" is leagues better just to be able to maneuver.

 

I appreciate the advice and feedback. 40-50 ft is still a hell of a toss if the conditions are correct. I would be happy with that throw! I'm hoping the poly thing is blown out of proportion and I'd be interested in giving the poly an honest try before dropping $500 on the steel right away. From my parking area to my driveway portion there is a 60 ash degree turn thats 10-12' in width. Otherwise zero turns.

My front walkway is 43" in width and I have plans to make it wider in the future so I didn't hit there lawn with my 66" plow.

Price difference between that discounted 47 blower installed ($2819) and the BNIB 54 blower installed ($3480) is $660....that certainly isn't pennies. But buy once cry once.

 

54" blower is the better match to the x7-series tractors. Unless you need to fit through a narrow gate or something get it over the 47". The tractor can certainly handle it.

Note that if you're used to single stage blowers on other tractor models you may be disappointed with the side spillover and mounds of snow pushed in front of these x7 blowers.

Rob

 

54" blower is the better match to the x7-series tractors. Unless you need to fit through a narrow gate or something get it over the 47". The tractor can certainly handle it.

Note that if you're used to single stage blowers on other tractor models you may be disappointed with the side spillover and mounds of snow pushed in front of these x7 blowers.

Rob

I've only ever used Ariens hydro pro walk behind blowers so not usually a lot of spill unless i took too large of a bite. No gates either

 

I just replaced my 2003 x475 with a new x739 in this past December. I'm not certain what year my new 47" blower is, the tractor is a 2019. It does have the enclosed chain case and fiber impeller. I live in Minnesota so my last blower got used in it's 15 years or so that I had it. I won't go as far as to say my new blower doesn't work well, but the old one worked better. I guess I never even looked at a 54" blower, 47" works well for me.

 

Thank you for the advice. You always have the option of trying the flap mod or the more expensive solution of guying the $500 steel impeller.

 

Its likely all of the blowers have the poly impeller, the change from steel to poly was done years ago.

I bought my 2025 with blower in October of 19 and it came with a oil bath chaincase. I personally would not buy any snowblower with an exposed chain and sprocket. I've owned both and the exposed system requires constant maintenance. The enclosed gearcase is not only more quiet but it requires no maintenance. I've put about 100 hours of running on my tractor moving snow and have not had to touch the sprocket setup.

Outside of that there are no differences between the 47 and 54 blowers. I would recommend a 54 for your machine.

The poly impeller is not an overblown issue. Its the single most idiotic thing Deere has done. They took a part that gave good performance and replaced it with a substandard one, all in the name of cost and fewer complaints by casual users. Put those blowers in wet snow and they are dogs, they hardly throw snow enough to get out of the way.

 

The poly impeller is not an overblown issue. Its the single most idiotic thing Deere has done. They took a part that gave good performance and replaced it with a substandard one, all in the name of cost and fewer complaints by casual users. Put those blowers in wet snow and they are dogs, they hardly throw snow enough to get out of the way.

Not my experience at all. I've blown soupy, sloppy wet snow (slush, actually) and it throws it decently. It's actually the only thing this 2-stage blower does better than the single stage 42" on my old 345. Don't get me wrong, the 54" blower can move a lot of snow and is probably faster in a single cut of deep snow than the 42" could ever be, but the spillover and piles cause many extra passes that net a slower overall result.

Yes, I don't doubt that the poly impeller is a downgrade. But it isn't a major deal for everyone. Just like the spillover and mounds of snow that bug me don't seem to bother others as much.

Rob

 

I would get the blower you can get the best deal on. Performance wise on an x7 I have no issues backing and turning with the 47 on my x738. You may clip some snow but your just going to send it thru the blower all the same.

Steel vs poly and open vs closed chain. Its all dependant on the snow you get and what you think is ok from your perspective on the tractor seat.

I have a steel impeller and closed chain drive. In the 12"+ wet heavy mess of a storm on Monday I was throwing snow 30 feet going as fast as I could without bogging down the motor. I was tossing the plow berm in my neighbors driveway across the street and into the grass on the other side of the road.

At the same rate any snowblower with any impeller is better than not having a snowblower when faced with snow like we just had.

Poly can always be changed out. The chain drive can always be upgraded after the open chain stretches too many times.

47 vs 54 ... Meh you still are sitting down and blowing snow letting the tractor do the work.

 

Limited experience here, but a couple of extreme ones: A 47" blower with poly impeller in about 4-5" of slushy snow, where the technique was to push the snow forward the length of the drive and across the street, as there was no place to blow the snow to either side (houses on each side in between). This was on 50-80 foot lengths. In a few instances over four driveways I had to stop and clear out the mush from the packed impeller/chute. But when one considers what I'm actually doing it's reasonable and actually rather OK that I only had to clear it a few times. It was a rather interesting stress test of sorts and it seemed to handle it well.

It certainly did have me thinking about the metal version, but it was a rather abnormal case I suppose, although with this watery/slushy winter maybe not so out of the norm. I do plan to likely upgrade the impeller but more importantly to the gearbox as that all seems preferable over the long haul. I got a "tweener" 47" with the poly impeller and sprocket/chain Spring of '19, assuming it was an '18 left in stock in hindsight, and can't complain as I got a good buck off the package. It's had three trips out blowing this year, basically one season, so I'll probably do this in the off season to avoid the existing impeller seizing and nip that in the bud with the newer update and maybe adding a zerk......

As for 47" vs. 54" blower considerations, the wider blower on a normal steering machine like the 758 allows one to keep the track of the wheels inside the blown path of snow, but for those lurking for their own considerations in cyberland, I'll point out that the 4 wheel steer machines allow the 47" blower to do pretty well when it comes to being able to have the tractor follow the blower path. There can be a smidge of contact with my rear HDAP tires on the edge of the snow path behind, but very minimal and not a detriment to the overall job. So while the original poster with an x758 might want the wider version for the clear path to drive through, a side benefit of the 47" exists for those with the 4 wheel steer, like an X739.

 

thanks man i appreciate the info.

Just to clarify when the snow volume was minimal you pushed the snow for a distance as if it was a pusher and/or you then flipped on the pto an blew out the bucket?

 

How does the enclosed case avoid the need for chain adjustments?

 

There is physically no way to adjust the chain in the chain case. No externally reachable tensioner. Not sure what exactly lurks inside the case.

Another reason for no adjustment required is that the chain is in an oil bath. The wear on the chain and the sprockets with significantly decrease because of this.

Thirdly the chain inside the case is a bigger size than the open drive chain. Again making it less likely for the chain to stretch.

 

I just put a steel fan in my 54" snow blower -- parts and labor $800. I just didn't want to tackle it, Steel fan is much better than the plastic -- about 20' more distance. On my old 47" steel fan; it did very well after I increased the blower speed by 20%.
It was the old style open gear and chain. I used this on my X585.

rob

 

is there a part number for the metal impeller?

 

I have the 47 inch and I don't seem to have the problems others have had with not throwing the snow far enough or plugging. I'm glad I didn't get the 54 inch but I didn't know why until I plowed with it the first time. We have a straight shot wheelchair ramp on the back of our house. The 47 inch fits between the handrails. The 54 inch wouldn't. Less snow for me to shovel. I still have to shovel the ramp but only an inch or so instead of a foot. If there aren't any width considerations get the 54.
My blower has the plastic impeller and it's 4 years old so they changed them out a few years back.
Ron

 

I have a 47” on my 1025r has the plastic impeller and really haven’t had a problem with throwing wet snow gets it out of the way. I have a long driveway takes me about 2hrs every storm. I’ve used it in about 6 or 7 storms now.

 

I could be wrong, but I seem to remember that the 54" had heavier side plates. Heavy side plate reinforcements are or were available to install on the 47.

 

i've never heard that they are any stronger with thicker steel

 

I've got the 2019 47 and it has the new side plates. Only difference from the 54 is the width. Glad I didn't get the 54 as the 47 is more maneuverable and with the recent storm in the northeast, the 54 would have struggled drawing in the snow into the same size impeller and chute.

 

What's the issue with drawing in snow? Are you saying even with driving forward you don't get enough snow into the auger?

 

Ah good to know.
I do not have the heavy sides on my 47 but It does have the heavier gearbox cover and a steel impeller!

 

I bought a 54" with the plastic impeller and open sprockets.
The open sprockets were so horribly out of concentric that they had to be replaced.
They were replaced with the closed chain-case at my request.
At the same time they installed a metal impeller for me.

So, I have actually owned and operated both.

If I was buying new, I would insist on the enclosed chain-case. Between the poor quality of the open sprockets, and the obviously improved prospect of longevity and little maintenance with an oil bathed chain... no brainer.

Avoid the open chain set like the plague on a new blower. (I'm sure the older sets are fine, but the new stuff is way off the mark in quality)

The plastic impeller wasn't "garbage" for me... it worked, it didn't plug up, it was quieter when unloaded than the steel one is. I had zero issues with it for an entire winter, and it showed no wear, even with my gravel driveway.

But... the steel impeller does seem to toss snow a little bit further. (maybe 5-10 feet further)
I do not believe the gearing to have changed.. but I can't say either way if that had any effect.

The steel impeller does make more noise when not loaded. I think the plastic damped some of the harmonics or something.
I'd not deem it worth $800 more immediately unless $800 doesn't mean a lot to you, or you must have the best possible throw distance at any cost. I'd wear it out (if thats a thing)... then replace with steel if it does ever wear out.

If you can get it in steel for a couple hundred more, go for it... it is an improvement.
I'd not hesitate to have a plastic impeller or worry too much about it.

My 54" does have rather thick side plates.

I didnt notice any struggling with either of our last two storms (24" ish of average density snow" and 10" of wet heavy stuff) on my 1023e. I'm happy to have the extra 7".

 

Thank you for the advice. I have never read anywhere until this thread that the 54 has a beefed auger box. I thought the box was the exact same in strength

All three units and to my understanding all units going forward will have the sealed gearbox and poly impeller. The gearbox is a smart move. I can definitely appreciate the poly impeller for the reason of less vibration and noise. I would imagine it is less forgiving should the impeller ever hit the housing due to damage.

Steel impeller would be $500 for a DIY mod. I didn't bother inquiring about the dealer installing it as it doesn't appear that hard.

You put that snowblower against 24" of snow in a single pass?! Damn that's awesome! I would be nervous about that and then it not working out well and saying "oh I'm SOL now i better start shoveling because I didn't do a pass at 12" of snow." LOL

 

My 2 cents. I live east of Buffalo NY in an area subject to lake affect snow. Bought my x758 in the fall of 2014 not long before we had a weird storm. I was lucky and only got 30 inches of snow. That was what I used my 54 inch blower in for the first time. My reason for choosing the 54 was the width. The tractor is 46 1/2 inches wide. So it seemed to me that the 47 was going to be a hassle to use. I know others are happy with the 47 but I just feel I wouldn’t be. I did change the sprocket and chain in mine after the second year. The Deere chain is garbage along with the driven sprocket. It runs smoother now and still has the TSC chain on it. I have not had a failure with the plastic impeller but it is very worn now. All three driveways I clean are stone. No matter how careful you are you are going to run stones through it. I think the increased speed from the smaller sprocket has sped up the wear. I would like to change to the steel impeller but I really can’t justify the cost. If I could by it from our engine parts distributor for the price shown on our account I would in a heartbeat. The ag dealers are definitely making enough profit on this steel impeller that should have been in a 3000 dollar snow blower in the first place.
My advice would be to buy the 54 If it has the enclosed chain case even better. I wouldn’t worry about the impeller until it’s wore out or you happen to have $450 you have no idea what to do with. The only time I have problems with slushy snow is if I do not have the rpm’s high enough.
My biggest complaint is the amount of snow these blowers push and leave in piles. The auger in every other blower I have owned would dig a hole in a pile of snow. This one won’t hardly move it into the impeller. I remember thinking the auger was running in reverse when I first used the blower Sorry for rambling on

 

My 2 cents. I live east of Buffalo NY in an area subject to lake affect snow. Bought my x758 in the fall of 2014 not long before we had a weird storm. I was lucky and only got 30 inches of snow. That was what I used my 54 inch blower in for the first time. My reason for choosing the 54 was the width. The tractor is 46 1/2 inches wide. So it seemed to me that the 47 was going to be a hassle to use. I know others are happy with the 47 but I just feel I wouldn’t be. I did change the sprocket and chain in mine after the second year. The Deere chain is garbage along with the driven sprocket. It runs smoother now and still has the TSC chain on it. I have not had a failure with the plastic impeller but it is very worn now. All three driveways I clean are stone. No matter how careful you are you are going to run stones through it. I think the increased speed from the smaller sprocket has sped up the wear. I would like to change to the steel impeller but I really can’t justify the cost. If I could by it from our engine parts distributor for the price shown on our account I would in a heartbeat. The ag dealers are definitely making enough profit on this steel impeller that should have been in a 3000 dollar snow blower in the first place.
My advice would be to buy the 54 If it has the enclosed chain case even better. I wouldn’t worry about the impeller until it’s wore out or you happen to have $450 you have no idea what to do with. The only time I have problems with slushy snow is if I do not have the rpm’s high enough.
My biggest complaint is the amount of snow these blowers push and leave in piles. The auger in every other blower I have owned would dig a hole in a pile of snow. This one won’t hardly move it into the impeller. I remember thinking the auger was running in reverse when I first used the blower Sorry for rambling on

Thank you for the advice and you certainly get more snow snow than I do in CT. All three units will have the sealed gearbox as well as the poly impeller.

I will likely be operating the machine at near 100% throttle (green zone) just like when I'm mowing.

It sounds like the auger relies more on the operator increasing ground speed to maintain a steady flow of snow going into the bucket. I've plowed the last two years and broke my cherry doing it the year before. I definitely know how bad snow can overflow and pile up 🤣

 

Okay so around 4pm the dealer callwe and gave me the special pricing on the open box special 47. I updated my original post with the updated pricing as well as his offer to install and pick it up at no charge.

All three have never been assembled. All three have poly impellers but they do have the revised sealed gearbox.

To quote from above


REVISED Dealer included pickup/delivery of my tractor for pto install along with the 1.5hr install time plus tax. If I do the install myself then I save roughly $220 on the BNIB units only.

I'm considering the following:
-2020 47 snowblower (new enclosed gbx, poly impeller) $3050
-2020 54 snowblower (new enclosed gbx, poly impeller) $3480
-2020 47 snowblower open crate sitting outside for 3mo (new enclosed gbx, poly impeller) $2819 was the deal


Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

Okay so around 4pm the dealer callwe and gave me the special pricing on the open box special 47. I updated my original post with the updated pricing as well as his offer to install and pick it up at no charge.

All three have never been assembled. All three have poly impellers but they do have the revised sealed gearbox.

To quote from above


REVISED Dealer included pickup/delivery of my tractor for pto install along with the 1.5hr install time plus tax. If I do the install myself then I save roughly $220 on the BNIB units only.

I'm considering the following:
-2020 47 snowblower (new enclosed gbx, poly impeller) $3050
-2020 54 snowblower (new enclosed gbx, poly impeller) $3480
-2020 47 snowblower open crate sitting outside for 3mo (new enclosed gbx, poly impeller) $2819 was the deal


Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

If it were my money is get the cheapest of the 3. 3 months outside isn't going to bother the blower one bit and 200 bucks is 200 bucks.

Let the dealer install it for you. You have to drain the hydraulic fluid from the front axle to do the pto install.

Unless you want it right now for the storm tomorrow. Pick up some hydro fluid and a trans filter with the snowblower. The pto install is pretty easy, took me about an hour.

As others have said worry about the poly impeller when it breaks or wears out.

 

I have an older 65” blower with the plastic impeller. It works fine. I have been coinciding upgrading it to the steel impeller and enclosed chain case. Keep putting it off due to cost on my blower works fine they way it is. My old Ariens old blower does throw snow farther which bugs me at times.

I think the 47” blower is a better match for the x7xx ,more so with the gas tractors. I say this because my 1026R seems to have it’s pants full at times with the 54” blower.

 

I have a 47" on my X738 and have a very round turn in my driveway. I work at it a little at a time and only leave a small amount of sow behind, Also if you have any undulations for water runoff the 54 is harder to not leave snow behind with those areas.

 

Thank you for the pictures to assist with my decision. This is very helpful! BTW very nice machine as well as property.

 

I have the 54” on my 1025 and it’s definitely the right size for my home roadmap and rig. Currently prepared to upgrade it in the spring. Enclosed “chain/sprocket” box on my bench along with steel impele with zerk already installed along with bailer belt doubled flaps to lessen impeller to blower housing difference. Will upgrade as soon as the weather breaks for the spring, probably mid March. Besides a little width, the 47 & 54 seem to be identical.

 

I went from 47 Metal impeller to 54 poly impeller in the last month.. Reason was bigger tractor. people for got the 54 chute rotates farther than 47, both blow snow, So far i have not noticed a great difference in blowing but have only blown dry snow with 54 so far.

 

Also consider the cost difference. JD seems to charge by the inch so the 54 is approximately 54/47 times (~ 15%) more expensive than the 47.

This is ridiculous considering the major expense is in the engineering of the common components (drive, impeller, chute, hydraulics, gearbox, etc.). So you get ripped off for the auger and housing being 7 inches wider.

 

Also consider the cost difference. JD seems to charge by the inch......
......So you get ripped off for the auger and housing being 7 inches wider.

If you are going "by the inch"... It's actually a bargain!!!

47"@ $3050 = $64.89/inch
54"@ $3480 = $64.44/inch
The 54" should cost $3504.25 ...But Deere is actully saving you $24.25 on the larger blower.

...And that's just the initial cost!
At 7" wider, its like getting one free pass (plus a little...) for every 7 passes!

You just can't beat the 54 for value!

 

i have a 2025r and I had to the auto connect coupler and pto off. no hangers on mine no way around auto coupler.. Had to 2 bolts out remove auto contect and pto shaft went over forks.

 

Oh man that's a pita. I never opted for auto connect on my machine. I do it the old school way of crawling underneath. For me I think I will only have to place the long pto shaft under the machine to get the pto from the "mid" to the front axle with the double spline through it.

 

This is a couple pictures of an x758 Auto Connect in the stored up position and the locking clip...
Wish the hose wasn't so tight.

 

For 660 bucks I would just get the 54" and be done with it.