HITCHDOC EYES EXPANSION WITH NEW HYDRAULIC SNOWBLOWERS

Snow and Ice Section

Pages 81-87

For more information on snow-clearing equipment and spreaders, visit CEG's Web site at www.constructionequipmentguide.com. HitchDoc Eyes Expansion With New Hydraulic Snowblowers

By Ruksana Hussain

CEG CORRESPONDENT

When Brad Mohns was frustrated at the delay in receiving a motorcycle hitch that he had ordered, he proceeded to build one in his farm shop in Minnesota. Other motorcycling enthusiasts saw the hitches that he had designed, and the orders soon piled up. That was 1990.

Today, Mohns is the owner and president of HitchDoc, a leading manufacturer of consumer and industrial products for agricultural, construction and heavy equipment industries. A lot has transpired in the three decades that the familyowned company has been in operation, including expanding to a 190,000-sq.-ft. facility in Jackson, Minn., that serves as the headquarters.

HitchDoc is known for its Dual Dozers, Sandpiper Spreaders and snowblowers, among other products. The HDS48MS and HDS60MS mini-skid steer snowblowers are the latest offerings and were just released in April.

“We do have a history of making larger pieces of equipment and attachments for a variety of industries. For us, this is similar territory to our current hydraulic blower lineup for skid steers and wheel loaders. The HDS48SS and HDS60SS were very specifically and intentionally designed for mini-skid steers, and that is being driven by the increased interest and demand in those types of machines,” said Richard Lund, who joined the company in 2020 as a marketing specialist, bringing 17 years of experience in commercial and industrial scale manufacturing.

The snowblower does not have its own engine and is powered by the hydraulic system of the machine that it hooks on to instead of having a separate diesel engine.

“That makes it still heavy enough to be effective through snow but lighter and therefore more efficient for the machines that are pushing it,” said Lund.

Standard features include 7gauge auger ribbon flighting with cutting edge; 14-gauge blower shell with 12-gauge end plates; 270-degree hydraulic rotary chute with deflector; and 12-gauge fan housing with 7-gauge motor mount plate. The Mini-Skid Blower relies on a Quick-Tach mounting plate to attach to common machines and is available in widths of 48 in. and 60 in.

In 2018, HitchDoc introduced the all-hydraulic HDS9200 snowblower for 2- to 4-cu.-yd. wheel loaders with several benefits leading to reduced capital investment and yearly maintenance costs. Another priority was safety, which was addressed by eliminating the engine, gearbox and fuel tank, and improving bal-

HitchDoc photo The Mini-Skid Blower relies on a Quick-Tach mounting plate to attach to common machines and is available in widths of 48 in. and 60 in.

see HITCHDOC page 84 HitchDoc photo The HDS48MS and HDS60MS mini-skid steer snowblowers are the latest offerings and were just released in April.

HitchDoc photo “The HDS48SS and HDS60SS were v e r y s p e c i f i c a l l y a n d i n t e n t i o n a l l y designed for mini-skid steers, and that is being driven by the increased interest and demand in those types of machines.”