SpringValley

I had a customer one time where his kid messed the the quick connector. I guess he thought it was cool and wanted to see how it came apart.  It was not locked all the way back on.  The guy used the tractor for a few minutes then the connector popped off.  Since the connector has a valve in it that only allows oil to flow when it is plugged in there was no place for the oil to go.  The pump split the housing right up the side.  That's dead heading in a nut shell.  

On the cost thing….I always found that to have a good working front mount blower a person would end up with around $10,000 in the whole thing. I have to tell you that there are many horror stories about people throwing more and more money at home grown front mount blowers systems and never did get them to work right.  That's why the whole thing has to be well thought out and engineered from the start.   

The cost is why few people go for them.  Your issue of not throwing far enough means the flow is too low, motor not turning fast enough. Why that is I can't tell from here.

You can try to add a prince pto pump that has higher output but then will the motor take it? If not chances might be slim that you are going to find another Chinese motor that will bolt right up with a higher capacity.  Higher flow might mean bigger hoses.  These things is where the costs can start to go out of control. Surplus center probably has the best buy on pumps, motors etc. 

Growing up in the southwest I have had more up close and personal contact with caliche than I care to mention.  It is just like a layer of concrete.  Many times blasting was the only way to get through it.  

The common one for that tractor is a 5 foot.  If your ground is real easy to work you might get away with a 6 foot.

You might be on to something there Tin