Novice Snowblowing questions
- Thread starter JCA
- Start date
ZackaryMac
Silver Member
JCA
If it makes you feel better, I don't believe anyone on this forum has a snowblower capable of throwing wet snow. Just the same as when it wants to stick to your shovel when doing it by hand, it also wants to stick to the chute of the 'blower, plugging it up, as you've noticed. Save yourself the agony and don't bother using the snowblower when it's that wet.
I've adapted a ATV snowplow to the front of my 2wd B6100 and it works rather well, and that's with unloaded turf tires on it, mind you I have a 4' snowblower hanging off the back for weight. When the snow is dry/deep enough, I use the blower. With a lighter snowfall, the plow is faster anyway.
Welcome to the snow belt. And let the wife know you have to purchase one more item to properly and efficiently remove snow....a snowplow. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
If it makes you feel better, I don't believe anyone on this forum has a snowblower capable of throwing wet snow. Just the same as when it wants to stick to your shovel when doing it by hand, it also wants to stick to the chute of the 'blower, plugging it up, as you've noticed. Save yourself the agony and don't bother using the snowblower when it's that wet.
I've adapted a ATV snowplow to the front of my 2wd B6100 and it works rather well, and that's with unloaded turf tires on it, mind you I have a 4' snowblower hanging off the back for weight. When the snow is dry/deep enough, I use the blower. With a lighter snowfall, the plow is faster anyway.
Welcome to the snow belt. And let the wife know you have to purchase one more item to properly and efficiently remove snow....a snowplow. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
hwp
Platinum Member
JCA
I'm a bit more optomistic that most of the others that have resonded. I use my snowblower no matter how wet the snow is - the last time I used it a couple of weeks ago we were having a thaw and I pumped more water than anything else. I think there are two things to think of. The first is to make sure that there are no restrictions in the discharge chute. The second is that you are running the impeller at high enough rpms. You want a discharge celocity of about 5000 feet/min. The impeller on my snowblower is 20 in. in diameter and I run it at 1000 rpm which gives me a discharge velocity of about 5200 feet/min. Wet snow won't be thrown as far as dry snow, but you should be able to throw it at least 20 feet. As others have said, cooking oil, car wax or WD40 on the inside surface of the discharge chute will help keep it from plugging. The other thing I wonder about in your case is if the impeller is turning under load. Does your machine have a separate shear pin for the impeller? If so, is it broken? If you turn the impeller by hand, your pto drive shaft should rotate if the pto is in neutral but not if the pto is engaged (with the engine not running of course). /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I'm a bit more optomistic that most of the others that have resonded. I use my snowblower no matter how wet the snow is - the last time I used it a couple of weeks ago we were having a thaw and I pumped more water than anything else. I think there are two things to think of. The first is to make sure that there are no restrictions in the discharge chute. The second is that you are running the impeller at high enough rpms. You want a discharge celocity of about 5000 feet/min. The impeller on my snowblower is 20 in. in diameter and I run it at 1000 rpm which gives me a discharge velocity of about 5200 feet/min. Wet snow won't be thrown as far as dry snow, but you should be able to throw it at least 20 feet. As others have said, cooking oil, car wax or WD40 on the inside surface of the discharge chute will help keep it from plugging. The other thing I wonder about in your case is if the impeller is turning under load. Does your machine have a separate shear pin for the impeller? If so, is it broken? If you turn the impeller by hand, your pto drive shaft should rotate if the pto is in neutral but not if the pto is engaged (with the engine not running of course). /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
lmiller
Bronze Member
JCA One other thing to look at, is the deflector on the top of the chute most or all the way up? With dry snow you can tip it down successfully, with wet it could cause the chute to pack up as you describe.
Another thing that helps is to snow blow first thing in the AM, then go have a nice piece of hot apple pie with cheddar for breakfast /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Lou
Another thing that helps is to snow blow first thing in the AM, then go have a nice piece of hot apple pie with cheddar for breakfast /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Lou
sandyc
Veteran Member
JCA:
A couple of thoughts about blowing wet snow. Keep your rpms up and forward speed down. Also, PAM or a similiar anti-stick cooking spray might help.
I have a BX 2200 and use both a plow and a blower.I use the blade prior to the ground freezing or if there are just a few inches of snow. In the two years I have used my blower I have yet to plug my blower more than once or twice.
By high rpms I run the engine at approx 2500 rpms.
A couple of thoughts about blowing wet snow. Keep your rpms up and forward speed down. Also, PAM or a similiar anti-stick cooking spray might help.
I have a BX 2200 and use both a plow and a blower.I use the blade prior to the ground freezing or if there are just a few inches of snow. In the two years I have used my blower I have yet to plug my blower more than once or twice.
By high rpms I run the engine at approx 2500 rpms.
JJT
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2001
- Messages
- 1,805
- Location
- Upstate NY, USA
- Tractor
- Kubota L3710 HST and a Kubota ZD21 60Pro
"If it makes you feel better, I don't believe anyone on this forum has a snowblower capable of throwing wet snow."
WRONG. I have a Canadian built 78" Agrotrend that will blow slush or dry snow, it doesn't care. I've run the thing through 8' snow banks and I've run it through 18" of very wet snow, it just keeps going.
This is winter 6 or 7 with the blower and the Kubota L3710. If the snow is light or not too deep I'll run 10% below PTO speed, if its wet and heavy or deep, I'll run it at PTO speed.
I do my 800' driveway and my neighbor's 100' drive and have never sheared a pin or broken the chain.
7 years old and the second stage will still pick up a penny. I plowed with a truck and a tractor for 15+ years, after having the blower, I'll never go back to a plow.
#1 tips, don't fight mother nature, never blow into the wind, unless you enjoy eating and wearing lots of snow.
WRONG. I have a Canadian built 78" Agrotrend that will blow slush or dry snow, it doesn't care. I've run the thing through 8' snow banks and I've run it through 18" of very wet snow, it just keeps going.
This is winter 6 or 7 with the blower and the Kubota L3710. If the snow is light or not too deep I'll run 10% below PTO speed, if its wet and heavy or deep, I'll run it at PTO speed.
I do my 800' driveway and my neighbor's 100' drive and have never sheared a pin or broken the chain.
7 years old and the second stage will still pick up a penny. I plowed with a truck and a tractor for 15+ years, after having the blower, I'll never go back to a plow.
#1 tips, don't fight mother nature, never blow into the wind, unless you enjoy eating and wearing lots of snow.
I had similar to what you discribe happen to me last week with a B2750 blower. The roll pin in the bottom sproket had fallen out but there was enuff drag between the sproket and the shaft to still turn the blower with no load but would stop when snow got into it pluging the chute.I put a peice of wire throught the roll pin and wound it tight. Hopfully it won't fall out again. I have blowen alot of watery slush with a ariens 48" on a GT 17 with out issue. Have not yet had the oppertunity with the kubota. I think It should work if nothing is broken and at full throttle. Good luck
WayneW
Silver Member
Had a similar thing happen to my blower on a b7610. The shear bolt broke on the fan. Both ends of the bolt stayed.
One way to verify that all is linked together. With the tractor turned off and pto disengaged, spin the auger with your hand. The fan should spin. Spin the fan by hand & both sides of the auger should spin. (this verifies that all 3 shear bolts are ok)
The mid pto driveshaft should also spin. This verifies that the chain is ok.
If all that is ok, then you need wd40 or Pam on the chute. I forgot to do this once and the chute backed up so much I broke the fan shear bolt. (the stuff was closer to rain than snow) When it's that thick, like others have said go very slow. Use Pam. Watch for backups that will bust a shear pin. OR, use a plow. (I plan on getting one next year for my quick-attach mount for such slush storms.) Litterally 2 min to change from blower to plow (I hear)
-good luck
One way to verify that all is linked together. With the tractor turned off and pto disengaged, spin the auger with your hand. The fan should spin. Spin the fan by hand & both sides of the auger should spin. (this verifies that all 3 shear bolts are ok)
The mid pto driveshaft should also spin. This verifies that the chain is ok.
If all that is ok, then you need wd40 or Pam on the chute. I forgot to do this once and the chute backed up so much I broke the fan shear bolt. (the stuff was closer to rain than snow) When it's that thick, like others have said go very slow. Use Pam. Watch for backups that will bust a shear pin. OR, use a plow. (I plan on getting one next year for my quick-attach mount for such slush storms.) Litterally 2 min to change from blower to plow (I hear)
-good luck