To Blow or Not to Blow [that is the question...]

[USpatriot]

Two great big caveats on large tractor-mounted snow blowers:

First, a two-stage blower is essential, one having a large, wide gathering rotator that sends the snow into a second blower in the actual blow stack itself. The wide gatherer alone [as in a single-stage blower] has neither the suction nor the throw to get the snow up and out the discharge chute.

Second: research the average winter temperatures in your area VERY carefully. Even the best two-stage blower won't work in trans-freezing temps. When the snow gets warmer, say up around 30 degrees, it becomes too heavy to go through the discharge chute and will simply clump up and keep clogging the second-stage blower paddles. This will make the operator seriously crazy and cause him to consider putting a gun to his head if he has to get out of his tractor seat ONE MORE TIME to clear a stoppage. In my locale, southern PA, I can use my 84" blower on the front of my International tractor from about January to the end of February. So whatever I get in my half-mile driveway has to be done by March.

A blower certainly has it over a front loader bucket. My bucket used to produce a 1/2 mile luge down my driveway with 3 foot sides frozen in place. Driving up and down was exciting to say the least.

Dr. Robert Beeman

 

[ericher69]

Gotta disagree

http://www.sicard-snowblast.com/load_mount_en.html

Have watched these and they work flawlessly; same as tractor mounted single stage

and

As for the 2 stage not working on trans-freezing snow...wax the chute and rev ER up max rated rpm and a lot less issues

 

[USpatriot]

Gotta disagree

Loader mount blowers

Have watched these and they work flawlessly; same as tractor mounted single stage

and

As for the 2 stage not working on trans-freezing snow...wax the chute and rev ER up max rated rpm and a lot less issues

Hmmm...never thought of waxing the chute! Good idea! Dr. Robert Beeman

 

[Colonel Monk]

Howdy, first time posting. Howdy All..

Yeah, I think the success of that Sicard blower is it's own engine - you can speed up the blower way faster than PTO.

Looks pretty cool...

 

[RoyJackson]

Howdy, first time posting. Howdy All..

Yeah, I think the success of that Sicard blower is it's own engine - you can speed up the blower way faster than PTO.

Looks pretty cool...

Yeah...pretty costly, I'd imagine...that unit has a 164 HP Cummins engine. Just the cost of the engine would put it way out of reach for most folks...most smaller municipalities too.

 

[xring100]

I have an Old 8 hp 2 stage walk behind. whenever i go out and there is a risk for pack or slushy snow i spray the chute with silicone spray lube. Never tried the wax but i could see that helping to. I've never had a clog since i started using this trick prior to that is a different story

 

[grsthegreat]

There is a definite trick to blowing wet snow. I had way more iddues when i used to blow it with my geared JD870, as i was limited to speeds while traveling in reverse....i had lots of clogs. With the new HST unit, i can vary speed alot, and this has caused my clogged chute issues to basically disappear. I can recall only one time last year.

Last Saturday i had to blow 6-7 in of real wet snow out of the horse pens. No issues at all.

Though i do like the idea of waxing the chute. i may try that also

 

[ericher69]

There is a definite trick to blowing wet snow. Though i do like the idea of waxing the chute. i may try that also

Every season I sand the inside chute clean of any loose paint or rust. Prime then paint a few times. Give it a week to dry/cure then wax with a good carnauba wax paste. Reapply wax as needed. Can be daily if you do up to 50 residential drives per day as I do. But well worth it as clogs are much less likely although still a possibility.

 

[speedy912]

WD40 sprayed in chute works well for wet snow too. If anyone has problems throwing rock from that hump in middle of driveway try attaching good solid 1 inch bar to top of skids and just below bottom of intake. I used shaft from a hydraulic ram that had been replaced and welded it to top of skids. Not a total fix but big improvement. 1500 foot of rock drive.

 

[flyingcow]

I've really never had any big problems with a chute clogging. Never waxed/painted/lubricated the blower at all. One in a blue moon it will clog, but that's from trying to do too much and the RPM's dropping.. We do get some pretty wet snow from time to time. Every area is different though. Also, I've had 9ftx4ft blowers and I'm down to a 7 1/2ft now. Just my 2 cents.