425 snowblower

TanSprFarm · Jan 22, 2005

Used it for the first time today! We had 6" to 8" of very dry powder (10 to 12 deg. f) The blower went through it easily and discharged about 40 ft more or less. I think a little wetter snow would go further and a real wet snow less. I was surprised how fast you could go before it loaded the engine much. I could do about 5mph easily. Overall I am happy with its performance. Couple things I plan to change. There is no fast way to change the angle of the chute deflector. (the top of the deflector) It is helpful to direct the snow closer to the machine in some cases. I am going to add a push pull actuator from a JD blower I have. The guage wheels from the factory could not swivel 360deg. So if you back up in the float position they jam on the back of the blower housing. Sooner or later I will rip the tires off. The bracket is too short. I used 4x4 spacers so now they swivel but its tricky to get the cutting edge of the blower at the right height. I plan to add a couple "hockey pucks" right behind the cutting edge so I can just drop it and go. Okay, a couple modifications and it will be great, but for the cost of this implement I must confess I am a little annoyed. Fortunately, it blows snow great.

Clarke · Jan 23, 2005

Thanks for the report. I'm considering that attachment. The power angle plow did a good job on the 6" of snow after a short learning curve. Plowed my 350ft+ drive, the neighbors parking and 200ft of the farmers lane a little over 2 hrs maybe 45 min. of that was play time. I will most likely stay with the plow until I can test it on a 12"+ snow and will report if I'm still happy. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

sg

cqaigy · Jan 23, 2005

Sounds like you guys are having fun! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

We got a couple inches early last week but it rain not snow /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Boy you sure could hear the creek roaring.

pequeajim · Jan 23, 2005

We got 8" where I was. The PT plow went through everything fine. It took me about 45 minutes including the part where I missed the driveway on the right side and using the snow blower on the walk. I was plowing at night and did not know that I was off the dirveway to the right.

It's about 100 feet of parking space and 225 feet of drive down the hill.

I plowed it again this morning in about 15 minutes.

pequeajim · Jan 23, 2005

Here's the rest of the driveway.

Notice my Brother in law's flat trailer in the back. It paid off for me that he didn't have any place to store it. I let him borrow it whenever he needs it, ha ha... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

cqaigy · Jan 23, 2005

Nice Picts!!

BTW I think you should be nominated for the Nobel peace prize for letting your Brother in law park his trailer at your place and letting him use it whenever he needs it. Boy the sacrifices one makes for family. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

pequeajim · Jan 23, 2005

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I think you should be nominated for the Nobel peace prize for letting your Brother in law park his trailer at your place and letting him use it whenever he needs it. Boy the sacrifices one makes for family. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )</font>

Yeah, well some times we have to sacrifice for the betterment of the family, ya know?

/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

ernemats · Jan 24, 2005

Jim:
Did you get the rubber lip and wheels with your snow blade?

pequeajim · Jan 24, 2005

Yes on the rubber lip, and no on the wheels. I heard that some of the guys were not happy with the wheels anyway. I just put the blade in float for most of the time and used the tilt to keep most of the angled blade on the ground.

It really worked great.

If I had gone out there trying to push through 12" of snow, it might have been a different story. I was really amazed at the traction the turf tires had.

Will I ever put those bar treads on? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif