Adding Pipe to bottom of Snowblower?

[Gomer]

I have a 2782 blower for my B2630 and a dolemite(limestone) driveway. So I have been reading about adding a 1" pipe to the bottom of the blower to help with NOT picking up stones.
Well I am confused about exaclty how to install this. I have read where someone mounted it all the way under the blade like extended shoes(makes sense). Then that someone split the pipe and forced it over the blade(doesn't look feasable to me).

Theory? Picture?Does it help?
Thanks
Gomer

 

[herringchoker]

I slit a piece of 1-1/2" steel tubing from my scrap pile (using a cutting wheel on an angle grinder), welded 2 flatbar tabs onto it, beat it on over the cutting edge (I should have made the slit wider) and bolted it to the bottom pan on the blower. It works great for me. Attached pics show the pipe, the tabs and bolts and the job it did on my crushed stone driveway this morning.

 

[number two]

Gomer-perhaps you've read my thread last week about my Turfsaver pipe on my new B2782 blower. I've had the chance to use it since then. 12" Friday night and 4" yesterday morning. We cut a slit in the pipe wide enough to slip over the cutting edge. The pipe had to be trimmed a little at the ends because the blower bottom is angled in 45 degrees on the ends. Then the tabs were welded on to bolt it on through the skid shoe holes. Sorry my pictures aren't more clear. Crappy camera for close-ups.
It does work however. We had a thaw and the driveway was back to gravel in spots. I was getting a few stones through that part,as well as some bouncing where frozen stones are located. The sinking into the soft stuff is 96% over as I have a few soft spots that are hardly driven over and it did pretty good. Some stones still fly through it however. One drawback is I seem to have more spillover on the sides now. Granted this my first season with this unit,but I don't recall this much spillage with just skid shoes. I notice the side wings curve out and up,perhaps the raising of the blower with the pipe installed in turn raised the sides enough to allow this spillover,even at really slow speeds. I may need to fabricate some type of extension to keep the snow contained. If it ever stays winter long enough,I'll try the skid shoes again and see if it's better. Supposed to have 45 degrees this weekend=bummer.
A front blower like these and a stone driveway require something more than the shoes. The adjustable top link like the rear units would be sweet,eh? Good Luck.

 

[Gomer]

Herringchoker, thanks that is what I was looking for. pics helped.

Numbertwo, yes I think it was your post that got me thinking about this.

Just running the shoes, if you hit any soft spots you blowing gravel or sod so the pipe should help. I need to look at my blower again and do some figuring I guess.