Convert walk behind snow-thrower into a "ride on"?

[NormL]

What about using 2 similar snow-blowers. Same age, make, model, bucket size, engine h. p. speed range, etc, Rig them up like an articulated tractor. Use 1 ahead for front wheel drive and snow-blowing. Use the rear 1 for additional power and help in propelling the unit forward.
As was posted earlier find one that has a bad front blower or exploded gear case,(extra parts) but with a good drive train.
Maybe make a short wheel base sulky type, putting a seat on the rear 1 above the motor for weight and help with traction and still be able to reach the controls on the front 1.
Use a foot pedal for tightening the belt.
Make a console on the side for the throttle,electric start, and gear selection.
Might be able to do it this summer, with the snow ending soon.
This way you could start building if it dosen't look right take parts off and re-do it to your liking.
Just a few thoughts from this old mind.

T. J.

Lots of excellent ideas, some of which have crossed my "old mind" too.:thumbsup: The exploded gear case you mentioned is exactly what happened to my son-in-law's 10hp MTD. I'm waiting for him to offer it to the project -it needs to be his idea, otherwise I'll look like I'm a cheapskate. Of course I'm a cheapskate but I have to be careful who knows that! What I might try if I get the right stuff together is run the front blower on its own power and push with the rear unit, helping along with the front one only when the rear unit is bogging down. That way it might not matter if the ground speed of the two units don't quite match.

 

[NormL]

Lots of excellent ideas, some of which have crossed my "old mind" too.:thumbsup: The exploded gear case you mentioned is exactly what happened to my son-in-law's 10hp MTD. I'm waiting for him to offer it to the project -it needs to be his idea, otherwise I'll look like I'm a cheapskate. Of course I'm a cheapskate but I have to be careful who knows that! What I might try if I get the right stuff together is run the front blower on its own power and push with the rear unit, helping along with the front one only when the rear unit is bogging down. That way it might not matter if the ground speed of the two units don't quite match.

I am almost ready to take some photos of what I have done so far. The snowthrower has a 13hp elcheapo engine transplanted - as in "shoehorned" in. I acquired an R95 JD riding mower in not-running condition. It needed serious carburetor cleanup. Someone had the brainfart idea to use black silicon as a substitute gasket in a number of spots. What a mess! I got it all together last night just before dark and drove it around the yard for a few minutes to make sure I have an operable pusher for the snowthrower. I have the mower deck off - have plans for that, and the front wheels and steering stuff are coming off as well. The plan is to hitch the R95 behind the snowthrower so I can sit on it and use the handles of the ST for steering. Photos coming in the next post. I hope the snowmobile crowd isn't praying for an early snowfall cus I'm not ready for it yet!

 

[Dave M7040]

Gravely tractors had sulkies for years. See the photos in the link. I had one and really liked it.
It connected to the power unit with a ball hitch like a trailer hitch. You steered it by pushing the power unit handle bars to either side.
Later they developed one with a steering wheel and cables but it was too complicated.
With a conventional walk behind snow blower it would be a matter of getting the balance correct which might mean some heavy steel plate attached to the blower itself to offset the weight of the sulky.
Dave M7040

https://www.google.ca/search?q=grav...JsoGgAQ&ved=0CDEQsAQ&biw=1067&bih=500&dpr=1.5

 

[NormL]

Gravely tractors had sulkies for years. See the photos in the link. I had one and really liked it.
It connected to the power unit with a ball hitch like a trailer hitch. You steered it by pushing the power unit handle bars to either side.
Later they developed one with a steering wheel and cables but it was too complicated.
With a conventional walk behind snow blower it would be a matter of getting the balance correct which might mean some heavy steel plate attached to the blower itself to offset the weight of the sulky.
Dave M7040

https://www.google.ca/search?q=grav...JsoGgAQ&ved=0CDEQsAQ&biw=1067&bih=500&dpr=1.5

Thanks Dave7040. On the matter of achieving unit balance between the two parts of the machine, I think the walk behind is sufficiently front heavy and will remain so even with the R95 hitched to it. My plan is to position the hitch point as near to, if not at, the driven axle. That way the balance should not be affected by the hitch weight.

 

[NormL]

Some photos to show you where this is going. They rearranged themselves when I downloaded them and I can't figure out why.

#3 shows the two machines before I start hooking them up. It looks like it will be 8' long over all. The R92 (not 95 as I mistakenly posted earlier) will lose its front wheels and steering post and wheel. Yes, I will put a seat on it. The one it had found a new home on the backhoe which I am still in the process of building. #2 is the 13hp engine replacing the 8hp it used to have. #1 is the drive pulleys for the blower and drives. Both are larger than the original. I'm hoping to be able to blow snow far enough to reduce the depth of drifts we get when the next storms blow them back. #4 shows the auger. I was surprised how heavy that is. It fells like the flighting is welded to solid bar rather than a hollow pipe. That's what makes the machine as front heavy as it is. To overhaul the blower I had to replace the worn out bushings at the auger ends with bearings. That proved easier to do than I had hoped and I expect everything else will wear out long before those bearings.:laughing:

I hope to use one battery to serve both machines. For one thing, there's no room on the blower for a battery. I believe both engines are designed to charge their starting batteries. Since they are both not new, there's a chance one of them won't send a current anymore. That might be an advantage. If it should happen that both charging circuits do function, will I have to isolate one of them to avoid something blowing up? I suppose "Murphy's Law" will have a role to play since there's a possibility for horror to happen.

 

[NormL]

I was able to get this project far enough along to beat mother nature. I have the "Hot Rod Snowblower Ride-on" functional at last and although we've had an inch of snow in the last weeks, it didn't stay. There are details to finish it up but they are minor in nature and can wait for "inspiration", as in a bright idea that will be the perfect fit for for the need. Some photos:

The first photo is meant to show the bracket I welded up to serve as the hitch point on the blower. It consists of a short piece of 2"x1/4" square tubing slit lengthwise. The inside diameter just accommodates the outside diameter of the DOM tubing the drive axle of the blower runs in. The bracket clamped down firmly on the DOM tubing and the tongue shown in the second photo is pinned to it. I may have to lengthen that tongue a little because the pusher seems a bit too close. Easily done if needed. The third photo shows the belt and pulley with out the guard. With the mods I did the guard will need to be modified as well since right now it won't fit! For now, I'm sitting on a plywood seat. I have the material for a cushion; just haven't taken the time to build it yet. The fourth photo is of me with no snow to blow. Yet...

 

[kevin37b]

I like it .Can you find two gears that are about the same speed ? Now a cab ?

 

[NormL]

I like it .Can you find two gears that are about the same speed ? Now a cab ?

Yes, the slow gear on the blower (it has a two speed tranny) will work well with the first gear of the R92. On dry ground the blower can easily pull the whole machine with out help. On snow I expect it would mostly spin. As for the cab, well, that may be a project for next summer.

 

[NormL]

Yes, the slow gear on the blower (it has a two speed tranny) will work well with the first gear of the R92. On dry ground the blower can easily pull the whole machine with out help. On snow I expect it would mostly spin. As for the cab, well, that may be a project for next summer.

The "white stuff" has arrived, somewhat later than usual but no complaint from this old "Yeti"! That's what I probably resembled after trying out the Hot Rod SB today. It didn't seem to matter which way the chute was aimed. the wind would blow it back at me. Today was not really a serious test of the machine's capabilities since there was barely enough snow for the auger to roll over toward the second stage of the blower. What I was able to test out was how the steering will work and whether the drives on the push unit have enough traction. Learning how to drive this thing will take some practice and the steering works well enough as long as I don't try to turn too sharply. There is a tendency for it to "plow" if I'm turning sharply and not employing the front drives. Even with the fronts on it will plow a little so I will have to repair and re-install the chains on those. The rears lack traction since they are turfs and really mostly useless on anything but dry pavement. I'll be looking for ideas on improving the traction on the pusher. I have to be a little innovative because the clearances between the tire and frame on one side and tire and engine on the other are a bit tight so getting chains to fit may be "iffy"! Ideas, suggestions anyone?

Today was not a day to take photos as my wife was too busy to operate the camera. Hopefully she will be available to do the honours next time I do some blowing.

 

[aczlan]

Drop the rears down to ~2PSI, wrap a cable around them (around and around the tire until you get back to where you start), then clamp it together so that its snug and re-inflate the tire.
Might have to experiment with how much you need for it to be tight, but not cut into the tire)
Might also need to add some weight to the blower itself to add traction (if the chains aren't enough).

Aaron Z