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

[Chopperhed]

They are turf tires on my LT75 Ford. It's just a little guy, not much bigger than my old JD RER.

It just doesn't have the weight needed for pushing snow.

 

[NormL]

They are turf tires on my LT75 Ford. It's just a little guy, not much bigger than my old JD RER.

It just doesn't have the weight needed for pushing snow.

I just learned something here! I didn't know what you meant by RER till I "Googled" it. Can you tell me which model you have/had? The one I am using as my pusher is an R92.

 

[Chopperhed]

I had 2 early 70s model r68's. I actually tried to push snow with one.

 

[travlitt]

I had 2 early 70s model r68's. I actually tried to push snow with one.

Could you just build a set of spacers and move your wheels out enough to have clearance for regular chains?

 

[Green Power]

Cool project Norm. Definitely will be one of a kind.

 

[Chopperhed]

Could you just build a set of spacers and move your wheels out enough to have clearance for regular chains?

If I remember correctly, the rims are on flats on the axle shaft, no hubs. I'm not positive.

 

[NormL]

I had 2 early 70s model r68's. I actually tried to push snow with one.

I saw some of those offered for sale when I started looking for an RER but I passed on them because I wanted one with electric start. The R92 that I eventually got was in "not running condition" but had good compression and spark. Once I cleaned up the mess in the carb (someone tried using black silicone as a gasket substitute) I've been pleasantly surprised how well it starts in cold weather. I think it's helping that I put synthetic 0 - 30 oil in the crank.

I can sort of guess how well that "68" did pushing snow.:laughing:

 

[NormL]

Could you just build a set of spacers and move your wheels out enough to have clearance for regular chains?

Like Chopperhed responded, the rim won't allow for that. In addition to that hindrance is the matter of the total width of the RER being just a bit more, maybe an inch and a half more, than the path the blower is making.

 

[NormL]

Cool project Norm. Definitely will be one of a kind.

Thanks! I enjoyed seeing it all come together. I'm hoping this machine will make it possible for me to do my own snow clearing for a while longer. My old bones were putting up a royal fuss when I tried to do the "walk behind" scenario.

 

[NormL]

I've had some time to think about how to provide more traction. The steel rings you mention have me thinking maybe I could use cable or light chain on each side of the tire and take some used up pieces of "V" belt long enough to drape across the tire tread and fix the ends onto the cable or chain. If chain, tying into the links would also keep the spacing even and prevent bunching up of the crossovers. Thoughts?

OK, I did a little experimenting in the shop today and here is a prototype of what I have in mind. This was time consuming but I'm guessing once I have made a few they will come faster. Some of you will recognize the bent pieces of wire from telephone and telegraph pole days. When they were replaced by underground cables, land owners were allowed to roll up the old stuff if they wanted it. My Dad rolled up miles of the stuff and I have most of it. Comes in handy for projects like this one. The finer wire is copper, I have lots of that as well - salvaged from fiberglass whip antennae. Truckers use them for their CB radios but they keep whacking them against low branches and in ice storms they get all whippy and soon break. That's when I get 'em and "re-purpose" 'em!

The design I will eventually settle on will undergo some modifications but the basic are there. Thoughts?