crushed rock/snowblower

[idaguide]

I have a 300 yard driveway on which I spread "3/4 minus" crushed rock every year. This year, for the first time, I used my new 60" snowblower. It's a tremendous change over the backblade.

However, I've been throwing a LOT of crushed through the unit...basically scraped the paint off the drum.

It's a sturdy unit, but I'm wondering if anyone knows if long-term this will hurt my blower. (I haven't broken any shear pins...)

Thanks,
grae

 

[leonz]

I have a 300 yard driveway on which I spread "3/4 minus" crushed rock every year. This year, for the first time, I used my new 60" snowblower. It's a tremendous change over the backblade.

However, I've been throwing a LOT of crushed through the unit...basically scraped the paint off the drum.

It's a sturdy unit, but I'm wondering if anyone knows if long-term this will hurt my blower. (I haven't broken any shear pins...)

Thanks,
grae

The blower will be fine and will serve you well, the impeller drums for the snow casters are easily repaired but take time to do this.


I would suggest that you either lower the skids or have some skis made for it to reduce its rock diet.

One of the members has made skis for his blower its a time and materials situation.

Another option is to make a screen for the lower half of the blowers open area.

I have detailed how to do this on the forum here in several postings.

The screen will not reduce the amount of snow entering the snow caster it will prevent anything that is oversize from being gobbled up by the cross auger and impeller.


You should invest in one of Clarences impeller kits to increase the efficiency of your snow caster and reduce plugging to almost zero.


Type clarence impeller kit in your browser and you be able to see videos of the impeller kit in use and many happy customers and it will $30U.S.D., that is well spent. Clarence offers a money back guarantee as well and he has kits for the large rear mounted snow blowers for the same price.

 

[fish6942]

First few snowfalls of the year just drive over the snow to pack it down. Allow this to freeze hard then clear the snow off of this ice layer the rest of the winter. This is a fairly common practice for snowblowers on gravel driveways.

 

[ctgoldwing]

I had pretty much the same situation. I purchased an almost new Normand 5' blower for my L3400. The 1st couple of times up & down the driveway (500') I threw a pretty good load of stone into the woods. After everything froze hard this winter there were very few rock launchings.
I did go through several shear bolts tho

The drum is now devoid of paint but I figure as soon as the weather warms a bit I can solve that issue. I don't expect the drum to 'wear out' - ever.

 

[grsthegreat]

i have the exact same driveway your talking about....but about 900 feet of it. My secret is to use front blade or bucket for first few snow falls, and this lets the rock get compacted under the snow. then on goes the snowblower. i added skid shoes recently, and this has really helped. I still occasionally get rocks thrown, however that cause we GROW rocks here in north idaho. ive launched big ones thru mine. After 5 years + its still working great. I have to straighten the impeller occasionally, but that doesnt stop it from working.

 

[JDGreenGrass]

I think what you have experienced is normal. No biggie.

I suggest in the off season hit it with some touch up paint. It will look new again.:thumbsup:

I really enjoy painting the metal on my 770. This summer I am going to restore the paint on my loader. To me it's like gardening...good for the soul.

 

[rd_macgregor]

Every spring I spend some time getting the gravel off my lawn. The suggestions to minimize this are good.
My equipment is all stored outside, so I used to spray all the exposed metal on my blower with WD-40 before parking the blower for the summer. Last year I bought a rattle can of matching rust paint and sprayed all the places where the paint was missing. The paint sticks really well, makes the unit look better and retards rusting. For a couple of bucks per year, I figure it is worth it.

BOB

 

[PILOON]

What many guys do here is to simply spray with a rattle can (matching color if possible) to provide a simple protection during warmer months where rusting will happen.
Frozen cold metal will not rust but bare will.
Heck mine has seen a variety of colors and it is all gone back to bare metal after first snow event and still no rust to speak of.

 

[ModMech]

I have a 300 yard driveway on which I spread "3/4 minus" crushed rock every year. This year, for the first time, I used my new 60" snowblower. It's a tremendous change over the backblade.

However, I've been throwing a LOT of crushed through the unit...basically scraped the paint off the drum.

It's a sturdy unit, but I'm wondering if anyone knows if long-term this will hurt my blower. (I haven't broken any shear pins...)

Thanks,
grae

That sounds like a recent Top Gear story....

 

[dmay]

I have a 300 yard driveway on which I spread "3/4 minus" crushed rock every year. This year, for the first time, I used my new 60" snowblower. It's a tremendous change over the backblade.

However, I've been throwing a LOT of crushed through the unit...basically scraped the paint off the drum.

It's a sturdy unit, but I'm wondering if anyone knows if long-term this will hurt my blower. (I haven't broken any shear pins...)

Thanks,
grae

With a blade you probably liked getting the snow cleared away right down to the base. With a blower on a gravel driveway you really should raise your shoes so your blower rides above base. Hurling rocks through the blower and out the chute sounds bad enough even if no damage is done.