DIY 59" Snowblower Manual Chute Adjuster

[C-Range]

I actually don't usually keep it wide open, but rather somewhere in the middle. I'm always trying to avoid tree branches, bushes, mailbox, etc. The knob is far enough away that it never meets my knee regardless of the position, but thanks for the words of positivity. I have some videos on YouBoob if you want to see it in action. Same username.

The way it keeps from moving is there is a turn lock in the knob housing. You unscrew the knob and it releases the binding, adjust, and tighten. I rarely have to bother, just leaving it fairly loose. Only in heavy wet snow does it give me any trouble and usually by that time of the morning I already have too many beers in me to care, ha ha. Just kidding..

I've never looked at the cable girth, but I'd agree it's probably got some mustard. I think it also has a spring at the actuator end, otherwise I suppose I'd be pushing spaghetti.

I looked and I don't see this option for the 59" blower. If your hot rod design doesn't pan out, maybe this kit could be adapted. I think the cable might be long enough for a 4200, sweet tractor by the way. :thumbsup:

 

[arrabil]

I think it also has a spring at the actuator end, otherwise I suppose I'd be pushing spaghetti.

That is precisely what makes bicycle cables/wire rope so tough to work with and why I really liked the MTD design when I took it apart to see how it worked. The always-in-tension dual bicycle cable design really blew me away.

If your hot rod design doesn't pan out

If by hot rod you mean ghetto.... But if it doesn't pan out, which I don't think will be the case, I might as well go right to a hydraulic cylinder run off the 3rd SCV. Either Yugo or Ferrari, might as well skip the rest!

 

[C-Range]

Now c'mon. If you had the tractor lowered and used the 3rd SCV to make the front end hop, then I'd be saying 'ghetto'. :laughing: :laughing:

I really hope the MTD system works out for you! If not, the hydraulic system sounds even smarmier.

 

[arrabil]

Can you imagine if I put some PowerWheels tires on the front and the front tires on the rear and then did 3pt hitch dancing? And some velour balls hanging from the ROPS? Hmmm.....

 

[C-Range]

Yeah, um, you should do that...and then put pics of it on here so everyone can, ahem, congratulate you...

 

[arrabil]

:laughing:

 

[arrabil]

Some progress pics... [got other projects to work on at the same time and this one has the least priority]

I bought some aluminum because I didn't have any small pieces of steel laying around. Good thing too. As Ensoll said, the torque on the cam is pretty high, BUT it does work. Considering I've tightened all the pivot points pretty good and it still works, this is very encouraging.

I need to finalized the pieces to the puzzle now... cone washers, lock nuts, grease, etc. However, now that the proof of concept is working, I'm likely not getting back to this until August.

If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears.

 

[C-Range]

The shorter you can make that first leg (the one attached to the rotator), the better your chances will be of it lasting a couple of days...er...I mean...years. Get every last millimeter out of it!

In other words, be sure that when the chute flap is all the way down the rotator is all the way down and when the chute flap is all the way up, the rotator is all the way up. The length of the secondary leg isn't as critical but you really need to minimize the load on that primary leg as much as possible.

 

[arrabil]

That doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement....

 

[C-Range]

I'm a mechanical engineer who lives on a min factor of safety of 2. I can't tell the integrity of that rotator with only a 2D photo to go by so it's just my observation but judging by the distance between the two bolts holding the primary arm, I'd have to guess it's not meant for real heavy work.

To be frank, heavy wet snow puts a LOT of force on that chute flap when it's pulled down. I'd venture to guess that 100Lbs won't be at all impossible with that big blower of yours. The longer your primary arm, the more that force gets multiplied onto the rotator in the form of torque. Ice cold thin plastic under cyclic fatigue due to varying loads of snow....I dunno.

I really hope it works great for you. I hope you get to put up a video of you blowing 3/4" gravel into a cement mixer with a beer in your hand and giving me the finger. :drink: