Snowblower snowblower refurb

[doggggboy]

I have a 6 foot Lucknow I use on the front of my skidsteer. It is very old and very used but still works very well. The only thing is that there is about 1/2 to 3/4 inch clearance between the impeller blades and the housing. I am thinking that it would work much better if that clearance were much less, like the maybe the thickness of a dime. I think I have 2 options. I could pull the impeller off and weld a bead on the end of the blades to get the extra length or I could line the inside of the housing with something. I am leaning towards relining the housing as this is the part that seems to have worn, not the blades. Any ideas?

 

[vettemanwight]

I think it would be cheaper and faster to weld a bead on each blade. Getting something to stay in place to line it would be more of a job. V

 

[Ductape]

I know there has been plenty of discussion here about impeller-to-housing clearance. Do a search and you'll find plenty to read. I'm not sure i buy into it yet......... when its blowing snow, wouldn't the housing be covered in snow effectively making the gap zero??

 

[shvl73]

If the housing has worn 1/4 - 1/2" evenly, all the way around since new, it was amazingly thick to begin with. I would extend the impeller blades, of the two choices. if you weld, it should be fairly easy. I would also try to get it roughly balanced when done.

 

[Killer_B]

I know there has been plenty of discussion here about impeller-to-housing clearance. Do a search and you'll find plenty to read. I'm not sure i buy into it yet......... when its blowing snow, wouldn't the housing be covered in snow effectively making the gap zero??

I'm with you duc. This whole crazy theory needs to make it on to Mythbusters so we can put it to bed once and for all.

KB

 

[BigDogues]

You can also try something like this... Snowblower Impeller Kit

 

[SkunkWerX]

I like the rubber pad idea BigDogue posted. That way the rubber can butt right up to the housing and will "burn in" on the first run, thus giving a good seal.

Or, instead of welding a "bead" to the tips of the fan blades, how about weld a piece of flat stock, all the way across? Use a piece of sheet metal as a feeler guage/shim to find the proper distance between the housing and fan blade, as you will still want some gap as a margin for safety.