Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Snowblowing into the wind

[corey9212]

This year is the first year using my front mount snowblower and yesterday I got to use it for the first time, it was awesome except for one thing, it was windy. I have a place that all my snow is put over the winter and that place was opposite the wind direction causing zero visibility and snow going over the tractor causing me to have to redo the row. How do everyone else blow snow when their pile is against the wind?

 

[kiotiken]

At least you have a cab! There's not much you can do, the wind is always going to make it nasty when you're trying to blow snow into it. Aim as low as you can and as far to the front of the tractor as you can.

 

[Craig Clayton]

When the wind is really blowing I found it was a waste of time because it would only blow back in. I use to wait for a few hours and usually the wind would drop so it was not too bad. For safety reasons if you can not see where you are going you do not really know what is in front of you.
Just wait until you blow at night in bad weather and come out in the light the next day to inspect the job. You will say idiot drove the tractor he was even up on the lawn.

Craig Clayton

 

[corey9212]

At least you have a cab! There's not much you can do, the wind is always going to make it nasty when you're trying to blow snow into it. Aim as low as you can and as far to the front of the tractor as you can.

I do try that and it does work for small snowfalls but when a big dump happens the build up might be too much for the blower

When the wind is really blowing I found it was a waste of time because it would only blow back in. I use to wait for a few hours and usually the wind would drop so it was not too bad. For safety reasons if you can not see where you are going you do not really know what is in front of you.
Just wait until you blow at night in bad weather and come out in the light the next day to inspect the job. You will say idiot drove the tractor he was even up on the lawn.

Craig Clayton

It was that bad, my wiper couldn't even keep up. I would move a couple feet, stop, wait for the snow to clear then move another couple feet. It took a long time to do.

 

[mpham]

Sometimes driving out and blowing from the other direction(with the shoot still pointing where you were) can make all the difference you need. On my driveway I have to blow going towards the house with the shoot facing east. If I try to blow going out the driveway with the shoot facing east it makes a mess.
Give it a try.

 

[leonz]

Hello Corey,

Short of simply blasting the snow directly in front of you and down to control the spray you do not have many options with all the wind you have.

Your mule will have no problem windrowing and disposing the snow in this matter for all the rows of snow buildup.

I know its still early in the snow season for both of us but you may want to consider extending the length of the chute over the cab roof if possible.

The new steel could be riveted to the current chute (if its substantial enough) to raise the height of the chute and then reattach the spout, If the spout controls are hydraulic you would have to add more hose of course.

I dont know if you want to consider a spinner window for your cab window but that is an option that is used for railroad snow clearers and I believe you can still purchase them in 12 volt service.

 

[tcartwri]

Another thing to do, which might sound counterintuitive, is to feed the blower at a higher speed, thus cutting down on the light fly away stuff that gets blown back in your face. You want a good solid stream of snow coming out of the chute.

 

[LandN]

what i'm going to try this winter on my 3 car wide driveway(with my 30"wide walk behind snowblower) is to use the bucket as a plow and fill up the bucket and when full, or near full, THEN turn on the main auger and let it all blast out. in my thinking it should work.but hey i gotta try.

 

[Toyboy]

I tried that once. Broke 3 shear bolts. Blowers are not meant to start with a full load of snow in them.

 

[slowzuki]

If you keep it really loaded up, most of the snow will go where pointed even with the wind except when it is really windy and really cold dry snow. Pointing the chute down helps.

On some of my runs I just plow when its windy then come back and blow the bank away when the wind stops.