Snowblowing rules of thumb

[ArlyA]

I discontinued snowplowing as well. Now my Honda sits in the garage every winter, just waiting for a change to get out! Suppose I should sell it. Our atv with its 6ft plow is faster, much dryer for the operator and easier to get the snow where we'd like it.

 

[oosik]

We moved onto this property - 1982. For the following 25 to 30 years we got quite a bit of snow. I had a five foot - two stage blower. Ran it with my Ford 1700 - 4WD. It was mounted on the 3-point.

Did an excellent job - it was slow - my neck and shoulders would always be sore for 2 to 3 days after using the blower.

My mile long gravel driveway plus mailbox area plus yard would take four hours to clear.

In 2009 I bought my 2009 Kubota M6040. I purchased a HD Rhino rear blade. Clearing snow in the same areas now takes less than half the time. Because I don't have to look back all the time - my neck and shoulders are never sore.

I am a HAPPY camper.

 

[TugHillDog]

Defensive snow management. I also clear the upstream bank to my property line at an angle, about 75'. I'll also clear the snow out of the road if the plow has not gone through depending on how much is there. Really dislike needing to go back out after I've put my tractor away just to move what the plow pushed in.

The plow drivers here can be, well, pricks, but not to everyone. The guys that do my road tend to swing wide around my driveway because of the way I take care of it. They don't do this for some of my neighbors that push up big banks close to their driveway and road or across the road. I've seen them swing wide for me and then swing back in for the neighbor and push a 3 foot bank back across the end for them to move. It seems that if you make their life easier they will return the favor but if you make their life harder they will do the same.

While the place I love to be is outside of town [last place on a dead-end dirt road], my "winter home" is in the village. I know some of the plow drivers pretty well and they always remark about the fact that I clean the snow off the roadside for a number of adjacent neighbors. They know I am attempting to help and they respect that.
As you have said, treat them well and they will be kind. Don't...and well, they won't
I am glad to see so many commenters that recognize the benefit of "upstream cleaning" of snow. I have attempted to teach my neighbors, but some of them just don't get it. They now just want me and the 60" snowblower and 45hp tractor to remedy things for them....and of course, we do.

Great topic on an other +80* day with 90% humidity

 

[RjCorazza]

I also clear the approach to driveways on my route, and don't leave a berm in (or near) the roadway. I used to know the county plow driver, and he always went out of his way to do a good job. The new guy last year has clearly never plowed before, and I can honestly say it would have been better had he not showed up at all.

 

[oosik]

I clear upstream of my driveway - 100 feet or more. Many of the county plow trucks don't have a drop gate on their front blade. This upstream clearing means - no snow to block my driveway entrance.

 

[oosik]

Don't attempt to blow wet snow. Wait until it's cold and the snow is crunchy.

 

[Tony H]

I discontinued snowplowing as well. Now my Honda sits in the garage every winter, just waiting for a change to get out! Suppose I should sell it. Our atv with its 6ft plow is faster, much dryer for the operator and easier to get the snow where we'd like it. View attachment 859481

Ugg, i have tracks on my Side by side. Make steering VERY tough with power steering

 

[ArlyA]

Ugg, i have tracks on my Side by side. Make steering VERY tough with power steering

Did you mean without power steering?

 

[whatever1]

Tips on setting the scraper on a snowblower down in contact with the driveway or a small gap, and if so how small a gap ?

 

[Tony H]

Tips on setting the scraper on a snowblower down in contact with the driveway or a small gap, and if so how small a gap ?

This is up to the homeowner. While folks with stone driveways leave larger gaps and sometimes replace that Scraper with a round pipe to keep from lifting the stones, others with blacktop driveways want to eat off their driveways so they Scrape the blacktop. The bottom line is...it depends. When I had blacktop, I didn't want to scrape off the pretty black Sealer that I put on in the Spring. I loosened the Scraper, through two pencils under each side and tightened it up. That worked for me. It left a tiny bit of snow that the Sun would melt off that Black Sealant even in below freezing temps.

 

[RjCorazza]

Tips on setting the scraper on a snowblower down in contact with the driveway or a small gap, and if so how small a gap ?

I set my edge with a 1/8" gap from the pavement.

 

[JJT]

Tips on setting the scraper on a snowblower down in contact with the driveway or a small gap, and if so how small a gap ?

I've always run mine with the lip about 1/2" above the ground. If I can slide a finger under the leading edge I'm good. Sometimes I'll go to no gap mid season, once there's a packed or ice base over the gravel drive.

 

[Gord Baker]

My ancient White (MTD) 10.5 HP 30" cut started first pull as usual. I run it dry of fuel in the Spring. If I need to do neighbours Gravel Laneway I have a pair of 6" x 1" x 1" with 45° cut on each end that I bolt to my existing skids. Awaiting more snow in Southern Ontario.

 

[yanmars]

Please keep that snow up there, lol

 

[Tony H]

We moved onto this property - 1982. For the following 25 to 30 years we got quite a bit of snow. I had a five foot - two stage blower. Ran it with my Ford 1700 - 4WD. It was mounted on the 3-point.

Did an excellent job - it was slow - my neck and shoulders would always be sore for 2 to 3 days after using the blower.

My mile long gravel driveway plus mailbox area plus yard would take four hours to clear.

In 2009 I bought my 2009 Kubota M6040. I purchased a HD Rhino rear blade. Clearing snow in the same areas now takes less than half the time. Because I don't have to look back all the time - my neck and shoulders are never sore.

I am a HAPPY camper.

So you don't get large snowfall that are hard to drive thru? Deep snows that flow over the blade?

 

[Tony H]

Defensive snow management. I also clear the upstream bank to my property line at an angle, about 75'. I'll also clear the snow out of the road if the plow has not gone through depending on how much is there. Really dislike needing to go back out after I've put my tractor away just to move what the plow pushed in.

The plow drivers here can be, well, pricks, but not to everyone. The guys that do my road tend to swing wide around my driveway because of the way I take care of it. They don't do this for some of my neighbors that push up big banks close to their driveway and road or across the road. I've seen them swing wide for me and then swing back in for the neighbor and push a 3 foot bank back across the end for them to move. It seems that if you make their life easier they will return the favor but if you make their life harder they will do the same.

On snow mornings, I'm out at 5am to beat the 6:00 Town guy. My driveway is at the end of the road. It used to be where the plow dumped before making a multi point turn to head out. So I beat him and plow down about 200'. I plow it across the road because that side has the ditch. The Towns plow empties before he gets to me. I'm happy, he's happy. If he hits my road a few times a day and beats me, he tends to keep it to one side so if I don't get there and have to get out. I can. All about mutual respect

 

[coldsteelva]

I have a salamander heater in my garage to use while working in there and for other uses, like thawing out water pipes. I'll set this directly in front of the blower, pointing it directly into the auger. Doesn't take very long for the ice and snow to melt and run off and it will be mostly dry. Hope you have a floor drain. If not be sure to move the blower to a different location or off the floor on blocks. It could freeze to the puddle on the floor over night if it gets to cold in there.

I try to not need to be in my garage in the winter long enough to need to bring out my propane salamander, but along those same lines, when I'm done using my 60-inch rear-mounted blower, I break out the old Weed Dragon propane torch. I use it to heat the entire steel body of the blower and any compacted snow or ice liquefies and/or evaporates. I do a double-check before I go out again (spinning the auger, impeller, drive shaft by hand and crank the manual chute around. I can imagine there's nothing more aggravating than trying to knock out and replace a shear pin when everything is coated in snow/ice.