Snowblowing rules of thumb

[Green Acres Homestead]

The only people that don't make mistakes is the people that don't do anything. I was blowing snow and over a embanking I had a steep road into a wood lot. figured I would blow it out. go down there and stuck and ditches on both sides of me. I suffered the same hardship except I was little more prepared with clothes.

Snow Blowing
Here is one for the books. I have a 34 HP HST 78" Plow on front 64" blower on back. I usually plow at 6" and blow if deeper than that. We just had 12" on top of 4" on top of ice. Went out to blow out the 12" I have 1000 ft of flat road and parking. 800 ft is Blacktop. Hiked out to the barn Got her running plowed some space Turned around and started backing down blowing. Oh yeah have a loose fitting canvas cab. Wind was fickle so I was running backwards in a cloud. Before I knew it I had slid off the driveway sort of parallel. No go. Hiked back to the house , not plowed yet , got a snow shovel, dug it out. No go big piles by now . Dropped the plow dug it out again. Little back and forth and with out the weight of the plow it came out.
I had wet gloves, wet pants, wet boots and wet socks. I have not been that wet and cold in 50 years maybe longer.

 

[Green Acres Homestead]

The only people that don't make mistakes is the people that don't do anything. I was blowing snow and over a embanking I had a steep road into a wood lot. figured I would blow it out. go down there and stuck and ditches on both sides of me. I suffered the same hardship except I was little more prepared with clothes.

Snow Blowing
Here is one for the books. I have a 34 HP HST 78" Plow on front 64" blower on back. I usually plow at 6" and blow if deeper than that. We just had 12" on top of 4" on top of ice. Went out to blow out the 12" I have 1000 ft of flat road and parking. 800 ft is Blacktop. Hiked out to the barn Got her running plowed some space Turned around and started backing down blowing. Oh yeah have a loose fitting canvas cab. Wind was fickle so I was running backwards in a cloud. Before I knew it I had slid off the driveway sort of parallel. No go. Hiked back to the house , not plowed yet , got a snow shovel, dug it out. No go big piles by now . Dropped the plow dug it out again. Little back and forth and with out the weight of the plow it came out.
I had wet gloves, wet pants, wet boots and wet socks. I have not been that wet and cold in 50 years maybe longer.

 

[PILOON]

Also have been stuck while blowing and or plowing.

Now my tractor lives with a dedicated shovel hanging from one corner of my cab.

 

[Kubotafan]

As a child you learned to not piss into the wind (sorry ladies). For the life of me, I don't understand why people can't learn to not blow into the wind.

I have always been able to avoid pissing into the wind, but there are times when I have had to blow snow into the wind. I can be clearing over 50 driveways after a storm, and driveways aren't always such that you can blow with the wind.

 

[GuglioLS]

The day after Christmas here in Edgewood New Mexico we got 27" in less than 24 hours. After blowing that stuff around a couple of days later in the frigid 12* F getting nearly instantly freeze blasted by the self-created blizzard the first FRIG-GEN rule should be - "Let someone else do it while you watch out the window sitting by the wood stove.

This is my first snow blower. For the past 37 years I have been plowing it with a blade or pushing it with a dozer but this past summer I had a barn build and chip sealed 600 feet of driveway and a large parking area in front of the new barn so scraping it with a blade would have ruined the chip seal.

I picked up a Woods SB84 (7 footer) and attached it to a 35 HP Jinma. I was a bit concerned the tractor might be a wee bit under powered when I first had it delivered but soon found out it has enough oomph to power it, or simply raise it a bit and make two passes when the going gets tough. It is amazing how fast that thing clears out deep snow blowing into oblivion. It has the optional hydraulic motor for chute rotation and I added a hydraulic cylinder for height control from Surplus Center.

There are high voltage overhead power lines crossing my driveway. No one has mentioned blowing snow that might or will hit power lines. The blower manual says nothing about power lines. Does anyone know the risks of blowing snow under high voltage overhead power lines?

The last rule in my book is - At the end of the day enjoy the fruits of your labor



Click for Video....

 

[RoyJackson]

There are high voltage overhead power lines crossing my driveway. No one has mentioned blowing snow that might or will hit power lines. The blower manual says nothing about power lines. Does anyone know the risks of blowing snow under high voltage overhead power lines?

In 15+ years of reading threads on TBN, that's the first time I read a question concerning blown snow and overhead power lines!
I have no idea if there's a danger in snow hitting those wires. My guess is it's a minimal risk, if a risk at all as there is no solid connection between the wires and the tractor....not like a backhoe or a loader.
However, you could angle the chute deflector downward...the cast snow wouldn't go as high and drop below those wires.

 

[ray66v]

I guess some people have never seen swirling winds, or winds that change direction suddenly.

Yes, they do exist.

 

[newbury]

As I contemplate the possible need to get the snowblower out tomorrow, I have developed some snow blowing "rules of thumb" over the years that some of you newbies to snow blowing may want to consider. I figure that I have moved about 5,700 inches of snow with my three snow blowing rigs over the last 29 years. Snowblowing is my favorite winter activity, now that IO have a heated cab. Feel free to add to my list, I am always looking for new techniques:

RULE 1. Don't put your hand in the moving augers. This is an obvious one. I have occassionaly stuck a broom handle down the chute in the spring with the blower running, but that is about as dumb as I get. I have develped a fondness for my appendages over the years.
<snip>

I stopped reading the thread at this one.
DO NOT STICK STUFF IN THE CHUTE WHEN THE MACHINE IS RUNNING

I was blowing snow w/ a Gravely. Chute kept clogging up. Took the old broom handle to clear the chute. Broom handle got sucked in, snagged my glove, broke the tip of my forefinger off.

 

[Green Acres Homestead]

I stopped reading the thread at this one. DO NOT STICK STUFF IN THE CHUTE WHEN THE MACHINE IS RUNNING I was blowing snow w/ a Gravely. Chute kept clogging up. Took the old broom handle to clear the chute. Broom handle got sucked in, snagged my glove, broke the tip of my forefinger off.

man a guy has to be on guard. Just get absent minded for 1 minute and you can loose your life.

 

[aczlan]

I stopped reading the thread at this one.
DO NOT STICK STUFF IN THE CHUTE WHEN THE MACHINE IS RUNNING

How about this (my rule): Thou shalt not get closer than 4 feet to the front of the blower (or the chute) with the tractor engine running.

Aaron Z

 

[5030]

I have a huge 90' Lucknow double auger with a fan expeller 3 point rear mount (Cat 2) with a huydraulic chute rotator and delivery angle adjustment that fits either of my Kubota's, though it can make either work real hard in deep drifts. I run an older Western 8 foot plow blade on a bobcat style quick hitch that fits on either loader so getting it done here, no matter how much it snows is a non issue.

The one thing I installed that makes life much easier with the rear mount blowers is the rear facing camera and monitor in the cab so I don't have to get a stiff neck looking backwards all the time. Candidly, I'd never own a rear mount blower with an open station tractor, just way too much hassle with blowing snow and chancing frostbite....

That was last year. I', fully retired now so the blower and the plow are next to the barn, the tractors are inside, one is put away for the winter, the other has a set of forks on for feeding rounds to the stock and thats it. No more snow removal for me. I'd rather sit in front of the fire and toast my feet Come spring I'm gonna sell 'em both... blower and plow.

 

[joeyd]

I don't know if this has been mentioned but this Christmas we went to visit my son and his family. When we returned a week later we had 30" of snow piled up. Before we left I had been using my back blade to take care of the snow and left in on the tractor. My blower was in front of my tractor in my pole barn and my tractor was facing forward. It took me over 2 hours using my walk behind to blow a big enough area to back the tractor out, drop the blade then turn around and back up to my 68" Meteor. From now on before I leave I will hook up the blower just in case!!!

 

[fitterski]

I had a Honda that ingested a hockey stick the kids left outside. I've never figured out how but it threw a foot long piece at my rigt eye, the splinter pierced my eyelid, and the piece was just hanging there by the splinter. I twisted the splinter off the piece and went inside to a mirror to see. Pulling on the splinter pulled the eyelid away from the eyeball and every now and then I could feel the pointed splinter end just scrathch the eyeball.

At that point I had a decision to make and based on previous experience I could see myself entering the emergency ward of the hospital where a nurse would promptly examining the injury and pierce my eyeball in the process. So instead I counted... and on 3 it came out, ripping a small artery in he lid and giving me a humongous shinerbut otherwise safe and sound.

 

[smfcpacfp]

I had a Honda that ingested a hockey stick the kids left outside. I've never figured out how but it threw a foot long piece at my rigt eye, the splinter pierced my eyelid, and the piece was just hanging there by the splinter. I twisted the splinter off the piece and went inside to a mirror to see. Pulling on the splinter pulled the eyelid away from the eyeball and every now and then I could feel the pointed splinter end just scrathch the eyeball.

At that point I had a decision to make and based on previous experience I could see myself entering the emergency ward of the hospital where a nurse would promptly examining the injury and pierce my eyeball in the process. So instead I counted... and on 3 it came out, ripping a small artery in he lid and giving me a humongous shinerbut otherwise safe and sound.

Lucky you. Another reason to have a cab.

Kubota B3030 Snowblowing on 1/02/2012 - YouTube

 

[jackpine savage]

In 15+ years of reading threads on TBN, that's the first time I read a question concerning blown snow and overhead power lines!
I have no idea if there's a danger in snow hitting those wires. My guess is it's a minimal risk, if a risk at all as there is no solid connection between the wires and the tractor....not like a backhoe or a loader.
However, you could angle the chute deflector downward...the cast snow wouldn't go as high and drop below those wires.

I did have a personal experience with that about 20 years ago when I was milking cows. We were in the middle of a big storm, trying to get the yard and driveway cleaned out so the milk truck could get in to empty the bulk tank. The pump house sat in the middle of the yard, next to a light pole, with overhead wires running to it. The pair of wires were old, about a foot apart, and the insulation was hanging off them. A neighbor came over with his tractor and blower to help. The snow hit the wires, made a big spark, and caught the insulation on fire. We watched it burn and after a couple minutes both wires came down. We lucked out and found an electrician with a bucket truck that was willing to make the drive on bad roads.

I definitely avoid hitting wires. Even if you didn't cause a short, there's a chance the force of the snow could pull the wires off the building or pole.

 

[brbhan]

Cigar smoking comes in handy. My cigars are equipped with a wind-direction finder

I have been there and done all that.

You must not ever have gusting, or swirling winds.

It's so windy here, sometimes I get a face full of snow, even when plowing it.:cold:

I stand by my resolve.

 

[oosik]

I don't remember what rule the OP numbered it but he said - clear your driveway of FOD(foreign object debris) before your "first blow". Well, there is another way to interpret that rule - forget all the walking, crouching, picking and raking - just bring extra shear pins.On a mile long gravel driveway I simply gave up trying to find everything that might cause a shear pin to shear. Beside - a lot of the time, stuff that I figured might cause a blown shear pin would simply go right thru the blower and out the chute with no problems at all.I always assumed and usually did blow two shear pins on my first trip up/down the driveway. Thereafter it was one or two pins blown for the entire remainder of the season.

 

[brbhan]

I don't remember what rule the OP numbered it but he said - clear your driveway of FOD(foreign object debris) before your "first blow". Well, there is another way to interpret that rule - forget all the walking, crouching, picking and raking - just bring extra shear pins.On a mile long gravel driveway I simply gave up trying to find everything that might cause a shear pin to shear. Beside - a lot of the time, stuff that I figured might cause a blown shear pin would simply go right thru the blower and out the chute with no problems at all.I always assumed and usually did blow two shear pins on my first trip up/down the driveway. Thereafter it was one or two pins blown for the entire remainder of the season.

Mile-long gravel driveway is an exception; a luxury not many of us are blessed with.
OP is talking RULES.
Heard someone once say 'exceptions make not a rule....'. Irrespective, your point is well taken.

 

[jimwilly]

I am using my snowblower for the 2nd season on my .8KM road with steep hills at both ends, so here are some of my tips;

1) Check your rear tire pressure, mine should be 14 psi. They looked OK until I raised the snowblower (600Lbs) & I saw the left tire bulging out.
Of course the liquid valve was screwed up so luckily I had a spare & got it pumped up OK. Always have the valve at the top when checking or
you might have liquid calcium all over the place (done that).

2) Have plenty of spare shear bolts & make sure they are the correct grade. The ones I found at Home Depot were too hard so I had to
special order mine from a fastener supply store.

3) Load plenty of fuel in your tractor as it will burn way more fuel per hour snow blowing compared to just driving around, yes I ran out last year.

4) Make sure the max height (for rear PTO) stopper is set properly, I missed this once. I must have pulled the UP lever while the tractor
was idling & looked back later & it was WAY too high!

5) Keep the snowblower level or slightly tipped back otherwise it can "dig in" and start throwing rocks & dirt.

6) Already mentioned but consider marking your road edges, I have found myself way off to the side of my road & was blowing long grass &
rocks.

7) I have a 1000 lb rated floor dolley that I lower my blower onto, makes it real easy to install/remove & I can roll it into my garage for summer
storage.

8) If your tractor has it use the multiple PTO speed selector, in FWD Low I use the PTO 1 setting, in FWD High I use the PTO 2 setting because the
the tractor RPM is much lower.

9) Get some kind of anti-stick spray. My discharge chute does plug up in some conditions, usually when I stop plowing even for a few seconds.
I am going to try "Dupont Snow & Ice Repellent with Teflon" next time. I could not find anything like this in the small town where my property is
located but I see Canadian Tire carries it locally.

10) Don't plow your road just wide enough for your vehicle too fit, in icy conditions you need the extra room or you could end up with some body
damage!

11) I use my rear blade at the start of the season thinking it will push any loose rocks off to the side, I go extra wide & avoid snow blowing those piles
created because that's where the rocks probably are.

 

[check]

Well hello neighbor, Chocolay Township here. I think I know where your house is based on the pictures...north side of 480?

Great list. Only thing I can think of is dealing with the snow pack. I do just enough in the morning to get the cars in and out, then do a more thural job at night or on the weekend. Pack was more of a problem when I had only my lawnmower with a blower on the front. Still if I let the cars pack it down, and as you know we can get snow 5-7 days a week, my blower(rear mount) will ride on what was packed down and this will build and build.

And when you have a really warms spell like when spring is coming, it all turns to slush, and you get stuck! So keep that frozen base thin.