Snow Tips for using front mount snow blower

B_Childress · Dec 16, 2001

Looking for info on how others get the best results from their front mount blowers. Just had first storm a while ago here in New England. Snow was very heavy wet slush, about 3". This was my first storm with new B2710 & 63" blower. I've read the manuals & thought I was doing everything right, but blower shute kept clogging up. I know some of this was probably due to operator error :>.

Tractor was in 4wd low range and blower/mid PTO was set at 2500-2600 RPM. I was going pretty slow. Finally ended up removing the blower and finished up with the FEL.

Is it okay to operate at higher than reccommended 2500 RPM and should I be going faster to keep the blower loaded with snow? Blower manual does state max RPM for heavy snow but is max 2500 PTO speed or max engine RPM?

Also first attempt at using rear PTO Herd sander on the steep part of the drive. Unit worked great and threw a perfect 12" spread. Sure beats sligging sand with a shovel on 300+ foot hill!

Any help appreciated from the more experienced out there.
Thanks,
Barnett

Mike_Dumond · Dec 16, 2001

You might try keeping your forward speed up a little. And, from experience, keep some weight on the rear. You don't want the front doing all the work when the blower is up. Those universals aren't cheap./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Keep the greasy side down.
Mike

hwp · Dec 16, 2001

There are two variables that greatly impact the ability of a snowblower, the discharge velocity and the gap between the impeller and the drum. The discharge velocity needs to be at least 5000 feet/min. To determine the discharge velocity of your machine multiple the PTO rpm by 3.14 times the diameter of your impeller in feet. The gap between the impeller and the drum between BTC and a quarter turn later should be such that it will pick up and carry a dime on the flat through that distance. What the gap is on the other 3/4 of a turn doesn't matter. If the gap gets too large, at worst it should pick up and carry a quarter, there will be too much leakage and the effect of the discharge velocity will be lost. Two common mistakes people make is to try to operate their machines at too low an RPM and not loading them with enough snow. However, too much snow load will stall the engine so there is a delicate balance. To some extent a high snow load will overcome a gap problem but it will not overcome a discharge velocity problem. Clogging of the discharge chute in wet snow is usually related to not enough dishcarge velocity.

Tileman · Dec 17, 2001

Wet snow and snowblowers in general are not a perfect match. My neighbor has a 2 stage on a JD tractor and clogs in wet snow. He did remove the chute wire insert and cut the clogging down to a minimum. I have a single stage snowblower on a Cub that performs better in wet snow than a 2 stage. I'm in the process of getting a new machine and I know that I will not get the snowblower but opt for the FEL. I have a plow on my PU truck. The FEL will will be the perfect complement to my plow.

RAllen · Dec 17, 2001

Barnett

Good information here but I think something is wrong with your blower. I have a 2910 and the same two stage blower you have. Just finished blowing very wet slush. A drunken truck plow operator had made a mess of our private road. Yes is was intoxicated. I called him up and asked why he made such a mess. He apoligized saying he had been drinking and lost his bearings.

This idiot left three foot high berms of slush partially blocking the road. He plowed too deep and spoiled a very good base. He picked up large rocks and they were buried deeply in those berms.

I did break a couple of shear pins on the rocks and the tractor bogged down a few times causing me to take smaller bites of those berms but the slushy mess NEVER clogged the exhaust shute. The blower did all I asked.

Rick

B_Childress · Dec 21, 2001

Thanks for all the tips. I checked the blower and everything seems to be as mentioned above. I also ran this by my dealer and he told me run the throttle wide open for the wet heavy stuff. So, for the next storm I'll open up the throttle & keep my speed up.
Barnett