To Blow or Not to Blow [that is the question...]

jb62901 · Nov 24, 2013

I have used spray wax, silicone the best I found yet is Rain-X stays much longer.

Colonel Monk · Nov 24, 2013

jb62901 said:
I have used spray wax, silicone the best I found yet is Rain-X stays much longer.

Oh yeah! Had forgotten since I've been away from snow.... I used to use the silicone spray they sell for camping gear (for nylon rainjackets, tents, etc) on my snow shovels to prevent sticking.

Surface prep is key though, if you don't have a bunch of rust in there you will def have less problems.

excav8ter · Nov 29, 2013

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDPtark4dO4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

You mean a pto driven blower won't blow heavy, wet snow? How about heavy, wet AND windrowed?
This looks like it works pretty well....

ericher69 · Nov 29, 2013

excav8ter said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDPtark4dO4&feature=youtube_gdata_player You mean a pto driven blower won't blow heavy, wet snow? How about heavy, wet AND windrowed? This looks like it works pretty well....

That's not the snow or conditions that we are talking about.

In the video link you posted the pavement is obviously iced over leaving me to deduce that the temp is below 0.

When the chute clogs is when the temp is hovering around 0. The snow will gradually ice up in the chute constricting the discharge opening.

This is fine as long as the impeller is fed enough snow but sometimes at the end of the run when you need to let up the feed rate is reduced causing an instant ice block in the chute that will not dislodge.

When conditions are right/wrong depending how you look at it the blower actually pushes the snow along as it piles up in the front of the blower.

This happens for a few reasons

1. Snow is snowman sticky (perfect to build one)
2. Ice on the surface below the snow and above the pavement
3. If blowing on a long run; the auger actually creates a crust of ice between itself and the snow making it more difficult to break up.

I am not a scientist or an expert but have lived this frustrating ordeal many more times that I care to recall.

Hope the explanation helps; will try and post a video.

2010drive · Nov 29, 2013

I spray down the entire snowblower with "fluid film". Great lubricant and prevents rust.

excav8ter · Nov 29, 2013

ericher69 said:
That's not the snow or conditions that we are talking about.

In the video link you posted the pavement is obviously iced over leaving me to deduce that the temp is below 0.

When the chute clogs is when the temp is hovering around 0. The snow will gradually ice up in the chute constricting the discharge opening.

This is fine as long as the impeller is fed enough snow but sometimes at the end of the run when you need to let up the feed rate is reduced causing an instant ice block in the chute that will not dislodge.

When conditions are right/wrong depending how you look at it the blower actually pushes the snow along as it piles up in the front of the blower.

This happens for a few reasons

1. Snow is snowman sticky (perfect to build one)
2. Ice on the surface below the snow and above the pavement
3. If blowing on a long run; the auger actually creates a crust of ice between itself and the snow making it more difficult to break up.

I am not a scientist or an expert but have lived this frustrating ordeal many more times that I care to recall.

Hope the explanation helps; will try and post a video.

I guess I miss understood, I thought the OP was saying they plug, up to easy.

CDN Farm Boy · Nov 30, 2013

ericher69 said:
That's not the snow or conditions that we are talking about.

In the video link you posted the pavement is obviously iced over leaving me to deduce that the temp is below 0.

When the chute clogs is when the temp is hovering around 0. The snow will gradually ice up in the chute constricting the discharge opening.

This is fine as long as the impeller is fed enough snow but sometimes at the end of the run when you need to let up the feed rate is reduced causing an instant ice block in the chute that will not dislodge.

When conditions are right/wrong depending how you look at it the blower actually pushes the snow along as it piles up in the front of the blower.

This happens for a few reasons

1. Snow is snowman sticky (perfect to build one)
2. Ice on the surface below the snow and above the pavement
3. If blowing on a long run; the auger actually creates a crust of ice between itself and the snow making it more difficult to break up.

I am not a scientist or an expert but have lived this frustrating ordeal many more times that I care to recall.

Hope the explanation helps; will try and post a video.

I agree. There are times that WOT will do nothing as the snow pushes infront. Thick cutting edges are also a cause of this, mine's 1.25" thick UHMW plastic. Well, it starts that thick, wears out over the season.

Those windrows aren't that big anyway. There's not more than 4" worth of snowfall in those. Try blowing 18" of re-blown snow the full width of the blower.

Another trick to polishing the inside of the chute is gravel. While waiting for sidewalk plows last wed, I cleaned the gravel yard where we park all the tractors at work. Realistically, probably put a small wheelbarrow worth of gravel thru. It's all nice and shiny now.

CorvairGuy · Nov 30, 2013

speedy912 said:
WD40 sprayed in chute works well for wet snow too. If anyone has problems throwing rock from that hump in middle of driveway try attaching good solid 1 inch bar to top of skids and just below bottom of intake. I used shaft from a hydraulic ram that had been replaced and welded it to top of skids. Not a total fix but big improvement. 1500 foot of rock drive.

Speedy912,

Do you happen to have a picture? I'm having a hard time picturing this and we have a long gravel driveway. The Mrs and I are even thinking about buying the road from the township - which would make it even longer. Hopefully though, it will help keep out the ATVers, unwanted guessed/thieves and nosey busy-bodies. Grin

ericher69 · Dec 3, 2013

ericher69 said:
That's not the snow or conditions that we are talking about. In the video link you posted the pavement is obviously iced over leaving me to deduce that the temp is below 0. When the chute clogs is when the temp is hovering around 0. The snow will gradually ice up in the chute constricting the discharge opening. This is fine as long as the impeller is fed enough snow but sometimes at the end of the run when you need to let up the feed rate is reduced causing an instant ice block in the chute that will not dislodge. When conditions are right/wrong depending how you look at it the blower actually pushes the snow along as it piles up in the front of the blower. This happens for a few reasons 1. Snow is snowman sticky (perfect to build one) 2. Ice on the surface below the snow and above the pavement 3. If blowing on a long run; the auger actually creates a crust of ice between itself and the snow making it more difficult to break up. I am not a scientist or an expert but have lived this frustrating ordeal many more times that I care to recall. Hope the explanation helps; will try and post a video.

Here is the video as promised

http://youtu.be/w01FJ5ltLqs