Snow Equipment Owning/Operating What You Find When Blowing Snow

Al Mac · Jan 17, 2015

It happens every year.
When blowing snow yesterday I found the sales flyers. They are rolled up and put into a tube type plastic bag and dropped at the end of the lane.
With one large snap it broke the shear bolt on the blower and it seldom hurts the flyers much.

Over the years I have put several things through the blower that were under the snow. Most times it happens when I am moving the snow back to make more room. Things like 2x4 ,dog chain (that was a no fun),someones pants that had blew over here in a storm, 5 gal gas can with about 2 gal of gas in it that my son left out and got drifted over and once on lovely relaxing New Years Eve day I was cleaning up and got a little close to the chain link fence. Well several hours later I had the blower and fence cut apart and the fence patched (repaired in spring). It destroyed the tines on one side of the blower.

The drinking started just after that with several friends that evening laughing at what was my end to the year fun.

Al

irvingj · Jan 17, 2015

No, I haven't had as much fun as you have.

Only the occasional fist-sized rock (live on a dirt road), tree limb, or small furry creatures that travel in tunnels under the snow. (Yuck!)

oosik · Jan 17, 2015

Ha,ha,ha - likewise - I've never experienced those joys - blowing snow. Rocks, furry small creatures and the occasional wood fence post/tree limb and, oh yes, those blown shear bolts.
I gave up my snow blower when I got the Kubota. The rear blade and bigger tractor are now able to break down the frozen berms along the driveway. I don't miss all that time going in reverse and, in particular, the stiff neck.

Looking4new · Jan 17, 2015

I have got the bottom step on the stairs leading into the house, a skid/pallet, many rocks thanks to the dog and a hydro pole. (The hydro pole I was trying to blow way too close to it.) I have taken out 4 shear pins and one shear bolt in the 3 winters I have owned this one.

NewfieDan · Jan 17, 2015

We have bushes along the edge of our driveway. Managed to hit one, it took almost a year before it grew back. It's still little oddly shaped. The first time I used the tractor with the front blower I somehow managed to introduce the running blower to the blade.

It's amazing how much a blower will move a steel blade, and how loud the sound of shear bolts breaking can be. Especially when you're not used to it. I ended up bending one of the auger tines a little, but it's still useable.

Thomas · Jan 17, 2015

Years back got into neighbors Christmas tree lights the big bulb type,pull least 75' bulbs right off side of house with out a problem....what a #@^& mess.

FatTire · Jan 17, 2015

Snagged a couple splits of firewood. Didn't hear anything but the snow coming out of the shoot suddenly turned brown, and I thought "WTF?" for a brief moment before "clunk-clunk-clunk" and then the shear bolts let go. Ooops.

hutchman · Jan 17, 2015

Two garden hoses (two different times) that the kids left out in the driveway. Got a little too close to the back door once and caught the rug/mat. That was fun cutting out.

PILOON · Jan 17, 2015

Came spring one year and I decided to accelerate the melting process by blowing back some snow banks.
Well clean forgot that I had an accumulation of scrap hidden under the snow. (long winter not short memory)
Snow blowers simply do not digest an old car starter.
Blew the gear box wide open, twisted the auger, bent the auger shaft.
In sum it added to the scrap metal pile.

What I did not know was that the augers were well rusted to the main shaft and that the PTO shaft had no protection in that a much higher grade of sheer bolt was installed. (like 12).
I later found that grade 5 was what is called for.

Live and learn. Winter now has blue flags on 4 ft Rebar poles. (I slip blue PVC tubing onto the ends, light blue is very visible + I had it)
I use Rebar as wood, plastic etc break or bend just too easily