2014 2032r 54 Snowblower- very poor performance issue

[KenLysons]

I sold a very nice little Massey gc2400 that would throw snow 80'. This bigger more powerful JD throws it about 10'. I tried loading the blower heavy with a good row from the rear blade first, going faster, slower, nothing makes much of a difference. There is about 4-6" of fresh snow, not real wet, not super cold. The massey would hit the top of trees, this one barely clears 10' out. I am wound out, and even bogged the engine a little when it loaded up well.

I wish I had never sold the Massey, but it funded the cab and blower for the JD, which I have far more attachments for.

I see the clearance between the fan and housing has quite a big gap, close to 3/4" but not worn, just gap. The blower is like new. I am thinking about doing the rubber flap mod.

Has anyone done this? Do the rubber flaps go on the leading or trailing edge?

Was it worth it?

 

[Kish318420]

Front side against fan blades so pressure is applied against, drop the gap to a 1/8 to 1/4".

 

[Hilbilly]

Sounds like the tractor and blower are not properly matched. Either the blower has the wrong gear setup for this tractor or the tractor mid PTO is turning slower than the blower needs it to.

The 3/4" gap is huge but I doubt it would make the difference between throwing snow 10' and 80'. I had about 1/2" gap on my old blower and welded to the end of each fan blade, to reduce the gap to about 1/8". It might have added another 5' to the throw distance. Throwing distance is all about the tip speed of the fan blades. The faster the tip speed the further the snow gets thrown (as long as you have the HP to drive it).

 

[jgayman]

Sounds like the tractor and blower are not properly matched. Either the blower has the wrong gear setup for this tractor or the tractor mid PTO is turning slower than the blower needs it to.

The 3/4" gap is huge but I doubt it would make the difference between throwing snow 10' and 80'. I had about 1/2" gap on my old blower and welded to the end of each fan blade, to reduce the gap to about 1/8". It might have added another 5' to the throw distance. Throwing distance is all about the tip speed of the fan blades. The faster the tip speed the further the snow gets thrown (as long as you have the HP to drive it).

I had the same problem with my 54-inch blower. I swapped the impeller for the steel one and it was like night and day. It's all about the shape of the blades on the impeller. Other than being made of plastic, the blades on the OEM impeller are completely flat. The blades on the steel impeller are curved on the ends like a scoop. Literally every tractor mounted snow blower I've ever seen, whether front mount or rear mount has an impeller with scoop-like blades.

The black impeller below is the plastic one.

 

[KenLysons]

I am done with the plastic garbage. I am going to have to find a steel one. What are you guys finding for prices?

 

[jgayman]

I am done with the plastic garbage. I am going to have to find a steel one. What are you guys finding for prices?

That's the bad part. JD seems to have raised the price considerably on the steel impeller. It used to be less than $300 and now it is $452(US).

 

[KenLysons]

I paid $680 for my steel blower.

Today I have gutted the entire blower assembly, some lazy knothead left a cord in a parking lot in the snow, which of course would around the auger gearbox and took out the seal. Not a nice job to replace by any means.

 

[pmsmechanic]

Has anyone done this? Do the rubber flaps go on the leading or trailing edge?

Was it worth it?

Was it worth it? Most definitely!!

I out my rubber flaps on the trailing edge. My thinking was that if they were on the leading edge it would be a restriction for the snow to flow off of the paddles. I backed the flaps up with a piece of steel behind the rubber flap to support it. My gap was about 3/4 of an inch and I closed it up to about half that. I doubled the distance that I can throw snow. (30' to 60'). The mod also increased the capacity as I can drive a lot faster in the same conditions.

Edited to add: The blower is a JD 59 on a JD 4410.

 

[bigtiller]

I have had the same 54" snowblower on my 2720 for 10 years and have never been disappointed with how far it throws snow. Slight changes in moisture content, density and volume will determine distance thrown. But for the price of the thing, it should throw snow into the next county.

However, it does vibrate more than I like at pto speed so I usually throttle down a little to smooth it out.

 

[Richard001]

I have had the same 54" snowblower on my 2720 for 10 years and have never been disappointed with how far it throws snow. Slight changes in moisture content, density and volume will determine distance thrown. But for the price of the thing, it should throw snow into the next county.

However, it does vibrate more than I like at pto speed so I usually throttle down a little to smooth it out.

Do you know if the vibration is from the drive shaft, I am assuming that it is drive shaft driven, not belt, or from the blower itself ?

If it's from the blower, you could remove the blower and balance it. Will make a big difference. I doubt that the blower fan is balanced at the factory.

i was given an old walk-behind, single stage snow thrower. The thing vibrated like crazy. Finally had enough of that. Took the rotor out and balanced it. it runs very smooth now.

Richard