Mk Martin snowblower hydraulic deflector

[newkiotiguy]

I couldn't bring myself to pay $550 for the hydraulic deflector from the dealer last year when I purchased the blower. After one winter clearing the driveway at our place, that seems to always be windy, I had had enough of that. Bought a 2 inch bore 6 inch stroke hydraulic cylinder from tractor supply. 2 90 degree fittings, 2 half inch to 3/8 reducers, 2 3/8 flow restrictors, 2 8 foot 3/8 hydraulic hoses, and 2 pioneer fittings. I've got a little over $200 into this and will be money well spent once the snow starts flying again.

 

[RjCorazza]

Sweet! Did you fabricate the deflector?
I added rotate and deflect to my blower years ago, and wouldn't be without it.

 

[oosik]

I had a manually operated discharge chute on my six foot snow thrower. It was not really that hard to manually move the chute. I can't remember that I ever changed the deflector.

I have a mile long driveway. 20 to 25 foot high pines line both sided. Get a good snow - those little pines were overloaded with snow and leaning into the driveway. Just waiting for a passerby so they could dump their load.

I aimed the discharge chute - forward and to the right. Knock the snow off these trees - 20 to 30 feet ahead of me - the tractor - the snow thrower.

Yes - it did fill the air with falling snow. However - far better than having tree, after tree, after tree dump directly on me.

Now that I think about those days with the blower - a surprising fact comes to light. Isn't it unusual that the optimum speed for blowing snow was also the optimum speed to put me and the tractor directly under all these trees. Mother Natures joke and sense of humor.

 

[zzvyb6]

I bought an electric actuator off of ebay for $19. Its 24V but runs the deflector just fine. All I had to do is run a wire. Used with my JD F935 and also my 1435 front mowers. But, snowblower takes way too long. I view it as a complete waste of time. I got a used 60" rotary broom and can wipe snow off my driveway as fast as it will move. Even thru 12" drifts. Plus, no more in your face flyback. Driveway is 800' and the motor is barely warm when I'm done. Plus the driveway is completely wiped clean. No more vehicle tracks or ice patches.
Before all of this , I used a 7-1/2' Western plow on my JD1070. Worked ok, but everybody on the road expected me do do the whole street. Plus the time & effort to hook it up in the middle of a snow storm was a PITA.

 

[newkiotiguy]

I bought an electric actuator off of ebay for $19. Its 24V but runs the deflector just fine. All I had to do is run a wire. Used with my JD F935 and also my 1435 front mowers. But, snowblower takes way too long. I view it as a complete waste of time. I got a used 60" rotary broom and can wipe snow off my driveway as fast as it will move. Even thru 12" drifts. Plus, no more in your face flyback. Driveway is 800' and the motor is barely warm when I'm done. Plus the driveway is completely wiped clean. No more vehicle tracks or ice patches.
Before all of this , I used a 7-1/2' Western plow on my JD1070. Worked ok, but everybody on the road expected me do do the whole street. Plus the time & effort to hook it up in the middle of a snow storm was a PITA.

With spruce trees on one side and the woods on the other of most of my 650' driveway, i don't have any option but to blow it into the woods.

 

[newkiotiguy]

Sweet! Did you fabricate the deflector?
I added rotate and deflect to my blower years ago, and wouldn't be without it.

The deflector is the one that came with it. The pins on the hydraulic cylinder are the same size as what came on the blower.

 

[zzvyb6]

With spruce trees on one side and the woods on the other of most of my 650' driveway, i don't have any option but to blow it into the woods.

I have spruce trees along the driveway, too. The broom can toss it 30' off the pavement without harming the trees because it sweeps it sideways, not elevating it like a blower does. And it doesn't create a berm like a plow does. Distance depends on rpm you choose to run the pto at. Not related to ground speed. This was about 3/4" of ice from a sleet storm. ALL gone. My plow & my blower would not have cleared it.

 

[Farmer495]

I couldn't bring myself to pay $550 for the hydraulic deflector from the dealer last year when I purchased the blower. After one winter clearing the driveway at our place, that seems to always be windy, I had had enough of that. Bought a 2 inch bore 6 inch stroke hydraulic cylinder from tractor supply. 2 90 degree fittings, 2 half inch to 3/8 reducers, 2 3/8 flow restrictors, 2 8 foot 3/8 hydraulic hoses, and 2 pioneer fittings. I've got a little over $200 into this and will be money well spent once the snow starts flying again.

I did the same thing, the MK Martin deflector is built the same manual or hydraulic. I used a regular 8" implement cylinder.

 

[msb1766]

Good job, the hydro chute deflector is a must.
If the hoses seem to be straining ot twisted, I got a set of 90 degree live swivels, make a big difference.
Got them From here:

JIC 6M x SAE 6M Live Swivel 90 Elbow Super Swivels 9SS4MO6XMJ6ZV | No Brand Name | Brands | www.surpluscenter.com

 

[bigtiller]

I have spruce trees along the driveway, too. The broom can toss it 30' off the pavement without harming the trees because it sweeps it sideways, not elevating it like a blower does. And it doesn't create a berm like a plow does. Distance depends on rpm you choose to run the pto at. Not related to ground speed. This was about 3/4" of ice from a sleet storm. ALL gone. My plow & my blower would not have cleared it.

What do you have powering that broom?