Snow blower lift adjustment

[Zara13]

The 44 inch snow blower I use on my X390 does not seem to scrape snow well. I measured the blade per the manual and it's supposed to be 5 inches above the ground but mine is at 5.25. When the auger engages I can see that the blade seems to lift a bit so there is no firm contact with the ground...new skid shoes properly adjusted as well. It would appear that I need to get the blade lower. The setting is also correct at its lowest number. So the manual briefly says the lift height needs adjusting. They show two bolts I have yet to find. If I find the bolts and loosen them does the whole thing drop to the ground or does it lower incrementally? I have to do this myself and I would hate to mess it up and be forced to take it in as it's very costly. I have to hire someone to come get it and bring it back. If anyone knows about this a response would be appreciated as the manual is no help at all. I'd call my dealer but they have none in stock to even look at.

 

[leonz]

Your 44 inch snow blower is exactly like my piece of junk was as the paddle fan is offset. it is most likely adjusted correctly as one side is higher than the other anyway.

Just raise the skids up all the way and you will be able to scrape better.

 

[grsthegreat]

why would you want to leave 5” of snow on the ground. I leave maybe 1.5”.

if i left 5”, i would have a non driveable mess if it warmed up.

 

[oldnslo]

Zara
Can you drive the front tires up something like a piece of 2x4 lumber and then lower the blower fully? Blower should go below level grade but not sure if full 1 1/2 inches.

Other item is to check amount of effort it takes to lift the blower by hand when resting on the ground. I don’t exact spec but suspect around 40 lbs of lift and the blower should move.

I do not have X390 but on my X540 you adjust lift linkage with blower resting on the ground. Suspect your 390 would be similar.

 

[bigtiller]

The 44 inch snow blower I use on my X390 does not seem to scrape snow well. I measured the blade per the manual and it's supposed to be 5 inches above the ground but mine is at 5.25. When the auger engages I can see that the blade seems to lift a bit so there is no firm contact with the ground...new skid shoes properly adjusted as well. It would appear that I need to get the blade lower. The setting is also correct at its lowest number. So the manual briefly says the lift height needs adjusting. They show two bolts I have yet to find. If I find the bolts and loosen them does the whole thing drop to the ground or does it lower incrementally? I have to do this myself and I would hate to mess it up and be forced to take it in as it's very costly. I have to hire someone to come get it and bring it back. If anyone knows about this a response would be appreciated as the manual is no help at all. I'd call my dealer but they have none in stock to even look at.

That sentence is throwing us off the track. Is that what you meant to say?

 

[leonz]

why would you want to leave 5” of snow on the ground. I leave maybe 1.5”.

if i left 5”, i would have a non driveable mess if it warmed up.

The 5 inch height is the transport position on that snow blower.

Its a real shame that JD no longer makes a single stage snow blower.

 

[Zara13]

why would you want to leave 5” of snow on the ground. I leave maybe 1.5”.

if i left 5”, i would have a non driveable mess if it warmed up.

With the skid shoes off the blade does still not touch the ground or even at 1/8 above it as the manual says. I can literally bounce the snow blower up and down from the front! I want to leave no more than 1/8 to 1/2 on the ground. I suspect, as you say, that

Zara
Can you drive the front tires up something like a piece of 2x4 lumber and then lower the blower fully? Blower should go below level grade but not sure if full 1 1/2 inches.

Other item is to check amount of effort it takes to lift the blower by hand when resting on the ground. I don’t exact spec but suspect around 40 lbs of lift and the blower should move.

I do not have X390 but on my X540 you adjust lift linkage with blower resting on the ground. Suspect your 390 would be similar.

Lift the blower by hand...I can literally bounce it up and down. If I take the skid shoes off it will still be too high above the garage floor. The manual says the blade should be 1/8 inch above the ground. Mine is clearly not that. The manual also says that with the blower in the raised position there should be 5 inches between the blade and the ground. My blade is too high. I agree that adjusting the lift linkage is the key here and I think I found the bolts. But I don't know specifically what to do or what will happen. No way I can reinstall the blower if it drops to the ground at the front. The freakin manual just says up or down. Guess I'll just get a wrench out and try. Worse that will happen is another trip out to the shop and back that I have to pay someone to do for me. We got 6 inches last night of wet snow. I tried but it seems to me that in the blade down position it bounces a bit so the scraping leaves 3/4 to 1 inch on the driveway. Thank you for the response.

 

[Zara13]

That sentence is throwing us off the track. Is that what you meant to say?

 

[Zara13]

You're right...sorry. The manual also says that with the blower blade in the raised position there should be 5 inches between the blade and the ground. My blade is too high per the manual. I don't know if this matters or not but what I can clearly see is that when in the down position the blade is not in good contact with the driveway. At the front I can lift the blower by hand...I can literally bounce it up and down. If I take the skid shoes off it is still be too high above the garage floor. The manual says the blade should be 1/8 inch above the ground. Mine is clearly not that. The only think I can think of to do is to adjust the lift linkage and I think I found the bolts. But I don't know specifically what to do or what will happen. No way I can reinstall the blower if it drops to the ground at the front. The freakin manual just says up or down. Guess I'll just get a wrench out and try. Worse that will happen is another trip out to the shop and back that I have to pay someone to do for me. We got 6 inches last night of wet snow. I tried but it seems to me that in the blade down position it bounces a bit so the scraping leaves 3/4 to 1 inch on the driveway. Thank you for the response.

 

[leonz]

If you really want to adjust it you can just adjust the loop hangers but that will cause
you more grief than just raising the skids all the way up.

Lower the snow blower to the ground and leave it connected to the lawn tractor.

The loop bolt hangers allow it to raise and lower with no major adjustment and all you need to do
is back the adjustment nuts off three or four turns.

Just remember that by backing the adjustment nuts off it will reduce the raised height at the
locked transport position.

OH, and before I forget it you need metric wrenches as the snow blower came from Canuckistan.

 

[grsthegreat]

ah...now i see what you mean.

 

[Zara13]

My skids are off at the moment. Doesn't make any difference. What you suggest is exactly what I want to do. If I understand the manual that's what they want me to do until the blade, in the up position, is 5 inches off the pavement. For me that's 1/2 inch so it should make a difference. Does 'back them off' mean turn them clockwise or counter? Also I have to assume that once I do that they will stay in their new position. Fortunately I do have metric sockets and wrenches....but at 73 I can only hope I have the strength to do so.

 

[oldnslo]

Lower the snowblower before adjusting height. Less chance of you getting hurt or something moving more than you want.

If there are helper springs to lift the blower they might be to tight allowing the blower to float.

 

[leonz]

My skids are off at the moment. Doesn't make any difference. What you suggest is exactly what I want to do. If I understand the manual that's what they want me to do until the blade, in the up position, is 5 inches off the pavement. For me that's 1/2 inch so it should make a difference. Does 'back them off' mean turn them clockwise or counter? Also I have to assume that once I do that they will stay in their new position. Fortunately I do have metric sockets and wrenches....but at 73 I can only hope I have the strength to do so.

Leave the snow blower on the lawn tractor!!!!!!!!!!
You want to loosen the adjusting nuts 4 threads so it will be better
able to float if you want a closer scrape.

If you have trouble getting up and down off your knees and turning
the adjusting nut call the dealer and have them come and get it as
you do not want risk injuring yourself by spraining your knees or your arms as you
will be working in very tight quarters between the tractor frame and the snow blower

If you think you can do it;

1. do not worry too much about the transport height
2. put the skids back on and raise them all the way up and lock them in place.
3. lower the snow blower to the ground
4. loosen the retainer nuts 4 threads
5. your done period end





Leon

 

[Zara13]

Thanks everyone, especially leonz! I get it now. I am going to try it by myself first. No more snow for about a week but single digit temps. I do have bad knees but I've been down on the ground several times trying to figure out where the lock nuts were. The manual was not helpful to me. I've put here a picture of all that the manual says to do. I would have gotten it immediately if the picture would have had a side shot as well. Thanks again!!!