Snow Snowblower Operational Questions

[jrogers]

Ok, so I made it thought my initial teething pains with the new tractor (B2630) and snowblower (63 front mount) and all seems to be working well now. Thanks for all of the help and advice I received here! Now that I am running, I just had a few questions so that I don稚 screw things up:

1. Is it OK to turn off the PTO and plow with the blower? I was doing this in a few spots where I was worried about rocks. I also did this to build up a bit of a snow berm by a drop off. I am concerned about bending something, but the blower seems pretty stout, and I was thinking this was OK as long as I don稚 push into something hard like a big rock or a tree. Do other do this?
2. Is it OK to turn off the PTO and use the blower to drag snow away from a structure? I can稚 imagine that this would be a problem, but figured I should ask.
3. The tach says PTO speed with a line, essentially at full throttle. Is it OK to run for an hour at full throttle? What about blowing at a lower RPM setting? When I am worried about rocks it seems to make sense to back it down a bit. Is this smart, or not?
4. I was blowing in the M speed setting, moving about a foot of snow. When I started pressing harder on the HST pedal for mode speed, the engine seemed to load up a bit, so I backed off and let the RPM痴 stay up. Is this the correct way to do this? I assume that the HST is designed for this, and it is not like slipping the clutch, right?

Holy cow, this thing can send some snow! Of course, I am graduating from a Craftsman riding mower with a blower, so there is a pretty big difference. Thanks again for all the great advice.

Jim

 

[Evil the Weasel]

I don't know if using the blower as a blade is going to be harmful to it. It certainly seems like you would be well served with a rear blade to do these chores more appropriately and add ballast to boot. I don't run my blower at PTO speed on the throttle as it seems to do just fine at 2200 or so.

 

[techman]

Pushing and dragging snow is fine. Just not too much force when doing it, as it is much lighter sheet metal than a plow blade. The other caution is not to fill the blower with packed snow when pushing. You might shear a pin when trying to start it back up.

As far a RPMs, you only need enough to keep the chute clear and throw it as far as you want. I usually run about 1/2 throttle, up to full throttle depending on the snow and what I need to do. Drive speed can be as fast as you like, up to the point where you start to lug the engine (RPM dropping).

paul

 

[bitseeker]

. . .
1. Is it OK to turn off the PTO and plow with the blower? I was doing this in a few spots where I was worried about rocks. . . .
Jim

Those rocks might get pushed into the augar housing along with snow. The packed snow could also break shear-pins when you re-engage the PTO, and if the rocks were in the housing, they would still be a problem.

 

[leonz]

Ok, so I made it thought my initial teething pains with the new tractor (B2630) and snowblower (63 front mount) and all seems to be working well now. Thanks for all of the help and advice I received here! Now that I am running, I just had a few questions so that I don稚 screw things up:

1. Is it OK to turn off the PTO and plow with the blower? I was doing this in a few spots where I was worried about rocks. I also did this to build up a bit of a snow berm by a drop off. I am concerned about bending something, but the blower seems pretty stout, and I was thinking this was OK as long as I don稚 push into something hard like a big rock or a tree. Do other do this?

2. Is it OK to turn off the PTO and use the blower to drag snow away from a structure? I can稚 imagine that this would be a problem, but figured I should ask.

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1a. the problem becomes one of doing it and bending the cross auger which can and does happen and its a nasty time consuming repair which requires time and a rosebud torch and a lot of acetylene.
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3. The tach says PTO speed with a line, essentially at full throttle. Is it OK to run for an hour at full throttle? What about blowing at a lower RPM setting? When I am worried about rocks it seems to make sense to back it down a bit. Is this smart, or not?

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3.
a. As long as the machine is in good running order and the machine is
maintained and greased running it for any length of time is no problem.
Just be sure the radiator is not plugged with snow; your temperature
gauge will note this condition quickly.

b. NO you do not want to run it at a lower RPM or you get a patty smacking!!

The engine will be lugging and the tractor will run much worse at a given speed as the Middle P.T.O. is running at a higher speed to rotate the gear box which rotates the impeller with the same shaft that turns the worm that rotates the cross auger and if you slow the impeller down, the snow removal exercise becomes a waste of time as the impeller willl not throw the snow and slush properly as the torque is not there to do the job well(it will act like a concrete pump).

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4. I was blowing in the M speed setting, moving about a foot of snow. When I started pressing harder on the HST pedal for mode speed, the engine seemed to load up a bit, so I backed off and let the RPMç—´ stay up. Is this the correct way to do this? I assume that the HST is designed for this, and it is not like slipping the clutch, right?


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4.
a. You simply want to set a creeper steady speed that will allow the blower to run at full speed all the time and remove the snow quickly and avoid plugging and shearing pins.

b. even at 1 M.P.H. you are moving at 88 feet per minute so keep this in mind!; you will travel and blow snow and thats what you want to do from one end to the other. There is no need to race snow blowers period.


Yes it gets boring and you want to hurry but its not a real issue so dont speed with the blower as you will shear pins and do some serious blower damage if you have no time to react.
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Holy cow, this thing can send some snow! Of course, I am graduating from a Craftsman riding mower with a blower, so there is a pretty big difference. Thanks again for all the great advice.

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If you buy one of Clarences impeller kits- (two for your blower) it will throw it further and you can operate at slow steady pace with no buildups in the impeller housing and no ice build ups from the heat created by the impeller paddles throwing the snow and melting it at the same time.

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1. the problem is the freezing of any snow and slush in the blower and forgetting its in the impeller housing and cross auger.

a. the problem is having the build up edge and being buried and having to
remove it all as the berm may be melting too.

b. Is it possible to drive some T posts if the ground is not frozen?
this is the preferred method as it is entirely possible that the berm will be
iced over and...........


2. its not a problem if you are happy with the results. The issue is smacking the overhead door when you least expect it to happen when you miss judge the distances.


3. keep the fluid levels topped off and the radiator clean and you will be fine- your radiator wil really love the snow and please be mindfull of this.