Snow blowing tough on equipment

[thehorse 221]

Well after snow blowing 4 driveways, another neighbor, who makes no effort to keep a properly cleaned driveway appears out of my blower plume. After 6 inches of snow, another 3 inches with a healthy coating of ice, followed by 2 more 6in. plus storms and him running/spinning through the driveway he asked me to clear his. Hey no problem...I love fighting to gain a foot at a time and truly enjoy sending my headlight beams shooting into the sky as I claw through the hard pack left by the plow trucks! And the belt squeal is music to my ears! Lol Well, sure enough, I completely mangle the lower chain guard and bust a weld where where the wing/extenders attach to the single stage blower. Son of a @?!$:;. So much for helping thy neighbor. At least he gave my son 15 bucks after fighting the same conditions on the sidewalks with his shovel but would have been nice to get a high five or something when he moved his vehicles back in the drive. I will be rewarded next garbage day when I pick his trash out of my yard because he just throws bags beside the house. The skunks and farm cats appreciate it though! By the way...does anyone run their blowers without that guard? Should I be concerned? Ready to cut grass with a beer in the cup holder!

[Kelly 1,029]

That is a common weld to break I have rewelded a few, in fact when I weld them I run a 4-5" bead not the 1-2" one the factory did, as for the chain guard it is best to have it, but if your not chewing up ice or hard pack you should be ok, but if you need one I have a couple parts blowers here send me a PM.

 

  As for the rude neighbor, I don't have any, but I think it would be a while before I helped him out again

[boovuc 1,090]

I think most neighborhoods have someone like that. No common sense and a complete lack of empathy.

PS....Common sense can't be taught or instilled but empathy can. Most of these folks weren't brought up right and their kids won't be either so it spreads. I just do their driveways for them anyway and do nice things for them when I can. Maybe their kids will remember it and someday want to do the same for others.

[thehorse 221]

Good point!

[varosd 1,185]

once you get the thrower fixed, I'm sure it would make a great garbage thrower!

[AMC RULES 37,125]

once you get the thrower fixed, I'm sure it would make a great garbage thrower!

   

[thehorse 221]

HA HA HA! Never thought of it and was in front of me all the time!

[thehorse 221]

I'll go for the milk jugs first because I know it will sound as good at it feels.

[squonk 41,016]

On a related note, My neighbor's drive way is right along side of mine with like a 4 foot strip of grass between them. When they take out the GAR-BAGE it's usually 8 or 9 pizza boxes and a couple of trash cans. The cans remain there until the day before pick up so they are free to roll aimlessly into my drive way when the wind blows. During Winter Storm Nika, I buried them with Elvis!     

 

 

[thehorse 221]

Good job! As I think of it now...with the strong west winds, most of his trash should stay on the road and like an Olympic bobsledder keep going west contained by the snow banks that are 3 feet high in either side of the road! This is a plus since I won't have to retrieve any tissues, sanitary napkins, or frozen food containers from the yard. The township sees fit to unload every plow full of snow into my ditch that runs 1/2 my property, tearing it up over the course of the winter. At least the ditches are now mounds and will act as a channel! On a bright note, when the snow melts in April I will have a supply of asphalt, cinders and gravel to remove! I will post it by the 5 gallon bucket in classifides and just charge for buckets and shipping!

Btw...I have some pics/videos I'd like to post but only way I can do it is to link to photobucket....suggestions? Says files are to large. I use an ipad.

[AMC RULES 37,125]

Uploading them to a free Youtube account is easy, and the easiest way to upload them here. 

Edited February 16, 2014 by AMC RULES

[squonk 41,016]

Open up a youtube channel. it's simple

Dang! An AMC beat me off the line! 

[thehorse 221]

Ok...thanks

[jackhammer 546]

I can understand your dilemma with your neighbor. boovuc nailed it.  A short while back many were taught the value of pride - in what you done, - in your country and - the respect of others. Thats all gone by the wayside now as many "believe" that this is a throw away era and that it doesn't matter quite where its throw to. Sad to say that,  but I have faith in the real young ones now that this cycle will close and change as they grow older .

 

What squonk says makes sense... I used to beat our son at Bsbl, Ftbl, Bsktb,  and any foot race.. Now I just like to watch him compete against his daughters and nieces.. He's having a hard time "getting beat off the line". 

Edited February 16, 2014 by jackhammer

[stevasaurus 22,698]

Jackhammer...did you say "What Squonk says makes since."???  Mike, I would copy and paste that in a PM to Craig.  :)

 

You do know that Mike is a Green Bay fan???    My favorite Green Bay fan BTW.

[rexman72 210]

I think his winter  has been hard on all equipment

[squonk 41,016]

Steve, look in my signature !!    

[stevasaurus 22,698]

I always knew that Mike...I was just afraid that I was the only one that thought so.  Now there are 2 of us. 

 

and we are both from Illinois...

Edited February 16, 2014 by stevasaurus

[squonk 41,016]

 My favorite Green Bay fan BTW.

What about your sister??  

[stevasaurus 22,698]

My sister is a wayward Green Bay fan...she would only agree with what you say about Green Bay. 

[AMC RULES 37,125]

Jackhammer...did you say "What Squonk says makes since."???  Mike, I would copy and paste that in a PM to Craig.  :)

 

You do know that Mike is a Green Bay fan???    My favorite Green Bay fan BTW.

If he said that...I think the hammer was delirious from moving too much snow. 

[stevasaurus 22,698]

Craig...I am waiting for him to say..."Tecumseh's RULE".    I just used my Ariens to blow the snow I just plowed over the bank to make room for tomorrow's 3 to 5".     This could be our first wet snow...AAAARRRRGGG!!!

[squonk 41,016]

Too bad the new blower wasn't a 2 stroke. I could have been starting on the world's largest 2 cycle Tecky collection and started my own forum!

[AMC RULES 37,125]

I wanted to video my '76 8hp Techy walk behind eating full bore through a mountain of the pushed up frozen snow...never missing a beat.

Was too exhausted to be playing with a camera...I can just see dropping it and the Techy would eating that too.    

Old pict here...snow looks the same though.

Edited February 16, 2014 by AMC RULES

[stevasaurus 22,698]

To get back to topic for a minute...I have been cleaning out the neighbor's drive all season.  I have good neighbors...Hispanic...I love Mexican food and I have spent a few summer days out there with them.  It is a different culture for sure...I have been trying to Americanize them, and they have been trying to Mexicanize me...not sure who is winning here. They were generous enough to buy me a bottle of 100% AGAVE TEQUILA A RESPOSADO...how cool is that??  Not all neighbors are bad...sometimes your efforts are rewarded.