To Blow or not to Blow.......

[JoeM 7,871]

using a two stage blower in wet heavy snow. i have used a single thrower and it doesn't work well, mostly clogs. Are the two stage much better or stick to the plow for the heavy wet stuff?

[ebinmaine 67,310]

We use both much of the time. 

 

Walk behind snowblower is ALWAYS used for heavy sticky stuff or more than 5 or 6 inches of snow. 

Then we clean up with the Wheelhorse plows. 

 

[peter lena 8,583]

JOEM, blowers don't work well with wet snow , its the weight lift issue of wet snow, it collapses on itself , you might get some action , but wet snow is, DOZER BLADE WORK , another thing is when you are trying to get going with snow , regularly vary your blade cut and angle to get a vision of what works . I have walk behind blower  8/26  and a single 36-42 blower , looking at weather , I  know what to use. pete

[JoeM 7,871]

28 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Walk behind snowblower

I see a lot of you area is not paved, you go t something to keep the front end from digging and blowing gravel?

 

 

[Jeff-C175 7,199]

54 minutes ago, JoeM said:

stick to the plow for the heavy wet stuff?

 

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[squonk 41,039]

17 minutes ago, JoeM said:

I see a lot of you area is not paved, you go t something to keep the front end from digging and blowing gravel?

 

 

Take off the skids. Add mower deck wheels or something similar

Edited December 20, 2020 by squonk

[Ed Kennell 38,028]

I got rid of my blowers and put 54" blades on both snow movers..312H and 520H.

In recent years, our snow has been the wet heavy stuff that clogged the blowers and was more suitable for plowing.

I was also tired of raking the stones every spring that were thrown 20' into the lawn.   Also less holes in the siding and dents in the vehicles.

The 520H w/54" blade had plenty of power and traction to move last weeks heavy 12" snow.   The 312H was challenged for power.

The only problem was steering when the blade was angled. Even with chains on the front wheels, the big blade tends to steer the tractor.

I need to add some front end weights.

 

[ebinmaine 67,310]

41 minutes ago, JoeM said:

I see a lot of you area is not paved, you go t something to keep the front end from digging and blowing gravel?

 

 

 

25 minutes ago, squonk said:

Take off the skids. Add mower deck wheels or something similar

 

@JoeM  I have the skids adjusted down as far as possible. (3/4"?)
We do try to clear the yard of sticks and stones and get most of it. What we miss either rides under or through the machine. 

 

For a larger machine I agree with @squonk that wheels are better. 

 

 

 

3 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

snow has been the wet heavy stuff that clogged the blowers and was more suitable for plowing.

I was also tired of raking the stones every spring that were thrown 20' into the lawn.   Also less holes in the siding and dents in the vehicles

 

 

As to the snowblower vs heavy wet snow:

I purposely spent several hundred extra dollars to get the larger commercial engine on our new snowblower. 

That really bit me at the moment but it was 100% WORTH IT when we had a good strong 6" of clay like cement that supposedly snow. It threw it like it was meant to. 

 

The slope of our yard and the way the buildings and paths needed are setup we just can't use a tractor as the primary snow mover. 

Trina and I both like the way the plows clean the driveway so we always plow, even if snowblowing first. 

 

We both get cookin right along and anything less than 8 or 10 inches we can clean up in about 2 hours. This past storm was 16" of nicely frozen but dense snow and it took closer to 5 hours on 2 different days. 

[squonk 41,039]

Nothing like a good snowblower thrashing! 

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,310]

Here's a short video showing the throw of 16" cold dry snow. 

For scale, Trina/BBT is 5'-6" tall so the snow is really going far. 

 

 

 

 

 

[pfrederi 17,674]

When you live on a windswept hill with few trees the last thing you want is to blow snow 30 feet into the air.  I run my single stage with the shoot down on the last setting most all eh time.  Throws it a bout 8-10 feet far en ugh to get it out of the driveway.

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

3 hours ago, JoeM said:

using a two stage blower in wet heavy snow. i have used a single thrower and it doesn't work well, mostly clogs. Are the two stage much better or stick to the plow for the heavy wet stuff?

Over the years when I only has 1 520H I went from the plow to a single stage tall chute for nearly 15 years and that's time period (no pics unfortunately) the single was tusked with anything from 4" to 24" of all various types of snow and it did fair to great , yes wet heavy snow and and DOT plow banks, then I found me a 2stage that needed work so I rebuilt it using ideas I found on here adding 2 things that I think are absolutely needed for most effective snowthrowing 1) the solid mid chute front stone deflector helps immensely and 2) the most important feature for the 2stage is the flexible rubber paddle extension kit on the impeller for "zero" clearance in the drum, all people that hate an Onan just doesn't understand the torque of these opposed flat twins (I'm sure the same style Kohler and Briggs is close) is what's really makes a snow blower truly impressive in all types of snow IMO plus a hydro trans never the wrong gear slow/fast, boy I went off track there, ok yes the 2stage is better in wet heavy snow vs the single but, if you use some sort of metal/paint treatment (wax, WD40, silicone, my personal favorite SnoJet, ect) will greatly reduce clogging. BTW I prefer to chuck the snow as far as I can get it out the way just in case there's more on the way while inside of a windbreaker cab.

Edited December 20, 2020 by WVHillbilly520H

[ebinmaine 67,310]

2 minutes ago, WVHillbilly520H said:

chuck the snow as far as I can get it out the way just in case there's more on the way

We do that here. 

Our average snow base by the end of January is 3 to 5 feet. We have a very large area to clear so we move it as far as possible. 

BBT has enough sense to stay upwind. Me not so much. I may occasionally look like the abominable snowman when done. 

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

1 minute ago, ebinmaine said:

 

BBT has enough sense to stay upwind. Me not so much. I may occasionally look like the abominable snowman when done. 

Those couple pics I keep posting as I remember the wind was "swirling" so it didn't matter which direction I was traveling or the the chute was pointed if it hadn't been for the cab I would have looked the same, we all have to do what budget and personal preference dictates, I'm just sharing my experiences and evolution of snow removal, stay safe out there.

[roadapples 6,983]

I also added rubber flaps to the paddles on my 2 stage. Works pretty good in wet snow if you slow down....

[Turftech 82]

As my late father used to say "your not plowing for this storm, your plowing for the next".  

[ebinmaine 67,310]

2 hours ago, Turftech said:

As my late father used to say "your not plowing for this storm, your plowing for the next".  

Wise words especially around here....