Solution for snow blower throwing gravel

Georgec · Apr 23, 2018

My snowblower works well. But the drive is gravel and not smooth like a paved surface. Hence, even with the shoes fully extended, it digs up gravel and throws it into the lawn along with the snow. (Sometimes a stone jams and snaps a shear bolt.)

I am thinking of trying to make a roller or something similar that would attach to the shoes and run across the bottom of the front edge of the blow, keeping it off the gravel.

Yes, it will mean leaving a little snow on the ground, but I don't think of that as a problem.

Any thoughts?

tinkerwitheverything · Apr 23, 2018

Re: Snowblower throwing gravel - a solution?

Guess a roller would work. I've heard of where some have used a pipe for a cutting edge,the small rocks etc: get diverted under the pipe. Some have also used plastic pipe or even abs pipe.

Thunder Fish · Apr 23, 2018

Re: Snowblower throwing gravel - a solution?

I have some 2x2x1/4" stainless angle that was rolled for pipe flanges,thinking about cutting 2- 8" piece's and using 2 bolts either side on the outside of the frame to work as skates to keep the blower off the gravel until the snow packs then remove them,put them back on in the spring if needed.
Also insure that the top link (3 point hitch) is adjusted properly

07wingnut · Apr 23, 2018

Any roller would probably have to be positioned behind the snowblower. I have a sweeper that has these castor wheels on it to control the broom height. They make a great height control for the snowblower and work quite well with a gravel laneway. Once the ground is frozen, just raise them up and use the snowblower skids.

SLIMSHADIE · Apr 23, 2018

Re: Snowblower throwing gravel - a solution?

I only had 1 winter experience with this and with some success but it was a couple years ago. I only tried it a few times and the snow base I had kept melting due to crazy weather. I used 1 1/2” pvc pipe. Cut down to 48-50” then cut a slit down the middle. Hammer it over the cutting edge. It just stays in place by force. Lift the blower about an 1” off the ground and go. Most rocks get pushed down and this is the start of the snow base. I can say it worked awesome in the grass to clear paths for the dogs and a walkway to the shed to get the BX. Drop it down and put it in float and it glides over the grass. My take on this is its cheap and when you buy an 8’ piece I have a spare ready. I would like to see if a 2”pvc pipe works any better. I have to remind myself that any car can drive thru an 1” of snow so I dont have to clear all the way to the gravel. Ive seen somebody weld a metal pipe to some flat stock and added/replaced the cutting edge. Also seen somebody weld ski’s to the shoes. Also replace the shoes with wheels. Not my pic but I saved it for a possible upgrade.

majorwager · Apr 23, 2018

A hydraulic top link provides option to tilt cutting edge to avoid contact w/ gravel. Can quickly adjust if conditions change.

Need additional and available rear remote. Skid shoes not necessary. Roller not necessary.

Top link, Hyd, can be inexpensive swivel eye cylinder from surplus center,
very $ reasonable.

Had similar issue, problem solved. Cutting edge may ride up on packed snow/ice
, if that occurs, simply change the cutting angle right from the seat. Hyd lever, to more aggressive position..

RCW · Apr 23, 2018

Re: Snowblower throwing gravel - a solution?

You don't say snowblower model you have.

Here is my attempt to improve the shoes on a BX2750D. They work good, but not 100% if stone is thawed.

Also OC455 has his take on a different modification at the tail end of the thread.

http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26494&highlight=shoe

Good luck!

RCW · Apr 23, 2018

George - I responded to your other thread on the same topic.
Again, would be handy if we knew what snowblower model you're using. In fact I don't know if it's front mount or 3 point hitch in the back.
The suggestion of hydraulic top link is great, but doesn't apply to a front mount blower.
A little more information would be great!
Thanks, and best of luck!
I've dealt with the same thing for 16 winters! (Well, 27 winters if you count my years with a walk-behind)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

North Idaho Wolfman · Apr 23, 2018

Merged 2 threads, don't need to threads on the same subject.

bearbait · Apr 24, 2018

I just keep the blower lifted an inch or 2 until I have a good base.

sagor · Jul 2, 2018

07wingnut said:
Any roller would probably have to be positioned behind the snowblower. I have a sweeper that has these castor wheels on it to control the broom height. They make a great height control for the snowblower and work quite well with a gravel laneway. Once the ground is frozen, just raise them up and use the snowblower skids.

I'm looking for a similar solution for my BX2750 blower. Loose gravel always causes problems for me, no matter what skids or at what height. Skids always dig into the gravel, making them useless in the beginning of the season, or when we have a short melting period.
What I'm looking at is trailer jacks with wheels. Most are rated 800lb or even 1000lb per jack. One must check that the wheel has bearings. Cheap jacks have fixed wheels welded onto the post and simply rotate the post which in turn changes the height. I found a few jacks that have the pin-on wheels (to change from plate to wheel) with bearings on the wheel swivel. Most of these have 2" wide wheels. Such a jack clears the back body of the blower just fine ("low mount") as do the wheels.
Question is, will this be better than skids? I would think so. Would two 800lb wheels be ok for float mode? I would think so. Other than drilling 4 holes per jack into the back of the blower housing, would there be concerns about structural strength or damage? Anyone else mounted wheels on a BX2750?

North Idaho Wolfman · Jul 2, 2018

sagor said:
I'm looking for a similar solution for my BX2750 blower. Loose gravel always causes problems for me, no matter what skids or at what height. Skids always dig into the gravel, making them useless in the beginning of the season, or when we have a short melting period.
What I'm looking at is trailer jacks with wheels. Most are rated 800lb or even 1000lb per jack. One must check that the wheel has bearings. Cheap jacks have fixed wheels welded onto the post and simply rotate the post which in turn changes the height. I found a few jacks that have the pin-on wheels (to change from plate to wheel) with bearings on the wheel swivel. Most of these have 2" wide wheels. Such a jack clears the back body of the blower just fine ("low mount") as do the wheels.
Question is, will this be better than skids? I would think so. Would two 800lb wheels be ok for float mode? I would think so. Other than drilling 4 holes per jack into the back of the blower housing, would there be concerns about structural strength or damage? Anyone else mounted wheels on a BX2750?

You would be far better off with a set of much larger air filled Lawn mower wheels as the flotation and castering will be far better that a trailer jack wheel.
Look at a woods or large Kubota mower deck for how you would mount them and adjust height.

twomany · Jul 2, 2018

The Bolens front blower mounting includes a pair or counter balancing springs in the lifting mechanism. These springs take a lot of weight off the blower skids, allowing them to do their job even when the ground is thawed and a bit soft.

A side benefit is the enhanced steering as the front axle carries a good share of the blower weight even when the hydraulic control valve is in the float position.

As I work fitting a front blower to the B7200, Springs are part of the plan.

Something to consider, that's for sure.

sagor · Jul 3, 2018

North Idaho Wolfman said:
You would be far better off with a set of much larger air filled Lawn mower wheels as the flotation and castering will be far better that a trailer jack wheel.
Look at a woods or large Kubota mower deck for how you would mount them and adjust height.

I think I can get 6" air filled wheels to fit the trailer jacks. I've also seen some wheels that have cast inner rims with grease zirks and rubber treads. Only thing to check is that the wheels can carry the weight, and are free to spin around when I back up and hit uneven spots.
Advantage of trailer jack wheels is that you can adjust the height as you change conditions, high for the driveway, and lower it on the concrete pad in front of the garage.
Anyway, I'll keep an eye out for other options. I consider this a summer project...

Lil Foot · Jul 3, 2018

Buncha wheel/tires here:
https://www.surpluscenter.com/Wheels/

Dave_eng · Jul 6, 2018

Currently fabricating this for my inverted blower.

Wheels are 16.5 x 8 pneumatic.
Axle hubs are 5 bolt trailer axle ends.

Hydraulic cylinders are 1" bore 4" stroke

Hinges are made from hydraulic cylinder tangs
https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/3-4-in-thick-x-1-in-hole-male-tang-cylinder-end/A-p8649857e

Got the idea from this commercial blower option.

Dave

Donystoy · Jul 6, 2018

Here is a picture of my blower. No need for swivels as my driveway is 4000 feet long and reasonably straight. The wheels came from a dumpster box.

mikester · Jul 6, 2018

Georgec said:
My snowblower works well. But the drive is gravel and not smooth like a paved surface. Hence, even with the shoes fully extended, it digs up gravel and throws it into the lawn along with the snow. (Sometimes a stone jams and snaps a shear bolt.)

I am thinking of trying to make a roller or something similar that would attach to the shoes and run across the bottom of the front edge of the blow, keeping it off the gravel.

Yes, it will mean leaving a little snow on the ground, but I don't think of that as a problem.

Any thoughts?

If its a rear 3PH snow blower simply shorten the top link so you leave about 1 inch skim coat of snow on the first few times you clean snow. Once the snow packs in you can lengthen the top link to scrape the snow down to your skim coat.

Dave_eng · Jul 6, 2018

North Idaho Wolfman said:
You would be far better off with a set of much larger air filled Lawn mower wheels as the flotation and castering will be far better that a trailer jack wheel.
Look at a woods or large Kubota mower deck for how you would mount them and adjust height.

A lot of my winter blowing is on grass. The ground is not frozen at the start and end of the winter. The grass surface is not even so as the tractor follows the dips and bumps the motion of the blower is magnified and I am blowing sod. The skids have too much weight on then and sink into the sod.

I am hoping the air filled tires will carry the blower weight and avoid ripping up the sod.

Dave

sagor · Jul 6, 2018

Donystoy said:
Here is a picture of my blower. No need for swivels as my driveway is 4000 feet long and reasonably straight. The wheels came from a dumpster box.

Dony, those look like the wheels are about 2" +/- wide. How do they work? Any issues with them sinking into the gravel, or do they stay rolling on surface ok?
Your setup looks similar to what I want to do, but I do need swivel wheels as I have a turn-around driveway and secondary paths to clear (lots of turning of tractor while blowing....)

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