Heavy wet snow in Maine tonight.
- Thread starter HJMay
- Start date
From my vast experience of exactly 2 snowfalls with a rig like yours, besides the suggestions in the other thread of increasing the rpm, I would suggest you decrease the groundspeed to let the blower catch up if the snow is deep heavy and wet. In the morning if the temp drops over night it won't be as wet, and you might not have as much trouble.
NEPA Guy
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Lifetime Member
Equipment
B2650HSDC, Spacers, FEL, BH, Snowblower, Snowplow, PBar, Forks
My chute kept getting jammed too despite the spray. The only option is to clear it out with a stick.
I used to have a push snowblower and it used to get jammed all the time. Drove me nuts. It became quicker to do it by hand.
If its feasible, get yourself a blade for situations like this.
GL
I used to have a push snowblower and it used to get jammed all the time. Drove me nuts. It became quicker to do it by hand.
If its feasible, get yourself a blade for situations like this.
GL
RCW
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Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
I don't think mine has plugged more than a couple times in 4 seasons.
More throttle and slower should help.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
More throttle and slower should help.
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I am not telling you to do this but ever since I took the metal hand guard off of the bottom half of the chute I have had virtually no problems with clogged chutes. Seeing that the machine won't run without the operator in the seat or with PTO engaged I figured no big deal ,I just make sure no one is around when I am snowblowing.
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
NEPA Guy
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Lifetime Member
Equipment
B2650HSDC, Spacers, FEL, BH, Snowblower, Snowplow, PBar, Forks
Wild and Free
New member
Equipment
B2150 HSD w/Case L340 fel 68" quicktach bkt, 60" jinma snowblower, box scraper
I find that the more use it sees during the season the better things work as it polishes the parts but when I do have issues with wet heavy snow during the first part of the season before things get good and polished up I spray it down with silicone spray and that seems to help out quite a bit. That and slowing way down and taking smaller cuts and allowing the blower to get rid of the heavy stuff easier.
First off, a warm chute with wet snow and cold air temps will quickly lead to icing along the inner surface of the chute, and unless you scrape it clean, you are going to have ice in their giving the snow and slush something to adhere to. So I've had better results starting with my chute below freezing temps.
Second (and this is on a walk behind blower) I've had much better results by modifying the impeller with rubber brushes that reduce the clearance between the impeller and the blower housing as seen in this video: https://youtu.be/EMAgb3QNEE8
Lasty is greasing the inside of the blower housing and the chute as described above, but as you guys know, it really doesn't work all that well.
Second (and this is on a walk behind blower) I've had much better results by modifying the impeller with rubber brushes that reduce the clearance between the impeller and the blower housing as seen in this video: https://youtu.be/EMAgb3QNEE8
Lasty is greasing the inside of the blower housing and the chute as described above, but as you guys know, it really doesn't work all that well.
kubotasam
Well-known member
Equipment
B2410, B7100dt, B7500,Woods BH750,Landpride 2660RFM, Tiller, B2781 Snowblower
I am in Alfred Me. about 15 min from you so I assume pretty much the same conditions. You are a little closer to the coast so your snow may have had a little more moisture. I did not run my snow blower last night but used it all morning and it only clogged once. Silicone spray in the chute. No hand guard as suggested by OBKubota. Also I do have a set of rubber wipers on the impeller I made from round round baler belting.
B2410 tractor with a B2650 snowblower. I do have a B2660 snowblower I can run on the same tractor but have not got around to putting the wipers on the impeller and it does have a tenancy to clog more.
RCW
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
HJMay and NEPA Guy -
I was re-reading your posts and pics here and the other thread. Also saw some of the storm totals you were dealing with on Weather Channel tonight.
Wow - you guys were dealing with some BIG accumulations of REAL heavy stuff - not that I have to tell you!!
I've been using a ~4 foot front mount blower now for about 16 years - 4 with the Kubota. Had a JD 425 (20hp gas/2WD) before.
Everybody has given great pointers.
Couple other suggestions:
1. It's obvious - but not always possible - try to hit the driveway/road at 6 or 8", especially if it's heavy. I think NEPA Guy was bucking a foot or so? Dry Lake Effect is no sweat at 12" - that heavy stuff is different. I try to do that, but sometimes work gets in the way.....
2. Have NO idea if it would help, but when it's THAT WET, there can be a lot of water at the ground surface. Raise your blower, i.e., drop the skid shoes as low as possible. That way, you're going to leave that 1.5-2" layer of YUCK, and come back to get it second trip. Again, not sure it'll help, but can't hurt. My driveway is stone, so I leave that much every time....
I really hope you don't get discouraged with the snowblowers you have - just a matter of circumstances that you may not encounter again.
I did prefer my JD blower over the Kubota one I have now. But I really can't complain about the Kubota blower's performance. Of course, some diesel torque and 4WD don't hurt either!
Best wishes, good luck, and Happy New Year!
I was re-reading your posts and pics here and the other thread. Also saw some of the storm totals you were dealing with on Weather Channel tonight.
Wow - you guys were dealing with some BIG accumulations of REAL heavy stuff - not that I have to tell you!!
I've been using a ~4 foot front mount blower now for about 16 years - 4 with the Kubota. Had a JD 425 (20hp gas/2WD) before.
Everybody has given great pointers.
Couple other suggestions:
1. It's obvious - but not always possible - try to hit the driveway/road at 6 or 8", especially if it's heavy. I think NEPA Guy was bucking a foot or so? Dry Lake Effect is no sweat at 12" - that heavy stuff is different. I try to do that, but sometimes work gets in the way.....
2. Have NO idea if it would help, but when it's THAT WET, there can be a lot of water at the ground surface. Raise your blower, i.e., drop the skid shoes as low as possible. That way, you're going to leave that 1.5-2" layer of YUCK, and come back to get it second trip. Again, not sure it'll help, but can't hurt. My driveway is stone, so I leave that much every time....
I really hope you don't get discouraged with the snowblowers you have - just a matter of circumstances that you may not encounter again.
I did prefer my JD blower over the Kubota one I have now. But I really can't complain about the Kubota blower's performance. Of course, some diesel torque and 4WD don't hurt either!
Best wishes, good luck, and Happy New Year!
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NEPA Guy
Member
Lifetime Member
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B2650HSDC, Spacers, FEL, BH, Snowblower, Snowplow, PBar, Forks
Not discouraged at all, just learning the ropes. Actually, I had no cause to use the blade once last year. I was kinda glad we got the heavy snow so I could put it to good use. Thanks for the tips.
RCW
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Been there....first winter with the JD 425 was tough. I swear I had that sucker stuck......
Best of luck!
tcrote5516
New member
Equipment
BX1860, FEL, 50" Front Blower, Heated Cab, 6' blade, 3pt carry all, 3pt hitch
I'm in NH and had to deal with the same mess. My blower is brand new so everything has a smooth coating of paint and I sprayed it down with cooking spray before setting out. We got about 4" on the ground and then it turned to rain. The 4" sponged the rain up. I jumped in the Bota to get the mess off the driveway knowing the temp would drop in an hour and that 4" would turn to a 2" layer of rock hard ice and on my steep driveway that's not a problem you want to have.
Well the blower didn't like it. At all. Clogged within 30 seconds. I tried it a couple times before throwing in the towel and using the backblade. A few hours later and the snow was falling at 2" an hour. We had about 6" of additional heavy snow at that point. Fired it up again and the blower powered through it like a champ. I was even able to cut right through the piles of slush I had made hours earlier and toss it 20feet.
I learned the key to really REALLY wet snow with a blower is to use a blade to put it in a row, give it an hour for the moisture to drain out or at least toward the bottom so the top layer can be dry enough to dilute the overall mixture coming through the chute and then use the blower to toss it where you want it.
Well the blower didn't like it. At all. Clogged within 30 seconds. I tried it a couple times before throwing in the towel and using the backblade. A few hours later and the snow was falling at 2" an hour. We had about 6" of additional heavy snow at that point. Fired it up again and the blower powered through it like a champ. I was even able to cut right through the piles of slush I had made hours earlier and toss it 20feet.
I learned the key to really REALLY wet snow with a blower is to use a blade to put it in a row, give it an hour for the moisture to drain out or at least toward the bottom so the top layer can be dry enough to dilute the overall mixture coming through the chute and then use the blower to toss it where you want it.
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