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Help New Snowblower


MarcusInMd

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Well I took everyones advice here a few months ago and purchased a 46" single stage snowthrower for my Legacy. Received it yesterday and proceeded to put it together. After several missing parts and a bruised thumb I finally got it together yesterday. Took it out today to clear the drive way and the darn thing kept clogging in the chute. is this because the snow was just to wet and heavy? Can I do anything to improve the performance?. I think I need chains and weights too. Does not want to make it up my hill on my drive way. HELP!!
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The shute plugs up in mine too. I carry a stick to clean it out when it happens. But mostly it won't plug up if i'm going fast enough to keep the auger full of snow all the time. Mel_W
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Mel, Do you use weights and tire chains? I ordered them this morning but wont have them for tommorows new snow cover. I am wondering if putting some weights on the back would help. Also, I was told that the single stage blowers clog less then the 2 stage, is this true? I saw my neighbor with his 2 stage walk behind clearing snow without trouble today. Thanks, Marcus
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A single stage blower is more apt to clog than a two stage, due to the fact the auger is doing two operations in one. yes the weights and chains will help. I use them on my tractor. You can hang weight on the back, but this is less desireable then wheel weights as this adds more stress to the axles and bearings, but for the most part it will be ok as long as you dont hang a volks wagon or some such item on the back. Mel_W
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Tried mine last week upstate and it clogged in about twenty seconds. Tried my other one down home today and it too clogged in about twenty seconds. I basically use them as plows. I read that spraying silicon into the chute prior to using helps. Course it is the one dang thing, I don't have or just can't find in my shop!!
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You can use silicone, Pam cooking spray etc. I heard this and tried it and it makes a big difference I even use it on my snowblades.... It probably won't stop it all together from clogging but it will help....
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Do not try to put to much snow thru the blower to fast when it is wet and heavy. Don't take as wide a cut and slow down your ground speed. Keep engine wide open. the chute clogs because you are trying to put more snow thru it than it can throw. I have been blowing snow with a single stage simplicity blower for 30 years and very seldom get a clog unless it is real heavy and I am trying to go to fast.
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1. Make sure the chute is rust-free. Paint it, coat it with wax, Pam or something... Bottom line: Make it slick so the snow won't stick... 2. Run the engine WIDE OPEN when blowing snow and make sure it's running that fast before you push the impelller into the snow... 3. Vary your ground speed and width of cut to "keep the hopper full" -- it clogs when the steady stream of snow is interrupted and tries to start again.... Imagine you were trying to mow 8" - 12" grass as fast as possible, making the clippings fly, and you can get a mental picture of what you're trying to do....
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Thanks guys, I tried the slow ground speed but that didn't really help. I did OK when I lifted the blower about 1/2" off the ground and went forward. It worked great then. I guess I was not scraping that wetter snow off the pavement. The current problem with that is I dont have chains or weights. So as soon as I hit the snow I lose traction. I just spent the last hour cleaning out the rear tires of all grass stuck in them from last summer. Must have pulled 2lbs of grass off them. I will see is I can get better traction. You would think with the posi activated that this thing should be able to move through snow or climb a 1-015% grade without a problem. It is discouraging hearing all you guys having problems with clogs. I spent 1500 bucks on this thing and hate to just throw that away. The wife will KILL me! LOL.
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I will try the cooking spray, as this blower is brand spaking new and quite smooth on the inside already. So I have a couple of opposing views..Some say as fast as you can, others say slowly. Which is it!!! :-) Take Care, Marcus
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I'd wax the inside with a good automotive wax, while it has a fresh coat of paint on it.... My point is keeping the hopper full -- with the engine wide open. Don't infer any particular ground speed from that. Try to keep a steady stream of snow coming through... I think your lack of traction is a big part of the problem, since you are losing control of the ground speed... I've pumped slush with mine....
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Inside of the chute is waxed...Should I spary cooking oil on it before I use it now? Also should I wax the entire inside of the unit as well? Also cooking spray inside too? Thanks, Marcus
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The cooking oil is certainly helpful, but wears off very quickly.... The main areas to wax are the "throat" of the chute and the inside of the chute itself... That's where the sticking takes place. Does yours also have a hinged "potato masher" safety flap in the throat of the chute (like the walk-behind Simplicity snowthrowers do) that's supposed to swing open to let the snow come out? Then, it falls back closed to prevent a hand or something from getting stuck down in there.... If you still have clogging, you may want to consider removing that (the old models didn't have them) -- because of potential for lawsuits, your dealer likely cannot/will not say anything about it.... Then keep away from the thing when the engine is running -- and I won't be held responsible :)! This is one more OSHA attempt to engineer out operator stupidity...
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Kent, I meant to mention that chute guard. Yeah its there. I was thinking of removing it. I didn't think it was for hands more then it was for larger rocks? I don't know but it's coming off :-)Yeah I waxed the chute throat and the chute itself. Thanks, Marcus
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Please just shoot me! Someone... Well, I took everyones advice and since I cleaned my rear tires I got the traction I needed. What a difference! I was able to get up my drive way and then backdown without clogging the blower! The blower did a factastic job without chains or weights. Driveway was nice and clean. Much better then using my old MTD and 42" blade. I got to the bottom and turned around to get ready to go back up and I started to lower the blower down and I hear snap and then the blower drops to the ground. Oh Crap, I think. Well, Oh crap is right. I always tell everyone, don't do a half-assed job when assembing things etc. Well, When I installed the lift arm rod (or the extension on the lift arm rod, I was able to only get 1 of the bolts onto the lift arm. try as I might it just would not line up two holes...Only one. So I left it that way. so when the bolt sheared and the lift arm rod came loose the lift arm (part of the tractor) bent to hell. Also, the lift arm rod - the straight flat piece that sits under the lift arm bent a bit. I just took the lift arm assembly off the tractor. Tried to bang it back into place and bend it...no go. When it does bend it does not bend in the right place and it kinda feels like its weakened. Should I keep messing with that..Buy a whole new piece or what? Ughh....Its been a really bad day. Mean time the snow piles up outside. What to Do????!!!!! Regards, The dumb fool that did not assemble his snowblower properly, Marcus
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Marcus, If the dealer took your $1500 the least he could do is assemble and mount it for you. I thought that was part of the service. Me I by lots of old stuff and make it run. See what the other dealers will do for you next time. I'm up in Frederick. I don't clear the snow until it stops. I ride my F250 4wd diesel pickup over it to go out.
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Ambler, I know of who your thinking and its neither of them. The dealer I purchased from was going to assemble it free of charge but not mount it. Ultimatly, they did not have the time to assemble it before the snow arrived so I decided to assemble it myself. This dealer is located in southern PA - same a W (I guess)
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Marcus, From our experience we find that the single stage units do clog alot less than the 2 stage units. Are you running the engine at FULL throttle? Are your pto belts slipping? Just trying to think of anything that would cause a clogging problem.
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Marcus: This is just general "unbending" advice--I don't have a clear mental picture of the actual piece bent, or it's location. The metal may not be bending in the correct place because as it gets stressed, it becomes more brittle (crystalized?). IOW, the part that's been "worked" is now less ductile. The bad news is, it's also more brittle. I assume you cannot isolate the section that needs to bend, say in the jaws of a vice, to precisely control the bend, while keeping the rest flat? If you can, try that. Although weakened, it may serve forever if not severely stressed again, or at least thru the snowstorm. If you cannot get the piece into a vice, or otherwise brace it with a bar, from behind, against the tractor frame, possibly, if still installed? Then try "bucking it," if possible, with a small sledge hammer head, old axe head, etc.... Buck the part you want to move back in line and hit the parts next to it. When metal bends it literally s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-s.... By "bucking" it you kind of force it to do what you want. You'll be surprised by how much the "bucked" portion moves in comparision to the portion you actually struck with the hammer. And wear those safety glasses, for when the parts get to jumping. Good luck! Peter
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Hey Guys, I took the bent parts over to my neighbors house that has a vise. And I was able to get it mostly straight. Funny thing is the whole thing moves more freely then before. Anyway, I got both bolts to fit in but the tractor back together. Took the chute guard off, sprayed cooking spray on the chute and had the drive way done in 5 minutes. Even cleared an area out for the dog. I am happy again. Word to the wise...Don't do a half-assed job when installing things. You will only pay for it later. So it took an extra two hours (uninstalling the bent part and reintalling it) Take Care, Marcus
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Marcus, Glad you got the snowblower working for you. I didn't think you'd be disappointed, once you got it set up and operating correctly.... Don't beat yourself up on taking shortcuts, then learning the hard way... I'll bet most of us could give one or more examples of doing something similar! :D
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My 1968 bolens finally was able to blow snow for the first time (last winter) since I had it in five years because the snow was the most powdery snow we've had. It did not clog and it shot the snow 10-15 feet. The other snows were wet and heavey and the blower just would not work. It is a little rusty though so I may paint it one of these years. I soon will be able to compare blowers because I'm getting one from Rokon next weekend for my AC 710. I think I will need a extra parts to get it running though. John H
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Next on my list is the rear hitch for the legacy. Has anyone found out if the new legacy modified CAT 1 hitch will fit on the old legacy? The dealer told me to just buy the old legacy hitch and go to tractor supply and but CAT 1 spaced parts (similar to what I was talking about last year on the other forum) I still want to break up some new ground with my neighbors single mold bore plow. My other neighbor has a CAT 1 post hole digger he said I could use anytime. However, I don't think I am going to swing the 800(?) dollars for the rear 540 PTO. Ahh who knows..It's only money right? We can't take it with us...Thats for sure. Marcus
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