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Snow Thrower for 7790 or 4041?


gew59

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I have two tractors (7790 and 4041). I would like some opinions on which would be the best choice to get a snow thrower for. I am leaning towards the 7790 because of availability, price, weight, more mechanically simple than the 4041 thrower. However the 7790 is a hard starter in the winter. I live in SE Michigan and until recently, I have been using the back blade on the 4041. However, it is now time to get the correct tool for the job. My drive way is about 30 x 60, however I will be blowing the cul-de-sac as well. Any opinions? Glenn
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I live on the Canadian border in VT and my 7790 sets in an unattached unheated garage and I have no problem starting it at -30 degrees. I have a 900 cold cranking amp battery in it and use a 250 watt infra red heating lamp clipped to the open hood directed at the intake and heads and turn it on with a switch in the house about ½ hour before I want to start it. I don't even use the manifold heater and it usealy starts on the 3rd or 4th time over
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Perhaps I need to take a look at it. When it starts, there is a lot of black smoke (unburned gas) that comes out the muffler. It is pretty nasty. I have just been living with the it. Once it is running, it is a real power house. It only has about 600 hours on it. Also, I hold the pre-heat (glowplug) button down for 10 secs, let up for a few seconds, and then another 10 secs before starting. This has seemed to help. Glenn
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It does not have a glow plug. The pre heater is an air intake manifold heater that injects heated fuel into the intake air stream. The trick is to have a high cranking amp battery that will spin it over fast and to warm up the heads and air intake with the heat lamp. I have been starting mine this way for the last 8 years the 15 years before that it set in a heated garage.
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I am sure my battery is too small as it does not crank anywhere as fast as anything else I own or have owned. Even my Duramax has two batteries - sometimes I wonder how I make it to the other side of the road without being run over. Let me see if I have the correct: By turning the engine over too slow when starting, I am introducing more gas than is necessary to start the engine (making it more difficult to start - thus black smoke (unburned gas)). What size battery do you recommend? Glenn
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The engine starts on compression. Compression = heat that ignites the fuel. The faster the engine turns over the faster it heats the fuel to ignite. I all so use a fuel conditioner that increases ctain (ctain = octane in gasoline) and lubricating properties of the low sulfur fuel. It also prevents fuel jelling and improves cold starting ability.
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The amp rating on a battery is the battery's ability to supply the starter with the proper voltage under load. This is not a BIG deal on most gas engines. On a diesel engine the engine requires a fast cranking speed to develop enough heat during the compression stroke to fire. A low battery will not developed enough heat the first time so you have to "grind" on the starter to slowly get the speed and heat in the cyl. up to temp. so it will fire. End result, you need a large battery and very good cables to the starter. As for your first question, the diesel will do you a very good as Maynard has attested to. Your limitations are the size of the cutting swath and the tractor's ability to handle the weather for traction. The 4041 will have a wider cutting blower with a straight short belt and shaft drive, hydraulic lift, power shute rotation. The tractor should be able to handle almost any traction issue with a little extra weight on the rear end with cleat or floatation tires. The 7790 of course has a diesel engine. Most I think have hydraulic lift. You'll need the blower and the proper hitch to the rear pto and you'll need to equip the tractor with tires, weight, and possibly chains to handle what ever mother nature throws at you. Both will do what you want and both are reasonably available. There are plenty of pictures on here of both tractors blowing snow for your visual comparison. Both can be equipped with cabs and as I understand it a cab is the only way to blow snow for any length of time. I personally lean towards the 4041 for the brute force ability to over power most issues but I'm sure others will offer just as many opinions towards the 7790. As I said, both should do you a great job as the powermax line of tractors and the diesel large frame 7790 are the cream of the crop for continuous usage situations. Good luck with your choice and let us know how you make out.
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UCD - Thanks. Will also get a fuel conditioner. It is starting to come back to me a bit - friction, ignition. I am in the process of contacting a person in the attachment classifieds for the 42" snow thrower with a 7100 series hitch ($195). Thank you for the information and thanks for this website. Without it, I would not know where to turn for help. Glenn
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My driveway is about the size of yours and I'm on a cul-de-sac. I clear it with a newer 18HP Sovereign (hydro/hydro lift) with a 42" blower. I like this size because I can still clear a sidewalk. I wanted a Powermax, but thought it was going to be a bit of an overkill (not a bad thing though! :D )
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Since we are talking about batteries and 7790, does anyone have the correct group size for the 7790 battery? It looks like a group 24 or 24F would fit?, but I don't know if that is the correct group size or not for the Simplicity part number 1685250. Mine doesn't have the correct one it.
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It is a lot larger than a group 24 I took the measurements of my battery box and then went to the parts store. They looked up a 900 ccw battery that would fit. It is to cold out to go look -2 degrees
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The 7790 battery is a Group 24 or 34 according to my notes. You might get a Group 28 (commercial) in which is a little taller. You can look up BCI battery dimensions here: [url]http://www.rtpnet.org/teaa/bcigroup.html[/url]
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Here is a complete blower that will fit your 7790 on ebay now. Doesn't look to be all that used either. http://cgi.ebay.com/ALLIS-CHALMERS-SIMPLICITY-917-7117-TRACTOR-SNOW-BLOWER_W0QQitemZ350011640788QQihZ022QQcategoryZ66761QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
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There is a thrower here in Michigan that is available. However, I believe it has the wrong hitch for the 7790, but the correct thrower. Can someone assist and help validate the hitch. Here are the part numbers: Hitch - 1666785 Blower - 1690032. Dave - good ebay find and will keep an eye on it. Do you think the 7790 would complain about wearing green? Also, Joe's Outdoor Power had a thrower, but it is a mis-match on the hitch. Joe's is convienient since he is 30 miles from my cottage. Thanks - Glenn
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Maynard, What brand of battery did you get with the 900 CCA rating? I'm in the market for a battery for the 7790 I just bought. Thanks
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quote:
Originally posted by CarlH
Maynard, What brand of battery did you get with the 900 CCA rating? I'm in the market for a battery for the 7790 I just bought. Thanks
I was wondering the same thing. Wal Mart used to make a MAXX-1 that was rated 900CCA because I have them in a couple vehicles I have. All the newer Wal Mart MAXX-1's are 875CCA now. I am thinking the dual terminals may not be a good choice for the 7790 anyway. I wonder if Maynard was thinking CA?
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I would also like to get the battery answer. Now for another question: The long belt on the snowthrower is 174". Does anyone know if either of these belts on ebay will work: http://cgi.ebay.com/BX144-V-Belt-21-32-wide-x-147-outside-length_W0QQitemZ290163020074QQihZ019QQcategoryZ1267QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p1638.m118 http://cgi.ebay.com/B144-V-Belt-21-32-wide-x-147-outside-length_W0QQitemZ290162950352QQihZ019QQcategoryZ1267QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p1638.m118 Or should I just buy the belt from Simplicity? Thanks Glenn
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I have been doing a little research on the battery. The largest rated Group 24 battery I have found is 650 CCA. I have one I got from CarQuest, I believe. There is a 1000 CCA rated Optima Group 34 battery. I suspect it might be a bit pricey!
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The Simplicity belt is $56.63 which is a bit pricey. I am willing to take a chance and report back to the forum the results. I just need to know if the dimesions are correct and which is more suitable. If it is not successful, one dealer in my area has 13 in stock so I can obtain a Simplicity belt quickly. Glenn
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