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Snowblower Effectiveness


kenmill1958

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I have 2 Allis hydros, a 919 which is getting a 16hp Briggs twin, and a (17 which is getting an M-18 Kohler. I have a plow with seat controlled angling for one of them I can pick up a snowblower attachment for the other very reasonably. In the past I have been using a 4wd pick up which has extensive frame rot and electrical problems. Probably wont last 1 or 2 more seasons. I also have a couple of 2 stage walk behind snow blowers and small 2 cycles. I was wondering how effective se single stage snowblower attachment are for these tractors?? Thanks for any input. Ken
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As long as you have a dry light, snow, the snowblowers are great. They don't work so well on some of the heavy, wet snows we get here in Virginia. We have not had a good snow to blow since I picked up my blower in 2004.
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If memory serves, these video's were of 17 inches of medium snow (not too heavy, but certainly not fluffy). [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLS4Z_V39sc[/url] [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-uZXP7lVUs[/url] [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLS4Z_V39sc[/url]
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Ken I live in Maine and most of the snow storms are heavy wet snow. As long as the blower is fed snow at the correct rate I have no trouble blowing the snow. No clogs either. With a single stage blower you must monitor your rate of speed over the ground to keep the blower full of snow. If the snow is really deep and heavy I will only clear half the width of the blower at a time. I would stress a Simpicity single stage blower is not the same as a walk behind blower. There are many members here with experience on a single stage blower that will agree. Kent has a great youtube video of an older Simpicity tractor clearing his driveway. Check it out. Rick.........
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quote:
I would stress a Simplicity single stage blower is not the same as a walk behind blower. There are many members here with experience on a single stage blower that will agree.
Meaning what exactly? Better? Worse? I am only curious.
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Brett, Most walk behind single stage blowers are designed for small araes and small amounts of snow. The large single stage blowers designed for a tractor can handle 14 inches of heavy wet snow or more. I use by 42 inch single stage blower (with my 7118) to clear 300 feet of driveway. It does this task without any trouble. The blower will throw the snow 40 feet, well clear of the driveway. So a single stage tractor mounted blower is better than a single stage walk behind. Rick.........
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i have had the 36inch single and the 42 and both have cleared dry, wet, 2inches to 20 inches of snow no problems at all for me..usually when i get done with my drive i do everyone elses with no issues...and its FUN!!!!!
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Ken, I have blown slush with my single stage blower on a 917 with no issues. It came out mostly water, and threw it at least 15 to 20ft. The simplicity single stage thrower for the large frame tractors has few equals.
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The key for me has always keep the blower full and you don't any trouble. The hydro is key in being able to adjust your speed, I always blow snow by listening to the engine keeping the govenor going at all times. When you hear the engine bogging down that is only time to slow down on the hydro. At that wide open trottle you will notice the snow going the furthest, and be able to keep as much snow as possible in the blower. These machines will eat snow and I would put the single stage blower up against most 2 stage blowers.
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Love my single stage Simplicity snowblower. I've been using one for over 30 years. Never had a problem with any type of snow as long as you learn how to feed the blower. Here's a pic of a first pass in 16"+:


As said above, the key is keeping the blower evenly loaded. We get mostly wet snow here in the Phila area, and many of my neighbors walk behind blowers don't do well with it, especially the two stage blowers. I wind up doing their driveways. The only issue I have, is if the driveway is seal coated and is very smooth, with a wet snow, it's hard to get the snow into the blower evenly. I've found using high ground speed with partial width pickup the best. You want to avoid shock loading the blower, it's hard on belts.
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Thanks Rick, that answers my question. This will be the first year with a 42" driven by my 7112, so now I have wild, exceptionally high and unreasonable expectations!:D
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My 17hp runs it great, your 12 you may have to ease it a little, but I think it still will suprise you! I am a die hard snowthrower vs. plow guy. Its actually fun! By the way Phandad, YOU NEED A CAB!!!!:D I run mine in dress cloths!
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I've said several times, there are two primary keys to minimize clogging with these Simplicity single-stage blowers. 1. Keep the throat of the snowblower as slick as possible -- sand off any surface rust each season and either repaint it or plan to keep it well lubricated with a spray like WD-40 or Pam baking spray (cheap and works good). If painted, wax it... 2. As stated above, keep the intake "hopper" full of snow. Vary ground speed or the width of the cut to do so. If that stream of snow coming out the chute gets interrupted, it will clog. As long as you maintain a steady stream, it'll pump it. Once you've used it a bit, you'll get sensitive to watching the stream and when it starts to sag a bit, speed up or take a wider cut. Also, don't deflect the snow any more than necessary with the adjustable deflector. Sometimes you have to, because of wind or to avoid hitting something with the snow, but if possible, just let it "fire away"... IMO, these are the best single-stage blowers out there... I, too, have pumped slush with mine. Here's the video that someone referenced above -- a 12HP pushing a 42" one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7QeVjG7big
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Burntime, you WERE correct:


:D:D:D:D And the snow in the above shot is the wettest in can be - had about 4 or 5 inches of wet snow followed by rain to windup with about 2" of slush. No problem for the single stage; only snowblower in the neighborhood that could do anything with it.
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Blowable snow in the Philly area? LAST WINTER??? I must have missed it! Only had the 7116 out once for a nuisance snow...just to make sure it still worked. Nice cab...did you find that locally?
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And even a wiper! Now I am jealous...I have Eriks rig a few miles from me to druel over with the metal cab as well. I wonder if he leaves the garage door unlocked:D:D:D Yep a cab is a must have. The blower makes you happy until the snow hits the, well, you get it...then the need for a cab becomes abundantly clear! Nice rig! I have the same tractor and cab but without the wiper...
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Nice topic guys. It makes me even more eager to have a snowstorm.


The chute in my snowblower is in VERY good condition, so I think I'll get a coat of wax in there. I wholeheartedly agree with the fact that the "hopper" must be loaded to work properly. I have a P.O.C. 21" Yard Machines two stroke paddle type blower. It works the best when I'm hammering it along through the snow, thus keeping the blower hopper loaded. I need to buy a new paddle kit for it. MTD Yard Machines wants a staggering $56.00 for a kit! I even had to take the auger out of the little snowblower and had to reinforce the welds as they were subpar at best. As far as a cab goes, I'll just have to "wear" it, just like the protective riding gear when I ride my motorcycle. Wish me luck this winter!!
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quote:
Originally posted by timflury As far as a cab goes, I'll just have to "wear" it, just like the protective riding gear when I ride my motorcycle. Wish me luck this winter!!
Just dress warmly, with waterproof/windproof clothes, and perhaps goggles (I wear glasses)... Here's some older pics of using a 36" on a 10HP Big Ten without a cab. I'm wearing rainpants... Git 'er done! [img]http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/attach/Kent/Dcp00793.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/attach/Kent/Dcp00791.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/attach/Kent/Dcp00795.jpg[/img]
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There's a story that follows those Big Ten pics. The white house next door, shown in the first couple pics, is actually the CCD Center for the local Catholic church (the rectory is across the street from me). Because those big maples are on the property line between us, I usually pick up all the leaves to keep them from blowing back in my driveway. I also usually plow the sidewalks and parking stalls on the street, after the city plows have piled the snow up. Otherwise the street gets so narrow that you can't park on it because of snowbanks, and people end up parking in my driveway, etc. So, a neighbor saw me finishing up this cleanup of a 24" Nor'easter around the CCD center, and asked me if I'd bring the tractor & snowblower down to the church (it's about 3 blocks away) and help clean up the sidewalks down there. A couple of church members were down there trying to clear it with walk-behind snowblowers and not making fast progress -- they'd already been working a couple hours. The plows had pushed this snow off the streets but now there was 36" - 40" or more snow piled up on the sidewalks. Remember this is plowed snowpiles -- at least twice as heavy (or more) than just a regular snowfall. The walkbehind snowblowers didn't have enough weight and traction to push into that deep of snow, and they couldn't climb up on top of it and just take off the top half. So, they'd lean into the handlebars and push the snowblower into the piles, tilt them up (if they could) then pull them back and do it again. Better than shoveling, I guess, but still sloooow progress. So, I drove the tractor down there and cleaned off the sidewalks for them. The church sits on a corner, so the city sidewalks are a big "L" and the church has a parking lot behind it connected into the back of the church, turning that into more of an "F" pattern. The Big Ten had loaded rear tires (Chen Shen ags), big Bolens wheel weights on each wheel (at least 40 lbs -- not sure) plus the counterweight on the back. Then, I was running chains on top of the ags. So, I could get traction. I put the Big Ten in Low Range (it had a High/Low) and 1st gear and just drove it down those buried sidewalks in snow that was up over the hood. I'd lean out over the hood while driving and use my hands to break off the ledges of snow coming back toward me, and let it fall down between the front and rear wheels. When I got to the corner, I drove out into the street, turned around, and put it in second gear, High Range and backtracked, picking up all the snow that I'd just knocked off on the first run. The guys trying to use the walkbehinds just stopped what they were doing and watched me. In about 30 minutes or so, I finished the job that they'd already been working on for a couple hours, and would have taken them several hours more... Then I stopped and chatted for a few minutes... they couldn't believe that I did this with a 40 year old 10 HP machine. Both of them had 8 HP walk-behind snowblowers, one an Ariens and one a Craftsman. When I told them that the Big Ten was only a 10 HP, one of the guys just walked off shaking his head... Yep, these Simplicity single-stage blowers will move some snow...
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Oh yeah, Kent mentioned it I have pair of insulated or reversible (not sure anymore) running pants that will shed water. Snow blowing in jeans gets cold on the legs quick as snow will fall on your upper leg and melt.
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qtown7116H and Burntime, A couple of years ago I was able to get the cab, glass windshield, and wiper directly from OTC (Original Tractor Cab Co) after I got nowhere with various Simplicity dealers (and their calls to "the factory). My contact was Gary at OTC, 765-663-2214. He was extremely helpful; I recommend him highly.
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