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How to wreck a 42" blower


tripleguy

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I'll get some pics up later. I sent this note to my newspaper company - Journal Sentinel Communications:

"I got up today and prepared to use my garden tractor with snowblower to clear my drive of snow. We are having my family over at 1:00 for Christmas - 24 people total. One pass down the driveway and my blower stopped with a loud clunk. The paper delivery person, in his infinite wisdom, threw the paper in the driveway instead of the box at the street. I didn't see it because it was covered wiht 6" of snow! It jammed my blower auger and I could not get it to move. Fearing I would not get the drive cleared out and not wanting to take a snowblower apart in my snow covered driveway, I soaked the paper with lamp oil and let it burn for an hour. I was finally able to free the stuck paper but the damage is done. The auger shaft on my Simplicity 42" blower is bent, the PTO pulley is bent and the belt is burned up. It jumped the pulley, wedged there and bent it. It is a fatal repair, costing more to fix than the blower is worth (used ones run $350 - $400).

I expect JS to come and pick up my tractor and take it for repairs. I will not spend one more minute on this. I had to shovel my driveway and eventually borrowed a walk behind blower. I would like JS to plow my driveway until my blower is replaced. I would like to cancel my JS subscription. I would like the carrier either fired, or taken off this route. The best part - this also happend to my neighbor, XXX XXXXXX. Another neighbor tripped on the paper after he went to his box to check for it or he would have hit it as well. I would imagine every customer on this guy's route might have a similar fate dealt to him by this JS carrier who clearly does not have the IQ to deliver a paper. My phone number is XXXXXX. I expect a call to set up repair/replacement of my blower. I am so mad, I can't see straight right now. I did a lot of work on this classic tractor, restoring it, rebuilding the blower with new bearings and getting a snow cab for my tractor. Now, it isn't worth a tinker's damn. Thanks for wrecking my Christmas Journal Sentinel."

How much in damages should I pursue?

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}:)}:) Sue their axx off!!! Sorry to hear about your bad luck Bill but I am afraid the paper will just thumb their collective noses at you and say "tough".....Dave

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Sorry to hear about your problem. Good luck trying to get your money back. You will need pics of the paper in the blower if you are to have any chance which are most likely slim to none.

Best of luck and be sure to tell your paper carrier where to jam his holiday calender! !sm00

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Couple of years ago it was the telephone books that they wre throwing alongside mailboxes or in the driveway

Hard to believe that the paper bent the shaft

Wrapped a garden hose in mine and pulled shaft out of bearing no real damage done

The paper should have killed motor or belts slipped pretty bad

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I understand your anger, and I am sure all readers here will appreciate the facts of what happened to your machine. However, I am afraid it may be very difficult to get any compensation. Good luck, and sorry to hear about this.

It does highlight the risk of hitting something tossed in the driveway. I believe I wouldn't have anticipated this outcome.

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Our county journal is free so we don't even have newspaper boxes around here. Throwing the county journal in the end of the road is the norm. I understand that if there is a procedure in place and they

broke it, then there's a problem.

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BILL!!!

We must have the same delivery person!!!

I sucked up my Sunday morning paper as well.8C

Fortunately, it didn't cause as much damage as you had described regarding your misfortune.

In my case, the belt just slipped until my mighty 5hp engine was bogged down to a stop.

Please add my name to your list of dissatisfied customers.

Once upon a time, not too long ago,,,, the Journal/Sentinal was left either in the special paper box, or in the mail box if you didn't have a newspaper box. My local paper (Mukwonago Chief) is delivered in the same manner, in a pink plastic bag thrown on the driveway.

Apparantly, our delivery person is trying to save money by trying to deliver papers faster.

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quote:Originally posted by 427435

I'll believe this "story" (maybe) when I see the pictures!!! :o


id="quote">
id="quote">Trust me, when one is that ticked off trying to clear a driveway, the last thing I would want to do is break out my camera.
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quote:Originally posted by 427435

I'll believe this "story" (maybe) when I see the pictures!!! :o


id="quote">
id="quote">Yes, you are right! I was just being a jag and made this whole thing up. The paper was the Sunday paper. The largest edition, folded in half, wrapped in plastic (so it wouldn't get wet and spoil my reading pleasure). Well, it totally f*&%$d up my blower, as seen in these photos. I also have a video of the blower running, shaking and rattling if anyone thinks I'm full of s*&t as well. Sorry - this whole thing has me pi&&ed off royally. All the guy had to do was get out of his truck and put the paper in the box attached to the mailbox post. Intead, he ruined how many blowers and afternoons? That damp paper, sucked into the auger, was like a wedge. It could not be moved. It would have been better if it were a solid object like a log. Then, I could have disengaged the PTO and backed it out. As it was, I had to burn the paper (no small task because it was damp) and borrow a walk-behind to clear my drive for the company that was to arrive in a couple hours. Fun!!flames3.jpgflames2.jpgFlames1.jpg
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May I respectfully suggest you chuck the blower and get a plow blade. They are so much more fun to use and you don't get covered with wet blowing snow as you clear your driveway.

Newspapers generally don't have much effect on plow blades, which is an added bonus.

John U

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quote:Originally posted by midnightpumpkin

May I respectfully suggest you chuck the blower and get a plow blade. They are so much more fun to use and you don't get covered with wet blowing snow as you clear your driveway. Newspapers generally don't have much effect on plow blades, which is an added bonus.John U


id="quote">
id="quote">Seconded. I sold my thrower after two winters. It did not suit our typical snowfall. Just my experience, your mileage may vary. Good luck with your issue.
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quote:Originally posted by midnightpumpkin

May I respectfully suggest you chuck the blower and get a plow blade. They are so much more fun to use and you don't get covered with wet blowing snow as you clear your driveway. Newspapers generally don't have much effect on plow blades, which is an added bonus.


id="quote">
id="quote">I am tempted to add my own unsolicited advice on this topic, from a position of admitted ignorance - it seems like there must be pros and cons to each, though I have only owned a plow. The pros to each, of course, include proud ownership of a vintage piece of equipment - likely more of a factor for a blower.I considered a blower but went with a plow. I have a 300' level quarry process (modified) gravel driveway that drops down a slope on one side. I set the shoes down 1/2" so they prevent scraping the gravel. My personal list, from experience + supposition:Pros:
  • not sucking gravel into a machine meant for snow
  • lower maintenance
  • easy handling and storage
  • don't get snow blown on me
  • don't have to guess where Sunday paper was left
  • light-medium density snow is shoved down slope and out of the way
Cons:
  • denser/deep show can be "pushed over" only 3 or 4 courses and then I have to use my loader to push further
  • stress on shoes breaks vertical brace on back
  • streaks of snow left due to uneven surface/"digging in" of shoes
  • have to dismount to turn plow
  • have to plow multiple times in heavier snowfall to prevent snow becoming too deep
If I had a macadam driveway, I would be very tempted to have a blower. The thought of blowing snow far out of the way is very enticing. Having to get my loader out is no fun at all and a time hog. I have no idea how they work with wetter or deep snow, but my guess is they would be superior. Or maybe I just need a larger tractor - the 10hp is a good motor, but you know you are over-matched when the tire chains are slipping and/or snow is caving over the top of the plow. I guess everyone has their own situation and limitations.
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Originally posted by midnightpumpkin

May I respectfully suggest you chuck the blower and get a plow blade. They are so much more fun to use and you don't get covered with wet blowing snow as you clear your driveway. Newspapers generally don't have much effect on plow blades, which is an added bonus.John U

I have a WTB add in the attachment section but I'm not sure many folks check that.
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quote:

Except I need to clear a path approximatly 300 feet from my back patio to the barn, across grass, so that my girls can get to their horses to feed 2-3 times a day. Never been a fan of plowing large amounts of snow either. Might be fine with smaller amounts, but I don't like having to plow wider than the driveway so I'll have room for snow as the season progresses. Blowing is the only option here.

I did hear from the paper this am with an offer to cover repairs/replacement. Since it doesn' appear that replacment augers are available and if I could find one, the cost of a replacement auger will be high and I'll have labor to install it, I'm probably going to look for another blower. Anyone have a decent one in a 42"?id="red"> I have a WTB add in the attachment section but I'm not sure many folks check that.


id="quote">
id="quote">

That is where the "everyone has their own situation" thing comes into play. GOOD NEWS that the newspaper offered compensation. I hope that they follow through. Perhaps if you can't get a replacement quickly, you could present them with ads with prices and they would give you a cash payment to settle your loss. Best of luck resolving this matter and finding a new blower!

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Assessed damage again today. Based on belt lodged in PTO clutch, between pulley and frame, I'm having a dealer pick it up and repair it. I will then have an itemized rpair bill for the newspaper company and I won't have to be working on the tractor, in an unheated garage, over my vacation. I've already been inconvenienced enough with the whole situation.

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You should also copy and paste the link to this thread to the JS and let them know that you are not alone, but the one with the most damage to your equipment.

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You guys might like to plow, but what do you do when the pile or rolled over snow melt a little and turns to a ice ridge that you can't plow snow over?

Tom

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Good to hear that the paper is stepping up, and doing the right thing.

Plow VS Blade? I have both, they both have merits, and detractions.

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I think we all can sympathize with you on running over a paper. I know I've run over my share. luck ally for me no sunday papers. lol, and i can't say I've ever had to burn one out. :D

i have a plow and a blade, blade is more fun, but I'm in a subdivision so the blower works better for me. blade is good for the sidewalks. but next year i hope to have a sweepster up and running.

Merry Christmas to everyone

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quote:Originally posted by tadams

You guys might like to plow, but what do you do when the pile or rolled over snow melt a little and turns to a ice ridge that you can't plow snow over?Tom


id="quote">
id="quote">That is what I was alluding to above. If I anticipate freezing weather may result in staring at or dealing with a frozen ice ridge that may hamper clearing in future storms, I go ahead and drag my Massey loader out, and push the plowed snow further over and down the slope all along my driveway. For lighter weight snow, I can use my 7010 to do the same. Either way, it is a lot of back and forth at an angle or perpendicular to the driveway.If I didn't have the slope right next to the driveway, it would be a lot harder to get it out of the way. I would need a dump truck :D:D:D
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