# Snowblower operation tips and tricks.....



## jsup (Nov 19, 2017)

I've read a few things recently that made me stop and think. Like if there's a little snowfall you have to blow faster to fill the impeller. I never thought about that before, but it makes sense.

I knew my old machine fairly well and what to expect from it. The last small snow storm we got, if you can call it that, I was going slow so I could get used to the machine. 

What's some tricks you guys use to get a more effective blow, I think my technique could improve.


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## vinnycom (Nov 6, 2017)

impeller mod, throws even small amounts of snow even if wet and heavy.
turning a machine with a solid axle, keep it in gear and lean on either handle to the direction u want to turn


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## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

Good idea for a thread, My tip is for turning a solid axle blower, If turning left just lean it to the right and it will turn easily as the left tire loses all traction and just spins as you turn. OH and do the opposite to turn the other direction.... Just sayin LOL


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## jrom (Jan 10, 2014)

_Watch out where the huskies go, and don't you eat that yellow snow._ :angel:
- Frank Zappa, 1974


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## Yanmar Ronin (Jan 31, 2015)

^^^Related: Never blow against the wind.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

You'll have the speed gears and everything else down pat after a couple of storms. You'll find out quick how the unit handles to your preferences. It is a machine and an individuals understanding that give each unit its sweet zone of operation.


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

Yanmar Ronin said:


> ^^^Related: Never blow against the wind.


Yeah, but sadly, sometimes there is no choice . . .


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## jsup (Nov 19, 2017)

tadawson said:


> Yeah, but sadly, sometimes there is no choice . . .


Sad, but true. Especially on small postage stamp lots like we have here.


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## jsup (Nov 19, 2017)

Yanmar Ronin said:


> ^^^Related: Never blow against the wind.


Ya don't tug on Superman's cape, 
you don't blow into the wind, 
you don't tug the mask off the ol' long ranger and.....

I think that's how it goes...


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

If you have a friction wheel style transmission always shift it into the highest (fastest) gear when parking. This advise is a little off topic for operation but it takes stress off the spring on the friction wheel and the shift cable so they don't get stretched out. Especially important when storing it over the summer but good habit to get into any time you're parking it.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

when done blowing .... i don't have a heated garage.

clean your machine of ice and snow before the next use. 2 reasons i can think but i am sure there are more.

water and snow may freeze up the impeller and the next time you need to use it , it may not move and you may burn up or break your belt.

if you have a tracked machine, before next use you want to "break" the tracks out before engaging the drive. the tracks may have frozen and when you try to go you may break something in the tranny.

i forget to do these things all the time. i clean the machine after use but forget to see if the tracks are frozen to the concrete floor. I usually disengage the tranny on my Honda to move it before starting anyway so that helps.


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## jsup (Nov 19, 2017)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> If you have a friction wheel style transmission always shift it into the highest (fastest) gear when parking. This advise is a little off topic for operation but it takes stress off the spring on the friction wheel and the shift cable so they don't get stretched out. Especially important when storing it over the summer but good habit to get into any time you're parking it.


Good one, I'm going to go check mine out when I leave.


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

jsup said:


> Ya don't tug on Superman's cape,
> you don't blow into the wind,
> you don't tug the mask off the ol' long ranger and.....
> 
> I think that's how it goes...


Or musically:

. . . The answer my friend, is don't blow into the wind, the answer is don't blow into the wind . . .


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## jsup (Nov 19, 2017)

tadawson said:


> Or musically:
> 
> . . . The answer my friend, is don't blow into the wind, the answer is don't blow into the wind . . .


Nice. 

Here's my reference:


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> If you have a friction wheel style transmission always shift it into the highest (fastest) gear when parking. This advise is a little off topic for operation but it takes stress off the spring on the friction wheel and the shift cable so they don't get stretched out. Especially important when storing it over the summer but good habit to get into any time you're parking it.


thanks. that's real good to know. i have a hs50 and a 80 with that type tranny.


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## vinnycom (Nov 6, 2017)

dont let the yellow snow blow back into your face


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## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

Best one would be, DON’T MAKE yellow snow in the driveway.....


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

Dauntae said:


> Best one would be, DON’T MAKE yellow snow in the driveway.....


I usually do that at my nasty neighbors drive. but i found out he has cameras and you may see me on facebook or you-tube.


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## Yanmar Ronin (Jan 31, 2015)

Dauntae said:


> Best one would be, DON’T MAKE yellow snow in the driveway.....


You've got to watch out where the huskies go. :nerd:


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## jsup (Nov 19, 2017)

orangputeh said:


> I usually do that at my nasty neighbors drive. but i found out he has cameras and you may see me on facebook or you-tube.


Ya know, people can be so picky about that stuff. Don't pee on my front lawn/driveway, cinch your robe when you leave the house, don't smack the waitress in the ass. Society has too many rules.


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## guilateen02 (Nov 23, 2014)

Tips that I use but may not apply to others. Blow the snow in the sunny areas for faster melting. Put snow where melted runoff wont refreeze onto walking or driving path. Plan a path for the the least amount of chute rotating and 180 turns. Don't save EOD for last. I actually do eod my first trip down so my 180 turns are made in driveway and not in the road.


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## cmb (Feb 13, 2014)

orangputeh said:


> when done blowing .... i don't have a heated garage.
> 
> clean your machine of ice and snow before the next use. 2 reasons i can think but i am sure there are more.
> 
> ...


 I keep my HS 724 on a small, roll-around 'platform', really helps when moving it.


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## dr bob (Dec 12, 2015)

cmb said:


> I keep my HS 724 on a small, roll-around 'platform', really helps when moving it.


^^ This. A small Harbor Freight $8 furniture dolly makes off-duty garage navigation a breeze.


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## barney (Nov 21, 2017)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> If you have a friction wheel style transmission always shift it into the highest (fastest) gear when parking. This advise is a little off topic for operation but it takes stress off the spring on the friction wheel and the shift cable so they don't get stretched out. Especially important when storing it over the summer but good habit to get into any time you're parking it.


Now that's a piece of useful information. Thank you.


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## aldfam4 (Dec 25, 2016)

barney said:


> Now that's a piece of useful information. Thank you.


I agree, much thanks!


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## jrom (Jan 10, 2014)

Sorry jsup, I think I got us off on the wrong thought with my "Yellow snow" post...We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming...


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

I've heard the suggestion to not to the EOD last, because that has the most salt in it. If you do a bunch of other clearing after the EOD, that helps flush the salty snow out of the machine. 

I've been experimenting with ground speeds. If I go too quickly, the engine won't necessarily bog down, but snow may overflow from the side of the bucket, into the area I just cleared. I usually slow down to avoid this, or you can take narrower cuts. 

But I've started taking a different approach. I drive faster, working the machine harder (to the point of the engine starting to slow down) , and taking full-width cuts, letting some spill over into the cleaned area. I clear the whole driveway like this. This way I'm limited by engine power, rather than snow-processing speed. Then, I do a set of cleanup passes in top gear, to get the overflow. The machine moves pretty quickly that way, so these don't take long. They also give me a second chance at clearing each area, so maybe I scrape off some packed-down stuff that was missed the first time. 

It at least feels like this is quicker sometimes than using a slow ground-speed the entire time, with 1 pass. It's at least less "fiddly" than watching the side of the bucket, and slowing down or adjusting the cut width if a little snow starts overflowing. 

Also, if you have something like a 2-car-wide driveway, make your first pass up the middle, with the chute aiming whichever direction throws further. Then use an oval racetrack pattern, working your way out, closer to the edges. You minimize the distance you need to throw the snow, and you rarely need to re-aim the chute.


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## Jatoxico (Jan 6, 2018)

I keep my shovels outside if I know snow is coming so they're cold and snow doesn't melt and stick. Anyone do this with their SB so the augers, impeller and housings are cold?


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## jsup (Nov 19, 2017)

RedOctobyr said:


> I've heard the suggestion to not to the EOD last, because that has the most salt in it. If you do a bunch of other clearing after the EOD, that helps flush the salty snow out of the machine.
> 
> I've been experimenting with ground speeds. If I go too quickly, the engine won't necessarily bog down, but snow may overflow from the side of the bucket, into the area I just cleared. I usually slow down to avoid this, or you can take narrower cuts.
> 
> ...



Great suggestions.


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## jsup (Nov 19, 2017)

jrom said:


> Sorry jsup, I think I got us off on the wrong thought with my "Yellow snow" post...We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming...


Not like I've ever taken anything off topic.


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## classiccat (Mar 1, 2014)

RedOctobyr said:


> Also, if you have something like a 2-car-wide driveway, make your first pass up the middle, with the chute aiming whichever direction throws further. Then use an oval racetrack pattern, working your way out, closer to the edges. You minimize the distance you need to throw the snow, and you rarely need to re-aim the chute.


If there is little/no wind, this is my technique...not having to re-direct the chute is a big benefit especially with old iron.

If you're unfortunate enough to have a stiff wind, start on the side where the wind is entering and use it to your advantage.


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## dwgray (Jan 14, 2018)

jsup said:


> I've read a few things recently that made me stop and think. Like if there's a little snowfall you have to blow faster to fill the impeller. I never thought about that before, but it makes sense. I knew my old machine fairly well and what to expect from it. The last small snow storm we got, if you can call it that, I was going slow so I could get used to the machine.
> What's some tricks you guys use to get a more effective blow, I think my technique could improve.





Yanmar Ronin said:


> ^^^Related: Never blow against the wind.





tadawson said:


> Yeah, but sadly, sometimes there is no choice . . .





guilateen02 said:


> Tips that I use but may not apply to others. Blow the snow in the sunny areas for faster melting. Put snow where melted runoff wont refreeze onto walking or driving path. Plan a path for the the least amount of chute rotating and 180 turns. Don't save EOD for last. I actually do eod my first trip down so my 180 turns are made in driveway and not in the road.





RedOctobyr said:


> I've heard the suggestion to not to the EOD last, because that has the most salt in it. If you do a bunch of other clearing after the EOD, that helps flush the salty snow out of the machine.
> 
> I've been experimenting with ground speeds. If I go too quickly, the engine won't necessarily bog down, but snow may overflow from the side of the bucket, into the area I just cleared. I usually slow down to avoid this, or you can take narrower cuts.
> 
> ...


This is a good thread. My lot is relatively small and bound by buildings on two adjoining sides so chute redirection is a necessity. "Opening the lot" aka doing the boundaries first is the way I start.
It is also the way farmers harvest their fields and the way I mow my grass. I also found myself developing the same technique that RedOctobyr has been experimenting with.
Taking a full swath with a primary pass and cleaning up the residual snow on a return pass, it did seem to speed things up.


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## tpenfield (Feb 24, 2015)

Have you ever noticed that many, if not most, snow blowers throw snow a little bit further to the right than to the left (as you are at the handlebars/controls facing froward). So if you need a little extra throwing distance in an area, position the approach so you are throwing to the right.


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## 10953 (Sep 4, 2017)

Yanmar Ronin said:


> You've got to watch out where the huskies go. :nerd:


huskies? how about two great pyrenees for making yellow snow? each one is 150 pounds makes the husky down the street look like a mini poddle


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## jrom (Jan 10, 2014)

That's pretty much my way too. Snow and grass. Works well for me. The only thing I do differently is I clear the EOD / mailbox zone before finishing the boundary work.



dwgray said:


> ...doing the boundaries first is the way I start. I also mow my grass that way and farmers harvest their crops that way. (It gives you a space to turn around) In my limited experience I have found myself developing a pattern very similar to RedOctobyr's new style. I take a full pass at a speed that the engine can handle and a return pass at a high rate of speed to clean up the residual snow left behind from the first pass. To me this method did seem to be the most productive. In my version, the part that I have done is ready to use and I can continue to finish the job...


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## topher5150 (Nov 5, 2014)

any tips for blowing a long gravel driveway? I keep the chute aimed to the side I'm closest to now I have gravel covered grass and it's looking kind of ugly.


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## Dannoman (Jan 16, 2018)

topher5150 said:


> any tips for blowing a long gravel driveway? I keep the chute aimed to the side I'm closest to now I have gravel covered grass and it's looking kind of ugly.



Do you have skid shoes on your machine? You need to have them adjusted to raise the bucket a bit (about 3/4") so the machine is scooping up snow and not gravel.


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## jrom (Jan 10, 2014)

^^^ What Dannoman says about side skids, plus I do something that a lot of homeowners hate doing; I run a vehicle over the first snow a few times to lay down a packed layer that helps the blower ride over the gravel a little better. I do this at the start of every season and whenever we get a thaw cycle and lose our snow base.

I get a lot less gravel on the grass this way.



topher5150 said:


> any tips for blowing a long gravel driveway? I keep the chute aimed to the side I'm closest to now I have gravel covered grass and it's looking kind of ugly.


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## guyl (Jun 12, 2016)

Another reason for doing the EOD first is in case your machine has a sudden breakdown (eg: broken belt), then you stand a better chance of still being able to drive away with the job unfinished. Largely hypothetical but still, there are times when you just might not be able to fix it right away. As for the original post: yes it's usually better to keep the impeller working at full load so going at a faster speed for a light snowfall makes sense. Operating at full load is usually the most effecient way to operate any powered device, including power tools, etc.


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## topher5150 (Nov 5, 2014)

jrom said:


> ^^^ What Dannoman says about side skids, plus I do something that a lot of homeowners hate doing; I run a vehicle over the first snow a few times to lay down a packed layer that helps the blower ride over the gravel a little better. I do this at the start of every season and whenever we get a thaw cycle and lose our snow base.
> 
> I get a lot less gravel on the grass this way.


I adjusted them a couple of weeks ago, not sure how much that has helped since it's been so warm lately. 
The first snow is always the worst for my, I try to keep a nice layer of snow on the driveway too for the same reason, as long as the wife can get her car in and out of the driveway without any problems I'm not to fussy.


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## dr bob (Dec 12, 2015)

After reading more of the suggestions:

-- My Husky with friction drive adds spring tension as the speed setting is increased. Least is in reverse. Good to know that a cable-fail will have the machine backing up and over me... Anyway, the resting position of the handle is minimum speed or reverse.

-- With drive handle on the left and auger handle on the right, I use my available right hand to do all the lever pulling and direction adjusting. The "power steering" finger-pulls are under the handles, so one-handed left turns are possible while the right-hand is busy re-aiming the chute. Lesson from this: I plan my driving pattern for left turns as much as possible.

-- I take a loop or two around the perimeter first to make a cleared turn-around area at either end. Then a path down the right side of middle, a left turn, and come back on the "new" right side of middle. Then just enlarge the loops until I'm just cleaning up the perimeter of snow I accidentally dropped on it. 

-- I have some sections where this doesn't always work well, and I end up throwing forward into a berm at the ends instead of to the sides, then throwing the bermed snow at the ends in a separate effort. It's sometimes a 2-pass effort because the thrower won't always toss snow from the middle off the driveway.

-- My neighbor and I "share" the space between our driveways. There's usually enough room, but after last season's snowmageddon I'll be working to put snow in other places whenever possible.

-- Following that theme, I like to put snow as far away from the driveway as the machine will toss it. The driveway is protected by a few feet of retaining wall on one side towards that neighbor, with the house on the opposite side. The rear of the driveway has a similar wall, so piling snow right at the top of the wall means I can't toss snow very far past it. As much as possible, "early" snow goes as far back as I can get it; This plays nicely with the throw-it-twice method from the middle towards the ends.

-- It only took me a season or two to figure out that I can just let the steering to the work, rather than wrestle the machine around turns. Even minor course corrections are better managed with fingers on the steering pulls. Suddenly it's a walk in the yard behind the machine instead of a muscle-abusing battle of forces out in the cold. The only thing easier might be a joystick with a wifi connection. Big farm equipment uses GPS and lasers along with that joystick. 

---- Take Great Care of Your Equipment. It will never care for you any better than you care for it. You deserve to be well cared for, right? 

Keep the suggestions coming please!


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## Dannoman (Jan 16, 2018)

dr bob said:


> After reading more of the suggestions:
> 
> -- My Husky with friction drive adds spring tension as the speed setting is increased. Least is in reverse. Good to know that a cable-fail will have the machine backing up and over me... Anyway, the resting position of the handle is minimum speed or reverse.
> 
> ...


You're lucky. My nutty neighbor will freak out if even as much as a snowflake from my side lands on "their" side.


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## dwgray (Jan 14, 2018)

dr bob said:


> After reading more of the suggestions:
> 
> -- It only took me a season or two to figure out that I can just let the steering to the work, rather than wrestle the machine around turns. Even minor course corrections are better managed with fingers on the steering pulls. Suddenly it's a walk in the yard behind the machine instead of a muscle-abusing battle of forces out in the cold. The only thing easier might be a joystick with a wifi connection. Big farm equipment uses GPS and lasers along with that joystick.
> 
> ...



That's funny right there, I don't care who you are. I went through the same learning curve.

A mechanical finesse does come in handy. Some people are like a "Bull in a China Shop" when it pertains to hands on and a good PM Schedule is priceless. Be Prepared is the Boy Scout Motto. PS, Agribusiness is high tech.


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## tpenfield (Feb 24, 2015)

In terms of handling, turning, and steering a blower, I have come to find that some blowers turn much easier than others.

I think it has to do with how well the machine is balanced over the wheels. I find that my Husqvarna is not well balanced, being more 'bucket heavy' and thus being awkward to turn. My Troy-bilt 2410 and my 2 Toros (521 and 824 Powershift) seems to be more balanced over the wheels and easier to turn. 

So, as far as tips . . . when selecting a snow blower, either new or used, you may want to get a feel of how well the machine is balanced over the wheels. Does the machine feel too bucket heavy or even too light?


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## Tumble2113 (Nov 20, 2017)

I clear wide, beyond the driveway. Going over part of the lawn. Throwing as much snow to the side away from traffic to not block my view of coming cars. ( live on a busy street). Then if the next storm hits and I can’t throw as far I have some working room. It’s not usually needed. We had one winter where it built up about 5 feet. Glad I did I kept visibility to pull out and room to move. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Madriver (Jan 19, 2018)

Store your snowblower on blocks during off season. Keep the weight of the tires keeps them from getting a flat spot and help them to not crack.


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## dr bob (Dec 12, 2015)

Madriver said:


> Store your snowblower on blocks during off season. Keep the weight of the tiers keeps them from getting a flat spot and help them to not crack.


Ours lives on a mini mover's dolly whenever it's not in use. $8 on sale at Harbor Freight. Solves the weight on the tires, the scraper bar and bucket sitting in melt-off after use, and makes it super easy to move the machine around if needed.


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## 10953 (Sep 4, 2017)

tpenfield said:


> (521 and 824 Powershift) seems to be more balanced over the wheels and easier to turn.


powershift easy to turn? maybe with a diff kit that's is disengaged when the wheels are rear shifted ,hard enough when forward . man those super beasts are a ton to turn . something i know all to well after using a 1988 6 24 ps for 30 years and a 1997 824 ps for 20 , my new powermax ohxe is a dream, even throws snow as well if not better


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## Jeepetti (Jan 23, 2018)

This has been a pretty helpful thread for us newbies out there. Thanks guys and KEEP SHARING


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## jsup (Nov 19, 2017)

Jeepetti said:


> This has been a pretty helpful thread for us newbies out there. Thanks guys and KEEP SHARING


I agree.


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