# Toro Powerclear e21 Plastic Tires picking up too much snow to move



## mancub (Jan 3, 2022)

I bought my dad a Toro Electric Snowthrower and he's having a heck of a time with it. In wet/packing snow the plastic tires are getting build-up and he's unable to push it. Does anyone have a recommendation on what to do? Something to put on the tires or possibly adjusting something? I've looked everywhere online for someone that has this same problem and can't find anything. I wondered if possibly the unit or auger could be adjusted lower so less snow follows behind to get caught up in the snow? I'd appreciate any suggestions, thanks!


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

I never owned a single stage, but I thought they were intended to clear down to the pavement .... are you saying yours leaves snow that you have to traverse over?


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## robs9 (Sep 5, 2018)

Maybe he is pushing down too much to allow the augar to pull and throw the snow. I have a small Toro that I love. But you do have lift the handle a bit to keep the augar fully planted on the pavement. I think the wheels are only there to move it around when your not using it to throw snow. 

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## mancub (Jan 3, 2022)

Oneacer said:


> I never owned a single stage, but I thought they were intended to clear down to the pavement .... are you saying yours leaves snow that you have to traverse over?


Yes. My dad's driveway is a number of concrete slabs, but some of them have shifted, so there are little ledges where the snowblower needs to be lifted in order to get over. He says that it worked good in dry snow, but in 2-3 inches of wet snow it slowly builds up on the tires and they just slide, not spin. He has to "kick" off the snow every 5 or 6 feet to get it to roll again. I'm wondering if the machine is just not good to use in wet snow. When the snow builds on the tires it lifts the front so it's not scraping flat either.


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## mancub (Jan 3, 2022)

robs9 said:


> Maybe he is pushing down too much to allow the augar to pull and throw the snow. I have a small Toro that I love. But you do have lift the handle a bit to keep the augar fully planted on the pavement. I think the wheels are only there to move it around when your not using it to throw snow.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk


Hmm, this could be possible, my dad is not very gentle with things, he's more of a push harder to make it work, kind of guy. I'm new to snowblowers, is the augar when engaged with snow supposed to propel it forward? He is pushing it as if the wheels are to propel it forward, I think. He's also only used it in a couple of inches of snow, never more.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Just take those wheels off in wet snow, problem solved. ...


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## mancub (Jan 3, 2022)

Oneacer said:


> Just take those wheels off in wet snow, problem solved. ...


Haha, I'm not sure if this is a joke or what?!


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## robs9 (Sep 5, 2018)

mancub said:


> Hmm, this could be possible, my dad is not very gentle with things, he's more of a push harder to make it work, kind of guy. I'm new to snowblowers, is the augar when engaged with snow supposed to propel it forward? He is pushing it as if the wheels are to propel it forward, I think. He's also only used it in a couple of inches of snow, never more.


Yes the auger is used to pull it forward. You do have to learn how to use them. I use an underhand grip most of the time and pull up a bit to keep the augar planted. 

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## mancub (Jan 3, 2022)

robs9 said:


> Yes the auger is used to pull it forward. You do have to learn how to use them. I use an underhand grip most of the time and pull up a bit to keep the augar planted.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk


Ahhhh, this makes so much more sense. Thank you! My dad thinks it has wheels like a lawnmower, so you push it like a lawnmower. There seems to be a little learning curve on how to operate it though. Thank you so much for your input, I think you've just saved me about $1000 haha. I think I will just have to try it out myself and show him.


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

Perhaps operating the machine is covered in the owners manual? 
Always a good idea to thoroughly go through the manual before operating the machine.


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## mancub (Jan 3, 2022)

Ziggy65 said:


> Perhaps operating the machine is covered in the owners manual?
> Always a good idea to thoroughly go through the manual before operating the machine.


You are 100% right, and I did tell him this.


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## robs9 (Sep 5, 2018)

mancub said:


> Ahhhh, this makes so much more sense. Thank you! My dad thinks it has wheels like a lawnmower, so you push it like a lawnmower. There seems to be a little learning curve on how to operate it though. Thank you so much for your input, I think you've just saved me about $1000 haha. I think I will just have to try it out myself and show him.


Glad to help! 

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## Darby (Dec 18, 2020)

I agree with all the comments above, but want to mention that was an earlier thread here on the forum voicing the same complaint. I dont have the link but it comes up searching single stage wheels. Just so OP doesnt think his Dad is crazy.


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## deezlfan (Nov 8, 2017)

Everyone is over thinking it again. This likely has nothing to do with the operation of the machine. It's just sticky wet snow.

Get him a can of silicone spray and a small mat or carpet remnant to park the blower on. Just spray down the tread of the tires before heading out.


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## mancub (Jan 3, 2022)

Darby said:


> I agree with all the comments above, but want to mention that was an earlier thread here on the forum voicing the same complaint. I dont have the link but it comes up searching single stage wheels. Just so OP doesnt think his Dad is crazy.


Thank you, I will have a look into this. I know my dad isn't crazy and believe him when he tells me the tires are clumping with snow, but I also don't think my dad knows that auger propels it, I think hes pushing it along the whole way.


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## mancub (Jan 3, 2022)

deezlfan said:


> Everyone is over thinking it again. This likely has nothing to do with the operation of the machine. It's just sticky wet snow.
> 
> Get him a can of silicone spray and a small mat or carpet remnant to park the blower on. Just spray down the tread of the tires before heading out.


Thank you for your input. I do think my dad is trying to push the snowblower rather than let it move itself - he's never owned one before. Will silicone spray work to keep snow off of plastic wheels?


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## deezlfan (Nov 8, 2017)

> Will silicone spray work to keep snow off of plastic wheels?


Yes, that is what I am suggesting.


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## Beanhead (Oct 17, 2021)

I can not remember where I saw it but the the thing a saw was a guy mounted a bracket to the side of the blower with a L bend and positioned it to scrap the snow/ice off the wheel as is rolls to stop the build-up.


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## ZTMAN (Jan 11, 2018)

I use may single stage for the small snows, and yes, the wheels can get packed with snow and not rotate. I usually hit them with fluid film before I go out. If I forget and they pack up, I just lift up the back of the blower and spin the wheels with a foot, and and lightly put one of my boots on the wheels. The snow usually falls off. I then go get the fluid film.


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## nitehawk55 (Sep 9, 2021)

I have wondered why these single stage units don't have little skis or sliders instead of wheels.


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## Big Ed (Feb 10, 2013)

nitehawk55 said:


> I have wondered why these single stage units don't have little skis or sliders instead of wheels.


I was just going to say, make up some light weight little skis to quick mount for snow storms.


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## Michigan Paul (Dec 20, 2021)

My new last month bought Toro 721QZR I have the left wheel pack with snow / ice for some odd reason, my (now gone Troy-Bilt 21 single stage) did the same darn thing. Said to self, WHAT THE HECK..... thinking of installing an exhaust deflector to aim at the left wheel OR install some real RUBBER wheels on my NEW Toro. Man, my 35 year old Toro CCR2000 never had this problem.


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## nitehawk55 (Sep 9, 2021)

You would think they would have come up with a fix for this since they have been making these machines for years.


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## Michigan Paul (Dec 20, 2021)

nitehawk55: I agree. There are some features on my 721QZE that I really like and there are some that make me say... what the heck were they thinking. One is the exhaust outlet aims the hot gasses right the left hoop bar that will melt the plastic coating on the auger cable and starting to discolor the black paint on the hoop tube. I put on an aluminum coated reinforced heat proof sleeve but still may go with the exhaust deflector. ￼


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## nitehawk55 (Sep 9, 2021)

Poor engineering just to save a few dollars. Again , Toro has had years to make changes and I know they have had tons of complaints about the wheels and cable so why don't they do something?
Makes no sense does it.


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## groomerz (Feb 7, 2015)

Nite hawk add this to toro what were the thinking Toro took the spring loaded standard nylon scraper used for many years on power clears and the newer 721 and reengineered it with thin ga steel and a nylon edge. 



































12 new toro 721RC commecial blowers after 2 storms last January in chicago. I don’t believe proper testing in the field was ever done. As sidewalk joints and driveway joints destroyed these. I replaced these with plastic scrapers 
That came on the residential toro 721 and older power clears 

We had just replaced our 15-20 year old fleet of 12 toro 3650 and power clears with new 721rc units 

Talk about a bad taste in your mouth. And the engineering to mfg the steel with plastic edge had to be costly and it was a fail as 721rc now come with standard plastic scraper


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## Michigan Paul (Dec 20, 2021)

groomerz said:


> Nite hawk add this to toro what were the thinking Toro took the spring loaded standard nylon scraper used for many years on power clears and the newer 721 and reengineered it with thin ga steel and a nylon edge.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


What is the part number for the OLD TRIED AND TRUE all plastic scraper? My brand new 721QZE I sure as hell hope it doesn't have the new not improved style. Or I will pitch a $#@&^ to Toro


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## groomerz (Feb 7, 2015)

Michigan your machine will have the solid plastic scraper. The good one

Steel crappy one only came on last years early RC commercial models Yours is residential model 
Commercial has thicker paddles that last longer and cost more


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## Michigan Paul (Dec 20, 2021)

groomerz said:


> Michigan your machine will have the solid plastic scraper. The good one
> 
> Steel crappy one only came on last years early RC commercial models Yours is residential model
> Commercial has thicker paddles that last longer and cost more
> ...


Groomerz Thank you for that info, greatly appreciated. The spring loaded plastic scraper bar is the ONE main reason I bought the Toro 721QZE and sold my 6 year old Troy-bilt Squall (MTD). The MTD design scraper was TERRIBLE, had to push the machine and fight all the way.... had an embolism go into my lungs the last time I used that machine..... bad times all around. Sold that &%@$* bought my Toro. OK I'm done ranting but am still kicking.


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