# Is there a belt less snowblower



## John Reist (Nov 22, 2018)

Is there a beltless snowblower? I just cleared a path to my wood shed only to have it stop throwing the belt came off. Does anyone build a direct drive snow blower without belts


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## J-Roc (Nov 4, 2018)

It would likely be too dangerous for the general public. I’d like a PTO style myself with chain


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## scrappy (Dec 7, 2014)

Sure is, this one is a brute!

Only rubber part is the hand grips.

I had one, sadly my ex-wife tossed it to the curb during our divorce, "she was afraid of it" LOL


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

usually if the belt jumps off there is a good reason for it. you may want to look things over and make sure they are all adjusted right


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

In 2001, I had an old Simplicity, maybe from the 60s/70s. It had a chain drive for the blower. Of course, the chain and gears were so worn that I spent far longer fighting that system than I ever have since, with a belt. Even replacing the chain didn't make it bulletproof. 

Belts aren't perfect, but chains would bring their own concerns. As others have said, if your belt is coming off repeatedly, there is probably something else going on. Misalignment, tension set too loose, idler not doing its job correctly, etc.


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

Honda HS622 and Yamaha YS240 ‘Ricky’ are direct drive, no belt involved.


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## Stresst (Nov 15, 2010)

Had a Toro 826OXE for nearly 9 years and NEVER replaced or through a belt!! I use to use this blower to cut through frozen end of driveway piles and again never through a belt! All my neighbors would be amazed.


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## russkat (Feb 25, 2015)

The only blowers of decent size I know of that don't use belts are Gravely.
Great machines and work very well, but they are not for small areas.
They are very long and heavy (400-600lbs)


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## DavisRS (Feb 4, 2021)

crazzywolfie said:


> usually if the belt jumps off there is a good reason for it. you may want to look things over and make sure they are all adjusted right


I never had one jump, but they are constantly breaking or wearing out.


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## foggysail (Feb 21, 2015)

scrappy said:


> Sure is, this one is a brute!
> 
> Only rubber part is the hand grips.
> 
> I had one, sadly my ex-wife tossed it to the curb during our divorce, "she was afraid of it" LOL


I REMEMBER THOSE THINGS!!!! They were popular back in the late 50's, 1950's of course


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## Rooskie (Feb 12, 2015)

russkat said:


> The only blowers of decent size I know of that don't use belts are Gravely.
> Great machines and work very well, but they are not for small areas.
> They are very long and heavy (400-600lbs)


I bet you don't have concerns about the bucket 'riding up', eh?


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

Honda HS622 has no belts but is a problematic machine in other areas. Is a little tank though when working right.


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## schneetag (Jan 3, 2021)

Rooskie said:


> I bet you don't have concerns about the bucket 'riding up', eh?


lol No.  No safety features on them so they need to be treated with respect, or they will bite. The one in russkat's pic has what we call a "square chute" blower. We call the "newer" (1960s-70s) ones I have on the two wheeler, and the riders "Snow Cannons". The pic is of an earlier one. We still refer to it as "The Dog Eater". Being in the Gravely club, I know of folks still using "Dog Eaters" with their old machines, which never seem to die.


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## jkp (Dec 15, 2019)

Gravely was somehow related to Studebaker , was it not ? Years ago , a retire engineer friend collected anything Gravely- as an engineer, he was extremely impressed with how well designed and built they were .


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## paulm12 (May 22, 2015)

John Reist said:


> Is there a beltless snowblower? I just cleared a path to my wood shed only to have it stop throwing the belt came off. Does anyone build a direct drive snow blower without belts


I think your belt issue is a symptom of the real problem. Belts have been used successfully for decades on these machines, and in cars, etc. I have not broken a belt in years of snowblower use, old snowblowers with old belts. I change them when they look worn, but have not broken one in use. You can certainly try to find a belt-less snowblower, but, again, I think you are chasing that idea unnecessarily.

tx


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## Rooskie (Feb 12, 2015)

orangputeh said:


> Honda HS622 has no belts but is a problematic machine in other areas. Is a little tank though when working right.


Do go on. I asked on this site before I bought it. But for $100, I was going in anyway.
I am satisfied generally with the way the 622 runs, but the Honda pecadilloes are still there, no doubt.
Every Honda has them.
The advantage to belts is that they absorb shock that otherwise is transmitted directly to the engine in a beltless machine.


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## schneetag (Jan 3, 2021)

jkp said:


> Gravely was somehow related to Studebaker , was it not ? Years ago , a retire engineer friend collected anything Gravely- as an engineer, he was extremely impressed with how well designed and built they were .


Yes, Gravely was sold to Studebaker in 1960. It was sold by then Studebaker-Clark to Ariens in 1982. Ariens now uses the Gravely name on their commercial machines.


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## CO Snow (Dec 8, 2011)

The only one that I’ve seen had suspenders.


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## foggysail (Feb 21, 2015)

schneetag said:


> lol No.  No safety features on them so they need to be treated with respect, or they will bite. The one in russkat's pic has what we call a "square chute" blow!!
> 
> 
> schneetag said:
> ...


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## Mdjamesd (Jan 28, 2016)

I think the snowblower attachment for Dingo's are all hydraulic


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

I have a belt-less snowblower in the shed.......should probably get around to putting the belt back on sometime.


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## drmerdp (Feb 9, 2014)

John Reist said:


> Is there a beltless snowblower? I just cleared a path to my wood shed only to have it stop throwing the belt came off. Does anyone build a direct drive snow blower without belts


And what make model machine are we talking about?


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## Ralph76 (Mar 6, 2021)

nwcove said:


> I have a belt-less snowblower in the shed.......should probably get around to putting the belt back on sometime.


Belt-less snowblower will be a waste of power since pulleys help to increase the torque and speed created by the motor. You can buy the original belt from the manufacturer or you can buy it from an industrial belts manufacturer...is basically the same without the large price tag for the brand. I bought belts this company before and they are really good: Replacement belt for snow blower


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## ST1100A (Feb 7, 2015)

The pulleys actually reduce the speed of the impeller, and there is a significant loss in power transmitted through a belt.
The best set-up was the Gravely 'Direct Drive' with no belts to loose power from.
The auger spun at the same speed as the engine was running. If the engine speed was 3600 RPM's, so was the impeller's speed.
Almost all of your 'Belt Drive' snowblowers, the engine speed is 3600 RPM's, but the impeller speed is only a third of that, more like 1200 RPM's.
The newer Gravely 'Walk-Behind -5000 series- used the newer motors that spun at 3600 RPM's, the old 'L' model ran about 1800 RPM's at 6-7 horsepower with more torque than a 23 horsepower engine of today's power has. It used a 'Long Stroke' motor with 'Stump Pulling' torque found in a diesel engine at lower speeds. Their impeller's were around 2 foot diameter and very heavy in weight.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

did anyone mention the honda 622? never caught on for some reason.


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## oneboltshort (Dec 16, 2019)

Who was the group that didn't want old posts? Original post from 2018.


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