# MTD "Gold" single stage 21" paddles?



## amuller (Jan 3, 2016)

This was a freebie. I'm trying to get it going as I screwed up my back and may not be able to handle a full sized machine for a while.


It has a 4 cycle engine and electric start. The rubber paddles (or whatever they should be called) are worn out. Prices vary quite a bit and so does quality, if the comments on Amazon are a good indication.


Suggestions on what to buy? I could cut them out on a band saw if good bulk reinforced rubber material is available.


Thanks for any suggestions.


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## Motor City (Jan 6, 2014)

If it takes the usual paddles MTD uses. There are some on ebay that are a decent thickness. I've bought a few sets and they seem ok.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Snowblower...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649


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## amuller (Jan 3, 2016)

Thanks. I'd ordered some on Amazon but the ebay prices are a few bucks cheaper and the actual thickness is given.


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## tomlct1 (Jan 6, 2016)

FYI, I have bought this set of MTD single stage paddles 2 times in the past 5 years - 1 for an old Yard Machines single stage that I own, and the other for an older (90's) MTD single stage, and I have been satisfied with them. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078RTRNYD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1


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## amuller (Jan 3, 2016)

So I have this machine running and it does blow snow to a certain extent. The engine (Chinese clone) seems fine. I've put on new paddles. Belt is a bit worn but works. The "shave plate" doesn't look bad to me.

But it shakes and rattles and throws snow back under the machine. The chute clogs. Control cable for the idler is an inverted U and seems to collect water and ice up.

This is the first baby single stage blower I've run, so I don't know what to expect. Maybe I expected better performance than is realistic?

Suggestions?


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## cdestuck (Jan 20, 2013)

You say the scraper bar doesn’t look too bad but I wonder if it is bad enough to cause you problems. They’re usually not not even 20 bucks. I’d through one one and bet you’ll see a difference. Just as a matter of maintenance, each time I do paddles on my one single stage, it gets both paddles and scraper bar


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## Grunt (Nov 11, 2013)

Most of the older MTD single stages had reversible adjustable scraper bars. Remove it, flip it around set it so it makes ground contact, all done. Here is a video on making your own paddles.


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## amuller (Jan 3, 2016)

I turned the plastic scraper bar around and lowered it a little. That should help.



Trying the machine out today, in two inches of soft,warm snow, the discharge clogs immediately. Maybe in light fluffy snow it would do better, but I've about concluded the machine is useless for practical purposes under the conditions I encounter.



am


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## Grunt (Nov 11, 2013)

If your engine rpm's are where they should be and the belt is not slipping, wet snow should still be pushed out of the chute like squeezing cookie dough out of a baggie. You could also try spraying the chute area with cooking spray or WD-40.


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

Sorry to hear it's not working that well. I had an older Ariens SS, which was good, but underpowered (3hp, 22"). Then a cobbled-together MTD (someone had made it a bit of a Frankenstein machine), which did not impress me. Now I have a Toro 221QR SS (all of these are used), which is doing nicely. 

Are your new paddles very close to the inside of the curved housing surface? There should be just a small gap there. The larger the gap, the less effective the paddles are at pushing the snow along and flinging it out. I want to say then when I replaced my Toro paddles, I could get maybe a fingertip in there. 

If there's a big gap, is there any sort of adjustment for the location of the paddles hub? Something that would let you shift it back, closer to the housing? 

I replaced my scraper bar along with the paddles. My driveway is smooth, the only time I really get snow shooting out under the bar is if I have the paddles still spinning when I raise the nose of the machine to pull it backwards. If your driveway is smooth, maybe the scraper bar should also be replaced? I believe Toro suggests replacing the paddles & scraper at the same time. 

Hopefully your belt isn't slipping. That may be tougher to check, but if a helper could drive the machine into snow while you watch the front, you could see if the paddles speed stayed consistent with the engine speed. 

I've used my Toro SS in up to about 11" of snow that was somewhat heavy. It performed well, though that was approaching where it would make more sense to use the 2-stage. But it's also handled smaller storms well. Today we're getting a small amount (looks like maybe 2" tops?) of slushy stuff, so this may be a trickier test, we'll see how it does. 

I only got it last spring, so I'm still getting a sense of what it can handle. But I'm really liking having it available. Clearing all the way down to pavement, even loosening up packed snow that we've driven over, is really nice. 

Kind of kicking myself for not tracing the new paddles that I bought in the spring, to have at least the option to try cutting my own from something. But I got a belt, scraper bar, and paddles (all OEM) for $55 on Amazon, which isn't too bad. Hoping they'll last several seasons, since admittedly those are more-expensive consumables than my 2-stage has, if they only lasted a season or two. 

I hope you can get yours working better!


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