# Snowblower modifications



## Nbjornstad (Dec 28, 2017)

So I’m hunting around Helena Mt for a broken snowblower just so I can try some of my ideas. I am curious about changing the impeller or adding additional impeller to increase top speed and volume. Like a two stage pump. 
My other idea is replace the auger with heavy bristles like off a power broom. It would be tricky to have enough scarifying effect but not too much to damage driveways. The end goal would be breaking up the packed ice on driveways that typically stops a blower.
People talk about pulley swaps but what about a small snowmobile clutch. Yes it would be hard to fit in the housing and a pita to get the weights right. But that gives optimum rpm for the fan based on the load. The more snow in the bucket the lower the rpms are, that would allow a higher pulley ratio as the clutch closes and gives more torque.
Guess I have a lot of free time and maybe someone out there has tried some mods and not posted about them.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

I think the brushes might pull too much snow into the housing for the impeller to handle regardless to how many blades the impeller has


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## DriverRider (Nov 20, 2016)

The determining factor of snow input to the bucket is width and ground speed. Augers channel snow inwards to impeller so conventional brushes rotating on an axis could not easily do that. Brushes have their place in snow removal already.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

back in the very early '70's we had a snow removal service with brooms like that mounted on jeeps. would you do away with the chute if you mounted a broom


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## jsup (Nov 19, 2017)

Nbjornstad said:


> So I’m hunting around Helena Mt for a broken snowblower just so I can try some of my ideas. I am curious about changing the impeller or adding additional impeller to increase top speed and volume. Like a two stage pump.
> My other idea is replace the auger with heavy bristles like off a power broom. It would be tricky to have enough scarifying effect but not too much to damage driveways. The end goal would be breaking up the packed ice on driveways that typically stops a blower.
> People talk about pulley swaps but what about a small snowmobile clutch. Yes it would be hard to fit in the housing and a pita to get the weights right. But that gives optimum rpm for the fan based on the load. The more snow in the bucket the lower the rpms are, that would allow a higher pulley ratio as the clutch closes and gives more torque.
> Guess I have a lot of free time and maybe someone out there has tried some mods and not posted about them.


Simplicity does what amounts to a CVT transmission on the impeller for exactly the reason you cite, keep the machine in the power band.


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## Nbjornstad (Dec 28, 2017)

So another dumb question. So everyone says that the impeller rubber trick is gods gift to snowblowers. A snowblower is limited in forward movement by the snow loading inside the bucket and how fast it is moved and expelled by the impeller/fan. Most fans I have looked at are at 90 degrees. Most industrial fans for moving any slurry looks like a boat prop with 4-5 blades. Would having a canted blade angle increase the feed rate? Would introducing more air flow from the chute and reating a stronger low pressure in the bucket cause more material to move? 

Thanks guys I just been lurking in the shadows reading for a long time thinking up questions lol


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## Nbjornstad (Dec 28, 2017)

The broom bristles would be mounted to the auger not an actual broom core replacing the auger. That way the bristles sweep the ground and scarify but would be clearenced inside the bucket. That would prevent overloading. Not that I have ever wire brushed ice but I imagine poly wires scratching at ice would have an effect without damaging the concrete surface. Being mounted to the auger keeps it simple and doesn’t need an additional rotating assembly.


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## DriverRider (Nov 20, 2016)

Nbjornstad said:


> So another dumb question. So everyone says that the impeller rubber trick is gods gift to snowblowers. A snowblower is limited in forward movement by the snow loading inside the bucket and how fast it is moved and expelled by the impeller/fan. Most fans I have looked at are at 90 degrees. Most industrial fans for moving any slurry looks like a boat prop with 4-5 blades. Would having a canted blade angle increase the feed rate? Would introducing more air flow from the chute and reating a stronger low pressure in the bucket cause more material to move? Thanks guys I just been lurking in the shadows reading for a long time thinking up questions lol


I would not call snow a slurry, more static material. Introducing air to the discharge is a worthwhile endeavor but where does additional air come from another system like a screw driven blower which requires hp? Is this a race as to how far one can throw snow? Most snow removal machines operate within neighborhood confines and I for one don't want my neighbor blowing his snow into my property. In April the only snow left in the neighborhood is on my property, I don't think so.


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## Nbjornstad (Dec 28, 2017)

I just daydream about building a better mousetrap. A 2 stage snowblower is pretty much un evolved since it’s introduction. The horse was the best thing until the car. 

Although amazing to watch how many people need to throw snow 50’? But the faster I move the material the less time I spend in the cold. If you're a contractor you spend less time because the machine does the job more efficiently = more money. I think the fan is the slowest part of the process. I’m just trying to figure a way to improve it. The chute can be aimed down 😉


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

If you want to see the business end of a single stage snow clearer type Beilhack in the advanced search box and look for the picture of the Conrail Beilhack snow clearer in a night shot near Utica with a twin snow clearing disc system using a centrally mounted hydraulic chute and spout 

The problem is torque, the lack of it and what the consumer is willing to spend OR NOT SPEND. If you want to see a good snow blower I have pictures of the Zaugg bulldog on the forum and Zaugg also has videos of the snow beast as well working with the bulldog.


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## jsup (Nov 19, 2017)

Nbjornstad said:


> So another dumb question. So everyone says that the impeller rubber trick is gods gift to snowblowers. A snowblower is limited in forward movement by the snow loading inside the bucket and how fast it is moved and expelled by the impeller/fan. Most fans I have looked at are at 90 degrees. Most industrial fans for moving any slurry looks like a boat prop with 4-5 blades. Would having a canted blade angle increase the feed rate? Would introducing more air flow from the chute and reating a stronger low pressure in the bucket cause more material to move?
> 
> Thanks guys I just been lurking in the shadows reading for a long time thinking up questions lol


Two different theories. A boat propeller is referred to as a "screw" for a reason. There are three conditions that determine a boat propeller, pitch, rake, and cup. Each one has a different effect on the distance the propeller will travel in a single revolution. Think of it as threads per inch. You have to match the pitch, rake, cup to the performance characteristics of the engine. In it's simplest form, if the red line is say 7000, you want a prop that keeps you from going over it, while still getting the boat/watercraft out of the water reasonably fast.

On the other hand, an impeller of a snow blower is more of a catapult. It's not moving through the snow, that would be more of the auger, but simply throwing snow that is handed to it by the auger. So it's about FLINGING snow. So the design needs to be conducive to FLINGING, not distance. The efficiencies of flinging is something I know nothing about. Number of blades, RPM, and blade design would all come into play I guess. In a boat propeller a single blade prop would be the most efficient, I'm not sure if the same applies to an impeller. The better comparison is a jet ski impeller vs. Snow blower impeller, the snow blower impeller is essentially a pump.

Bottom line is one is a forward motion in line with the centerline blade, the other is throwing in a direction perpendicular from the centerline. A 90* difference in direction of movement of the surrounding material, whether it be snow or water. Completely different physics.


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

I assume you're still brainstorming, if so here's an idea if you want to explore it. You'd likely have to extend the tractor unit, but consider hydraulic auger drive. Put a pump on the motor and run it through a control valve to a hydraulic motor that drives the auger. They've used similar on various farm equipment for years, so it's not something new except never heard of it on small blowers.


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## Nbjornstad (Dec 28, 2017)

Feel like Tim Taylor. So today’s thought. Electric motor to move the unit. Makes it infinitely variable speed and no belts and easy power steering. The hydraulic motor idea still requires the horsepower to run it. 
So the racing kart world will sell you a crate Briggs motor or a Honda clone super cheap. Really wish I could see the dyno chart of what they actually produce. I already had the idea of popping the head off and milling it down and port n polish. They will sell you longer rods and have the compression chart so you can push it out to 10.5:1 and run pump gas on your stroker Briggs. A silly saying I learned a long time ago, “there’s no replacement for displacement”. It’s a slippery slope


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

The other issue it the use of the simple Hilliard clutch and the toothed belt on carts and snow sleds to you need to keep that in mind when doodling as some sleds have a reverse function to use which would be handy but a Rotax engine would normally be a 2 cycle with speed but low torque at least they were that way when I had a sled in 1973-75.

The old Bombardier twin tread(double wide tracks) sleds had a reverse gear.


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## jsup (Nov 19, 2017)

Nbjornstad said:


> Feel like Tim Taylor. So today’s thought. Electric motor to move the unit. Makes it infinitely variable speed and no belts and easy power steering. The hydraulic motor idea still requires the horsepower to run it.


Putting an electric motor on each wheel would help steering, not a bad idea. Maybe an electric motor on the impeller, to adjust speed, something with a gear reduction so you could have massive torque. 

Electric WILL suck power from the engine, and in theory, equal to the amount of power it takes to do the same job mechanically less the inefficiencies of mechanical implementation, if any exist. My concern would be a bunch of electrical connections in snow and salt. Always wet, often salty. 



> So the racing kart world will sell you a crate Briggs motor or a Honda clone super cheap. Really wish I could see the dyno chart of what they actually produce. I already had the idea of popping the head off and milling it down and port n polish. They will sell you longer rods and have the compression chart so you can push it out to 10.5:1 and run pump gas on your stroker Briggs. A silly saying I learned a long time ago, “there’s no replacement for displacement”. It’s a slippery slope


While you're at it, talk to a cam grinder, and see if you can put in bigger valves, maybe some roller lifters and rockers (joking). I read the mini bike guys get as much as 15 HP from the predator 212s.


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## Nbjornstad (Dec 28, 2017)

jsup said:


> Putting an electric motor on each wheel would help steering, not a bad idea. Maybe an electric motor on the impeller, to adjust speed, something with a gear reduction so you could have massive torque.
> 
> Electric WILL suck power from the engine, and in theory, equal to the amount of power it takes to do the same job mechanically less the inefficiencies of mechanical implementation, if any exist. My concern would be a bunch of electrical connections in snow and salt. Always wet, often salty.
> 
> ...


Way past ya. Yes you can port out the valves and mill the head and increase flow. 

Here you find a longer connecting rod, heavier valve springs and a billet aluminum flywheel so you can turn your Briggs up to 8000 rpm without scattering.
Briggs Engines & Parts | Go Karts | Racing Karts | Mini Bikes | 15 | BMI Karts and Motorcycle Parts 

But the voices in my head say any way to shorten the draft between the carb and the intake valve increases low end torque. Found a old craftsman drift breaker 3 stage but it’s in Spokane soooo I’m gonna find a reason to visit Spokane I guess. It’s got a bad engine so somewhere between a 5hp modded to 15hp spinning 5000 rpm or a turbo diesel hahaha the binford 5000


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

it would be cool to see a snowblower with a go kart race engine on it. 

i also agree that electric motors to drive the wheels don't seem like a very good idea. i think i would sooner go for hydraulically run motors over electric ones.

also i don't think a snowmobile clutch setup would work good at all on a snowblower. i could see you burning up bets with a setup like that running the augers. you put any load on the augers and it would slow the engine and force the clutch to release. plus they take up a lot of space and would at quite of bit of weight. the current setup they got is pretty much the best. the only possible upgrade i can see if maybe running wider belt like some of the higher end machines like honda do. it is rare you see many machines with 5/8" belt but there are some.


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