# Drift Cutters vs Auger Housing Extension Pros and Cons



## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

What are the pros and cons of drift cutters vs auger housing "bucket" extensions?. I have seen "bucket" extensions on mostly older snowblower, but newer ones just have drift cutters. :smiley-confused009:


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

IMO unless you have 'really' deep snow or like to use them to help hold a machine in the service position, there's little advantage of one over the other.
There is a disadvantage to both, each adds to the width or height of the auger housing. If you're tight on space it can come back to bite you.

The machines I have include provisions for drift cutters so the holes are already present if that makes a difference. All you need to get for that is some flat iron and drill some holes.

Sorry, I don't use either.


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## Coby7 (Nov 6, 2014)

Remember that your impeller can only throw so much snow at a time and realize that if you install a mouth extender that you will have to slow right down when you reach deep snow, while with the drift breaker or cutters while you will still need to slow down, some of the snow will just fall beside the auger and you'll have to pick it up on the way back. I've had all 3 types and I find the breaker works the best with EODs. With deep snow if you have tracks and a light enough machine you can just skim the top and come back for a second run.


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## Toxic (Jan 30, 2015)

You guys dont get enough snow..LOL..The drift cutters are for when you get to the end of winter and your driveway has a wall off snow 3 to 4 feet deep and you get another 8 inches it knocks that snow off the wall and forces it to fall in front of the blower so you have a nice square edge again..Even living where i do its rare to get a snowfall deeper that the bucket in one shot..seen a few drifts that i had to break down with a shovel as i snowblowed tho...

edit..well i am sure coby does as he only lives an hour or so away from me..lol


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## RAYAR (Mar 7, 2015)

Coby7 said:


> ... With deep snow if you have tracks and a light enough machine you can just skim the top and come back for a second run.


That's what I thought you could do with tracked machines. That's definitely what I need around here.

As far as extensions go, if you're referring to extending upwards to heighten the bucket and down to help avoid spillage, that would help on the older machines that have sides that followed the auger contour. I've had that in mind to do for some time now, still not done yet 

As far as drift cutters go, they help with cutting the drifts down so you're not tunneling under them so much.


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## Spectrum (Jan 6, 2013)

It's all situation dependent.

A drift breaker will help you work a taller bank or drift than it is usually have bucket be tall enough for. it also doubles as a work stand.

A tall bucket on the other hand will let you chew through deeper snow with less spill over. Many of today's machines have small augers so how well this works depends on the auger size , snow depth and how packed it is. If you have stiff snow and a small auger in a tall bucket the machine will just run into the snow and have a hard time making forward progress.

I don't recall seeing many bucket extensions as accessories. It was common to see an original bucket outfitted with a factory extension. This was more about extending the life of big expensive stamping dies and welding fixtures. 


Pete


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

Spectrum said:


> I don't recall seeing many bucket extensions as accessories. It was common to see an original bucket outfitted with a factory extension. This was more about extending the life of big expensive stamping dies and welding fixtures.
> 
> 
> Pete


That's probably what it is then (factory installed extensions).
I have seen the extensions mainly on older Yamahas (I have a YS624 and a YS828 both with extensions), but I think I have seen a few Hondas as well. 
Both of them have "teardrop" auger housing sides an "large" augers.


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