# What is the purpose of the gears and throttle?



## Paintballplayerajc (Dec 10, 2017)

I know they make it run and move faster....but mine cruises pretty fast in 1st gear, I can't ever imagine having to use 4th gear. Should it be in 4th gear for higher and more snow so it will shoot it farther....or does the gear not matter for that?
?


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## Paulie139 (Sep 25, 2017)

Paintballplayerajc said:


> I know they make it run and move faster....but mine cruises pretty fast in 1st gear, I can't ever imagine having to use 4th gear. Should it be in 4th gear for higher and more snow so it will shoot it farther....or does the gear not matter for that?
> ?


My first gear is very slow - like inches at a time. I could see me using that speed if I were clearing tight areas like between cars or something along those lines. My sixth gear is a nice, brisk pace - probably more for just getting it from point A to point B quickly and not so much for clearing snow.


On my machine, the gear selection has no effect on the impeller RPM - that's what "throws" your snow. The throttle speed would effect it, however.


Is it possible yours is out of adjustment?


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

Gear selection does not effect throwing distance. ( kinda). 
If the machine seems fast in 1st gear it may just need adjusting.


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## Vermont007 (Mar 29, 2015)

4th Gear is good when you just want to get from one place to another, and don't have to move any snow along the way.


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## stromr (Jul 20, 2016)

In short the theory is always run the engine wide open and use a fast enough gear to keep the bucket full.


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## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

I use full throttle all the time and ensure I am getting the maximum recommended engine speed often 3,600 rpm. The speed in forward I adjust to a comfortable walking pace that allows easy control of the machine. The purpose of the auger is to move the snow from each side to the center where the impeller opening is located. The augers should have a turned lip at the impeller ends, two per auger so 4 in total, which moves the snow in toward the bottom of the impeller housing. If that lip is damaged and not fulfilling its purpose then there is too big a reliance on forward speed to move the snow into the impeller housing. You may then be reliant on a higher than comfortable forward speed to avoid blocking the impeller chute with wet snow.

I have 6 speeds and use 3rd for most everything. The 6th gear is for me a transport gear. For a full bucket or more of EOD snow I use 2nd gear which is a nice walking speed that does not strain the wheel drive. First is reserved for moving around cars. I do 6 or 7 neighbour driveways of about 60 ft each and single to triple wide so not straining myself is important.

Assuming you have a normal disc drive system, it is set up so that driven rubber tired disc in neutral is in the center part of the drive disc. Reverse puts the driven disc to one side of center and forward is to the other side of center. To check if your gear speed is about correct, put the gear shift in neutral and press the drive clutch lever for a short time. The machine should not go forward or reverse. If it does move then the driven disc is not in the center of the drive disc. There is a mark on the drive disc for the center circle. So adjust the shifter to position the driven disc over the center. That will give you the factory speeds. You can adjust the gear selector to make more speed in forward or reverse by placing the driven disc off center to favor the reverse or forward side. You don't really need a gear shift position for neutral since it is always in neutral until you press the wheel drive clutch lever.

Good luck.


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