# Impeller rubber flaps mod...



## toofastforyou (Jan 29, 2019)

I see that adding some rubber flaps is a popular mod but if they're that good, why don't the manufacturers install them originally at the factory...? 

Claude.

P.S: Back when I restored my snowblower, I thought about adding the flaps but decided not to do so because I didn't want them to rub off all the powdercoat I had done and make rust spots appear...


----------



## Mr. JT Monk (Oct 27, 2020)

I don't think it's necessary to have the rubber actually touch the metal inside the impeller housing.
One member just did this and left a small gap so things weren't rubbing.


----------



## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

i am guessing most manufactures don't care. the machine will throw snow without the impeller mod. it just throws it better with minimal gap between the impeller and housing. but also saying that different manufactures are willing to run tighter tolerances than others. i know all mtd machines i have done have about 1/2" gap between the impeller and housing but i have heard other brands have smaller gaps like 1/8"-3/8" gap. all machines i have done the impeller mod to have had a noticeable increase in throwing distance and will throw almost anything including slush or even water. i had one machine that would have been parted out or sold for parts if it wasn't for the impeller mod. a snowblower that only throws snow 6-8ft is useless in my opinion. after the impeller mod it was throwing snow about 16ft so it puts the snow where you won't have to move it twice.


----------



## jerryvvv (Apr 23, 2020)

toofastforyou said:


> I see that adding some rubber flaps is a popular mod but if they're that good, why don't the manufacturers install them originally at the factory...?


because the engineers and manufacturers know better than a bunch of back yard mechanics chatting on a web forum 😉

the auger impeller and shaft are carefully designed and made to be evenly balanced, just like anything else that is spinning at a relatively high RPM they NEED to be evenly balanced, just like the tires on your car, or the crankshaft in your engine,

adding any extra weight to any of the impeller blades (even the slightest) will throw that balance out of whack,

over time, this will cause pre-mature wear of your auger shaft bearing, and your internal auger gear box bushings


----------



## classiccat (Mar 1, 2014)

jerryvvv said:


> the auger impeller and shaft are carefully designed and made to be evenly balanced, just like anything else that is spinning at a relatively high RPM they NEED to be evenly balanced, just like the tires on your car, or the crankshaft in your engine,
> 
> adding any extra weight to any of the impeller blades (even the slightest) will throw that balance out of whack,
> 
> over time, this will cause pre-mature wear of your auger shaft bearing, and your internal auger gear box bushings


Isn't it grossly out of balance when its throwing snow?


----------



## jerryvvv (Apr 23, 2020)

classiccat said:


> Isn't it grossly out of balance when its throwing snow?


it's not out of balance, it is under load

totally different


----------



## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

jerryvvv said:


> adding any extra weight to any of the impeller blades (even the slightest) will throw that balance out of whack,
> over time, this will cause pre-mature wear of your auger shaft bearing, and your internal auger gear box bushings


I think this MIGHT be overstating the case... The minimal weight applied evenly to every fan blade should have minuscule effect on impeller balance. If anything, it would slightly increase the flywheel effect, less any friction against the impeller housing.


----------



## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

toofastforyou said:


> I see that adding some rubber flaps is a popular mod but if they're that good, why don't the manufacturers install them originally at the factory...?


It's like many optional enhancements to equipment. Why introduce another wear item to something that's already engineered to a price point?


----------



## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

clearly some people must take their car tires to the shop to be balanced yearly lol. the whole 2 bolts and piece of rubber you ad to the impeller is almost nothing. all the pieces will pretty much just balance each other out or not effect it much at all. you would have to add a lot of weight to 1 impeller blade to throw it out of balance enough to start damaging things. i have driven many vehicles without balancing tires and never had any issue. they occasionally shake a bit at certain speeds but usually it is minor unless the rim was bent


----------



## tdipaul (Jul 11, 2015)

The impeller is very out of balance while throwing snow. One half is loaded up with snow while on the up rotation and the other side 180 is light on the down rotation because it just flung snow out of the chute while somewhere near the top

Impeller kits can TOTALLY transform a machine so IMO they are worth the scraped paint. Can always touch up the impeller chamber area after the kit has been run in. But if you've got a gravel driveway that might be a waste because its going to wear the paint off anyway. Its a heck of a violent environment in there


----------



## toofastforyou (Jan 29, 2019)

I don't think it's worth scraping the paint in my case as it's already throwing snow quite far. I spent a good amount of "$$" to make it nice and i don't want it to turn ugly again.

Claude.


----------



## jerryvvv (Apr 23, 2020)

toofastforyou said:


> I don't think it's worth scraping the paint in my case as it's already throwing snow quite far. I spent a good amount of "$$" to make it nice and i don't want it to turn ugly again.
> 
> Claude.


agreed,

if you want a machine to throw snow a far distance, then just buy a machine that is capable of it,

that's the reason why i bought a 10+ HP machine


----------



## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

at the end of the day the choice is up to you. if you are happy with how your machine perform that is fine. no one is forcing you.

@jerryvvv engine size can only do so much. the noma 24" machine i have has a 8hp and it would only throw snow 6-8ft without the impeller mod. doubt a bigger engine would help it throw farther since it already had a pretty decent size to power ratio. the impeller mod on the other hand helped the machine throw snow 16ft. well worth it in my opinion.


----------



## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

toofastforyou said:


> I don't think it's worth scraping the paint in my case as it's already throwing snow quite far. I spent a good amount of "$$" to make it nice and i don't want it to turn ugly again.
> 
> Claude.


you dont make any sense. first you ask about it and then you say you not going to do it because of the paint?

the impeller mod is a game changer. I have done over a dozen of them. i also powdercoat my buckets. if you install correctly and break in the flaps correctly , the do NOT rub on the inside of housing after break in. break in takes less than a minute.

anyways, there is enough ice going thru you machine to wear the powdercoat away over time. rubber is softer than the metal and not going to impact it.


----------



## jerryvvv (Apr 23, 2020)

orangputeh said:


> you dont make any sense. first you ask about it and then you say you not going to do it because of the paint?


whats wrong with him asking questions, and educating himself?

no need to get your back up about it


----------



## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

jerryvvv said:


> whats wrong with him asking questions, and educating himself?
> 
> no need to get your back up about it


because I dont like people wasting everyones time. good bye.


----------



## jerryvvv (Apr 23, 2020)

orangputeh said:


> because I dont like people wasting everyones time. good bye.


if that's the way you feel about his questions, then i guess this whole forum is a waste of your time


----------



## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

jerryvvv said:


> if that's the way you feel about his questions


if you ask a question and then go on to ignore advise given then you are pretty much wasting peoples time. if you have never tried the impeller mod then you really can't give advise whether it helps or hurts a machine. it is kind of like a kid not eating certain foods because they don't like how it looks. unless you try something you never know if you will like it or not. the paint will most likely chip and wear out either way


----------



## tdipaul (Jul 11, 2015)

IMO the manufacturers don't install them is because it costs more and its safer. Especially nowadays, a lawyer in need of a payday would surely zero-in on the kit to prove the machine was made needlessly dangerous. Manufacturers dont want to get sued. Its got nothing to do with balance. Imagine a tire half filled on one side with packed snow like an impeller is during operation?

They'd rather see you struggle with snow going 1-4' out of the chute. These dribblers are seen all the time.

OP: post a video of your Murray throwing wet snow and slush with some authority

.


----------



## classiccat (Mar 1, 2014)

tdipaul said:


> IMO the manufacturers don't install them is because it costs more and its safer. Especially nowadays, a lawyer in need of a payday would surely zero-in on the kit to prove the machine was made needlessly dangerous. Manufacturers dont want to get sued. Its got nothing to do with balance. Imagine a tire half filled on one side with packed snow like an impeller is during operation?
> 
> They'd rather see you struggle with snow going 1-4' out of the chute. These dribblers are seen all the time.
> 
> ...


I have (5) 2-stage machines_ with impeller mods_...

...and zero unclogging tools


----------



## Clutch Cargo (Dec 27, 2015)

Good comments/insight/observations all around. I will also say that in my case, I don't have to throw the snow far because of the proximity to my neighbors. Therefore, if this was a standard feature on every blower, it would be of no use to me and may affect my buying decision. So, it could be that the manufacturers have taken this scenario into consideration as well.


----------



## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

toofastforyou said:


> I never asked for advice


Here's my advice: Remain civil...


----------



## tdipaul (Jul 11, 2015)

Clutch Cargo said:


> Therefore, if this was a standard feature on every blower, it would be of no use to me and may affect my buying decision. So, it could be that the manufacturers have taken this scenario into consideration as well.


They took variable throwing distance needs into account when they started putting adjustable chute tips on them. A big block Chevy engine'd franken blower with an impeller kit (ha ha) can be tamed down to throw only 5 feet high with an adjustable chute tip (albeit a strong one)


----------



## 140278 (Aug 27, 2020)

WITH HEAVY HEART THIS THREAD IS CLOSED! 2 members who have become abusive and reported have been removed from the site . uncivil actions have been removed


----------

