# using roll-up plastic snow sled material to line the chute



## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

A recent idea I had though I have not implemented it yet

Using and cutting/shapping a roll-up plastic snow sled to line the inside of the chute. It's rather thick, flexible, will take the cold, strong, and most importantly, smooth and slippery. I expect the snow to just shoot out with that inside. You also might be able to line the impeller housing and may need no rubber or less rubber on the impeller. ??? With the smooth and slippery plastic lining inside the impeller housing the squeegee effect should be increased when using rubber on the impeller blades.


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## RIT333 (Feb 6, 2014)

I thought the same, but I have not come up with a good method to have it stay in play. What is your plan ?

THX


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## uberT (Dec 29, 2013)

I think it would be a good solution, but, as RIT suggests, you got to figure out how you'll bond it to the chute.


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

*Fastening to chute*

I thought about rivets, you can use plastic nuts and screws. My local fastener supplier will sell me a box of 100 #6 1/2" Phillips pan head machine screws, box of flat washers, and a box of nylon insert nuts, sometimes called lock nuts, for $5. The best lock nuts are torque nuts. They are round at one end and oval at the exit end. They never come loose under vibration.


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## The Q (Dec 19, 2016)

Why not just buy a plastic replacement chute and modify it to fit.


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## Motor City (Jan 6, 2014)

There was a guy that did this over on Bob Is the Oil Guy Forum. He used one of those plastic sheet sleds for kids, also. I think he used a heat gun to soften it and form it to the inside of the chute. It turned out pretty nice.


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

Motor City - Heating it with an air gun is a terrific idea.


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

The Q said:


> Why not just buy a plastic replacement chute and modify it to fit.


I didn't want to use a plastic chute to replace the metal because I like the sturdiness of the metal chute plus the cost to convert with the gear and handle. The metal chutes tend to be taller throwing the snow further. Besides I'm not happy with the slipperiness of the plastic chute feeling the plastic snow sled material is a slippery material. I intend to line both my metal chutes and my plastic chutes with the snow sled material.


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## Tony P. (Jan 9, 2017)

Maybe someday snow thrower manufacturers (with DuPont) will figure out the competitive advantage of reducing friction in the auger /impeller housing and consumers won't be charged with improving their equipment. It's impossible to understand why we can buy two slippery frying pans for $20 but we can't get the same treatment on snow throwers.


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## djc11369 (Feb 17, 2014)

I would guess volume is one reason, I don't see snow blowers being anywhere near the volume of sales as compared to pans. I'm not sure how well teflon will hold up to rocks either, my chute has a number of chips and scratches from the EOD snow removal. Pans scratch easily from the use of metal utensils so I would expect it wouldn't hold up well to rocks. It's not as easily refinished like a painted surface is either.


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## jrom (Jan 10, 2014)

In no particular order, but discussed a number of times on our site:

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/foru...adhesive-backed-slickstrips-chute-lining.html

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/honda-snowblowers/73945-chute-liner.html

http://www.snowblowerforum.com/foru...n/66314-chute-lining-funtionality-advice.html

Even one from AG:

https://www.abbysguide.com/ope/discussions/63349-A-1.html


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## GregNL (Jan 9, 2017)

When my father purchased his first, albeit used, John Deere snowblower about 15 years ago he lined the chute with a piece of Crazy Carpet plastic slide material and it made a significant difference. It lasted a season or 2 before it had to be replaced due to the damage from the gravel driveway at the time but it was a cheap upgrade.

The Yamaha YS624 I purchased also came with this "feature" until I removed it and replaced with with a 24" x 24" x 1/16" thick sheet of UHMW white plastic from Acklands-Grainger. I cut it to size based on a cardboard template then heat molded to fit to shape then fastened it in place with 6 small stainless screws(3 on each side), washers and locknuts. Since the old plastic sheet was held in place with larger bolts around the base of the chute only I reused those holes along with new stainless bolts, washers and locknuts.

Before:










After:











UHMW plastic is extremely durable and slippery, it's highly doubtful you'll ever have to replace it. Yamaha uses Teflon, which has a lower friction properties, as a key feature in the chute design for all their snowblowers. The YT624EJ only has it in the chute while the YS1028J and YT1332ED have a 1/8" or thicker piece lining the impeller housing, which I'm currently fitting to mine as it will reduce the impeller gap to about 1/16" and to protect the housing.


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

GregNL - Is there a reason why you haven't lined the hood of the chute?

So you found the 1/16" thickness was perfect using a heat gun you could bend it around the inside of the chute without cutting for the corners? How long did you need to heat with a heat gun, I've never used it, seconds? tens of seconds, a minute or two?

Why did you a thicker, 1/4" black sheet, cut to a 2" strip, for a new scraper bar? I'd be only thinking of steel because of the wear factor, in my case I'd cut a piece of steel with my sawsall then weld that on to the old scraper bar.

I was going to use zinc plated steel #6 1/2" phillips pan head machine screws that I would paint. I have to check out the price of stainless steel same, with oval torque nuts or nylon lock nuts. I felt if I use 1/2" I would have enough to go through and the lock nut to grip without having to grease or paint the end. Would 1/2" work? or would I need to buy 3/4"? I can easily use some #6 I have around and see what I need by mocking it up.

Why make a template if I am going to form it? Can't I start with the end against the edge, heat it, form it, and as I'm pushing it in, drill the holes and fasten that part, continue heating it and forming, again fasten the other side, then whatever is sticking out cut that piece off.

I appreciate your input as it reduces the amount of mistakes I make, I'll get a better job, and hopefully a job I will only have to do once if it's done right, until it wears away.


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## GregNL (Jan 9, 2017)

JLawrence08648 said:


> GregNL - Is there a reason why you haven't lined the hood of the chute?


I've been meaning to do that but I'd need to source a special glue that bonds to UHMW plastic. I want to line both inner sides of the chute deflector also to protect the paint, the 1/16" I have is too thick and it would jam up. 12mil stick on UHMW sheets may be a good option.




> So you found the 1/16" thickness was perfect using a heat gun you could bend it around the inside of the chute without cutting for the corners? How long did you need to heat with a heat gun, I've never used it, seconds? tens of seconds, a minute or two?


Probably 30 seconds to a minute to get the area pliable then push the plastic to the back of the chute and tight into the corners. You can fold the sides over and try to crease them like folding paper to help maintain the square shape you're after. The original plan was to use 1/8" plastic but it was just too thick to mold to the shape of the chute.




> Why did you use a thicker, 1/4" black sheet, cut to a 2" strip, for a new scraper bar? I'd be only thinking of steel because of the wear factor, in my case I'd cut a piece of steel with my sawsall then weld that on to the old scraper bar.


As per our PM about the scraper bar, UHMW is stronger than steel and has about 10-15x the wear resistance. I bolted the 2" strip behind the old scraper bar that as ground down in the center to 1" or less. I'll post photos of it when I get home in a few days.



> I was going to use zinc plated steel #6 1/2" phillips pan head machine screws that I would paint. I have to check out the price of stainless steel same, with oval torque nuts or nylon lock nuts. I felt if I use 1/2" I would have enough to go through and the lock nut to grip without having to grease or paint the end. Would 1/2" work? or would I need to buy 3/4"? I can easily use some #6 I have around and see what I need by mocking it up.


I can't recall what size stainless hex bolts I used, probably #4's, they were pretty small. I'd have to measure the length of them also. You have to take into account the thickness of the locknut, the washer, plastic sheet, any gap that may exist between the plastic and chute plus the thickness of the chute and outside washer. 6 bolts, 6 locknuts and 12 washers, all stainless, may have cost a total of $5 buying in pre-packaged quantities. Anything else you put there will eventually rust so it comes down to do you care what it looks like or do you only want to buy once and have it look good forever. 



> Why make a template if I am going to form it? Can't I start with the end against the edge, heat it, form it, and as I'm pushing it in, drill the holes and fasten that part, continue heating it and forming, again fasten the other side, then whatever is sticking out cut that piece off.


That works also but you'll have a lot of weird angles to account for and need cutting prior, primarily the curve at the bottom of the chute. Take a large sheet of paper or cut open cereal box and try lining your chute first, you'll quickly see how difficult it will be to get a perfect fit in all areas, it's tricky. A 1/16" UHMW sheet isn't going to just mold in shape and stay there from just heat forming, it's going to fight back due to the long molecular strands. I'll see if I still have the template for my Yamaha to give you an idea of what mine looked like prior to cutting the plastic sheet.



> I appreciate your input as it reduces the amount of mistakes I make, I'll get a better job, and hopefully a job I will only have to do once if it's done right, until it wears away.


I highly doubt it will ever wear away, it will probably outlast your machine.

Keep us posted on your progress.


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