When using my snowblower with wet/heavy snow, I have two problems:
the snow will frequently clog in the chute and need to be manually cleared - any suggestions
sometimes when there is only 3" or 4" of snow it will push forward and not up and into the auguers
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Wet, sticky, heavy snow is a challenge for any snowblower. It will stick to itself, it will stick to the blower, it will stick to leaves on the ground.
The single most important thing to do is reduce the friction of the metal surfaces that the snow contacts -- including the tub, the augers, the impeller and the chute. Polish off any rust and apply a glossy paint to any bare metal. Spray that with a product like Dupont Teflon Ice and Snow repellent, WD-40 or even Pam cooking spray. An alternative and longer lasting chute treatment is to cut a kid's Krazy Karpet into strips and attach those to the inside of the chute.
The wettest, heaviest, stickiest snow will be next to the ground, especially if the ground is not frozen yet. That layer gets wetter the longer the snow sits, as the ground melts the snow and the water drains down to the ground. So lower the skis, skim the snow off the top and leave that bottom inch to melt on it's own. Later in the season, once the ground is frozen, you can raise the skis and scrape right down to the ground, but not the first few snows of the year.
Finally (or perhaps firstly?): get rid of any leaves before the snow falls. They act in concert like little Krazy Karpets, letting the snow slide along the ground building up in front of the blower instead of feeding into it. If you don't want to rake them up, then mulch them with the mower.
