BX2670 w/BX5450 Snowblower - How about a few operating tips?

[Stumped]

I got all the parts and pieces put together and my new BX5450 runs well on my BX2670 tractor. We just had our first snow (only 8") and I took that sucker out on our long asphalt driveway. In short, it did well, however I've got two questions to make sure I'm doing it right:

1. I put the front lift in float mode to do the snow blowing. It seemed to work well. However I don't know if that's the right way to do it or not. Any suggestions?

2. The chute got clogged more than I thought it would. That wouldn't be such a problem, but it took forever to get it unclogged each time. What do I need to do to keep the chute from getting clogged so much and, once it is clogged, how do you get it unclogged quickly?

Thanks and happy snow-blowing!

 

[SDMauler]

As long as the shoes on the blower are present and properly adjusted, floating should be fine on an asphalt drive, especially if it's not perfectly flat. If there are a lot of cracks that are at differing heights, the shoes may catch-just set the blower all the way down, then raise it just a tiny bit to let it float over the cracks easier. Make sure you're running the engine at rated RPM, and slow down your ground speed a bit. You should be able to tell by the chute discharge and the engine load that you are going the right speed. You might also double check that the shear bolts in both halves of the auger and the impeller are all good.

 

[torch]

1. I put the front lift in float mode to do the snow blowing. It seemed to work well. However I don't know if that's the right way to do it or not. Any suggestions?

Yes. 99% of the time. Taking out an existing bank may require raising the blower to trim the top off first, then float to get the rest.

What do I need to do to keep the chute from getting clogged so much and, once it is clogged, how do you get it unclogged quickly?

The simplest answer is sticky snow causes plugging. There's two approaches to prevention. First, make the chute too slippery for the snow to stick. Clean, painted, waxed and/or sprayed with a hydrophobic coating such as Sno Shield or lubricant such as cooking spray.

Second is don't try to blow sticky snow. If the temperature is dropping, wait for the snow to firm up. The stuff right next to unfrozen ground is usually the wettest. Mixing wet and dry snow seems to be a recipe for plugging, so lower the skiis to keep the blower up off the ground, leaving the bottom layer for later clean up or to freeze into a nice base for the winter. Once the weather has turned cold and the frost is in the ground, go ahead and raise the skiis so you can scrape right down to the base.

As for clearing the clog TURN OFF THE ENGINE first. Then use a stick of some sort to break the clog into pieces.

I will add that a metal screen across the open end of the chute may prevent sticking your hand into a running impeller, but makes it much harder to clear a clog, and may make the clog more likely in the first place.

 

[Stumped]

SDMauler & Torch,
Thanks for the confirmation on the floating and tips on clogging. I'll try those next time. You mentioned the metal screen at the exit of the chute. You're right that it sure made it harder to get at the clog. I assumed that metal frame had some sort of beneficial function for the snowblower. If it's really just there to 'idiot-proof' the operator not sticking their hand in the chute during operation, then I'll take it off. Is that really all it's there for???

 

[lordulrich]

I've got the same setup and am still learning, but it sounds I've had a few more snows to learn so far this year.

First snow fall I found that a peice of 1/2 EMT conduit works great for unclogging the shoot. It is strong enough to break apart the snow, and small enough to fit between the holes in the guard. It also happened to be sitting in the shed when I was looking for something, now it sits behind my seat. I stick it between the the slots in the guard and run it up and down until the chute is cleared.

Have extra shear bolts, or it will break at the most inopportune time (learned this one the hard way).

 

[Stumped]

lordulrich,
I hear you on the shear pins. I bought some extra just in case, but of course thought I would never need them. Halfway through the driveway today, my snow blower found the paper that was left in the driveway hours before. Scooped it up and tried to throw it out the chute. Scratch one impeller shear pin.

 

[Southernfarm]

Second that about rpm. Also if snow is wet make sure the discharge chute is tilted up most of the way. Look here on making your own shear bolts.

Sent from my Z850 using Tapatalk

 

[GaryL]

I have a BX2200 with the 5450 blower. I run the RPM wide open, and have only had one jam, which was this past weekend's wet slushy snow. I find it hard to jam this blower, and I do the street edges when I am done. They are usually wet, but it goes through them pretty well. About shear pins though. Do not buy std pins. Kubota undercuts there shear pins to break quicker than std shear pins. Reason I was told was that flex and bog doesn't happen quickly on a kubota, and breakage will occur before a std pins will break. I bought 20 sets, and keep five on the tractor at all times with the tools to change them out. Two 1/2" ratcheting wrenches and a long tapered punch to remove the old pin and line up the holes easier. If you continue to have issues, use the cooking spray. If that doesn't work, you may be out of spec on the distance between impeller paddles and drum and need a rubber impeller kit. I put one on my old Toro 8/24 and went from 6 ft. throw to about 15 ft. and no more clogs. Haven't need it on the kubota, but have thought about it many times.
Good Luck!

 

[Toyboy]

The way that works best for me is blower in float (I have blacktop also) and I spray the blower and chute with silicone before each use.

One thing I've found that helps me a lot, is pull the machine out of garage (heated) and let the blower chill down while the tractor is warming up 10 to 15 min.
Of course if your machine does not live in a heated garage, it won't do anything for the blower, but warm up time on engine/hydraulics is equally important.

I also just lift the blower a couple inches when backing up/moving around so to not stress the U-joints too much. Once I have my blower running I don't usually turn it off till I'm done

On wet sticky snow keep the rpm up and take smaller bites like only 1/2 to 1/3 of blower width.

AND the best piece of advice from me and everyone here with a blower is never blow snow into the wind. That's right up there with never step on Superman's cape.

You have to play the wind and blow with it even if it means backing up and just clearing one direction. If you don't, you'll see what I'm talking about.

Have fun.

 

[Grouse Feathers]

A couple more suggestions.

You want to keep the blower lift in the float position, but you will occasionally lose steering. Just bump the lift out of float and raise just enough to put load on the front wheels. The load off the blower skids and on the tires will give you immediate control. Then go back to float.

You should be running the snowblower at full speed, but make sure you reduce to minimum speed when engaging the PTO to reduce wear on the PTO clutch.

 

[Harvey9]

SDMauler & Torch,
Thanks for the confirmation on the floating and tips on clogging. I'll try those next time. You mentioned the metal screen at the exit of the chute. You're right that it sure made it harder to get at the clog. I assumed that metal frame had some sort of beneficial function for the snowblower. If it's really just there to 'idiot-proof' the operator not sticking their hand in the chute during operation, then I'll take it off. Is that really all it's there for???

Yes. It's there as a safety feature. Remove it, should solve most of your clogging issues.