Blowing snow - volume question

[muttbarker]

When the snow is over the top of the blower, drive into the bank a little, wait for the fan to handle that load. Back out and hopefully the snow above where the blower went in will fall down, then blow that snow out. Do this until you get the first pass through the drive. Then take maybe half the blower width for the next and succeeding passes. Go SLLOOOWWWW.

Watch how much the fan is blowing out, if it is full, go slower, if it is only blowing a little, go faster. If the snow is piling up in front of the blower go slower and/or check your shear bolts.

In your tool box on the tractor keep a drift punch, two appropriately sized wrenches, spare shear bolts, and a hammer.

BTW, I prefer plowing because there are no shear bolts. y drive goes through a wooded area and has branches that fall down, get caught in the blower and there goes another shear bolt. Plus I can go faster But with 24" of wet snow I don't think I'd want to plow that with a BX.

Thanks for the advice. I do have a tool box and I have wrenches, shear pins, punch and hammer and recently added a hacksaw and a locking pliers for those joyous occasions when the shear pin does not snap completely and ends up being bent.

 

[muttbarker]

Kevin - I have the same tractor (mine's a GrandL) and snowblower, which I bought 3rd hand last year with less than 500 hrs. It's my first tractor. I live in Northern Michigan snowbelt area. This is my 2nd winter using it. I haven't yet broken a shear pin - who knows - maybe the previous owner put in a Grade8 bolt. The storm 2 weeks ago was the most snow I've had to move so far. I snowblowed 3 times over the weekend, each time - only about 6-8". However, I had to go to a friend's house about 2 miles away and take care of his driveway while they were sick. I went thru a snowdrift of packed but light/dry snow about 36" high. I had to keep it in Low gear - turtle speed, and stop occasionally. It kept dragging my PTO down below 400. Normally I can snowblow in medium or even high with just a few inches of snow. I've never tried spray - still learning. Now I know why the guys in this area that use Kubotas for professional snowclearing have GrandL6060s - I'm sure the extra HP does wonders keeping the PTO speed up.

Interesting comment on the shear pin. This last storm was so large that our Ace Hardware literally ran out of shear pins. When I went to buy more there were 10 people trying to get some. I ended up buying a grade five bolt and lock nut which was ¼ the price of the shear pin. I wonder if the Kubota pins are grade two which is very soft. Would never use grad eight - that is just way to hard.

 

[Orange1forme]

I wonder if the Kubota pins are grade two which is very soft. Would never use grad eight - that is just way to hard.

B2782B snowblower had grade 8 bolt for the fan and grade 5 bolt for the augers. The grade 5 has been weakened by removing a ring of metal near the head.

Your owner's manual will tell you the proper bolts to use or try Messick's online with your model and serial number.

 

[Snowman7]

That is a lot of snow, more than 98% of us have ever dealt with. All I would say is what many have already stated. Proper rpm and slow down. A 74” blower is bringing in a ton of snow. I have a 64” and I am in low gear plugging along and thinking about how I froze my ass off for 35 years. Second winter with a cab