Snowblower Clogs Up

[reknhevn]

Anybody have any tips to keep a snowblower from clogging up. After using mine for awhile the snow freezes and sticks on the auger and impeller blades then clogs up the discharge chute. I spend more time clearing it than clearing snow. Then it's on to the shovel if I want to get anything done.

[Chupaca]

Not much snow in these parts but back when we lived in the snow country I found the speed you moved at had a lot to do with this issue. Been a lot of years and everything changes with these machines....try to keep the chute as straight as possible...:dontknow:

[ssmcclub]

spry the blower auger and suth with cooking oil it works for me

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Anybody have any tips to keep a snowblower from clogging up. After using mine for awhile the snow freezes and sticks on the auger and impeller blades then clogs up the discharge chute. I spend more time clearing it than clearing snow. Then it's on to the shovel if I want to get anything done.
Not kidding - google Snow Blowers and you will find what some have done to fix this ....... they put some stiff rubber on the 3 blades that spin and actually throw the snow out the shute. The rubber is put so it touches the drum ( the rubber quickly wears to fit perfectly ). In the video's they don't clog because there is no build-up between the blades and the drum...... apparently there is a HEAT factor that causes snow to turn to ice and this helps to clog the shute ....... go take a look ......... Mike :thumbup:

[trikermutha]

You did tell us what snow thrower you are using?

Here a video found it online.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMAgb3QNEE8

[asp125]

The high moisture content of west coast snow might also be a reason it clogs. To counteract that, some lubrication might help. Try a generous spray of WD40 all over the blades and chute area. Also if you leave the snowblower out in the cold overnight or a while before using it, the temperature of it will lessen the "stickiness" factor. I do that with my shovels too, works like a charm.

[Doktor]

I treated a patient once that tried to clear his snowblower without shutting the thing down first. We did the best we could but the hand was too mangled to save! My best suggestion is never, ever try to clear it while running.


Doc

[vided]

I treated a patient once that tried to clear his snowblower without shutting the thing down first. We did the best we could but the hand was too mangled to save! My best suggestion is never, ever try to clear it while running.


Doc


Now that's good advice.
if your not between the handlebars TURN THE MACHINE OFFnojokenojoke

[Bob Denman]

:D Get a bigger snowblower:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk13mZq06PI

Orrrr... run it at a slower ground speed, and a higher rotor speed. Keep a spray bottle of PAM in your back pocket too! :thumbup:

:lecturef_smilie: AND SHUT THE DAMN THING OFF, IF YOU AREN'T HANGING ONTO THE BARS, AND MOVING THE SNOW!!!

[Fatcycledaddy]

Not kidding - google Snow Blowers and you will find what some have done to fix this ....... they put some stiff rubber on the 3 blades that spin and actually throw the snow out the shute. The rubber is put so it touches the drum ( the rubber quickly wears to fit perfectly ). In the video's they don't clog because there is no build-up between the blades and the drum...... apparently there is a HEAT factor that causes snow to turn to ice and this helps to clog the shute ....... go take a look ......... Mike :thumbup:

Mike is correct. I have installed rubber strips on a couple of snowblowers, just used old conveyor belting. It works great and will even throw slushy snow without plugging up. I also coat the blower with a product called "Fluid Film", i spray my mower decks with it also, keeps the snow in the blower and the grass in the deck from sticking.

[5legsshort]

Spray it down with some WD-40 or silicone spray before you start.

[mowin]

Mike is correct. I have installed rubber strips on a couple of snowblowers, just used old conveyor belting. It works great and will even throw slushy snow without plugging up. I also coat the blower with a product called "Fluid Film", i spray my mower decks with it also, keeps the snow in the blower and the grass in the deck from sticking.

:agree: x2. Fluid film. My mower decks get a dose every blade swap (once a week). I also spray the plow blade on my truck. Snow slides off. Use it on the inner wheel wells and underside of the step bars with good results. Love the stuff.

[Sam Mac]

If you have any rust inside the chute try to polish it up, run it wide open spray the inside with something like cooking spray and try to keep the auger full. If the snow is wet all bets are off. :thumbup:

[BajaRon]

I treated a patient once that tried to clear his snowblower without shutting the thing down first. We did the best we could but the hand was too mangled to save! My best suggestion is never, ever try to clear it while running.


Doc

We tried to rescue a guy who disabled the fail-safe bar on his chipper and then tried shoving a stubborn wad of brush in with his foot. He didn't make it....

Be careful with equipment. The ER will still have plenty of business without your visit.

[DGoebel]

DuPont Teflon Snow and Ice Repellant or Sno-jet Spray follow the directions, works great, have used both in my 16 years here in MN.

[Motorcycledave]

I can't help you with that but I do have my lawn mower bagger plug up if the grass is wet.....

[Mazo EMS2]

My snowblower gets a thorough soaking of WD40 each spring before storage, and then a little more at the first snow. I've never had a clogging issue

[reknhevn]

Thanks to all of you for the great tips. Spyderlovers to the rescue again. I love!

[Lew L]

Put the rubber tips on the impeller blades of one of my snow blowers last night, and after a quick test seemed to work REAL good. With the "atmospheric river" coming the next few days, we are looking at some wet snow. I'll be putting the tips on my other snow blower today. Have to steal the wife's cooking spray as I've some how run out of WD40:yikes:.

Kaos

[Tango]

I always sprayed WD40 before using the blower. Spray the inside, auger, and chute liberally. Worked like a charm. Did the shovels also. :thumbup: Tom :spyder:

[ARtraveler]

Snowblowers and "heart attack snow" do not go well together. More power Scotty, seems to help solve the problem.

[Lew L]

All this talk of wet snow ------- well it's all turned to rain and lots of for a desert state. I have 4.28" and still coming down hard. Parts of downtown/Truckee river are flooding now ( about 6PM) and this heavy rain is still forecast for a few more hours. I know some of you guys are used to heavy rain like this but we in the desert are not. Evacuations are also taking place. Hope all effected are safe.

And yes------ this "atmospheric river" is causing ::::::::: Kaos

[ARtraveler]

All this talk of wet snow ------- well it's all turned to rain and lots of for a desert state. I have 4.28" and still coming down hard. Parts of downtown/Truckee river are flooding now ( about 6PM) and this heavy rain is still forecast for a few more hours. I know some of you guys are used to heavy rain like this but we in the desert are not. Evacuations are also taking place. Hope all effected are safe.

And yes------ this "atmospheric river" is causing ::::::::: Kaos

We get the Pineapple Express winds here in Alaska. When they happen, we will get very high winds (+50) through the gaps in the mountains. Will result on 50 + degree temperatures in Feb or March sometimes. I used to live in one of those valleys.

[Lew L]

5" total rain and now a foot of wet snow. On top to that it's now raining again:mad:. At least I got rid of the 12' of wet snow. The snow blower modification worked perfect. both snow blowers ( yes 2 ) tossed the wet soupy slush just fine although one blower had a carb icing moment. Let it sit while I got the backup machine out and finished the job.
Well now that the county has cleared the street ( that's a joke ya ) I'll try to get a car out and go shopping for my wife. She won't go out in this stuff.

Kaos

PS: The tops of the Sierras' are sticking up into the Jet Stream with gusts to 120 mph---- Yes the ski resorts are closed.

[Bob Denman]

What size snowblowers do you have? :dontknow:

[Zip]

Not kidding - google Snow Blowers and you will find what some have done to fix this ....... they put some stiff rubber on the 3 blades that spin and actually throw the snow out the shute. The rubber is put so it touches the drum ( the rubber quickly wears to fit perfectly ). In the video's they don't clog because there is no build-up between the blades and the drum...... apparently there is a HEAT factor that causes snow to turn to ice and this helps to clog the shute ....... go take a look ......... Mike :thumbup:

Yup I did this last year with mine, works great

[ARtraveler]

What size snowblowers do you have? :dontknow:

I bought the biggest that Honda had when I came up in 2001. It was 11.5 HP and track driven. That one would blow snow over 50 ft away. One problem--it ate shear pins like they were candy. It had pins on the inside of the impeller and outside ones also. Of course the inside ones where I had to remove the impeller broke the most often. I got very good at fixing those.

I replaced the Honda with a less "sophisticated" one. I now have a flatter drive way. The old one had a fifty foot climb from top to bottom. This one has no such climb. My current rig is a troy built 28 inch wide snow clearance. Engine says 277 cc's--don't know how it relates to HP. Linda's son David says it has "balls." She got the information for me as I cannot get it myself at the moment.

[Bob Denman]

I've always had good luck with anything sold by Troy-Bilt. :thumbup:
We've got you blower's little brother: 208cc, and a 24" width.
It doesn't like wet snow at all, but the Missus can make magic happen with it! nojoke

[ARtraveler]

I've always had good luck with anything sold by Troy-Bilt. :thumbup:
We've got you blower's little brother: 208cc, and a 24" width.
It doesn't like wet snow at all, but the Missus can make magic happen with it! nojoke

I also bought a Troy-Bilt riding lawn mower for 2016. I am pleased with both products.

[Lew L]

Blower #1:
11 horsepower ( but is less at altitude) and 30" path. Got it at a healthy discount at Lowes as a return. And I know why--- It didn't work well. After adjusting the governor and doing the recently discussed impeller fix----- it works great.

Blower #2:
Originally a 5 HP x24" Troy-bilt shared between three families. We literally used it up. The two other families left the snow country and left me with used up blower. In my time as a shop teacher here in Reno, people would donate " stuff" to the school. Someone donated a 10 HP Troy-bilt blower with a broken auger/impeller gearbox-------- BUT a fine motor. Had one of my fine auto students swap the 10 for the 5 and just like that I have a little burro that throws snow like crazy;).

I've put throttle controls up on the dash on both and now with the impeller fix they are GREAT.

Kaos

[reknhevn]

Last Jan I asked for tips to prevent clogging. Well thanks to Trikermutha and his video about attaching rubber strips to the
impeller blades I have a new machine( I did have to drill pilot holes tho). A few days ago we accumulated about a foot of snow and I spent about 3 hours one day and 2 hours the next day clearing driveways with no clogs, throwing snow like it never did before. I sprayed the chute and auger with Pam and WD-40 and that work pretty well. I was wondering if spraying some liquid rubber stuff on the inside of the chute would keep snow from sticking in it? So many thanks again to you all, me and my neighbor are very happy!

[Bob Denman]

Blower #1:
11 horsepower ( but is less at altitude) and 30" path. Got it at a healthy discount at Lowes as a return. And I know why--- It didn't work well. After adjusting the governor and doing the recently discussed impeller fix----- it works great.
Kaos

Which model? (Two-stage, or three?)
We have a Vortex 3090 (Three-Stage) being delivered today 143666.
Our snows have become rather wet and heavy. We rarely get the light fluffy poowder that is easy to throw.
We figure that this one should be able to throw wet concrete! :thumbup:

[MelloYelloSpyder]

Not kidding - google Snow Blowers and you will find what some have done to fix this ....... they put some stiff rubber on the 3 blades that spin and actually throw the snow out the shute. The rubber is put so it touches the drum ( the rubber quickly wears to fit perfectly ). In the video's they don't clog because there is no build-up between the blades and the drum...... apparently there is a HEAT factor that causes snow to turn to ice and this helps to clog the shute ....... go take a look ......... Mike :thumbup:

I seen this video before and was trying to remember where I saw it. Google this fix. I have a single stage as I don't have need for a bigger one so I can not speak to that problem...

[Bob Denman]

This one?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMAgb3QNEE8

[Tomline]

OK I'm Being Serious Now! Cooking Spray! Really! You don't have to get the expensive stuff like "Pam" the cheap store brand works just as good. Get the big can! Spray the chute, impellers & housing! If it's a lot of snow or very wet you might need to respray half way thru!

[reknhevn]

Two stage