[Tourmax]

So, we basically have “snowmaghedon” happening here right now. Its a major pita too, being about as heavy and wet as you can get without it actually raining.

I’m not sure if it’s just difficult snow or if theres something not quite right with my 47.

First is it almost seems to make a better plow than thrower. It just builds up a big “snowball” in the middle front. The tines are turning, so thats not it. Anyone else get this behaviour in heavy wet snow?

Its like the gearbox is just piling snow up in front of it. I have to basically crawl in order to not get the buildup. I’m sure if the snow was “fluffy” it would be a problem, but I find it a little hard to believe this is normal when worked hard.

I will admit this is unusually heavy and “packy” snow. It actually bogged down the yanmar a couple times, so much so I had to stop and wait a couple times.

I had to chain up to even get 10 feet out of the garage. The back garage is drifted halfway up the doors.

Next is the housing design. The snow gets thrown up under the flat top portion and forms a “plug” above the augers. Its not a problem other than once brought into the garage, I end up with a big “snowdrift” when it melts enough to fall off. The augers also tend to pack up pretty solid and need to be “chipped” free. Anyone else get this?

no problems with the impeller or chute clogging. Chewed right through whatever it was fed.

I was running the tractor at full rpm, so it was giving it all it had.

I was very glad to have the curtis cab as it didn’t matter which way you were pointed, the wind was blowing snow back at you. Had to stop a couple times to clear the windshield. I’ve got the front wiper, but you eventually ended up trying to stare through the little window the wiper sweep gave you.

It’s just nuts here right now….maybe its just a bit much for the 47 to deal with, or maybe its just this particular snowfall. It got the job done, but you could really tell both the blower and tractor (x750) were working pretty hard. I thought about using the 54 plow, but this stuff is so heavy I’m not sure I’d have been able to push through.

crazy weather. Was + 8 here yesterday….

 

[Tabycat56]

So, we basically have “snowmaghedon” happening here right now. Its a major pita too, being about as heavy and wet as you can get without it actually raining.

I’m not sure if it’s just difficult snow or if theres something not quite right with my 49.

First is it almost seems to make a better plow than thrower. It just builds up a big “snowball” in the middle front. The tines are turning, so thats not it. Anyone else get this behaviour in heavy wet snow?

Its like the gearbox is just piling snow up in front of it. I have to basically crawl in order to not get the buildup. I’m sure if the snow was “fluffy” it would be a problem, but I find it a little hard to believe this is normal when worked hard.

I will admit this is unusually heavy and “packy” snow. It actually bogged down the yanmar a couple times, so much so I had to stop and wait a couple times.

I had to chain up to even get 10 feet out of the garage. The back garage is drifted halfway up the doors.

Next is the housing design. The snow gets thrown up under the flat top portion and forms a “plug” above the augers. Its not a problem other than once brought into the garage, I end up with a big “snowdrift” when it melts enough to fall off. The augers also tend to pack up pretty solid and need to be “chipped” free. Anyone else get this?

no problems with the impeller or chute clogging. Chewed right through whatever it was fed.

I was running the tractor at full rpm, so it was giving it all it had.

I was very glad to have the curtis cab as it didn’t matter which way you were pointed, the wind was blowing snow back at you. Had to stop a couple times to clear the windshield. I’ve got the front wiper, but you eventually ended up trying to stare through the little window the wiper sweep gave you.

It’s just nuts here right now….maybe its just a bit much for the 49 to deal with. It got the job done, but you could really tell both the blower and tractor (x750) were working pretty hard. I thought about using the 54 plow, but this stuff is so heavy I’m not sure I’d have been able to push through.

crazy weather. Was + 8 here yesterday….

Upper Michigan is the place to get the snow

 

[Tourmax]

Upper Michigan is the place to get the snow

?

 

[stevev]

Sounds it might just be some extra crappy snow. My 49 doesn't like that wet stuff either. But sounds like your snow is over the top wet?

 

[Mike_U]

We had that wet snow last weekend. The 49 snow blower on my 317 did the same thing. It was the wettest snow I’ve seen in years. I don’t have a cab and the back of my jacket was completely wet from falling snow and that rarely happens.
The snow was so wet, if it didn’t get pulled in by the auger, it piled up out front like a snowball. Going faster or slower made no difference. Instead of blowing lanes parallel with my drive, I started blowing perpendicular with my drive to lessen my blow/plow distance.

I assume your snowblower is fine as long as the shear bolt was still in place and the auger was turning.

 

[Tourmax]

I guess it was just this particular fall that was pushing the 47 to its design limits. It got it done though.

Now to start looking for a steel impeller. It throws ok, but its a bit disappointing compared to my toro walk behind. The 47 will barely throw 10 feet and about 8 feet high, the toro throws a good 25 feet and about 15 feet high. Surely the 47 can do better than what it is now….

 

[TomManson]

Your Toro is probably no more than 24" so it has half the bite of your 47 right? I was amazed at how far the 37A I had on my old 110 threw the snow, all with the measly 8hp motor.

 

[TempletonJDguy]

That 24 horse should really wing it! It’s probably the massive depth of the drifts and water/weight/resistance of the wet snow. It’s really an ultimate setup but unfavorable conditions.

 

[Tourmax]

Well, the toro is known for being and “overachiever” even for walk behinds. About all that can equal it is the Honda tracked units and they can only match it at best. So its probably not a fair comparison to the 47….

 

[neil]

Snow that packs is hard for any blower/thrower, although some appear to perform a little better than others. I usually get a couple of snows a season that are a pain to clear with the blower so I use it more like a blade when that happens

 

[TomManson]

My 'walk behind' is a Simplicity Commercial 24" 8hp Tecumseh. It does a pretty good job. On our last snowfall the blower was in the 60 degree garage, and as soon as I brought it out and it met the 5" of snow it did not want to process the snow. I think the snow was melting and sticking to the warmer chute/impeller. I stopped and looked, everything seemed to be working except the snow was not coming out. After I cleaned the chute a couple times it started to work as normal, and my snow was not the wet/heavy crap, it was more the light/friendly stuff. So I blame the temp differential. It was all good after that. Tom

 

[neil]

Definitely park a blower/thrower outside : ), and if it's a Yanmar-powered machine, plug the coolant heater in. Makes for a very quick, easy cleanup

 

[TempletonJDguy]

I tried my berco again today and completely different results. The snow yesterday was wet, bluish in color. My 332 struggled with anything that was pushed by the plow and packed. Today I used it again in the same types of conditions but the snow sat overnight with a temp of 10 degrees. Today I could throw the snow 70’( no exaggeration) and very little struggle unless I was high speed into plowed bank rows. I think it’s just the snow! 👍🏻

 

[Mike_U]

I knew you'd see better results with dryer snow. Glad to hear the Deere beats the Toro.....

 

[rhmarw]

I have used several tractor driven and walk behind snow blowers. My experience is snow blowers don't like wet snow.

 

[indpndntece]

Definitely just the snow, same thing happened to me three weeks ago here in RI. Wet heavy crap and clogged my 47qh. I never clog after my steel impeller upgrade with rubber mod flaps. I also paint my chute and throwing chamber in graphite paint. helps reduce drag and prevents clogging usually.

47qh on a 322.