How well do the snowthrowers work?

[CADplans]

A lot depends on where you live, and how the winter is going.

I lived in Wilmington MA one winter that a single stage snowblower became useless when we got 42" of snow over a few weeks. The blower would not lift it high enough, the neighbor fixed me up by doing the driveway with his 2-stage blower.

Now, in Virginia, my 10HP Cub Cadet 1000 easily handles 6" of heavy-wet snow.



No snow blower in my future!!

[Maple Cabin]

If it's wet push it other wise blow it. A good two stage will blow water

[PaulS]

It seems that some love the thrower/blower and some don't. I use both as they can be useful in certain circumstances. One big advantage of the blower or thrower is they do not leave a snow/ice bank along the driveway for further drifting if snow comes before those banks melt. I have taken my 36 inch thrower and ground my neighbors drive snow banks down so he could use his plow again. His plow would not move those frozen banks but the thrower did. I also use a blade for the little snows as they work better than a blower in that circumstance. I really love a blower for cleaning out the end of the drive where the road crew piled up snow and for cleaning out my mail box where even a small snow gets plowed up.

[jimbob200521]

Great thread, guys; keep the advice coming!

For my 2 cents, one of the biggest things to watch for with blowers/throwers is gravel driveways. I've heard one too many horror stories about a thrower/blower busting a window out when cleaning a gravel driveway.

Other than that, I've got both on tap for this winter. I'm hoping to use the QA42A/682 combo for my sidewalks at work as I've got quite a few that need cleaned and this will (hopefully) be easier than walking behind a snow blower all winter like I did last year. I want to keep the blade and 1050 or 129 at home for my gravel driveway but if we get the house we're trying to get, all that may change.

[rweaver]

what my customers have been telling me is the 2 stage blowers really work good even with the sometimes wet snows we get now single stage blowers don't work as good but in powder they work well too

[J-Mech]

I clean off four good sized parking lots in the winter for local business's including my own. (For reference, I have a 42" blade, and a 45" 2-stage snowblower.) The blade is fine if we have 4" or less, but the real problem is you run out of room to pile the snow. If you are just clearing your driveway I'm sure a blade only is fine. With my lot here at the shop, I'm on a main hi-way and end up with a 3" drift from the snowplows on the hi-way. As far as I'm concerned, the blower is the only way to go! Much faster! You don't have to run full throttle either. Yes, it can plug the chute if you don't keep the snow moving, but you can feather the throttle to control how far it goes. I modified my chute so I can actually blow the snow "over my shoulder" so to speak, so I can drive right up to a car or building. Usually all the snow ends up in one place about 12' high! I will say, though blowing snow does make my tractor drink gas!! It takes more power to run the blower than any attachment I have! Maple Cabin is right, a good 2-stage will blow water!

[Jeff in Pa]

Snow crew



Since I traded the 122, the 125 in the pic will get the 42" blade and the newly acquired 125 with hydraulic lift will get the QA-42

[Southtowns27]

Thanks for all the advice thus far. I live in western NY state right where we get lots of lake effect snow. A couple feet at a time is quite common. There's no way I could keep up with a blade. Is there a 2 stage blower that fits on these machines?

[J-Mech]

Sure is!

SB1.jpg

Sorry about the poor pic. Mine is buried in the back of the storage shed, so I just pulled this from google.

[nikster]

Think ahead? That's what one has to do when using a plow. Or at least I have to.

Last big storm we got about 14". After 3hrs., I plowed my drive & pushed the snow far enough to pile up more snow. 4hrs., later I plowed again. After the storm I then plowed a final clean up with only 3" on the drive. Now my piles have built up & it made it easy. I found out that if I don't push my loads far enough away in my build up My drive gets smaller & smaller. Once piled up & the snow starts sitting it almost impossible to move those piles with a plow. Well I look at it this way- more seat time.

Ill be ready this winter: my #109 will have a thrower on it for the light stuff to throw it far enough away so I don't have to worry about my piles & use my #127 for the final cleaning with my plow.

So as a ending comment;

The thrower has its limitations & does not do the real wet heavy stuff as I would like.

Now one has to have 2 cubbies to do the job right, one with a thrower & one with a plow. but then I'm anal & have a lot of time on my hands.

Just my opinion,

Nik

Sure does beat paying $45.00 for a truck to come in. $ 65.00 for a big dump.