Search the forums

Loading
Home › Forums › Breaktime › Tools for Home Building

Snowblowers

dbcabs's picture

Snowblowers (post #185426)

dbcabs on Sun, 02/28/2010 - 06:53
in

Hope no one minds me asking  about snowblowers, but it is a tool and I will use it for access to my shop. After all the snow we've had in S.E.Pa recently, my 20 yr old "Bolens" is worn out.

I realize most snowblowers are pettry much the same, except the Honda which is out of my price range. What I am intrested in is the snow shoot comtrol. I've seen one with a "joystick" that when moved side to side, rotates and when pushed foward and pulled back, raises and lowers the distance flap. Does this joystick work in real life? I see it uses cables instead rods.

The second question is, I've seen leavers under the hand grips that I guess are to lock up one wheel or the other to help with turning, does this also work?

Dave Werkheiser

-A +A

The controls, clutch and (post #185426, reply #1 of 4)

by calvin in reply to dbcabs [original] on Sun, 02/28/2010 - 07:11

The controls, clutch and blower are located under the handles of my Troybilt.  Are you seeing other levers besides these?  This is a two stage snowblower.

The shute control on mine is a hand crank, just below the handles.  This works fine, tho you have to release one control or the other to turn it, which a joystick on a two stage would require also.  The crank turns a grooved spindle that moves the toothed base of the shute.

The only goofy thing is you turn "opposite" to the way the direction goes.  Clockwise moves it to the left, counter-to the right.

A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.

Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.


http://www.quittintime.com/

 

I just bought a walk-behind. (post #185426, reply #2 of 4)

by Mongo in reply to dbcabs [original] on Sun, 02/28/2010 - 09:32

I just bought a walk-behind. The walk-behind was an "I need it NOW purchase" that I made about a month ago. I was very tenative buying it, but I needed a 2-stage thrower at 7pm and my buying options at that hour were pretty limited. It's done well to date.

The walk-behind is set up just as you described. The joystick does seem to work just fine. The chute rotates and raises with no effort, even while blowing snow. It does look flimsy and I look at it cross-eyed, waiting for it to fall off the machine, but in reality it seems just fine.

The triggers to aid in turning work fine too. Granted, I've only used this blower a couple of times this year, and my son has used it a couple of times, but it hasn't disappointed. 

It took about 5 minutes to get the hang of the controls. A lever on top of each handle, one for the drive clutch, the other to engage the auger, and a trigger under each handle to turn left/right, and the joystick for directional throwing. 

With both top levers engaged, as long as you keep the top lever on the right handle engaged, the top lever on the left handle stays engaged when you take you hand off the handle. This allows you to change the direction of snow throwing while on the go.

There are 10 kinds of people in this world; those who understand binary and those who do not.

Mongo, you have the type of (post #185426, reply #3 of 4)

by dbcabs in reply to Mongo [original] on Sun, 02/28/2010 - 15:46

Mongo, you have the type of machine that I'm looking for, what make is it? My old Bolens, requires you to have both hands holding down the auger and transport leavers. When doing short runs and coming back the other direction, having to crank the shoot to the other side becomes a pain. The motor runs fine on the machine but both the auger and the impeller are worn due to the stone driveway, and Bolens has been out of bussiness for over 10yrs,so its time to replace it

It's a Craftsman, bought it (post #185426, reply #4 of 4)

by Mongo in reply to dbcabs [original] on Sun, 02/28/2010 - 17:42

It's a Craftsman, bought it at Sears. It was the only place open that late at night that had inventory, and I had to drive 50 minutes each way just to get it! This 28" blower was the largest one they had.

I haggled. Got it for $750, the tagged price was $899. Plus I got a bag of shear bolts thrown in too.

They had about a dozen blowers on the floor and no customers in the store, so I saved some cash and they made a sale.

 

  

There are 10 kinds of people in this world; those who understand binary and those who do not.