Snow Throwers are dangerous!

[htom]

This should probably go in the Bilge, but the warning needs to be seen by those who don't go there.

So yesterday we got about six inches thick, heavy snow. Looked at it and said to myself "Snow Beast time". Went out and fired it up, cleared driveway and neighbor's. Eight hours later, we'd had another eight inches, and I did both again, and blew most of the snow off the street that would be piled into our driveways when the city plow came by. Finally, about nine at night, the city plow came by, and managed to scrape up enough to fill end of our driveway a foot high.

Started up, chugged down the hill, through the scrapings, blowing them away. Turned and came back for the second bite.

The entire discharge chute assembly detached from the snowthrower and blew straight up, then swung in an arc as it reached the end of the cable that adjusts the angle of the flipper at the end of the chute. Missed me by > < that much.

Chugged back to the garage, without blowing snow, and examined the damage. It appears that for eight years, the chute has been held on by one of the three fasteners, the other two having been installed upside down, and not gripping the ring that holds the assembly. It didn't come off before because the one installed correctly was opposite the worm gear that turns the chute; compacted snow had forced the worm away from the chute, so that that side was no longer held down.

Cautionary tale for others in northern climes; I'm not sure if the chute was improperly attached at the factory or the dealer. I don't know of it being removed.

[htom]

This should probably go in the Bilge, but the warning needs to be seen by those who don't go there.

So yesterday we got about six inches thick, heavy snow. Looked at it and said to myself "Snow Beast time". Went out and fired it up, cleared driveway and neighbor's. Eight hours later, we'd had another eight inches, and I did both again, and blew most of the snow off the street that would be piled into our driveways when the city plow came by. Finally, about nine at night, the city plow came by, and managed to scrape up enough to fill end of our driveway a foot high.

Started up, chugged down the hill, through the scrapings, blowing them away. Turned and came back for the second bite.

The entire discharge chute assembly detached from the snowthrower and blew straight up, then swung in an arc as it reached the end of the cable that adjusts the angle of the flipper at the end of the chute. Missed me by > < that much.

Chugged back to the garage, without blowing snow, and examined the damage. It appears that for eight years, the chute has been held on by one of the three fasteners, the other two having been installed upside down, and not gripping the ring that holds the assembly. It didn't come off before because the one installed correctly was opposite the worm gear that turns the chute; compacted snow had forced the worm away from the chute, so that that side was no longer held down.

Cautionary tale for others in northern climes; I'm not sure if the chute was improperly attached at the factory or the dealer. I don't know of it being removed.

[htom]

This should probably go in the Bilge, but the warning needs to be seen by those who don't go there.

So yesterday we got about six inches thick, heavy snow. Looked at it and said to myself "Snow Beast time". Went out and fired it up, cleared driveway and neighbor's. Eight hours later, we'd had another eight inches, and I did both again, and blew most of the snow off the street that would be piled into our driveways when the city plow came by. Finally, about nine at night, the city plow came by, and managed to scrape up enough to fill end of our driveway a foot high.

Started up, chugged down the hill, through the scrapings, blowing them away. Turned and came back for the second bite.

The entire discharge chute assembly detached from the snowthrower and blew straight up, then swung in an arc as it reached the end of the cable that adjusts the angle of the flipper at the end of the chute. Missed me by > < that much.

Chugged back to the garage, without blowing snow, and examined the damage. It appears that for eight years, the chute has been held on by one of the three fasteners, the other two having been installed upside down, and not gripping the ring that holds the assembly. It didn't come off before because the one installed correctly was opposite the worm gear that turns the chute; compacted snow had forced the worm away from the chute, so that that side was no longer held down.

Cautionary tale for others in northern climes; I'm not sure if the chute was improperly attached at the factory or the dealer. I don't know of it being removed.

[Ian McColgin]

I once used on that had a way of jiggling loose. It's well to keep that in the routine checks like oil everytime you fuel up.

And while it might rate a big duhhhh, it can't hurt to remember to shut down the motor before reaching into the auger to clear an ice compactation.

[Ian McColgin]

I once used on that had a way of jiggling loose. It's well to keep that in the routine checks like oil everytime you fuel up.

And while it might rate a big duhhhh, it can't hurt to remember to shut down the motor before reaching into the auger to clear an ice compactation.

[Ian McColgin]

I once used on that had a way of jiggling loose. It's well to keep that in the routine checks like oil everytime you fuel up.

And while it might rate a big duhhhh, it can't hurt to remember to shut down the motor before reaching into the auger to clear an ice compactation.

[gary porter]

Let me guess, your snow blower has a Techumse engine on it. Just guessing you know but I've had two and its hard to keep parts on from all the vibration from the engine,,,pure junk in my opinion. On my last one I replaced a lot of the nuts on the chute with ESNA type locking nuts. I had a bungee cord to keep the oil spout from vibrating off and the headlight did fall off.
If this is what you have then the next time buy a Honda engine... Even so, your right, they are dangerous.
Gary

[ 03-14-2006, 06:46 PM: Message edited by: gary porter ]

[gary porter]

Let me guess, your snow blower has a Techumse engine on it. Just guessing you know but I've had two and its hard to keep parts on from all the vibration from the engine,,,pure junk in my opinion. On my last one I replaced a lot of the nuts on the chute with ESNA type locking nuts. I had a bungee cord to keep the oil spout from vibrating off and the headlight did fall off.
If this is what you have then the next time buy a Honda engine... Even so, your right, they are dangerous.
Gary

[ 03-14-2006, 06:46 PM: Message edited by: gary porter ]

[gary porter]

Let me guess, your snow blower has a Techumse engine on it. Just guessing you know but I've had two and its hard to keep parts on from all the vibration from the engine,,,pure junk in my opinion. On my last one I replaced a lot of the nuts on the chute with ESNA type locking nuts. I had a bungee cord to keep the oil spout from vibrating off and the headlight did fall off.
If this is what you have then the next time buy a Honda engine... Even so, your right, they are dangerous.
Gary

[ 03-14-2006, 06:46 PM: Message edited by: gary porter ]

[htom]

Right call on the engine and the vibration but the problem was how the chute was attached (well, not attached!) to the base; all of the bolt/nut combinations were tight. Two of the three clamps were installed upside down, and were not clamping onto the base at all, even though they were tightly bolted. Took it all apart, put it back together properly, and it's working fine now.

You can put it together wrong off the machine in a minute and then snap it onto the machine in seconds (it's then held by the clamp opposite the worm and the worm); doing it right requires that it be assembled in place in the second stage shield and takes about five minutes (at least for me.)

[htom]

Right call on the engine and the vibration but the problem was how the chute was attached (well, not attached!) to the base; all of the bolt/nut combinations were tight. Two of the three clamps were installed upside down, and were not clamping onto the base at all, even though they were tightly bolted. Took it all apart, put it back together properly, and it's working fine now.

You can put it together wrong off the machine in a minute and then snap it onto the machine in seconds (it's then held by the clamp opposite the worm and the worm); doing it right requires that it be assembled in place in the second stage shield and takes about five minutes (at least for me.)

[htom]

Right call on the engine and the vibration but the problem was how the chute was attached (well, not attached!) to the base; all of the bolt/nut combinations were tight. Two of the three clamps were installed upside down, and were not clamping onto the base at all, even though they were tightly bolted. Took it all apart, put it back together properly, and it's working fine now.

You can put it together wrong off the machine in a minute and then snap it onto the machine in seconds (it's then held by the clamp opposite the worm and the worm); doing it right requires that it be assembled in place in the second stage shield and takes about five minutes (at least for me.)

[Arne]

I've never had that problem (of course, my snow blower is 8' wide and is attached 5' behind my 3020 diesel). smile.gif

Now, what happened to that yard hydrant? :eek:

[Arne]

I've never had that problem (of course, my snow blower is 8' wide and is attached 5' behind my 3020 diesel). smile.gif

Now, what happened to that yard hydrant? :eek:

[Arne]

I've never had that problem (of course, my snow blower is 8' wide and is attached 5' behind my 3020 diesel). smile.gif

Now, what happened to that yard hydrant? :eek: