Top 5 Ways to Improve Your Snowblowers Performance
Is your snowblower not working like it used to? Maybe it isn’t throwing snow quite as far, pulling to one side, or hardly scraping any snow off your driveway. Most people would think that the snowblower is simply getting worn out and needs to be replaced, but sometimes that just isn’t the case. Check out the top five ways to improve your snowblower’s performance, before you decide to send it to the dump!
Scraper
The first thing you’ll want to check is the scraper. The scraper is attached to the auger housing. It’s designed to scrape any snow and ice off the pavement or any other surface your snowblowing. Over time rough surfaces wear the blade down to the point of no contact. If your snowblower is leaving snow and ice behind, you’ll want to adjust your scrapper. There are usually a few nuts and bolts that need to be loosened and then you can simply adjust your blade accordingly.
Skid Shoes
The next part you’ll need to check is the skid shoes. There are two steel plates attached to the sides of the snowblower’s housing. You can change your snowblower’s height by simply adjusting them. You can lower the shoes to tackle gravel driveways and other loose materials and raise them when snowblowing paved driveways. If they are worn out (like the image below), you will need to replace them.
Wheels
Do you find your snowblower pulling to one side or maybe it’s spinning in the snow more than it should? This could be an indicator that your tires are underinflated. Both tires should have an even amount of air in them for them to work properly. Check the tire’s sidewall for the exact recommended pressure. If your tires are cracked or worn, they should be replaced.
Auger Drive Belt
Do you find your snowblower just isn’t throwing snow like it once did? Well, there could be a couple of reasons for this. One reason could be that your auger drive idler just isn’t applying enough tension to the auger drive belt. The belt needs enough tension to grip the auger, which makes it spin. The other reason is a worn or broken drive belt. To fix these problems, you will either need to adjust the auger clutch cable or the auger drive idler. If those adjustments don’t help you will likely need to replace the belt.
Friction Disk
Has your snowblower slowed down over the years? The problem could be a worn friction disk. Like belts, friction disks wear over time. As the disk wears it starts losing contact with the drive wheel pulley. You can adjust the drive wheel clutch cable to add in more tension but if tightening the cable doesn’t help, you will have to replace the snowblower’s friction disk.
We hope these snowblower tips will help keep you and your snowblower going all winter long. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more troubleshooting and repair help all season long!
