Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

hi all i am newbee i have a thought using  my sears 9hp snowblower for a temporary small plow.. sometimes here in buuffalo ny we have very wet snow and slush accumulation maybe just a 1-3 inchs but very wet it can not be thrown with the snowblower.. what i am thinking of doing is to put a small plow blade in front of it mounted with an easy to put on and take off connection and use the blower just to push the wet slushy snow my concern is if i could damage the traction system or the belts making them slip excessivily or some other damage any body try this? why it would not work? cause any damage? thanks pie48

I've had to use mine as a plow before, not because I wanted to, but because I had no choice. The front end on mine wasn't engaged, and wouldn't. I had to be at work, so I poked a hole at the end of my driveway with the snowblower. Didn't hurt a thing, but my old machine is built like a brick sh*thouse with extra mortar.

Well, I wouldn't recommend it. The machines were not made for it and you can damage the trannys. The manufacturers didn't have that in mind for your machine when it was designed and built. Only tractors with real trannys use plows as well as snowblowers like a Gravely or BCS or John Deere. You could do it and may or may not get away with damaging something.  It's up to you but I don't recommend doing it. - Kris

I've seen snowblower manuals that showed factory plows as standard attachments.

Here is patent with drawings for one:

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4023287.html

As the patient explains the base snowblower is for heavy snows and does not handle light snow or slush well. The plow covers those so not for driving down the length of a driveway after a 10 inch snow.
trouts2

put a impeller kit on,i did that to mine and i can blow slush and wet heavy snow almost 20 feet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF2ZPRmocs4

Yep! I'm thinking of doing this thing in my shop, taking a piece of 45 gallon barrell of steel, the one they use  for oil, cutting the good size add an handle to lift with a locking system on the side whatever It would look likje this

This is what you guys want.

- Kris

That Gravely is some machine! Must be worth a bundle.

I would guess that the main problem is traction. I regularly spin the tires on my snowblower, especially if I forget to engage the auger/impeller so a straight across plow won't do much for you. If you angle it so the snow goes off to the side it might work better but I'm guessing it won't be that good.

I'm with Nibbler on this one.  A fixed angled blade attached with a couple of clamps onto the auger housing is what I'd use. 

I'd also use a stout plastic or rubber skirt on the bottom of the blade to reduce jarring if the blade hits a ridge or uneven crack. 

Start plowing in the middle and the angle would feed the snow to the sides in each direction.  Once it's rounded up, take the plow off and throw it.