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You can check out a video of the kit in action at       http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtube_gdata_player&v=FIM-dmutqKI

I am on year three of using the Clarence Impeller Kit.  My machine is a Craftsman 28" with a Briggs engine.  Some people responded to a YouTube video I put up of the thing in action saying the kit causes added stress on the gears and will cause premature wear.  So far, knock on wood, I have had NO problems.  Let me tell you, that beast throws the snow clear into the neighbors yard!  And the comments about slush are absolutely true - the thing just fires that end-of-driveway slush out. 

My review is a thumbs up for the kit! 

Clay wrote:
The Impeller Kit is called a "Clarence Impeller Kit" and I learned about it from just searching around the web and reading up on snowblowers during the time that elapsed between me buying my snowblower and actually getting to use it. There are some videos that reference it on YouTube, and other sites have mentioned it as well. Pretty much all the feedback I've seen has been positive, so I figured for $30 it was worth a shot. The kit is basically four rubber paddles and mounting hardware that allows you to extend your impeller blades so they actually touch the impeller housing. (Apparently Hondas are the only ones that are like this from the factory.) Now I am a newbie and had no experience with using a snowblower before this one so I can't really tell you how much better the thing performs, but I can tell you that my friends are all impressed with it's throwing abilities, especially when it comes to the slushy heavy stuff at the end of the driveway. I can throw it onto the neighbor's apron if I want to. ;-) Not that I would... Hell, I do their driveway anyway just because I enjoy using the machine so much!

Anyway, I most certainly am not a spokesperson for the kit but I really like the power my machine has. If you are interested, here is a link to the guy who sells them. http://smllengns.tripod.com/

I check weather.com every day waiting for snow!  Everyone else around me hates the snow but I can't wait for it!  :-)  It's already flurrying outside and I swear it's like the equivalent of a warm sunny day! 

Here's my first video, I'm like a proud poppa! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m57IxSv0AV0

Hello all!

I've been reading this forum for a while now since I purchased my first ever snowblower this fall and got really excited about owning this gorgeous piece of machinery.  I think Murphy's Law is in effect, because we have had hardly any snow here in Cleveland and I've only been able to use this beast one time.  With all my spare time, I've been thinking about ways to make this thing better than it is. (I'm a tinkerer at heart!)

Here's the lowdown:
I wanted the best bang for my buck.  When I started researching, a lot of the sites I read told me that the more power I could get, the better.  (In hindsight, maybe I would have have gone for smaller but better quality, but I digress.)  I have an acquaintance that works at Sears and was able to get the Craftsman model 88690 for $610 after tax.  I chose this one because it has the B&S engine as opposed to the Tecumseh and it has none of the complicated and easy to break controls, like a joystick or hand warmers.  I went with it because for the price I really thought it couldn't be a bad deal.

The thing looks great in the garage, the neighbors are envious and the one time I used it, it performed flawlessly.  But I can't leave well enough alone.  I have a problem.    ;-)

I learned about and immediately installed Clarence's Impeller Kit.  (Warranty be damned; from what I read on these sites Sears wouldn't help if I had a problem, and I am not afraid to tear this thing apart if need be.)

Now I'm looking at that plastic chute.  I'd love to replace that thing with a nice, tall metal chute.  And this thing needs a remote deflector cable too.  (See how my sickness takes over?)  My question is, I know MTD makes the Craftsman, and now what I'd like to do is find a similar MTD machine but with a metal chute and install it.  I've searched through the Troy-Bilt, Yard-Man, White Outdoor, etc... sites and am not having any luck finding this elusive part. 

Can anyone point this mad scientist in the direction of good metal chute that might fit my MTD machine? 
Thanks!

- Jay