[jasz]

We got over 1 ft of wet snow last night.

Snowblower worked like a dream, but my tractor needs counterweights and my snowblower needs snow drift cutters. When taking a full width of snowblower into a snow the wheel starts to spin after moving about 2 feet forward. Then I needed to go back and forth in order to create first passage. After that I tried not to blow more than 1/3 of snowblower width at the time and it worked very well. Still managed to clear my driveway in about 3 hours.

 

[bontai Joe]

I'm not sure what part of Canada you are in, but that looks like some serious snow. If that kind of snowfall is the norm, I'd recommend getting chains for your tractor to improve traction. You already mentioned drift cutters, which is a good idea. You also mentioned needing counterweights, do you now have wheel weights? and need more? Or were you holding off buying anything until you saw how things worked? Taking 3 hours on you rather long drive isn't bad. You will get quicker as you get some practice in. And it certainly beats the heck out of shoveling! Thanks for the pics. Some of our southern members have no idea what a foot of snow looks like.

 

[jasz]

Thank you Joe.

I'm in Newfoundland, and we don't get this kind of snow falls every week but it happens 5 - 6 times during the winter (at least :fing20: ).

I have chains on my wheels as well as wheel weights but counterweights are a must. Snow drifter will be very helpfull as well, without them snow falls behind blower just under tractor wheels, causing a lot of mess.

 

[bontai Joe]

In my neck of the woods, the Deere 40 pound (18 kg) suitcase weights are usually the cheapest commercial weight available at around $35-40 US each. I don't know if the Husqvarna has a place on the rear of the frame to hang these, or if a separate weight bracket is needed, but that is one way to go. You could also fill your rear tires with windshield washer liquid (doesn't freeze) and gain around 50-75 pounds (23-34 kg) in each tire. Or you can use my method, which is to maintain a body weight of over 300 pounds to always have the weight over the rear wheels of the tractor in the winter. ROF

 

[jasz]

I already placed the order for counterweights, they are produced by Bercomac.
300 lbs body weight would definitely help my tractor but my MTB bike would suffer a lot. :fing02:

 

[Argee]

When weighing into snow that deep I find low range, 1st gear is the choice for the first pass. Sounds like you may have had more snow going into the augers than your unit was capable of exhausting and you ended up trying to push it straight ahead. That'll make you spin like you indicated.

 

[jasz]

Blowing snow so wet and heavy a slow moving is very critical. Still, snow will accumulate in a snowblower frame out of reach of augers and after couple of feet tractor wheels will be spining, too much weight on the front for wheels to push without loosing the traction. Well, no matter how slow or fast i was going I had a problem to move more than 3 ft at the time :banghead3

 

[simple_john]

wow a foot of now and its april tomorrow... lucky you.. keep it all up there please... im just getting to see spots of ground out in the back around tree bases.. i dont want any more snow till november...

 

[CatDaddy]

Snow? What's that?

Oh, yeah. I remember now. :fing20: I miss the light snows we got in Kentucky. It served to spice up winter driving.

Here in south Louisiana our seasons are cool, warm-to-medium hot, hotter 'n ****, and then medium hot-to-warm. It actually got down to freezing one night in January.

 

[Argee]

It actually got down to freezing one night in January.

ROF You poor man...were you Okay? ROF

 

[jodyand]

Snow? What's that?

Oh, yeah. I remember now. :fing20: I miss the light snows we got in Kentucky. It served to spice up winter driving.

Here in south Louisiana our seasons are cool, warm-to-medium hot, hotter 'n ****, and then medium hot-to-warm. It actually got down to freezing one night in January.

:ditto: You sum it up nicely :fing32:

 

[CatDaddy]

You poor man...were you Okay?

Oh sure, I just threw a couple of dogs on the bed & it was all good.
Except for the snorin' & fartin' anyway. No. Not mine! :dogrun: The dogs. :dogrun: It was the dogs I tell ya!

 

[lotuni]

Oh yea!!! Good old Canadian boys know how to handle that stuff!!! :OHCAN

I really glad you got the GT now!! I don't think the LT or YT would have cut it!

That is a decent snowfall! I was watching NTV on Expressvu and saw you were getting snow there. It's been +5 to +10 here now so everything is melted and I'm actually considering taking the broom off....

I think you will find it a better balance when you get the weights.

 

[blown]

just a word of warning to others,

I bought a 44" blower for my John Deere GT235 and have had nothing but issues since day one.

first it broke belts almost instantly, so had to have that repaired.

now the gear box has a split/cracked gear on the impeller shaft, have to buy a new gear box.

these do not seem that bad until you realize that the unit has about 15 hours of use at most and the place I bought it has no clue when I call them for advise or troubleshooting.

do NOT buy this unless the place is local and you can drop it back on their doorstep if it fails!

I realize this could just be that lemon off the line, but the seller is not easy to get in touch with and does not have answers other than take it in and get it fixed, at my expense.

 

[ggsteve]

just a word of warning to others,

I bought a 44" blower for my John Deere GT235 and have had nothing but issues since day one.

first it broke belts almost instantly, so had to have that repaired.

now the gear box has a split/cracked gear on the impeller shaft, have to buy a new gear box.

these do not seem that bad until you realize that the unit has about 15 hours of use at most and the place I bought it has no clue when I call them for advise or troubleshooting.

do NOT buy this unless the place is local and you can drop it back on their doorstep if it fails!

I realize this could just be that lemon off the line, but the seller is not easy to get in touch with and does not have answers other than take it in and get it fixed, at my expense.

Sorry you're having such trouble with your Berco. I'm on my second winter of success (bought used). My only real complaint is that it gets damned heavy to lift after an hour of use.

Does the auger/impeller assembly move freely and easily by hand when the belt is loose? I can't believe your burning through belts and an auger gear box at 15 hrs if it's set up and functioning properly.

Anyway, welcome to the forum!

 

[Upper5Percent]

just a word of warning to others,

I bought a 44" blower for my John Deere GT235 and have had nothing but issues since day one.

first it broke belts almost instantly, so had to have that repaired.

now the gear box has a split/cracked gear on the impeller shaft, have to buy a new gear box.

these do not seem that bad until you realize that the unit has about 15 hours of use at most and the place I bought it has no clue when I call them for advise or troubleshooting.

do NOT buy this unless the place is local and you can drop it back on their doorstep if it fails!

I realize this could just be that lemon off the line, but the seller is not easy to get in touch with and does not have answers other than take it in and get it fixed, at my expense.

:MTF_wel:
Sorry you have had so much trouble...Just out of curiosity...Who did you buy the unit from and who did the initial repair?

 

[slkpk]

just a word of warning to others,

I bought a 44" blower for my John Deere GT235 and have had nothing but issues since day one.

first it broke belts almost instantly, so had to have that repaired.

now the gear box has a split/cracked gear on the impeller shaft, have to buy a new gear box.

these do not seem that bad until you realize that the unit has about 15 hours of use at most and the place I bought it has no clue when I call them for advise or troubleshooting.

do NOT buy this unless the place is local and you can drop it back on their doorstep if it fails!

I realize this could just be that lemon off the line, but the seller is not easy to get in touch with and does not have answers other than take it in and get it fixed, at my expense.

:MTF_wel: and sorry to hear about your problems. Did you buy this from a dealer or individual? slkpk