[Sippy]

So up here in NH I got 16-18 inches of heavy wet cement like snow. I got up at 4am and put the X500 to work and it did well moving this mess, better than I expected!

I noticed that the motor did not bog down at all even when under a heavy load. However there was a noticeable noise when I was on level ground moving considerable about of snow. It sounded like crackling noise and was not constant. It was only happening when I was moving forward while blowing.

Not sure if it was from the blower or the tractor. Kind of noise you just don't want to here from a tractor. Almost sounds like gears of some sort grinding and or missing a few teeth.

What do you think gang?

 

[bmurph44]

Rocks?

 

[Sippy]

Rocks?

Nope. Paved drive way with zero debris on it.

 

[mikestoy]

Maybe a belt rattling?

Is your auger tight?

Tractors with blowers have a lot of moving parts with lots
of pressure/power points that can for time to time produce
strange sounds.

 

[ezliving4ume]

Axle? Hate to say it

 

[cvcman]

I think IF it was the axle it would make the noise all the time. Was it doing it when you were NOT blowing snow or when the blower is off ?? If not there may have been some ice under the snow small pcs like ice cubes etc

You need to shut the blower off and see if it does it...

 

[ezliving4ume]

Your right I missed that part

 

[Cat385B]

Ice chunks going through the plastic chute?

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Sticks came down in the snowfall.

.

 

[cvcman]

Run it w/o the blower on and tell us..If there is no noise then its probably pcs of ice/debris etc or a loose chain on the blower

 

[jim335]

Are you using tire chains?

 

[Sippy]

Run it w/o the blower on and tell us..If there is no noise then its probably pcs of ice/debris etc or a loose chain on the blower

Well the day before I had the deck on and there was no noise. But I also was not pushing or pulling with that kind of load.

 

[P218 John Deere 318]

I don't have a brand new tractor/blower set up but I know when a chunk of ice gets scraped up and goes throught the blower it makes a good "crack" or "bang" sound. Also, with what RaisedByWolves said, if a stick goes through the blower I would imagine it would make some noise.

 

[Sippy]

Ok I need to clarify. This is NOT a debris or ice through the shoot this is a gear grinding noise.

 

[cvcman]

AGAIN with or w/o the blower running ??? DOES it do it with the blower shut off ??

 

[Sippy]

When the noise was happening:
Blower running
Blower was down
Blower was under a good load
Moving Forward

No noise:
Moving forward
Blower on
Blower NOT down

Does that answer all the questions?

Almost sounds like plate steel with a crack in it and being stressed to make the crack rub against it self

 

[cvcman]

humm id have to hear it or be there...

 

[Sippy]

humm id have to hear it or be there...

It's not a normal sound

 

[kb0nly]

Best suggestion would be inspect everything... Hard to tell.

 

[mhussey]

How long does the noise last? If it is a few seconds or more, I'd try to hit the PTO switch the second you hear it and see if the noise stops, changes pitch, or duration. I can make mine creak when the blower is raised and push on one of the corners (its been a while so I cant remember which side). But the frame flexes some and will emit a typical creak.