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Where to buy blower impeller RUBBER?

32K views 28 replies 16 participants last post by  HydroHarold 
#1 · (Edited)
seeing as no snow so far, I thought I would try to install the blower impeller rubber add-on/modification. (as I cannot think of anything else it needs... even waxed it twice while waiting on snow...)

While not a deere, this guy had great results (before and after vid too!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMbjut8c4MU


But I cannot find the rubber?? An old tire sidewall might work, but I cannot think of where to get corded 3/8" thick rubber??

My local TSC only had 3/4" thick horse mat, or some thinner stuff, but the thinner stuff was not corded but rather some type of compressed recycled rubber, it just flies apart from the rotation CF.



:thanku:for any direction!

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#5 ·
MXZRXP, I put an impeller kit on an old walk behind unit and it works great! It really improves the overall performance of the snowblower. What unit do you plan to install the kit on? I have to say I was a little disapointed when they delivered my brand new model 47 and I saw it had a plastic impeller. I hope it holds up. You cant installal an impeller kit on a plastic impeller.
 
#6 ·
A PLASTIC impeller on a new genuine JD snowblower attachment? That tears it, it would de-attach me from any new JD equipment for good and I'm considering buying a new JD model next Spring. I just can't go there! Some moving parts are just... "sacred"!

Sometimes I wonder just how much "savings" a company thinks they're getting when they are losing entire equipment sales. Do they think there's enough uneducated/uncaring buyers that don't know what's going on that they can buzz this kind of thing past 'em while the check clears? Or will this give JD such a bad rap down the road from failures that they won't have saved the shareholders even so much as a nickel? I guess time will tell, but I know what I'll be looking straight at for my next model.
 
#13 ·
The issue isn't driven by cost in that the plastic impellers are less expensive, thus losing business on new equipment sales. The issue is that consumers are idiots and the plastic impeller is there to protect them.

You should see the crap that people pick up in their snow blowers. And there is *ZERO* forgiveness in a steel impeller. The consumer already figured out that if he used grade 8 bolts as sheet pins, it'd work a lot better and not sheer the pins as designed when they pick up a wooden stake, rocks, branches, newspaper, kids toys, etc. I was amazed to see my neighbor down the way stake his driveway in rebar. Yes. #4 Rebar. So you throw it in a steel impeller, and you destroy the entire snowblower, break chains, gearboxes, shafts, etc.

While you and I know better than that, most don't.
 
#10 ·
I bought a foot of baler belting from TSC http://www.tractorsupply.com/replacement-baler-belting-4-in-wide-2-ply-210-nylon-ft--1420009

I used the same material on my single stage tractor snow thrower and my MTD walk behind snow blower.

Here is the install thread... http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=170564

that's the do-it-yourself way with the TSC material, but the dolt of a salesKID I had said they don't sell it! I'll have to go back as the website says available in my store!!


I am trying it on the SS 42" er. I have been very pleased with its performance but the difference it made in the video sure seems worth the 1/2 hour it will take to install. When really sloppy I turn off the PTO and use the blower as a plow, looks like this guys would throw water :)



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#12 ·
MXZRXP,

How are you planning on using this on a single stage? I'd love to see some pictures and a before and after like the guy in the video.

Would also be interesting to see if it throws further at a slower speed. I know when I had my snow blower last year I had to move as fast as possible to really throw it.

Keep us updated!
 
#21 ·
MXZRXP,

How are you planning on using this on a single stage? I'd love to see some pictures and a before and after like the guy in the video.

Would also be interesting to see if it throws further at a slower speed. I know when I had my snow blower last year I had to move as fast as possible to really throw it.

Keep us updated!
will do!

i have video form last season and I will be sure to get some this time around. Trying to match conditions and amount of snow the best I can.

if you have not seen it here is the SS working last season: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dyoup-StaA


it really is an amazing tool! the blower looks so small! it only adds about 18" to the length of the tractor!



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#15 ·
They use plastic impellers on the Model 44 aswell. Stladrill put the Model 47 impeller in his Model 44 blower with some mods. I am waiting to see how it works out and his reviews on what he done.
 
#16 ·
"The issue is that consumers are idiots and the plastic impeller is there to protect them."
It is not my place to absorb deliberate design defeciencies to please JD bean counters or government bureaucrats. For me it's steel... and I'll eat the ½ hour of digging out a frozen Sunday paper. At least I won't have to toddle to the dealer to replace the impeller when I buy the new copy of the paper. Some things are just going dumber...

Another example: JD miracle plastic foot/fender deck on SCUT's. Should one get into a situation such as "too close to a tree" while operating. Plastic deck is G-O-N-E, metal deck is B-E-N-T. Though humiliated by my unsafe operation, I can unbend my steel fender... I can't "un-crack" my shattered plastic fender. It's automatically a new hi-buck dealer replacement which is not in stock for who knows how long.

This example points to JD's self generating replacement sales AND cheap OEM costs over lasting repairable materials. It will continue in all markets as long as buyers will stand for it. So it looks like the "1000 series" are the beginning of JD's descent into the "throw away" market (only to me possibly).

I'll bet Berco won't be considering any plastic impellers on their own branded blowers.:D
 
#17 ·
In Herman (my X748) ate the paper (no pics today) my X748's snow blower's plastic impeller survived a buried newspaper mine and lived to blow another day (season).

Getting ready for year #2 with it and the original shear bolts (realizing I just jinx'd myself:banghead3)...:thThumbsU
 
#18 ·
Clarences Kit is a must for clearing the
melted snow from the bottom of the
impeller drum.

The Pre-drilled galvanised mounting plates
take all the guess work out of drilling into
the impeller paddles and assuring that the
impeller drum is swept clean at every revolution
of the impeller.


ABOUT THOSE CHEESY Plastic John Deere Impellers;

I wil be using my 42 inch 2 stage this winter on my LA115
for the first time and I will report back quickly when
the time comes. I am not crazy about the design for sure.

The bad thing is I cannot use one of Clarences impeller kits!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :praying:
 
#20 ·
I am always amazed at the look I get when I tell new snowblower owners to make sure they walk the area before the storm so they don't pick up rocks or other debris in the blower.

If you feel better ******* and whining about bean counters go for it. I don't have the plastic break in a whole lot of pieces. Most of the time it cracks and gives way. I take a piece of aluminum and a few pop rivets and off I go. A little extra effort for me and JD stays in business by being competitive with others. Worse comes to worse they sell plastic weld kits that use flame and plastic rod. Makes it about the same as playing with metal if you want to.
 
#23 ·
Quoth Victory:

"If you feel better ******* and whining about bean counters go for it."

Sorry if you're actually a bean counter!:D

"Worse comes to worse they sell plastic weld kits that use flame and plastic rod. Makes it about the same as playing with metal if you want to."

IF this "welding" technique really worked, there wouldn't be so many guys posting for answers about their cracked and mostly unrepairable (except for shoddy looking pop riveted patches) JD hoods of late. They don't seem to be getting any satisfaction from any kind "glue" either.

So if it takes cheaper and cheaper materials to stay competitive, just how cheap will you go before the quality precludes your purchase? Everybody has limits... I think.:)
 
#25 ·
I haven't actually seen many complaints about cracked or unrepairable hoods recently (15 months) but maybe there was a rash of them prior to that or your memory is better than mine (could be both too).

I'm ok with a plastic hood or components as long as they work well and have a reasonable in service life. I recall some issues last winter with plastic snow blower chutes that might not meet this requirement. I don't recall any plastic impeller problems but think we may need to have quite a few more in service seasons with few problems before a conclusion can be made.

I could have bought a Berco and had a very good snow blower. I bought a Deere and do have what I think is a very good snow blower. The thing that pushed me in this direction was the history of JD products, local support, and feedback from members of this forum - like you. Last fall you were the 1st reply to my Help me not blow this decision for my X748 thread and later in the thread said
So it seems, like other attachments branded "DEERE" made ourside the Deere facilities, the JD snowblowers are made heavier TO JD SPECS... and the actual manufacturer's "same" offering is "what they think is good enough" for their own brand name? Sounds about right judging by the items like dethatchers and aerators that I've seen.

Though I give JD lots of grief, I'm now always going to go with the Deere spec'ed (and painted) unit. I've learned my aerator lesson, the actual money saved vs. quality of attachment will pay off down the road w/JD.
It is hard to believe a little plastic could have changed things so much...:dunno:
:trink39:
 
#27 ·
It is hard to believe a little plastic could have changed things so much...
"A little plastic" is fine for non-weight bearing or non-impact applications (in my twisted book), but whole fender decks (bearing my weight should I make a faux pas off the seat or stepping) and snow blower stone flickers... I gotta want steel.

I should be looking at the 1000-23xx-25xx series pretty soon... AND there will have to be some pretty cool features to offset all the "wonderful new plastic applications" on these JD offerings.

As I see it, "Cheap" and "cost effective" are two different ends of the manufacturing/ownership chain. I guess I shouldn't gore anybody else's Deere just for being "cost lowered". How many people though really want to brag about their plastic parts how great they are over steel... and if they do, are they really, truly happy and proud with "less"?:D:D:D
 
#28 ·
nothing wrong with "plastic" just depends on what they use.

some of current plastics are stronger than steel and easier to mold and repair, some are still pretty expensive though..

oddly with a tractor usually heavy is better so there is no "real" benefit to these light weight materials, now with a snowmobile (where light weight is EVERYTHING) the new plastics amd alloys have changed the sport!


crappy plastic to save a $$$ is of course just plain wrong!

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#29 ·
"oddly with a tractor usually heavy is better so there is no "real" benefit to these light weight materials, now with a snowmobile (where light weight is EVERYTHING) the new plastics amd alloys have changed the sport!"

Eggsackly! Which just proves the point it's just a Mfg'er's choice and method to save building bucks up front with "...new and better lightweight materials!" Imagine tractor literature quoting...

"Test drive the new and 25% lighter JD X758 Extra Special Edition! (42lb. sutcase weights optional @ $48 each at your dealer's.)"

"New" and "space age" don't automatically make it "better" anymore, and that's not just in the manufacture of OPE.:)
 
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