Snowblower Not Level

[jsp_333 282]

For the past 5 years or so my blower does not sit flush to the ground.

I thought this is the year I'm going to ask for help.

• the skids are both fully retracted.

• the blower mounts as it should to the front mount (attach-a-matic)

• the blower is on level ground

• the left side is a good 1" to 1.5" off the ground (as I'm standing in front looking at the blower).

 

Short of the frame being twisted I got nothing else.  What Have I missed?   It was fine the first couple of years I owned it.

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,790]

Left and right is always from the operator's position in the seat so this is the right side.

Assuming this is a single stage blower it may be the drive belt tension that is holding it up. Try removing the belt from the idlers and see what happens. Uses a 5/8" x 69" belt.

[ebinmaine 75,073]

[lynnmor 8,154]

Check the tire pressure in all 4 tires.  Check for a twist in the mounting by removing the blower and checking the height of the mounting bar on both sides with the blower sitting in operating position.

[jsp_333 282]

"Left and right is always from the operator's position in the seat so this is the right side"

 

Thanks for that gwest 

So I undid the drive belt. No change.

Raised the blower and it still wasn't "level".

Some pics

[jsp_333 282]

A twist in the mounting kinda makes sense.  The blower has been on two different tractors with the same issue.

[jsp_333 282]

Next is to remove the hand cut coupling nut I used as a spacer on the flag and lift bar and replace them with big washers

[8ntruck 8,261]

Take the flag off, and see if it sits on the ground level?

 

Either way, this would give you something to investigate.

Edited Thursday at 10:22 PM by 8ntruck

[Wayne0 1,399]

Rear tire pressure was my problem.

[ri702bill 10,336]

"No more calls folks. We have a winner!!". Seriously. two more things, related to the lift flag.

If the lift rod is too long, the blower will not hit the ground as it should.

If you are using an assist spring and it is adjusted too short, same thing happens.

[Ed Kennell 43,437]

2 hours ago, ri702bill said:

lift rod is too long,

Yeah, now that the blower is completely lowered,  maybe we should change those side wings that are not installed correctly.

Edited yesterday at 01:26 AM by Ed Kennell

[c-series don 10,705]

@Ed Kennell Good eye Ed! Side wings on backwards is something I usually look for and missed it this time! 
 When I first read this I was thinking about rear tire pressure. I’m glad to hear that’s all it was! 👍🏻

[jsp_333 282]

The side wings are on Backwards?!?!?  Who knew there was a side.

 

So it sits flush to the ground when not attached to the lift flag.

I added the spacer because without it the blower was barely raised off the ground.

So how high should I be able to lift the blower - 1 inch, 2 inch 3 inch.

 

The rear tires are loaded so I don't worry about tire pressure too much.

However I let air out to keep the tire chains from getting caught on the seat pan.

 

[Ed Kennell 43,437]

 

[Ed Kennell 43,437]

59 minutes ago, jsp_333 said:

 

So how high should I be able to lift the blower - 1 inch, 2 inch 3 inch.

It should lift 3 inches.     Which hole do you have the flag in?     If it is in the top or middle hole, try moving it down a hole.

[jsp_333 282]

Fixed the side wings.

 

It should lift 3 inches.

So a long time ago I got hung up on how high I could lift the blower.

For some reason I modified the lift arm and flag (with spacers) so the blower unit would raise about 6 inches.

 

Which hole do you have the flag in?

The flag is in the top hole 

Attaching the flag to the tractor became such a chore every year I bought a dedicated tractor.

I'll try moving it down to at least the middle and take all the spacers off the lift arm.

[peter lena 9,522]

@jsp_333 , @ri702billhiding in plane site , is a regular  part of repetitive , problems , emphasise that often ,  had issues that drove me nuts, till I got a better view of it ,  now its a regular thing  , to roller stool around it  on a flat floor . if you can, having a helper  , to operate issue  while you are sitting there , looking at it , lets you see the ENTIRE START , of issue , usually a hand off phase of function . levers / linkages are  known for that . glad you got it , pete

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,790]

An old service bulletin that describes how the lift tube washers affect lift height.

 

[Racinbob 12,339]

Good to hear that you found the problem. If the tire pressure wasn't it here's another thing to try that has worked for me a couple times. 

 

Remove the belt tension.

On a level surface lower the blower so it sits on the ground. 

Loosen the bolts holding the mounting bracket to the blower body. 

Place a small spacer under the left side of the blower body (about 3/8"-1/2").

Tighten the mounting bolts securely.

Reattach the belt. 

 

It does often work. Raising the left side a little compensates for the belt tension pulling on the other slop areas. There's always some slop even if it an itsy-bitsy amount.