Snow blower question

[lae51967 18]

Just fit my (new to me) snowblower with a new belt and ready to use. I only have a moderate area of drive that is concrete. Most is gravel. What methods/advise do you guys have on minimizing picking up rocks? Was wondering about fabricating skid plates to elevate the bottom a little higher and keep it from digging into the rock. I figure the wheels will dig in and i'll be pushing rock like its dozer blade without doing something.

Thanks

[Doubletrouble 10]

I fabed up a couple of skids for mine. I just used some angle iron( accually an old metal bed frame ) and cut a couple peices about 8 inches long. Then notched the ends to bend them upwards a little so it didn't dig in. then you just drill a hole in the center to mount it to the axel the wheel was on and you done. Mine work great. i have a 100 foot drive, all gravel and haven' broke any windows yet.

[Doubletrouble 10]

Here is a pice of mine in a previous post. Hope the link works.

http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/index.php?showtopic=13394

[Curmudgeon 28]

I simply pack the first snowfall down, future snow clearings will see the blower ride on top of this thin layer for the most part.

[lae51967 18]

Thanks for the advise and the photo. Thats about the same as what i was thinking. Good to here that I'm not the only one to use some old bed frames for other things. Packing would work in colder climate but each snow here tends to melt before we get the next one.

Getting snow tonight and tomorrow, probably wont have time to fab up skids, I'll have to wing it and watch the direction of the chute if I get to use it.

[lae51967 18]

Got to use the blower last night. Only picked up a few high spots of gravel with the stock wheels on the blower. Can really tell when you pick up some. Threw snow pretty good, back into my face a number of times though. Need to put some roller chain on the front wheels, it really sucks you over at times.

[Raider 2]

With a stout lift assist spring you can use your lift lever to float over soft spots without wearing yourself out. You can also lift the blower up some to put weight on the front tires when the blower starts pulling the front end around. Adding weight to the wheels front and rear will always help handling as the blower's weight will become less of a factor as the tractor's weight increases.

Try and blow snow downwind whenever possible also B)

[defed 0]

skim the stones enough times, it will level itself out eventually!

i usually chuck 2" stones thru mine when i do snag one.

when i used my C-195 and blower w/ the side wings, it used to pull

me into the snow all the time. w/ the D-160, i hardly ever get pulled

in, much easier w/ a bigger, heavier tractor. if i do get pulled in, i just

feather it up until i start tracking right, then drop it down...but both of

mine have hydraulic lift, so probably a little easier to control.