Ready for snow, one issue, help?

[Bigpat5123 27]

My 42" blower with custom made chute and weight rack is ready for snow!

I have one concern that maybe some could answer: The right side of the blower doesn't quite touch the ground (1/8") if the lift assist spring is attached but sits level across without lift spring attached. Left side if sitting on tractor (chain side) touches no problem. Any ideas as too why? The only thing I can think of is too much tension on spring, do I need a longer eye bolt?
 

Edited November 4, 2015 by Bigpat5123

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,052]

Like the weights on the back, any pictures of the carrier without the weights?

[DougC 2,641]

Looks like your ready for shure....How much weight do you have on the back?  I would recommend tire chains as well. Ice and rubber dont get along very well traction wise.    

[Bigpat5123 27]

Doug good point! 

Camino here's a picture of the rack by itself.

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,052]

Thanks , you did a nice job building the rig.

[mikekot3 92]

Nice weight bracket !! What is the application for the weights? How much does it cost? Where do you get them?

[Bigpat5123 27]

Thanks I appreciate it.

[wallfish 15,931]

Your assist spring could be too tight causing that. I notice you have a large spring for the belt tension too. Could that belt tension spring have too much tension causing the belt to pull it up on that side? Maybe a combination of both is causing the problem.

[Ed Kennell 35,809]

      Do you have spacers/washers in front of the flag?  May try taking one out.

[Bigpat5123 27]

Wall fish the belt tension spring makes sense. Bought what was advertised as a oem replacement but I will def check that out.

E no spacers actually had to cut the lift tube shorter to get it where it is now. Only lifts about 4" off ground. Was more like 8-9" of lift when I started

[Ed Kennell 35,809]

One other thought....do you have the flag pin in the correct hole in the rock shaft?

[Bigpat5123 27]

The flag is in the second hole up. Bottom hole is not large enough diameter and the top hole makes the issue worse.

[shallowwatersailor 3,213]

Can't see in the photo but do you have the belt installed correctly? Could the mounting bracket be racked?

That looks like a lot of weight to just have one attachment point.

Edited November 5, 2015 by shallowwatersailor

[Bigpat5123 27]

Looking closer I believe wall fish hit the nail on the head with the belt spring. Come to find out it is not oem spec. I will know tomorrow morning when I get to the shop.

[WNYPCRepair 1,875]

Nice weight bracket !! What is the application for the weights? How much does it cost? Where do you get them?

Looks like weights off a weight machine to me
 

[Bigpat5123 27]

Nice weight bracket !! What is the application for the weights? How much does it cost? Where do you get them?

yes they are weights off a weight lifting machine. This weight setup cost me nothing except a can of red paint. I had everything laying around and the tools to make it. 

[wallfish 15,931]

Just another thought. Does that tractor have a "Dial Height" adjustment knob? That is used for adjusting the mower deck height but if set to high, it will stop the lift handle from traveling it's full amount and not allow the blower to swivel down far enough. The blower needs to swivel down to follow the terrain.

Edited November 5, 2015 by wallfish

[Bigpat5123 27]

Wallfish you definitely know your tractors. Yes it does have the knob and it is adjusted so it floats. 
The more I think about my belt tension spring the more it makes sense. When I installed the belt on the pto I remember think to myself that it was awfully hard to put on. I think know due to the massive spring compared to oem. I can push the lift handle forward and the right side hits the ground. When I take the pressure off it just comes off the ground again. 
That is why this is so frustrating because everything was installed by the book. 

[Pullstart 59,735]

put one of those weight pins on the side of the blower lifting

[WNYPCRepair 1,875]

Take the lift spring off and see if it sits correctly. If not, take off the idler spring and check. 

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 10,500]

Belt should have 69" outside circumference.

Rear tire pressures the same left and right?

[Bigpat5123 27]

Take the lift spring off and see if it sits correctly. If not, take off the idler spring and check. 

Without the lift assist it does sit level on the skid shoes as stated in original post.

I have a 8" eye bolt from the flag to the spring. There is a slight stretch to the spring when the blower is lifted up. Should there be no tension on the lift assist spring when in the lifted position?

I ordered a longer eye bolt to see if that helps.

I put the old belt tension spring on this morning and it helped a little but still floats about 1/8" off the ground on the right corner.

Edited November 5, 2015 by Bigpat5123

[wallfish 15,931]

Garry makes a VERY good point. Different air pressure in the tires will also cause that to happen. If any or all of the above doesn't correct the problem, adjust the air pressure in the tires to get the desired result.

[PaulC 341]

For the first time last year I put a lift assist spring on my manual lift tractor. It doesn't get used a lot because I know have hydraulic lift tractors too but I had a tough time adjusting that spring to my liking. It was either tensioned good so lifting the blower was effortless but then had no down pressure to where it would ride up on top of the snow, or if I adjusted it to where I had good down pressure it seemed the spring then did little to nothing.

Im thinking maybe your blower lifts just a little bit crooked, which is probably fine, but now with the lift assist spring adjusted to where it really helps its keeping the "high" side of the blower up off the ground. I cant think of any ways to mount or adjust that spring differently but I remember being pretty disappointed with it.

‌@ekennell don't the tires on his tractor look just like the tires on your new 312-H which are the same as the tires on my 312-H? Im wondering if those were factory on the early 90's 312's?

[Bigpat5123 27]

Paul C- Thanks for the input. That's what things are looking like on mine too. I will not know until some snow flies. I did get the blower to lay flat by using a longer eye bolt so there was just barely daylight showing through the spring when lifted.
PS these are stock tires from '94 only about 400 hrs on this tractor.

Also thank you everyone for your input problem solved.