snowblower augers becomes frozen

Tried to use my John Deere 522 snowblower today, but about 15 minutes after I started, the "shute" auger became frozen from ice surrounding the auger.

What's the trick to avoid ice and snow buildup in my snowblower? Cooking spray? Rain-ex?


MJS

 

try silicon spray

 

During periods of rest and immediately after using, prop up the wheels on 4X4's to keep the auger housing tilted downward which will allow snow melt to drain out of the impeller area.

 

Don't know exactly what you mean. Are you talking about the directional chute crank assembly that rotates and directs flow of snow being blown? If so, if seems hot exhaust deflected on his area usually keeps it thawed on most machines while using the blower. Maybe you could fashion a deflector out of sheet metal.

Or are you talking about the second stage impeller that throws the snow that is gathered by the auger? For me sometimes this used to become frozen after leaving snow from previous usemachine ? If this is the cause cleaning after use and drilling a hold so water can run out and collect no more seemed to help. I store my machine (wheels elevated) so that melted snow runs out of chute instead of collecting, freezing and jamming impelllar prior to next use.

bs5

 

Yes, ice became "formed" in my second stage before the shute. I should have become aware of the problem during one of the six time I had to clear the shute. Seems to me the trick is to not let it get frozen in there in the first place. (An oz. of prevention...) First time it's ever happened to me, and we get our share of snow in PA.

I suppose once it all frozen, I'm done for until it's frozen, and since I store my blower in my unheated garage, that doesn't happen fast. I though of a heat gun... Still seems easier to not let the thing get frozen stuck in the first place.

 

I'm guessing you're trying to blow wet,slushy snow. If so, get the chute clear and try to go fast enough to really keep it loaded up. I've found that works best for my two stage.
Hope this helps,
Mike

 

Yeah, slushy snow. That's it. Perhaps the trick is to keep the auger moving so that it cannot become frozen.

 

Yeah msyslo, that's what I mean't. Try to keep the ground speed fast enough to keep the blower loaded real good. For some reason if the blower isn't fully loaded, it will just fill the chute opening with wet snow. So don't be afraid to set it to a higher gear when in wet snow.
I added some old conveyor belting to the tips of the rotor blades to reduce the clearance between the rotor and rotor housing. Made one heck of a difference in wet or powder snow. It throws either a lot further and have'nt had any problem with wet snow.
Mike

 

unplug the spark plug wire if that second stage impellar ever becomes frozen again. Then reach right past the snow auger with a hammer and rap on one of those impellar blades. They still turn and when rapped with a hammer they break free.

bs5