I live in an area that sees about 180 inches (15 feet) of snowfall annually and the snowbanks often get as high as 6 feet.
My usually dependable Troy-Bilt Storm 2665 snowblower is getting a bit old and won’t throw the snow the distance it used to.
And so- probably just like you- I have been wondering how to make my snowblower throw snow farther.
Well, my research has returned a couple of tips.
Read on to discover how to supercharge your snowblower.
Snow blower tricks to help it throw farthest
· Clear the chute
Your snowblower won’t clear the pavement as well if the chute is clogged.
A basic thing to do is clear the ice and snow lodged in your snowblower’s chute assembly.
Simply turn it off and use the clean-out tool (most models come with one).
You will hopefully be the proud owner of the farthest throwing snow blower after this.
Tip: To avoid injury, never use empty hands to unclog the blower.
· Replace the belts
Now, the snowblower’s auger belt might slow down the machine if it’s worn-out.
Needless to say, you must replace the auger belt to restore the auger’s spinning speed.
Likewise, tighten it if stretched (but be sure it looks good).
You should experience an immediate improvement in the distance the snow blower pushes snow.
· Lubricate the essential parts
Another helpful trick is lubricating the snowblower.
A non-stick spray works wonderfully for snowblowers and you should spray the auger -including the fan- and the chute assembly before you start blowing.
When you lube everything, snow will swiftly glide along the inside of the chute without sticking and your blower will shoot farther than ever before.
Other than a non-stick cooking spray, you can try liquid graphite spray or WD40.
· Tune up the snowblower
A tune-up guarantees that everything is running fine and is definitely necessary if you have not had time to do one recently.
Here is a sample engine tune up to-do list:
- Cleanup the engine.
- Check and change the oil, if required.
- Inspect the state of the ignition system.
- Replace the vital parts such as the air filter and spark plug.
- Inspect the carburetor.
- Test the battery.
- Check the auger paddles for wear and tear(change them appropriately).
- Adjust the throttle plus choke controls.
- Flip worn out skid shoes on two-stage blowers.
- Adjust and lubricate all moving parts.
- Replace broken shear pins.
- Fill it up with fresh gas (include fuel stabilizer) if you forgot to empty the machine last season.
This may sound like an awful lot of work but they’re simple jobs that routinely revitalize blowers.
And if it works, it could save you costly snow blower upgrades.
· Install an impeller kit upgrade
If you’re still not happy with the clearance, you can shop for and install an impeller kit “add-on”.
This snow blower turbo kit could potentially be a masterstroke.
It’s actually the answer I typically give to those asking how to make a single stage snow blower work better.
You see, once you fit it, it closes the gap left between the impeller blades and the cylinder walls to accommodate the “rotational wobble” due to the inevitable wearing of the impeller’s bearing.
By covering up the ‘space’ with the kit, you effectively make the auger larger and you will get more throwing distance.
I have seen blowers throw slush even 50% farther with this tweak!
Installation shouldn’t really be much of a bother – just follow the manual- and the prices are a whole friendlier these days.
Another plus is that it keeps the chute from getting clogged. Awesome!
Word of caution: If you are not a fan of DIY stuff, consider requesting a mechanic to help implement this modification.
· Go for a bigger engine pulley
Even as you test out the previous ideas, go ahead and play around with the pulley sizes to get more rpms.
You could, for a start, install a slightly bigger top pulley for the auger.
But you shouldn’t go dramatically high to protect your gear case- 2.5” to 3” is reasonable but not 2.5” to 5”!
Doing that increases the rpm substantially and you will gain extra throwing distance.
Use an rpm calculator to figure the speed differences at various pulley sizes.
Note that you need to change to a smaller engine pulley if you’re bogging down at higher pulley sizes.
Check your blower’s manufacturer website for a useful guide or video if you prefer to complete the task yourself.
You can again involve a mechanic.
How to make my snowblower throw snow farther: Useful additional hacks
Even as you try out my proposed hacks, it’s important that you don’t overlook the basics that can diminish the performance of your blower.
These are as follows:
· Rust
A rusty blower will make snow stick to the chute and a pristine, rust-free chute will help it to throw snow better so go through it and remove all rust.
Don’t forget to apply a rust protectant to shield it over the snow season.
· Blowing technique
The other thing you should take into account is your blowing method…
I recommend that you blow the snow maximally (the full distance) at once instead of throwing the snow in ‘bits’ (this only brings a bigger ice load for your blower).
And there are a couple of ways you can do this including:
- Blowing in the direction of the wind.
- Targeting smaller blocks of snow.
- Running the snowblower at the highest rpm.
Final word
The main reasons why blowers fail to throw far are a clogged chute, damaged belts, issues with auger blades, engine problems, and broken parts like shear pins.
That explains why most of the hacks we have covered in this how to make my snowblower throw snow farther guide touch on the above. We have a detailed review on the best farthest throwing snow blower you should invest in.
Having said that, two stage blowers generally outthrow their single stage siblings on most types of snow.
It could, therefore, be a good idea to plan for one if your current model continues to struggle against giant snowbanks.