Winter's over, maybe I need a snowblower?

[Hummer]

Ha, ha! Look what followed me home from Ridgeway yesterday....







Winter's over, maybe I got this bassackwards?

Saw it on Craigslist, a Toro Power Max 1028LXE, sells new for $1800, got it for half that. The seller bought it new, garaged it a couple years but used it only once. Looks and works like it just came off the showroom floor.

Got it for our mountain property. Already have a truck mounted Meyer's snow plow but needed something for the walkways and driveway slab. Waay too much shoveling! It was a killer this year. This Toro is supposed to clear 2100 lbs. of snow/minute. Save my back.

Let it snow!


Never had a snow thrower before. Any tips on operation and keeping it in good shape?

[Big Wall]

I don't have much experience but get extra shear pins and watch your fingers if the chute clogs. My neighbor lost a finger helping people out during a big snow.

[StagLefty]

I'd say drain or treat the gas in off season, much like a lawnmower.

Sent from my KFOT using Tapatalk 2

[cmco]

Or just mix a little sta bil in with the gas.

[BPTactical]

Shut the fuel off and run it till it dies. Stabil in the fuel first and pull the plug, drop in a table spoon of oil or so and spin it over.
Nice score.

[Wulf202]

what bp said plus store it with fuel to the TOP

change the oil at the start of winter. Both of these are to keep the water out of the system

Grease your zerks

Watch your wear bars

extra shear pins are a must, I keep two wrenches and shear pins on a caribeaner clipped to mine at work.

Does it have the long handled trowel mounted to it? All of my airens have it and it's very handy to clear quick jams while its running.

Go slow when you're throwing. Don't feather the controls, you'll burn belts

[vossman]

This certainly is the time to buy it, you got it for a steal too.

[Wulf202]

Oh and for what it's worth I've ran that one commercially along side airens. It's a good unit. The extension cord electric start is really nice when it's cold.

[Hummer]

Thanks for the good tips, guys. It has a fuel shut off valve but I'd like to install a fuel drain valve, too, if I can find the right size t-fitting and another valve. I use sta-bil for the mower and generator but usually run it dry and drain the tanks for storage.

But maybe it's better to keep the tank full as Wulf suggested, then drain it in the fall and refill with fresh gas before use?

I've applied auto wax to the surfaces. My buddy uses silicone spray lube to coat the auger, impeller and chutes. It's snowing now at his place on the Peak-to-Peak north of Ward....

[Wulf202]

But maybe it's better to keep the tank full as Wulf suggested, then drain it in the fall and refill with fresh gas before use?

If you keep tank topped off you have no room for expansion and contraction to draw in outside moisture which can condense inside the tank. you also don't have the small amount of gas that's left going bad, the large amount takes longer to go bad. If the small amount drys out it can leave deposits which can float in the next batch and clog up your system.

There's nothing particularly bad about the drain it dry program.
The fuel won't go bad in one season. Also far less work to store it, saves time and huffing gas fumes. If you get a random storm after you've put it up, you can just take 5 minutes and do it again.