Blow Hards

Relaxing by a roaring fire, sipping a snifter of brandy and listening to a bit of classic Foreigner, I found myself paging through the latest copy of The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Last year about this time, the weather seers of the world had warm visions for 2008.

“Very warm, overall,” says John Pierce, publisher of The Old Farmer’s Almanac. “The past nine years have been among the 25 warmest years on record, and, based on our study of solar activity and cycles, we expect the warming trend to continue.”

That’s bad news for snow professionals. As perhaps a morbid saving grace, along with the heat, new records for extreme weather events are predicted by the almanac, like hurricanes, tornadoes, heat waves, droughts and anomalies like blizzards. While it may not snow as much this winter season, when it does, our cities and streets will need Mr. Plow and Señor Salt more than ever and for longer periods of time.

While we always recommend the many powers of prediction (from the National Weather Service to The Old Farmer’s Almanac), nothing prepares a snow professional more than having his tools ready for the unpredictable. Without having to buy a new dedicated machine for the snow jobs ahead or convert your brand new truck, consider attaching a snow blower to your skid steer loader. Most of us think of a skid loader as a construction or landscape tool, but it can easily adapt to jobs in the cold and snow. Utilizing a snow blower attachment, a contractor or private user can expand his ability to service new customers or clean up snow-covered operations.

“Just ensure you understand your demands,” says David Kweram, sales support consultant for Caterpillar Work Tools. “Decide how often you will be expected to remove snow and generally how deep the snow will be. What is the normal temperature and are snowfalls usually light and drifting or heavy and icy? Also, which type and size of machine the contractor is planning to use will play a part in the sizing of the snow blower. If the contractor uses the machine in the off-season, he or she must also prepare the snow blower and skid steer for work in the cold weather. The first place to start is at your local dealer.”

Know the Blower

When the winter weather looms ominous, the snow machines begin to crawl across city streets, through parking lots and down highways. Plow trucks, big wheel loaders and walk-behind snow throwers careen through drifts with purpose and composure. Fitted with a snow blower attachment, a skid steer can accomplish many
of these same snow jobs. First thing’s first, visit your dealer and discover the right tool for your tool carrier.

“Typically, snow blower attachments are categorized by size,” says Justin Odegaard, attachment product specialist for Bobcat Co. “Within size ranges, the models vary by hydraulic flow to include high-flow models. A customer can choose the size of snow blower that best fits his application, usually the same width or slightly larger than the carrier, then the proper hydraulic motor can be fitted to match the carrier’s flow. High-flow motor packages can also be fitted to standard snow blowers as well.”

Skid steers are offered in two hydraulic flow configurations — standard (19 to 25 gpm) and high flow (25 to 40 gpm). High-flow hydraulics give that customer more opportunities to run bigger and more powerful blowers, although most snow blowers work just dandy on standard flow machines. Unless the customer typically removes large amounts of snow — at high elevations or uses the attachment as part of a commercial snow removal business — high flow is just an added bonus.

Along with flow, determine the width of snow blower with your dealer. Ideally, the blower should be at least as wide as the machine, if not a few inches wider. Work with a dealer to pinpoint your exact model using your machine specs to determine the correct motor package for your snow blower. Knowing the type of typical snowfall will also help — heavy and wet snow requires more torque to push through, whereas the light and fluffy stuff needs more speed to help throw the snow further. “Tell the salesperson if you have any width restrictions,” notes Odegaard. “If you clear mostly 5-ft sidewalks, the machine and snow blower should not be over 60 in. If much of the work is on open lots, width will likely not be an issue.”

The distance that the skid steer’s snow blower can throw will depend upon the snow’s density, wind conditions and temperature, according to Kweram. Wet snow or snow that is beginning to melt will not be thrown as far as lighter snow in colder conditions. Generally, in optimal conditions, a snow blower’s capability will range from 20 to 45 ft. Of course, throwing snow with the wind will provide greater distances, especially when the snow is light and ambient conditions are well below 32 degrees F. The snow blower attachment mounts via the loader’s quick-attach interface and uses the machine’s standard or high-flow auxiliary hydraulics to drive the blower’s auger and fan, which propels snow through the chute.

“For many models, the direction and opening of the discharge chute can be electrically controlled from inside the cab,” explains Brad Lemke, director of new product development for ASV Inc. “Electrical connections are quick, easy and secure using the built-in, loader-mounted electrical receptacle and matching
connector from the blower. ASV snow blower packages include all mounting hardware and hydraulic lines for connection, including quick-connect fittings and a
pre-wired electrical connector.” Snow blower attachments for skid steers range in list price from around $4,000 for the smallest Bobcat snow blower to $9,000 for the largest high-flow models. This pricing is driven by the market, snow throwing performance and the match of machine size and capability.

Operation Snow Maintenance

The glacial environment of your winter worksite will be demanding. Snow, ice, mud, rock and salt is the dirty cocktail you will push and blow this season, which means your equipment and attachments need to be in tiptop shape to withstand the rigors of winter’s grind. For tips on winterizing your skid steer carrier, read the
sidebar on page 33. Of course, snow tires, chains and a cab are always wise investments. When it comes to the operation and upkeep of your snow blower, there are a few essential items to keep in mind as you work with or on a blower attachment. Remember that this is a hydraulic implement working in cold conditions, so damage to the hydraulic components on the snow blower and damage on the host machine can occur. To minimize these snags, ensure that the male and female quick-disconnect fittings are in proper operating condition. Then rundown this check list:

1. Check for hydraulic oil loss.
2. Remove all outside protective covers, such as covers on hydraulic couplings, discharge chute and the auger.
3. Remove all sealing tape.
4. Check the condition of the impeller and the discharge chute. Inspect the chute chains and tighten the chains or replace the chains as necessary.
5. Inspect the condition of the auger housing, impeller housing, discharge chute and deflector. Replace the plastic lining on the discharge chute, if necessary. Replace the plastic lining on the deflector, if necessary.
6. Inspect the condition of all hoses, fittings and electrical wiring. Replace any damaged components. Replace any worn components.
7. Remove all tie-downs.
8. Confirm the compatibility between the snow blower and the host machine.

Generally, the hydraulic hoses should also get some attention and go through a conditioning procedure. This will vary by the expected ambient temperature conditions, as well as the sales model of the machine being used. Consult your local dealer for details related to hydraulic hose conditioning for very cold conditions. “Also ensure that front and rear operating lights are illuminated at all times, so that pedestrians are aware of the snow removal operation and also aware of any changes to the direction that the snow is being thrown,” continues Kweram. “When in deep snow, obstructions beneath the snow can cause problems with all snow blowers. If the snow blower stalls, stop the tool, back up the machine and reverse the direction of the tool and dislodge the obstruction. Do not attempt to continue forward until you identify the obstruction. Large rocks and other obstructions can damage the auger and impeller to a point that the tool will need to be sent to the shop.”

Before operations begin, make sure your snow blower is level to prevent wear on blades and other connect fittings. When level, your snow blower attachment will run along the ground in a smooth sliding motion. If your attachment is positioned at an angle, the snow blower could catch or dig into obstructions under the snow.
If this happens, adjust skid shoes based on the surface. If a clean surface is required, set the skid shoes at a depth where the cutting edge behind the auger will be able to scrape the surface clean. If removing snow from gravel, set the skid shoes higher so the blower does not pick up unwanted debris.

Typically, you want to set the engine speed to HIGH IDLE. Move the machine’s work tool control to the FLOAT position. Use the work tool control TILT position in order to move the snow blower on the cutting edge or the skid plates. While blowing, travel at a speed that will allow the auger to keep up with the travel speed of the machine. Traveling too fast could cause the auger and or discharge chute to become clogged. The operator should always position the discharge chute and spout away from pedestrians, co-workers, vehicles, houses or anything else that could be damaged by the flying snow.

“When working your snow blower attachment into pre-existing snow banks, progress forward slowly as long-standing snow banks can be frozen harder than they appear,” explains Lemke. “By moving forward slowly, you’ll prevent damaging the snow blower attachment from larger pieces of frozen snow or ice that break apart during the snow removal process.” After that long day of work, and once the machine and auger attachment are off, use a small brush or broom to remove hardened snow. By removing frozen and excess snow, your snow blower attachment will be ready to operate efficiently the next morning. Now with a field-proven implement in your tool belt and the knowledge to maintain it and its tool carrier, your operations will skate through the cold season into a clear path of success.

Keith Gribbins is managing editor of Compact Equipment.