Snow caster throwing distance

[DavidBarkey]

What is your Snow caster throwing distance . I have seen pics of others that are throwing farther than mine and want to figure out why .
Mine right now .
powder .. Height about 8-10 feet / distance about 14 - 16 feet
wet .. Height about 6-7 feet / distance 8-10 feet
Thinking back to last year I am sure I was getting better results than I am right now .

What are you guys getting from your machines ???

[MattA]

David my SB48 doesn't throw snow great either.

Certainly doesn't throw snow like this:


Or this (P220 swapped)


Or this


Or this


Some people have added rubber paddles to the center of the snowcaster auger with AFAIK good results.

I "think" the case snowcaster auger distance to the housing is adjustable. I recall reading that the auger needs to be close to the housing to throw better. AFAIK my Ingersoll SB48 auger isn't adjustable.

I believe snowcasters had different sized pulleys over the years (6", 6.5"?) and they had two different chain drive sprockets, one had a few more teeth.

Engine RPMs are around 3600?

Belt/clutch is not slipping?

[propane1]

I’ve never really measured distance with a tape. But I’d say about the same yours Dave.
My John Deere has the same style thrower and it throws a bit better than the Case. Only difference in the two is Case has an 8” chute opening, and the John Deere has a 6” chute opening.

Noel

[DavidBarkey]

I have a RPM guage coming for it . When I first built it and tested it. It was running 3100 rpm full throutle and I upped from 16 to 18 teeth on the drive sprocket . I have now audible rpm loss under load . There are visuable no signs of slippage on the belt , but have no way at this moment to check it under load .

[DavidBarkey]

I did some research and found that the average tip speed is 3000 - 5000 feet per min. for most 2 stage walk behinds and tractor mount blowers these days. I did the math on my caster based on my numbers from before . Using 4000 fpm. as the target . I need 1260 and I was getting 835 rpm . Evan at 3000fpm. that would be 946 rpm . Evan getting the engine up 3600 rpm it would just get up to about 950 rpm and the 3000 fpm . I left the govenor stting at around 3100 rpm because with the low cc heads on it, it make 140psi compression and more power that the P220 in Frankie at a 100psi .

[propane1]

I run the Case 224 around 2700 rpm. Give and take some. Kohler K321 14 hp engine. When I first got it going it had a 5.5” pulley on the drive shaft to the drive sprocket. And it would basically kill the engine rpm almost dead when into lots of snow. Might throw 5’ straight ahead and hardly miss the thrower when throwing to the sides. Very light amount of snow, it then sorta worked. Soooo, I put a 7” pulley in place of the 5.5” pulley. Worked great. Could go through snow bank as high and wide as the blower, engine rpm would stay up and would just keep on chewing. But throwing the normal 10 to 15 feet. And that’s the blowers design trouble. Is my thinking. If the diameter of the auger was bigger. Then it may throw farther. But would have to be geared so the engine will not loose rpm. My Ford LGT tractors snowthower has a bigger diameter auger and it throws much better. But has a different chute than the original one.

There now. That’s a good ramble. Have not had a good one in a long time.

Noel

[Harry]

I can honestly say I have never measured the throwing distance of the caster on the 446. I know the rpm when I checked it was a little less than 3600. I have added rubber paddles to the center of the auger. Kept the chute diameter at 8” but added a foot to the height. I yhink the distance would change with the type of snow. I attached some pics that the took when I cleaned up the driveway the other day. Harry

[propane1]

That’s throwing good Harry.

Noel

[Harry]

David my SB48 doesn't throw snow great either.

Certainly doesn't throw snow like this:


Or this (P220 swapped)


Or this


Or this


Some people have added rubber paddles to the center of the snowcaster auger with AFAIK good results.

I "think" the case snowcaster auger distance to the housing is adjustable. I recall reading that the auger needs to be close to the housing to throw better. AFAIK my Ingersoll SB48 auger isn't adjustable.

I believe snowcasters had different sized pulleys over the years (6", 6.5"?) and they had two different chain drive sprockets, one had a few more teeth.

Engine RPMs are around 3600?

Belt/clutch is not slipping?

Matt, those youtube videos were terrific. I’m not sure whose GT’s they were but they threw the snow very far. Thanks for posting. Harry

[FUTZ]

About adjusting the auger distance to the housing; I don't think it was ever intended by CASE to improve throwing distance. I think it was intended to tighten the chain. But if you do tighten the chain the auger moves away from the housing and the performance is worse. Making the flapper mod by adding a rubber edge and reducing clearance is better than moving adjusting the distance.

Thirty years ago we use to have a lot of snow and all I had was a walk behind. Ever since I got my CASE tractor and snow blower, we haven't had much snow. Now my CASE isn't working, we got a lot of snow and all I have is a walk behind.