Forums Archive Index > Outdoor Power Equipment > Weight bar

Author: robmints

Date: 25 Dec 2005 9:37 pm

http://www.j3soft.com/dl/weight_bar/

A pretty nice, clean install. I might have put one inside and one on the top to make it 40# of extra weight. But it looks like a real nice job.

Author: Marshall

Date: 25 Dec 2005 10:26 pm

Pretty sharp! Where did you come across this?

Author: robmints

Date: 25 Dec 2005 11:45 pm

It's a secret. But here's a hint.

Author: Marshall

Date: 26 Dec 2005 12:10 am

LOL 10-4.

Author: jubol

Date: 26 Dec 2005 5:38 am

All,
I do not deserve credit for the Weight Bar mod!!

Joe Janus sent me a Email on his, which Rob posted on this site!!!

Fred

Author: krislu

Date: 26 Dec 2005 6:37 am

Looks good, Let's hear how you like it and how it improved performance under load (in action) when the next big one hits. - Kris :D

Author: SnowPro

Date: 26 Dec 2005 12:46 pm

Very nice, clean setup. That should work quite well. I think I am going to give that a try on one of my 26" machines. I have been thinking about adding weight for some time now. I think the pics have given my motivation to try it out.

Ken
:idea:

Author: jubol

Date: 26 Dec 2005 1:11 pm

Rob,

On his machine and mine there is 26 in's from axel center to center of weight bar.

So his 20.625 lb weight is excerting 44.6875 foot lbs of downward force on the front of his blower.

Having a 40 lb weight would excert about 86.666 foot lbs more downward force on the front of your blower.

I think it might be a little much!!
Fred

Author: dave___in___ct

Date: 26 Dec 2005 1:25 pm

Nice solution !

I'm wondering if a couple strips of velcro will hold the bar to the top of the housing... :?:

...eliminates the drilling and bolts...
...EZ on/off too...

Dave...

Author: SnowPro

Date: 26 Dec 2005 1:29 pm

jubol wrote:
Rob,




Having a 40 lb weight would excert about 86.666 foot lbs more downward force on the front of your blower.

I think it might be a little much!!
Fred

I think I have to agree. While that much weight sounds like it will make the front stay on the ground, I think that the mounting points where the front and the back are bolted together could be overly stressed, when you are lifting the front of the machine. Also, the mounting bolts for the handles may be stressed more too.

I found that the 26" machines that I have became a little "tail heavy" when they were retrofitted with the new B&S Intek engines. The old engines were a little more weighted to the front. With the new engines, the front wants to pop up more, and it makes for harder work to keep it down. I think that 20lbs ought to do it. I (personally) don't run those machines very much, but I see them popping up quite a bit.
One of my favourite machines is the Ariens 13/32. With the battery on the front, it doesn't pop up much! :lol:

Ken
:)

Author: SnowPro

Date: 26 Dec 2005 1:34 pm

dave___in___ct wrote:
Nice solution !

I'm wondering if a couple strips of velcro will hold the bar to the top of the housing... :?:

...eliminates the drilling and bolts...
...EZ on/off too...

Dave...

I don't know........
Sounds good, but 20lbs, I think, would be a little much for the velcro to hold together. Also, the glue on the back of the velcro would have to be amazing, I would think. Vibration would be a factor, I'm thinking.

Yes, you would have to drill and bolt, but, once the bar is on, I don't see a need to remove it very often, or at all.

My 0.02

Ken
:)

Author: Bill_D

Date: 26 Dec 2005 1:53 pm

Lotsa duct tape. :lol: :roll:

Author: jubol

Date: 26 Dec 2005 2:02 pm

Snowpro,

My weight which came with my blower, is 21 in's long, 2.5 in's wide, and .5 in's thick.

It weighs about 7.5 lb's, which excerts about 16.25 foot lb's of downward force on the front of my blower.

Auger width is 26 in's!!! Blower weighs about 265 lb's without the weight.

Hope this helps in deciding what weight to add!!

Front

Author: SnowPro

Date: 26 Dec 2005 2:07 pm

jubol wrote:
Snowpro,

My weight which came with my blower, is 21 in's long, 2.5 in's wide, and .5 in's thick.

It weighs about 7.5 lb's, which excerts about 16.25 foot lb's of downward force on the front of my blower.

Auger width is 26 in's!!! Blower weighs about 265 lb's without the weight.

Hope this helps in deciding what weight to add!!

Front
Weight sounds pretty similar to my 26" machines. I was going to start with 10lbs and go from there, now that I have some motivation (and time) to give it a try.

Thanks,
Ken
8)

Author: dave___in___ct

Date: 26 Dec 2005 2:43 pm

Agree on the velcro adhesive being a weak point...

How about multiple lighter weight bars... and longer bolts... so the weight can be adjusted if you want... probably would want to mount these on top of the housing...

Dave...

Author: SnowPro

Date: 26 Dec 2005 3:20 pm

Here is the idea that I was going to try first..........

There are already holes on the side of the collector for the drift cutter bars. I was going to try using a couple of old steel weight-lifting weights. Either 5 or 10 pounds each and bolt them to the sides of the collector. Now I know that it won't look as clean as that undermounted bar, but maybe that is a way of "dialling in" the amount of weight that would work best for your specific machine. With one weight on each side, then the machine will still be balanced. Saves drilling.........to start atleast.

:?: :idea:

Ken
:)

Author: robmints

Date: 26 Dec 2005 5:35 pm

Fred,

I'm not tracking with your math. You would be right that lengthing the arm would multiply the force if you were tightening the lug bolts. The wheels may seem to be the center, but the center IMO is the skids. In order to multiply the weight on the skids the weight needs to be in front of the skids. Otherwise 20# directly over the skids is 20# not 40#.

That said 40# might be too much. My solution? Buy a Honda with tracks.

Author: dave___in___ct

Date: 26 Dec 2005 6:00 pm

Great approach Snowpro !

Dave...

Author: Highwind

Date: 26 Dec 2005 7:11 pm



Just to follow on what Robmints has noted. Adding 20 lbs of weight over the skids gives you 20 lbs extra force at the skids. The added weight times the distance from the axle to the weight is a moment arm in inch-lbs. (20 lbs X 26 inches = 520 inch-lbs of torque) This would be the extra torque you'd have to apply at the handlebars to overcome the added weight when you try to tilt the auger housing up.

Author: Spectrum

Date: 26 Dec 2005 9:17 pm

And picking up from highwind you take the distance from the axel center to the hand hold position in inches. Divide that into the 520 in/lb and you get the extra required down pressure.

Once upon a time they use that steel to make the machines stronger, not to add stress to it. :(

Pete

Author: krislu

Date: 27 Dec 2005 9:43 am

Spectrum wrote:


Once upon a time they use that steel to make the machines stronger, not to add stress to it. :(

Pete


Pete- Not a truer statement made ! The manufactures are making people pay extra for what they should be giving us in the first place. - Kris :D

Author: Richie

Date: 27 Dec 2005 11:35 am

robmints wrote:
It's a secret. But here's a hint.




Man, that was really funny!

Author: bmwe0692
Subject: Weights

Date: 27 Dec 2005 1:33 pm

Could you take 2 straps- 1/4x1x12",(or heavier thickness)make an elongated U. With a little lip under the top edge of the housing,with a set screw to hold them in place.
Weights could have a notch cut in the bottom of them- the notch would hold the weights in place when turning or pushing down on the handles.
Then you could add or remove weight as needed for tough eod or
just a regular snow fall.
Could cover the straps with old garden hose or scrap carpet to avoid scratches.
Just kicking around some ideas and my $0.02
T.J.
Hope all had a very MERRY CHRISTMAS
Wishing you a very Happy New Year.

Author: Geno
Subject: weight?

Date: 28 Dec 2005 11:50 am

hello all- I never even knew they had weight's on front of snowblowers. I can see where that would be beneficial. I had a lot of raising on the front of my blower last snowfall. some is ok as I have gravel drive..but it was just to much in my opinion. have a question here: other than being a bit ugly..could I put a 3" x 10" flat bar on topside of the housing with a 1" diameter pipe welded in center sticking up perpendicular so as to slip on 10# weightlifting plates? add or decrease as needed. I think the upright need only be about 4" , that would hold 3- 10# plates or 2- 20# plates. bad or good idea anyone? thankyou p.s. very neat job on those bars! Gene

Author: jubol

Date: 28 Dec 2005 11:55 am

:D Geno,

What you are thinking of doing, might bend your auger housing.

Might want to reconsider!!
Fred 8)

Author: Marshall

Date: 28 Dec 2005 12:22 pm

Geno, sounds good to me, don't know how purdy it would be but I am sure it would work. Might want to watch the amount of weight you add, obviously.

Author: Walt

Date: 28 Dec 2005 12:50 pm

Geno,

If you used blackpipe, you could use the pipe threads on the end to screw on a pipe cap.

I don't know about the engineering/weight aspects of it all.

Walt

Author: Geno
Subject: thanks- I didn't see but,Snopro already had similar..

Date: 28 Dec 2005 6:41 pm

oop's- Snopro had basically same Idea- Sorry didn't see his post. Will have to consider this but really hate to drill as it is a vintage machine and to my knowledge..no one has one of these here ( Dayton from grainger w/ paddle wheel like Simplicitys). maybe I can revise a c-clamp set-up welded to the flat stock. gosh...maybe I ought to run to the 'patent' office first! na,.save myself some embarasment. LOL and thanks Gene

Author: Spectrum

Date: 28 Dec 2005 9:13 pm

If your cutter (scraper) bar is not really sharp try sharpening it. Also make sure the cutter bar is at least 1/8 above the pavement. It can make a big difference.

Pete