Cub snow thrower power?

[CapeCodCubs]

I got a snow thrower to use because most of my driveway is lined with heavy antique granite blocks and stone walls. Plowing just jams the snow up in places I don't want it. The snow thrower I bought came off a Cub but had no engine. I have a horizontal shaft 8 HP engine I could put on it. Anyone think that the engine is too small. I was thinking 13 HP??? I've been looking for ideas...here's one from Youtube...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVhImkpLhbk

Thanks for any ideas....my engine mounts right behind the thrower not off the side like this vid clip. Chris

[Steve Butram]

Rick Prentice did one for his friend George Hibbs. Contact Rick he should be able to answer your question.

[beaconlight]

Yep Rick is the man. He had it at George Wiler's a couple of years ago and it was awsome. If I remember right it would blow the statues off of Mt Rushmore.

[Jim Becker]

I would think 8hp should be able to throw quite a bit of snow. If I already had the engine, I'd mount it up and see how it did. If it isn't really big enough, you can slow the tractor down and work your way through the snow on the occasions when you get a heavy snowfall. You can always find a bigger engine next year.

[Into Tractors]

I'm with Jim, that should be enough. My self-propelled snowblower runs a 6.HP B&S and it has a width of 30" and does fine.

The Cub mounted version I've been working on will be using an 11HP B&S and which will turn the auger fine, but I think too fast. Need to change the pulley size I think.

[Lurker Carl]

Better to have too much power than just enough, especially if you plan to mount it in front of a Cub. I'm assuming your blower is a 48" wide single stage unit, modern units that size have 18 hp and larger engines. Is your Cub fitted with a speed reducer?

Gravely limits their 12 hp walk behinds to 34" two stage blowers. Even that size blower works the engine hard when moving deep, wet snow.

[SONNY]

I have to agree with Carl!---Cub may run too fast, unless you work the clutch a lot and creep into the deep stuff!!! thanks; sonny

[Rick Prentice]

The biggest issues with the cub was the speed in first gear. I used a 14hp briggs with a 2stage blower(42" with side wings). In bigger drifts, you had to idle the cub down to a minimum, then it was hard to tell if the cub engine was running because the 14hp briggs was running 3/4-full throttle. Trying to get the cub slow enough was the biggest issue. Feathering the clutch was a big pain because you couldn't hear the cub engine. It worked great in smaller amounts of snow, but the really thick, slushy stuff is the challenge. I even tried to gear things up by changing the pulley sizes and really spinning the blower. That didn't work the way I wanted it to. It just pulverized the snow and was hard on the belts. The blower worked better spinning the slower normal speed.

Give the 8hp a try. Maybe you can get something to work. The Howard reducer would've made things work nice. It cuts the ground speed to near 1/2 the normal speed of the cub.

Rick

[Rudi]

Rick's project worked out pretty well, and I would really like to see all the pics again. HE really did a nice job on George's cub blower project.

Rejean up near CFB Valcartier/Bagotville Quebec has already done this as well. Rejean is pretty good fabricator. I would suggest watching these two videos.. I think you would be impressed. I have an 8hp Tecumseh Sno-King that I am going to use. Been planning this project for awhile, thinking on it and getting help and advice from Rejean as well as a few of my Small Engine buddies here in NB.

Farmall Cub 1949 SOUFFLEUR A NEIGE
This is the original video that I found searching the net on blower projects. Much to my surprise this was one of the first that I found.

Farmall Cub 1949 with snow blower details
This particular video was uploaded in direct response to my querying Rejean on the specifics of the project. We have been sharing ideas for about 2 years now..

Hopefully this year I might actually get it done if I have the time. I already have a custom configured 52" blower all ready for the project.

I know Eddie H is also working on this project, and his is pretty well along. I have a feeling Eddie's will be ready before mine.

[Eddie H]

Hey Rudi,
same problem over here, got all the parts and whatever is needed on the table, but can't find the time to assemble the whole shebang, doesn't matter how often I turn around, just can't find the time. Recession, what recession, been busier for the past 3 month than the whole year, but somehow I have to find the time before the white stuff gets too high, as of now it's only 2 1/2 feet, manageable.
You know the saying, 24 hours has the day, plus the night, still not enough.

Eddie

[CapeCodCubs]

I'll give the 8HP a shot...I'll try and get it mounted this weekend while it's still warm outside. It's 60 degrees again today.
I didn't take it to consideration the spunkiness of the Cub in 1st gear...no speed reducer. I also didn't think about not hearing the CUb running at low idle with the auxillary engine running at full throttle. Excellent points, gentlemen! The thrower I got is 48". I'll take some pix but need to clear some space on my memory card and charge the batteries. Rudi, could you see if you can find the older pix of peoples snow thrower projects and Eddie H, glad you are busy, but would like to see what you started. Also EddieH what did you do with your Holland Transplanter project???? Thanks again!!!

[CapeCodCubs]

Eddie H sent me some pix of his snow blower project and man o man is it awesome. Rudi helped him with the idea. I told him to post his pix. Come on Eddie put them out here!!!!!

[Rudi]

Chris:

Eddie has a real good project going and I think it will work once he actually has the time to work on it. I understand that.. for a retired guy, I don't know how I ever found time to actually have a job.. cause since I have retired I run more than I ever have....

It may be a while before I get mine done, I have a 52" wide reconstructed older MTD blower for the project. But, gotta finish the Head, then hydraulic project first... then maybe put a new seat assembly on Granny and then get her set up with the blower... not sure yet.

Rejean actually sent me a bunch of stills of his project, let me know and I can send em to you.. or upload to the Photo-Host maybe tomorrow.

I just gotta let my chest heal, cause I am having a hard time lifting anything at the moment. Doc said, maybe another 6 weeks before it is all healed... dang.. sometimes I hate doing stupid stuff...

[Eddie H]

Hey Chuck,
if I would know how to do it I would, but since you have a bunch put them up, same goes for Rudi, he has some too.

Rudi, can you e-mail me some of Rejean's pics, I'm still in the assembly stage, maybe I see some to make improvements.

Thanks,
Eddie

[CapeCodCubs]

Eddie,
I'm going to forward to Rudi the pix you sent me of your snowthrower and 2 pix I took of mine before my memory card filled up. He can post them because (thanks Rudi) I'm afwul with the Photohost thing. I also know how to get the thrower to chnage directions. And will get into that on the next post.

Rudi,
Geez...I know what you mean about finding time to do stuff...I was out bringing hay to the animals and watering them and I looked a my cell phone to see what time it was...half past midnight. Yikes. Didn't get my engine mounted on the sno thrower...wound up working on an addition. With all most all of my equipment outside and hay and animals in the barns it is getting a little crazy. Will send you my and Eddie's pix...thanks if you can post them that would be great. Oh glad your manual server is working again. Sent Dennis an email about it being down. Chris