Seemed to do a good job on the dry, fluffy stuff, I wonder how well it will work on the slushy stuff. Hopefully now that it finally warmed up we won't get to find out. 😁
A few weeks ago we had a heavy wet 10 inches of snow. I have the same blower but the XT1 Lawn tractor with the 18HP Kohler engine. Did just fine, had to go just a little slower but I have a gravel driveway so its just a pain in the ass anyways, the blower works awesome, I just need to build a pair of skid shoes to work on my driveway. The heavier and deeper the snow you'll have to slow down a bit, but it'll work just fine because of the 3 stage impeller it really picks the snow up and gets it out of the way. Deep snow is where these machines shine, the 6 inches or less storms and the 3 stage blowers just don't do as well because you don't have enough snow to feed them to get it through the machine fast enough. Too bad they don't have a way to combine a 2 stage and 3 stage by removing or installing or turning on or off the impeller for the 3rd stage.
@@rodkoehler 68? I'd get a 2 or 3 stage walk behind. With reverse. You don't need to be messing around trying to hook this thing on every season. Either way, you're gonna be just as cold, use more fuel possibly using mower. More wear n tear on mower. Takes up just as much room , equally expensive .... 🤷♂️
Do you think, with chains on the rear wheels, this could handle a steep driveway? Our driveway at our new house is long and has a hill at the beginning off the road. It is also gravel… Trying to figure out what to do about it this winter. We also have lots of lawn and are looking into a new mower.
I have the same set up with a 2016 XT-2 25 hp and 42" 3X blower. I have rear chains, weighted tires and two years ago I added the rear suitcase weight kit which made a huge difference especially when backing up and climbing my steep driveway. I have a very steep 100 foot long driveway with a 30% grade from the garage down to the main road and before I added the suitcase weight kit, it was a bear driving up the driveway blowing snow. Now it's easy peasy with the extra 120 lbs of weight on the back. I also have the soft shell cab which makes a ton of difference when it's windy and the snow is drifting. The soft shell cab doesn't keep you warm however, it keeps you out of the wind and blowing snow.
Looks like it's doing a great job and plenty of power with that Kohler engine. That would be a long walk back and forth with a regular blower. The only concern is with the life span of that Tuff Torq K46 transaxle using tire chains. The yellow, orrange, and green tractors all use this K46 ànd they all have limitations as to how much torque this little guy can handle. It's been over 3 years since this video was posted. How has the tractor/transaxle held up ? All good I hope.
Thanks for the video, I'm considering getting a Cub Cadet XT2 with the snow blower however I'm 69 and have a bad shoulder. I'm wondering how hard it is to raise and lower the blower with the handle
Just mulch the crap out of them then go over it with a bagger. Been doing it that way for ever works great. All the leaves in the corners and crevices I'll blow out into the open and do the mulch and bag thing again. You can fit a shit ton of leaves in a bagger when there mulched up.
The main shaft of mine broke in 4" of snow... Didn't hit anything. Now I have to wait two weeks to get it repaired or spend $170 to do it myself. If I were to do it again I'd just get a walk behind.
I'm looking at a setup like this with an xt2 SLX50 but worried about longevity with the weight of the snow thrower how the steering/front end will hold up with the extra weight
@johnnybravoBoyah ...nah....highest I've seen is 94 and oppressive. It's only like that 4 months out of the year. The rest of the year mid 70s to low 80s.
Kevin, i have a question and i think you are the one who might have the answer. I have a Black G Star Katana it has silver Shimmer/ Sparkle in it but not very reflective, it's not the normal metal flake you would see in Champion plastic much finer and way more of it. I've heard of Shimmer star plastic before, but I've never seen G-star plastic with some type of sparkly glitter like substance in it. What do i have, is it rare, if so maybe i shouldn't throw it. I cannot find anything about G-star plastic with this look. If I had to take a guess what year it was released I would say 2018 or 2019 but not really sure, any information would be appreciated thank you!
Sorry for the mega delay, I didn't notice the comment until now lol. I don't think it would be valuable in any way. I have seen quite a few that are like that, but they are on the rarer side. I'd throw it!
@@kevinwaring2965 No worries Kevin, i finally found out some info on it, it's from the 2017 run and it is considered metal flake G-star even though it's ultra-fine sparkles almost dust like. What threw me off was how fine the metal flake particles were, and I don't remember seeing G-Star MF before. Thanks for the response, and keep it on the fairway✌.
I’ve owned this set up for three years. Awesome blower in dry and very wet snow. Only con is on the tractor when it’s below 20 degrees it will not start. Needs a warm garage.
Mine starts just fine in cold weather. Are you running 30 weight oil? If so you may want to drop to a 20 weight for the colder weather. Also, dump a bottle of HEET into your fuel to get rid of any water that may be in the fuel which will give you starting problems too. I have the Cub Cadet XT1 18HP Kohler and haven't had any starting issues, starts right up regardless of temperatures, I've had my lawn tractor for about 4 years, this will be the 4th season this spring. No issues at all with mine, and I've been using mine mostly for mulching grass/leaves since I got it, the only thing I dislike is it blows a lot of grass out from under the right front of the mower deck and its compounded when using the mulching plug. Otherwise its been a great machine so far. Did a transaxle fluid drain/fill last fall on it fluid was a bit discolored but nothing too bad, no metal shavings or anything noticeable.
I bought the same setup 3 years ago, but have spent the winters in AZ. THIS THING SUCKS in stock form. I have conveyor belt material on the way to close the clearance between the end of the impeller and the housing, and based on the last snowblower I did this to, it should make a big improvement. But honestly, if I had been able to demo this snowblower, I would never have bought it.
I know it's a while ago. And btw i have not actually ran a gardentractor snow blower. Tho i have a garden tractor, and i am thinking about getting/making a blower for it. I have however used a 7hp "manual" blower. And i have a Zetor 4x4 tractor, with a 2,2meter wide blower. And i can say... It's way more comfortable and easier with a garden tractor... :p You will get allot more push, into the snow. And you will sweat allot less... And you will finish the area faster.
It's probably easier with a walk behind you can maneuver easier spin around easier. I can say my walk behind will go full speed in heavy snow and not miss a beat just eats it up.
Our new home will have a long driveway like this. Not wanting to do all that asphalt but also concerned about snow removal. Are you using this blower on a gravel or paved driveway?
It's crushed and milled asphalt, mostly packed, but still kind of loose on top. Definitely very tiny "particle" size. On the blower, there are adjustable skids on either side. I have those placed all the way down allowing the blower to ride a couple inches above the surface. My father in law has the same blower and had it riding on the ground on gravel. He immediately sucked up gravel and sheared the shear-pins on the impeller. He raised his off the ground like mine and hasn't had the issue since then in 3 years.
@@kevinwaring2965 So the fact that he adjusted his blower up a few inches he is able to snowblower on the gravel with no issue? If I understand the design correctly, the skids are on each side? Those side skids are enough to stop the blade from sinking into the gravel and scooping it up?
@@1973cessnaflyer That is correct. The skids keep the blower high enough off the gravel, at least at my in-laws' place it does. Thinking about it, their driveway isn't 100% loose gravel. It's been packed in from driving on it for many years. There is still some loose gravel, though. The only things I would consider would be if there were ruts, or the driveway is crowned, or any situation where the side skids would fall lower than the center, then the center could scoop the ground. Not sure if that makes sense, sorry
So we get to see that your tractor is yellow with black, that your wheels turn and that the snow is white, how what a wonderful location for a go-pro, boring...
Its a pain in the ass to try and film anything with a snow blower like that, everything ends up covered in snow. You have a RUclips channel with snow blowing videos that we can go checkout?
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
I always back my tractor and snowblower into the garage so I can blow my way out!
With that driveway, you'd think he'd have a plow on his truck, but it works pretty well considering his driveway.
Great steering wheel review
thanks for the video, I plan on buying the XT2 and considering getting the snow blower, nice to see it working
November and just mounted snowblower on Craftsman for the winter, snowmobile is ready to go let winter come, lets play!
Seemed to do a good job on the dry, fluffy stuff, I wonder how well it will work on the slushy stuff. Hopefully now that it finally warmed up we won't get to find out. 😁
Definitely. I did run it on the 2" of wet stuff yesterday morning but 2" is nothing. I want a nice heavy 6" wet snow to test it on
A few weeks ago we had a heavy wet 10 inches of snow. I have the same blower but the XT1 Lawn tractor with the 18HP Kohler engine. Did just fine, had to go just a little slower but I have a gravel driveway so its just a pain in the ass anyways, the blower works awesome, I just need to build a pair of skid shoes to work on my driveway. The heavier and deeper the snow you'll have to slow down a bit, but it'll work just fine because of the 3 stage impeller it really picks the snow up and gets it out of the way. Deep snow is where these machines shine, the 6 inches or less storms and the 3 stage blowers just don't do as well because you don't have enough snow to feed them to get it through the machine fast enough. Too bad they don't have a way to combine a 2 stage and 3 stage by removing or installing or turning on or off the impeller for the 3rd stage.
@@wildbill23c How much easier is this than a good walk behind? I'm 68, and considering it....
@@rodkoehler 68? I'd get a 2 or 3 stage walk behind. With reverse. You don't need to be messing around trying to hook this thing on every season. Either way, you're gonna be just as cold, use more fuel possibly using mower. More wear n tear on mower. Takes up just as much room , equally expensive .... 🤷♂️
@@dcsconsumerreviews1632 Thanks. Didn't even know snow throwers came with reverse!
Do you think, with chains on the rear wheels, this could handle a steep driveway? Our driveway at our new house is long and has a hill at the beginning off the road. It is also gravel… Trying to figure out what to do about it this winter. We also have lots of lawn and are looking into a new mower.
With the xt2 and chains I drive up and down hills every snow storm. The locking differential makes a world of difference
I have the same set up with a 2016 XT-2 25 hp and 42" 3X blower. I have rear chains, weighted tires and two years ago I added the rear suitcase weight kit which made a huge difference especially when backing up and climbing my steep driveway. I have a very steep 100 foot long driveway with a 30% grade from the garage down to the main road and before I added the suitcase weight kit, it was a bear driving up the driveway blowing snow. Now it's easy peasy with the extra 120 lbs of weight on the back. I also have the soft shell cab which makes a ton of difference when it's windy and the snow is drifting. The soft shell cab doesn't keep you warm however, it keeps you out of the wind and blowing snow.
Looks like it's doing a great job and plenty of power with that Kohler engine. That would be a long walk back and forth with a regular blower. The only concern is with the life span of that Tuff Torq K46 transaxle using tire chains. The yellow, orrange, and green tractors all use this K46 ànd they all have limitations as to how much torque this little guy can handle. It's been over 3 years since this video was posted. How has the tractor/transaxle held up ? All good I hope.
Thanks for the video, I'm considering getting a Cub Cadet XT2 with the snow blower however I'm 69 and have a bad shoulder. I'm wondering how hard it is to raise and lower the blower with the handle
Don't worry about raising and lowering the blower, it's spring loaded. I'd be more concerned with installing and removal of blower on tractor.
Thank you
I live in the south -- but wonder on how this would work on blowing the fall leaves? I get about 2 feet thick across my property.
Just mulch the crap out of them then go over it with a bagger. Been doing it that way for ever works great. All the leaves in the corners and crevices I'll blow out into the open and do the mulch and bag thing again. You can fit a shit ton of leaves in a bagger when there mulched up.
The main shaft of mine broke in 4" of snow... Didn't hit anything. Now I have to wait two weeks to get it repaired or spend $170 to do it myself. If I were to do it again I'd just get a walk behind.
I'm looking at a setup like this with an xt2 SLX50 but worried about longevity with the weight of the snow thrower how the steering/front end will hold up with the extra weight
They are on the ground most of the time shouldn't be to hard on things other than old tires.
is the motor the 18hp kawasaki?
It has the Kohler 7000 series
As a former Michigander.....I'm so glad I moved to Florida.
@@timwestlake2197 lol 98 degrees and oppressive humidity for 10 months a year. Yuck
@johnnybravoBoyah ...nah....highest I've seen is 94 and oppressive. It's only like that 4 months out of the year. The rest of the year mid 70s to low 80s.
Like ALL Home use snowblowers ,You need to do the first pass slow, then take 1/2 bites after that at a quicker speed.
Kevin, i have a question and i think you are the one who might have the answer.
I have a Black G Star Katana it has silver Shimmer/ Sparkle in it but not very reflective, it's not the normal metal flake you would see in Champion plastic much finer and way more of it. I've heard of Shimmer star plastic before, but I've never seen G-star plastic with some type of sparkly glitter like substance in it. What do i have, is it rare, if so maybe i shouldn't throw it. I cannot find anything about G-star plastic with this look. If I had to take a guess what year it was released I would say 2018 or 2019 but not really sure, any information would be appreciated thank you!
Sorry for the mega delay, I didn't notice the comment until now lol. I don't think it would be valuable in any way. I have seen quite a few that are like that, but they are on the rarer side. I'd throw it!
@@kevinwaring2965 No worries Kevin, i finally found out some info on it, it's from the 2017 run and it is considered metal flake G-star even though it's ultra-fine sparkles almost dust like. What threw me off was how fine the metal flake particles were, and I don't remember seeing G-Star MF before. Thanks for the response, and keep it on the fairway✌.
How many hp is the engine?
Are you located in Howell on Coon Lake Road???
negative
I’ve owned this set up for three years. Awesome blower in dry and very wet snow. Only con is on the tractor when it’s below 20 degrees it will not start. Needs a warm garage.
I didn't have any issues with cold starts thankfully. Coldest start was 10 degrees in the garage. I'll keep an eye out for that issue though.
Mine starts just fine in cold weather. Are you running 30 weight oil? If so you may want to drop to a 20 weight for the colder weather. Also, dump a bottle of HEET into your fuel to get rid of any water that may be in the fuel which will give you starting problems too. I have the Cub Cadet XT1 18HP Kohler and haven't had any starting issues, starts right up regardless of temperatures, I've had my lawn tractor for about 4 years, this will be the 4th season this spring. No issues at all with mine, and I've been using mine mostly for mulching grass/leaves since I got it, the only thing I dislike is it blows a lot of grass out from under the right front of the mower deck and its compounded when using the mulching plug. Otherwise its been a great machine so far. Did a transaxle fluid drain/fill last fall on it fluid was a bit discolored but nothing too bad, no metal shavings or anything noticeable.
@@kevinwaring2965 I’ve started mine at -4 degrees F.
I bought the same setup 3 years ago, but have spent the winters in AZ. THIS THING SUCKS in stock form. I have conveyor belt material on the way to close the clearance between the end of the impeller and the housing, and based on the last snowblower I did this to, it should make a big improvement. But honestly, if I had been able to demo this snowblower, I would never have bought it.
How much easier is this than a good walk behind?
I know it's a while ago. And btw i have not actually ran a gardentractor snow blower. Tho i have a garden tractor, and i am thinking about getting/making a blower for it. I have however used a 7hp "manual" blower. And i have a Zetor 4x4 tractor, with a 2,2meter wide blower. And i can say... It's way more comfortable and easier with a garden tractor... :p You will get allot more push, into the snow. And you will sweat allot less... And you will finish the area faster.
It's probably easier with a walk behind you can maneuver easier spin around easier. I can say my walk behind will go full speed in heavy snow and not miss a beat just eats it up.
Our new home will have a long driveway like this. Not wanting to do all that asphalt but also concerned about snow removal. Are you using this blower on a gravel or paved driveway?
It's crushed and milled asphalt, mostly packed, but still kind of loose on top. Definitely very tiny "particle" size. On the blower, there are adjustable skids on either side. I have those placed all the way down allowing the blower to ride a couple inches above the surface. My father in law has the same blower and had it riding on the ground on gravel. He immediately sucked up gravel and sheared the shear-pins on the impeller. He raised his off the ground like mine and hasn't had the issue since then in 3 years.
@@kevinwaring2965 So the fact that he adjusted his blower up a few inches he is able to snowblower on the gravel with no issue? If I understand the design correctly, the skids are on each side? Those side skids are enough to stop the blade from sinking into the gravel and scooping it up?
@@1973cessnaflyer That is correct. The skids keep the blower high enough off the gravel, at least at my in-laws' place it does. Thinking about it, their driveway isn't 100% loose gravel. It's been packed in from driving on it for many years. There is still some loose gravel, though. The only things I would consider would be if there were ruts, or the driveway is crowned, or any situation where the side skids would fall lower than the center, then the center could scoop the ground. Not sure if that makes sense, sorry
Just use car or truck ,make tracks to smash snow down to 1 inch. Done 🙂
This guys driveway is as long as a freeway lol
s tim traktorem zajet prdely do zadu at mužeš rovnou frezovat z garaže💩😀
So we get to see that your tractor is yellow with black, that your wheels turn and that the snow is white, how what a wonderful location for a go-pro, boring...
When you become a man you'll understand
@@wileecoyote5749 Understand how to take sh*tty videos, This was a terrible video.
Its a pain in the ass to try and film anything with a snow blower like that, everything ends up covered in snow. You have a RUclips channel with snow blowing videos that we can go checkout?
GP Outdoors is an excellent one. You should try using a tripod to install your camera or go pro on. It creates very good results.
Then don't watch it. I got to see a blower and compare it to the cub cadet snow plow. Which is the one I'm getting.