[MrMatt57]

This will be my first winter with my JD 318 with a 49 snowthrower. I know it's only a single stage blower, so I don't know what kind of snow it will like. Any pointers and/or things to look out for would be greatly appreciated.

I've got my cab on ready to go, so we probably won't get any snow at all

Here's a pic:

 

[Wayne195]

Awesome rig there Matt! I especialy like the cab, that'll do a great job of keeping the blowing snow out.

Also, welcome to the forum!

 

[Ingersoll444]

As for tips... keep the housing, and chute clean, and smooth. Also keep the revs up. Thats what blows the snow. One other thing to remember is the single stage blowers like to be filled with snow. Those 1-2" snowfalls can be a issue unless you go fast. So adjust your ground speed depending on the snowload.

 

[abumpa]

Sweet set up!! I have no experience with a blower like yours so I will be very interested in hearing your thought on it after using it. Please keep us informed.

 

[bwdbrn1]

Really nice outfit you've got there! Lots of people sing the praises of the JD 318. Bet you're really looking forward to getting out there with it.

I've read where others use Pam spray on the inside of the chute to help keep them from clogging. Never tried it myself, but if the wife isn't watching this morning, I'll sneak some out of the kitchen and give it a try later this morning.

 

[tlemons]

Hi

I, too, have a 318 with a 49 snowthrower. In short, I'm not happy with its performance. It only throw the snow 3-5 feet. Also, the throat at the base of the chute frequently plugs with snow, even when the snow is relatively dry.

Years ago, I owned a different 318 with a different 49 snowthrower. That combination would throw snow a very long way and almost never plugged. So, I know that a 318/49 combination can perform very well. I just don't know why this combination is working well. I know the tractor performs well, because the lawn mower I use during the summer works very well.

I brought the 318/49 to my local JD dealer, but they couldn't find anything wrong.

Any thoughts/recommendations?

 

[MRiderLeon]

Yet another 318 & 49 owner.

This is also my first season with this machine. We've only had two storms where it got any use at all. This last one had 6 inches or so of heavy wet snow. It got a real workout in that.

I bought mine used, PO would probably say "used up" if he thought I wasn't listening. I replaced the drive chain, cables to turn the chute and now discover that I need to replace the idler pulley on the drive belt. It also needed some minor welding in a few places.

The toughest place that I use mine is on the top deck of a parking garage. The plow truck pushes the snow to the edge of the garage and I use the tractor to throw it over the side. In the six inches of wet snow, I was pushing into a couple of feet of packed wet snow. It can keep up with the plow truck, but I don't have a lot of time to get to the tight places where the truck can't get into.

It won't throw the snow as far as I'd like, but there was a thread on either JD Garden Tractors or Winter Tasks where someone extended the auger and made the throwing panel about an inch narrower. He said that packed more snow into it before it actually threw it out of the spout. Another thread indicated that the clearance between the auger and the housing should be very small, running the blower close to the housing doesn't let snow fall to the outside and slow things down.

Leon.

 

[Wayne195]

Nice machine you got there, Leon; thanks for the picture!

 

[bwdbrn1]

There is a fellow who put a post in the Craftsman/Sears section on MTF about making his own impeller kit for the single stage blower on his Suburban. Maybe something of that sort would work on the JD.

Caution, there is a picture of a Suburban that somebody painted up in Green and Yellow and put 318 on the hood, in case you might be upset by such things.

Suburban - Custom Blower IMPROVEMENT (PIC HEAVY) - MyTractorForum.com - The Friendliest Tractor Forum and Best Place for Tractor Information

 

[JD140 Snowthrower]

MrMatt57, I see you have the late model 49 with the tall chute/spout all of us short spouters dream of. How has your set up been woking at full WOT?
This is also my first snow season with my rig and I'm very happy with it. I added the rubber paddles to my 49 and have not had any issues with it since. Here is a picture of my 49 after the Febuary Blizzard throwing snow over 30 foot.