Why the John Deere 49 Snowblower Still Rules
If you've spent any time looking for a reliable method to clear your driveway, you've possibly stumbled across the john deere 49 snowblower . It's among those classic pieces of equipment that simply won't quit, also though many associated with the units you see on the particular used market are older than the individuals buying them. Right now there is a cause these items are still so popular within the tractor community, plus it isn't just because these people look cool hanging off the front of a vintage garden tractor.
I've seen plenty associated with guys trade within modern, shiny blowers just to get back to a refurbished Model 49. It's constructed like a container, it's relatively simple to work upon, and once a person get it dialed in, it could proceed a surprising amount of snow. But, such as anything decades older, it has the quirks. If you're considering picking one particular up or you've got one sitting in the shed requiring some love, there's a great deal to speak about.
Some Context
The particular john deere 49 snowblower had been primarily designed for the 140 and the 300-series backyard tractors. We're talking about legends such as the 314, 316, 317, and the giant 318. If you own among those vehicles, the Model 49 is basically the "correct" attachment.
Funny enough, even though it's the "49, " the particular clearing width is all about 46 inches. I assume 49 seemed better in a brochure back in the 70s. It's a single-stage blower, meaning the particular auger does all the work—it chews up the snowfall and flings this out your chute within one motion. Modern two-stage blowers have an impeller to help with the throwing, but don't allow the single-stage style fool you. Whenever these things are usually spinning at the right RPM, these people can really release the white stuff.
The advantages of the Single-Stage Design
There is a huge debate in the tractor forums about single-stage versus two-stage blowers. The lot of people assume two-stage is always better because it's "more advanced, " but the particular john deere 49 snowblower can make a strong situation for the old-school way.
First off, right now there are fewer moving parts. You've obtained the auger, the drive chain, and some bearings. That's about it. When something breaks—and ultimately it will—it's generally pretty easy in order to see what proceeded to go wrong. You aren't digging through complex gearboxes just in order to look for a snapped flag.
The key to making the single-stage work well is speed. You need that auger spinning fast enough to create centrifugal force. If you're just putting along at half accelerator, the snow is simply going to dribble out of the chute. Yet when you've obtained a 318 pinned at full chief excutive and you strike a bank associated with dry powder, the particular Model 49 is really a beast.
The particular Infamous "Flap Mod"
If a person talk to anyone who has owned the john deere 49 snowblower for over a week, they'll probably ask you if you've "done the flap imod yet. " This is probably the solitary most common customization people do, and for good reason.
Since the 49 is a single-stage, there's usually a distance between the auger blades and the housing. When the particular snow is damp or slushy, this tends to just sit in that gap and clog everything up. It's incredibly frustrating in order to have to prevent every single five minutes to poke a stay down the chute.
The particular "flap mod" entails bolting pieces associated with heavy-duty rubber (like baler belt or even thick pond liner) to the middle paddles of the auger. This shuts the gap, essentially turning the auger right into a squeegee. It makes a massive difference in how far the blower throws snowfall, especially the weighty, wet "heart attack" snow that usually stops single-stage blowers dead in their particular tracks.
Coping With the Chute
One associated with the few gripes people have with the john deere 49 snowblower is the manual chute adjustment. Based on which version you might have, you might be reaching on the engine to crank the handle simply to modify the direction from the snow.
A lot of guys get innovative here. I've observed some pretty smooth setups using electric powered window motors from old cars or small linear actuators to handle the chute rotation and the deflector pitch. In case you're handy having a welder and several basic wiring, a person can turn the 1975 snowblower straight into something that seems much more modern. It beats obtaining a face complete of snow because the wind shifted and also you were too lazy to reach for the particular manual crank.
Maintenance and Maintaining it Alive
It's easy in order to forget that these blowers are often forty or 50 years of age. They need a little bit associated with respect. The travel chain is the particular heart of the machine, and it's usually hidden behind the cover where it's easy to disregard. Don't ignore it.
Keep that chain lubed and create sure the tension is right. If it's too loose, it'll jump and chew up the teeth on the sprockets. If it's too tight, you're putting unnecessary stress on the bearings. Speaking of bearings, in the event that you hear a high-pitched squeal when you engage the PTO, stop immediately. Replacing a $15 bearing is easy; replacing a shaft that's been have scored or warped since a bearing seized up is an entire different headache.
Also, check your shear pins. Individuals sometimes get discouraged when a pin button snaps and they'll toss a normal grade-8 bolt in there. Don't do that will. The shear pin is designed to crack so your expensive transmission or tractor PTO doesn't. It's the $2 part that saves a $500 repair. Buy a handful of them and keep them in the toolbox upon the tractor. You'll thank yourself whenever you accidentally strike a frozen amount of ice or perhaps a stray garden stone in the black.
Buying an Used Model 49
If you're hunting for a john deere 49 snowblower on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, there are usually a few things you should look with regard to. First, check the particular bottom of the housing. These things lived their lives upon salty driveways, plus rust is the particular number one killer. The little surface corrosion is fine—you may sand and color that—but when the metal is thin good enough to poke the screwdriver through, walk away.
Minute, make sure the mounting brackets are usually actually there. You will find different mounting setups depending on which usually tractor you're putting it on. If the seller states "it fits all John Deeres, " they're probably wrongly diagnosed. You want to make sure the lift addition and the drive belt pulley system complement your particular tractor design. Tracking down missing installation hardware can occasionally cost as much as the blower itself.
Lastly, spin the auger by hand (with the tractor off, obviously! ). It should spin fairly freely. If this feels "crunchy" or wobbles side-to-side, the particular bearings are chance. It's not the dealbreaker, but it's a good bargaining point to fall the cost a little bit.
Conclusions
At the end of the day time, the john deere 49 snowblower is a piece associated with Americana. It represents a time whenever things were created to be repaired rather than thrown away. Yeah, it could be a little bit loud, and it might require you in order to get a hands oily from time to time, but there's something incredibly satisfying about clearing a foot of snow having a machine that's older than you are.
It's not just about the particular utility; it's about the experience. There's a certain tempo to using the Model 49. A person learn exactly exactly how fast to drive, how to listen to the engine weight, as well as how to aim that chute just best. Once you have it figured out, you'll actually start looking forward to the next large storm. Well, maybe not looking forward to it, but you definitely won't be dreading it as significantly.
In case you find a tremendous amount on one, grab it. Clean it up, the actual argument mod, and keep the chain oiled. It'll probably still be throwing snow after the particular plastic-covered blowers with the big-box shops have been flipped into scrap metallic. It's simply a solid, honest tool that will does just what it was built to do. What more can a person really ask for?