How to Get Your Snow Blower Ready for Winter
The first big snowstorm of the season might still be weeks away, but now is the time to get your snow blower ready. For one thing, if there’s a major issue with the machine (engine starting trouble and damaged augers are the most common breakages, based on our latest brand reliability report), you’ll need time to make the repair. For another, you don’t want to be fiddling with shear pins or making other spot fixes in frigid weather, as the snow piles up on the driveway.
That’s why we encourage you to spend an hour or so this weekend getting your snow blower ready for winter. Our outdoor power equipment pros have boiled down the process to a few essential steps.
Step 1: Fill 'Er Up
This step obviously doesn’t apply to owners of electric snow blowers. For owners of gas snow blowers, you’ll ideally have either drained the tank or filled it with stabilized fuel when you retired the machine for the season last spring. If not, hopefully your blower will forgive you by starting up with the first pull on the starter cord or press of the electric start button.
You’ll have dodged a pretty big bullet since old, unstable fuel can gum up the carburetor and fuel passages. Don’t push your luck any further. Instead, drain the old fuel using a siphon or turkey baster. Then fill the tank with gas and top it off with a fuel stabilizer, available at home centers and gas stations.
Step 2: Check the Oil
You used to have to mix the oil in with the gasoline on many single-stage snow blowers. With today’s models, there’s a separate oil reservoir and dipstick, just like you see on a car. Start by checking the oil. If it’s dark and dirty, which it probably will be if you haven’t replaced it in a year, it’s time for a change.
Most reservoirs have a bolt that you unscrew, then tilt the machine back and drain the old oil into a container. Screw the bolt back in place and refill the reservoir with clean oil, referring to your owner’s manual for the proper type and grade.
Step 3: Kick the Tires
We’re starting to see multi-stage snow blowers with airless tires, with Troy-Bilt leading the way. But unless you have one of these newer machines, your snow blower has standard pneumatic tires—and there’s a good chance they’re low on air, which will make the machine unwieldy to push around.
Check the tire wall or your user’s manual for the recommended tire pressure, expressed in pounds per square inch, or psi; most manufacturers recommend between 15 and 20 psi. A regular old bike pump will do the job, if it has a built in gauge. Otherwise, you should use a separate tire gauge to make sure you get the pressure just right. Too much air and the tires could pop, too little and the handling will be compromised.
Step 4: Inspect the Shear Pins
This step only applies to multi-stage blowers. Shear pins are small bolts that are there to protect the transmission in case the auger jams, say after scooping up a large stone or chunk of ice. If the pins show signs of corrosion or wear and tear, replace them with new ones (many snow blowers come with extras, or you can purchase them online or at the home center). The pins slide in place and tighten with a bolt. Never use regular bolts, since they won’t break under pressure, increasing the risk of a fried transmission.
As a final measure, tighten all nuts and bolts, especially around the control, since they tend to loosen as a snow blower vibrates. And lubricate all cables and moving parts as identified in the owner's manual.
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