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Snowblower damaging asphalt

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brian1974
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 11 Gilboa, NY
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2005-12-19          121382

I purchased a Loftness 72" snowblower. It's very rugged and blows snow really well. The problem is that it is so heavy that if the cutting edge comes in contact with the pavement, it just peels it up. I suppose I could adjust the top link to leave more clearance from the ground, but that leaves so much behind. I dreamed about cleaning the driveway in minutes instead of 1.5 hours with the walk behind, but screwing up the pavement isn't worth it. Anyone else have this problem with a 3pt blower?

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Snowblower damaging asphalt

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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2005-12-19          121393

I'd be looking for estimates if that blower can tear up blacktop! I'd be after the installer! I've never heard of something like that happening to blacktop even with doen pressure I've never been able to do more then groove mine from an exposed bolt head on the cutting edge. ....

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Snowblower damaging asphalt

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harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2005-12-20          121396

Art is correct there is no way you should be peeling up BT. During the fall doing ditch cleaning on state highways we can use tracked excavators.

All that said I've seen many times the home owner opted for the cheapest asphalt they could get and ended up with just 1" of top spread down some gravel.

Home drive ways should have a minimun of 2" compacted base or binder then 1" minimun compacted top. This is on top of 6" or so of good Item4 gravel or a crusher run.

....

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Snowblower damaging asphalt

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brian1974
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 11 Gilboa, NY
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2005-12-20          121423

Ok, after reading my post over again I note a poor choice of wording. The blower isn't peeling up the asphalt entirely and shooting it onto the lawn, but rather the cutting edge gouges the asphalt when it reaches a high spot, such as over the culvert. The driveway is 25 years old and getting bumpy in places. I suppose I'd be better off with a blade. ....

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Snowblower damaging asphalt

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yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan
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2005-12-20          121428

Doesn't the blower have shoes on it? If so, can you round the corners so there are no sharp edges to dig in! ....

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Snowblower damaging asphalt

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harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2005-12-20          121436

If your drive way asphalt is 25 years old and in good shape except for the cutting edges digging in you have an excellent drive.

That said what kind of sealers have you used?

YUP it is a little late in the season to talk sealers. Me thinks a good sealer with AC30 for base or straight would do a lot to bring back the asphalts intregrity. You can not buy this in buckets. It has to come out in a heated tank.

In the mean time I would adjust the top link so the cutting edge does not cut. ....

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Snowblower damaging asphalt

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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2005-12-20          121447

Shorten the top link and lower the skid shoes. ....

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Snowblower damaging asphalt

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ncrunch32
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 762 Kingston, NY
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2005-12-20          121450

Harvey, when I moved into my house the blacktop driveway had never been sealed. When kids left bicycles on the driveway they fell over 15 minutes later and I noticed that the kickstands went right through the blacktop! So I proceeded to seal the driveway every 2 years with Agway's premium sealer. The driveway has gotten much better and I am very satisfied. But this sealer you recommend - is that what the driveby people who offer $100 to spray your driveway use? I have opted not to use those folks because the mix always seemed so thin and the sealer I use seems to fill gaps very well. ....

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Snowblower damaging asphalt

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harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2005-12-21          121454

The drive bys are usually using some type of emlusion. Talk to a "LOCAL" contractor.

1st they can look at the condition of your asphalt.
2nd they should have access to different sealer products from a local bulk supplier.
3rd they are some one you can grab by the neck if you need some satifaction.

We generally buy a generic sealer in bulk from a major supplier. However we have many different products that work in different applications.

I have a couple of long stories about driveby pavers and they include "SPECIAL MIX" for $100 a ton but since it was left over they can give you a price of $50 per ton cash. Our most expensive polymer modified mixes do not come close to $50 a ton. ....

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Snowblower damaging asphalt

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brian1974
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 11 Gilboa, NY
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2005-12-22          121582

Thanks Art, I don't know why I didn't think of lowering the shoes and shortening the top link. Frustration is blinding I guess. I tried it yesterday on the gravel drive outside the barn and it seems as if it could help. The thing leans toward the tractor now instead of toward the cutting edge. As for the 25 y/o asphalt, it's been sealed once a year with your typical Agway/Walmart driveway sealer. Probably the main credit is due to my mother who always painstakingly sealed the larger cracks with crack sealer. Anyway, I still feel I overbought with this huge 3 pt. blower for our relatively small drive. But maybe I'll keep it around for a while...I'm sure it would really earn its keep during those occasional blizzards in the Albany, NY area! ....

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