Snow Blower handle?

13 years ago

I have a 3.5hp/21" Sears/Craftsman snow thrower that is usually adequate for most Northern Virginia winters (except for this last one - for the big snows, I was running it every four hours!)

It's pretty much bulletproof...except for the handle. It has a standard folding handle with 2 wingnuts/curved washers/bolts) like most lawn mowers. That's usually no problem, but over time, and under load, the handle folds like a cheap lawn chair. I've tightened up the bolts, replaced the washers, crimped the handle so that it still forms to the lower part....but it still collapses under any pressure.

Any good solutions to keep it from collapsing? I could buy a new handle, but it's made of the same stamped steel...and would probably develop the same problem. (BTW, zip ties won't work....already tried that).

Thanks in advance.......The blower started up fine...so that's step #1. Step #2 is to fix the handle before we get a big snow.

Comments (5)

aj_allen
13 years ago
stainless steel hose clamps! Two per side! One above bolt one below.

AJ
kokomo61
Original Author
13 years ago
Did the hose clamp trick - it seems pretty sturdy....we'll see when the first snow hits.

Although, I was a little disappointed that it works....Sears has a nice, shiny, 24" 2-stage self-propelled, electric start blower on sale....
Related Professionals
Seabrook Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Maple Heights Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · McKinney Landscape Contractors · Dudley Landscape Contractors · Estelle Landscape Contractors · Fort Wayne Landscape Contractors · Fridley Landscape Contractors · Gallatin Landscape Contractors · Lemoore Landscape Contractors · Longmont Landscape Contractors · Middle River Landscape Contractors · Kingsburg Landscape Contractors · North Aurora Landscape Contractors · Ferguson Landscape Contractors · Champaign Carpenters
roadbike
13 years ago
Yeah, I shoveled about every 4 hours in that storm except once. Big mistake.

If you have enough surface on the handle lock washers should give those wing nuts some grip.
kokomo61
Original Author
13 years ago
The problem is not that the washers aren't holding - it's that the handle deforms under pressure....and the wing nuts are very tight.

The design itself is bad - there's only one attachment point, and it acts as a pivot under too much load. It happens when there's just too much snow for a 3.5 HP single-stange, non-propelled blower.

For now, the hose clamp fix seems to be working. If winters are going to be as bad as the last one, I'll likely have to go bigger, but for now, I'm OK with the smaller blower.
roadbike
13 years ago
That makes sense. Glad to read those versatile hose clamps worked.