We're in a bind

[cutntrim]

Might have to go out plowing tomorrow night if the weatherman is right. Our state of readiness sucks right now. Partly our fault, partly out of our hands.

We've got one snoway serviced and ready to roll, the second snoway is currently sitting in the yard of our dealer ready for servicing (we'll need him to do it tomorrow), our two tailgate salters both work but...

Neither one can be adjusted for different spin speeds. They're both at about half-speed and that's it. Can't dial them up, or down. Also, one of the two only works if you keep your finger on the BLAST button without removing it. Hopefully, those can be looked at quickly tomorrow.

However, the biggest headache is our Meyers pump. We decided after last winter to replace the crappy old E-47 that came used (WELL USED) with our truck. Last week we took in the truck only to find out that the E-60 we ordered hadn't arrived yet. The dealer is hoping for this wednesday. We'll see.

Thing is, our E-47 is so unreliable that it probably won't even work for an hour, let alone all night. The dealer has a new E-47 that we could get installed probably immediately but we've heard the E-60 kicks a-s-s compared to it. Also, he suggested we could get an Arctic pump instead of a Meyers and that it is comparable to the E-60.

So...do we wait for the E-60, even though we have no idea when it'll arrive? Do we just go ahead and get the new E-47, even though it's slow? Or do we opt for the Arctic pump? We're going to try some other dealers around but chances are we won't find an E-60 as early as tomorrow.

Had we have known all this, I wouldn't have gone on vacation to the States earlier this month, and maybe my partner could have talked his wife into not giving birth on Halloween, and maybe we both could have avoided getting sick at the same time this week.

Beauty start to the winter, eh?

 

[mikeslawncare]

E-47 pump

DO NOT get the E-47 pump, one drop of moisture in the oil and it will freeze up, as I am sure you know already. The E-60 is a much better pump, about twice as fast. I just finally got rid of my last E-47 when I picked up a new Fisher 9 1/2 EZ-V. Still have an E-60, no complaints about them except the motor fails once every 2 years, I just keep a spare in the truck.

 

[GeoffD]

You have to replace an E60 motor every 2 years? What are you doing with your plow. I have gone 5 years on an E-60 with no problems. The Only thing I have done is changed the oil every season, and repalced the filters.

Chuck, if you read this, what are your thoughts on a motor failure that quick?

Geoff

 

[diggerman]

Cutntrim as for your sanders is your problem in the remote or the electric drive motor.If it is the remote you might try running it 12V direct and adjusting the flow rate with the gate or buy a heater switch and use it to adjust speed,all of this is only temp until you get a new remote.Careful with the heater switches they can get hot.

Sorry can't help you on the pumps.

 

[Chuck Smith]

Geoff,

mikeslawncare didn't say why the pumps fail every two years. I can say, when my brother's was 2 years old, the motor needed new carbon brushes (another useless subject digger). Instead, he replaced the motor. I would have just replaced the carbon brushes.

Two years later, the motor didn't work again. I opened it up, and two of the spring steel retaining clips holding the carbon brushes in, snapped, and the brushes were just hanging in there. They were crusted with rust. I assume they rusted until they weakened and snapped. Again my brother got a new motor.

I guess the problem here is moisture getting into the motor. Another problem sems to be that the carbon brushes wear fast. People say that the motor is a "Ford starter motor", so I assume it doesn't like to be run steadily that much.


~Chuck

 

[BRL]

I believe I was told at one time that the older E-60's had a design flaw in that there was an easy way for moisture to get into them & no easy way to get it out. I believe a drain plug was designed into the bottom of the newer units (I have no idea when this started) to drain the water out of the motor area. I was told to open the unit up & dry it out after each storm or drill a drain plug into the bottom of them (if it was the older one without the drain plug built in) to drain them after the storms so the water doesn't sit in there rusting the brushes etc. I had that problem with one of the pumps 3 years ago and I'm glad I read this thread because I completely forgot about that problem. I haven't had a problem since with both E-60's, although they haven't gotten much use since then with the lousy winters we've had

Cutntrim,
I don't know how much work you have lined up but if the Meyers set up is a front line unit I'd get a pump, and if it has to be the E-47 I'd sell that after the E-60 shows up, or keep it for a back up. I don't know anything about the Artic unit but maybe someone else has used one & can make a recommendation. Good luck!

 

[AB Lawn Care]

Cutntrim-Don't feel bad!Your not the only ontario boy in a mess!Thankfully I only have to convert my mowers to blowers.I have to covert my walker to a blower and have to get my scag walkbehind's plow on.Hopefully I will have it all done today!!!I hope!!!!!

Keep in there buddy!Were all in the same boat!

 

[cutntrim]

Adam,

Did you guys get any of the white stuff today? Niagara got a whole mess of it in some areas. They were calling for 10-15cm in Hamilton but it didn't happen. We plow in Burlington and Oakville and got nothing. Good thing 'cause our one Snoway is still sitting in the dealer's lot unserviced and we still have the old E-47 on our Meyer truck.

By tomorrow night we should be good to go. Another dealer (Skyway Lawn in Hamilton) had an E-60 and we're getting it put on tomorrow morning. He'll also fix the salters. The E-60 pump kit costs $2400.00 OUCH!! But it'll be worth it when it's on. We bought two new Honda 621's and will be ordering some salt later this week.

So soon we'll be ready!...now if we could only get those 16 cleanups we've got left done...

 

[Lou]

I would suggest to dealer the urgent need for your pump. As you may know, there is a list of distributors. Ask him to overnight it as a courtesy since it has not arrived at projected date. If he refuses, advise him that you only come to him as he is the closest, and that you like doing business with him, but another distributor (check it out first) has one and can ship it overnight. It would not do you any harm to E-mail http://www.meyerproducts.com and ask them to intervene on your behalf. This has worked for me and the local dealer; I couldn't belive it, said he appreciated my bringing it to his attention. I totally by-pass the regional distributor as they could not care less. So I care less if they get any money from me. By the way, Meyer has changed it's attitude somewhat due to the snowplow forum, and the ever increasing number of other plows on the market. Make 'em work for you........Lou

 

[AB Lawn Care]

Just a little sprinkle right now.It's 12:36am on the 21st,and we have about 1/2 inch.It is not snowing right now,but bufflo has been pounded and the weather man says my area will get about 10-20cm or 4-8 inches.That's the bad news,the good news is that all of our equipment is ready to rumble,Walker and Scag are ready,all I need to do is put a new cutting edge on the walker's blower and weld it up here and there.It will need some work done as soon as I can get to it!!!Well glad to hear you have some progress in your trucks!

 

[snow]

Hey AB Lawn Care!

How did you make out with the plows? how did you fabricate them? ne picts, or a story about what you did?


thanks,

bryan

 

[AB Lawn Care]

Snow-I will give you the hole story on my scag plow,but it will have to wait a day or 2 becouse I just got done plowing 1 foot of wet snow and about 1 more foot is coming!!!!!I will give you info on it as soon as I get my sleep!!!!!I think it is time to get a good 8hours sleep before tommorow!!Nite Nite!