Proper Snowthrower Storage

by | Feb 1, 2018 | News, Uncategorized | 0 comments

Every winter, our service department is bombarded with a blizzard of broken snowthrowers. Many of these issues could be avoided with proper maintenance. For this reason, we keep snowthrower storage high on our list of spring chores.

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Before storing your equipment for the spring and summer, take a few minutes to prevent major issues with your equipment.

Carefully read this checklist and consult your owners manual

Remove ALL fuel – This includes draining your fuel tank and disposing of fuel in containers. Never store fuel longer than 2-3 weeks.

Prepare the fuel system

    1. Add a fuel stabilizer like Seafoam to any remaining fuel.
    2. Start the engine and allow it to run for at least 5 minutes.
    3. Either stop the engine, allow it to cool, then drain the fuel; or simply, allow the engine to run until it dies.
    4. Attempt to restart the engine. Repeat this step until the engine no longer starts.
    5. Loosen the drain plug on the carburetor and drain all remaining fuel.

Maintain the cylinder

    1. Remove the spark plug.
    2. Add 1-2 teaspoons of oil to the cylinder.
    3. Slowly pull the recoil rope. This turns the cylinder and distributes the oil.
    4. Replace the spark plug.
    5. Pull the recoil once more until you feel tension. This closes the cylinder and the oil will protect against corrosion during storage.

Check wearable parts

  • Single Stage – Evaluate wear on paddles and scraper. Paddles are thick rubber pads that contact the surface of your driveway. They wear evenly with the plastic scraper that guards the housing of the snowthrower.
    • Other Brands – If not indicated in your owner’s manual, a good rule of thumb is a thumb’s width. Observe the gap between the paddle and housing. If there is more than a thumb’s width between the scraper and paddle, then these should be replaced.
    • Honda – There is not a wear indicator. Measure the center paddle (from the metal there must be a minimum of 5/8”)
    • Toro – A small hole drilled through the paddle indicates wear. Once the paddles wear into the hole, replace both the paddle and scraper. If you cannot see the hole, then you have probably worn through it.
  • Two Stage – Evaluate wear on skid shoes and scraper. If the skid shoes are worn past the contact plate either reverse or replace them. Once there is no adjustment left in the scraper, it should be replaced (this is very infrequent).

Properly cover the snowthrower

A quality cover protects the appliance from dust and other airborne debris. 

Remember this checklist is only for storage in the offseason. In the fall, we will remind you to tune up and maintain the unit for the winter.