snowjokers Snowblower

[snowjoker]

Here are a couple picks of my 1961 Gravely model LI with the MA210 26 inch snowblower attachment. Yes this will throw snow 50 feet plus Look at the picks on how high the snow is going BTW i'm 5'10"

[snowjoker]

Ok let's do it!!

[snowjoker]

Another

[snowjoker]

Ok here we go!!

[HerkFE]

We have an old mid 70's Gravely 12 Professional. What a monster! Used it as a backup last year. Needs a new little needle valve part for the carb this year and I haven't been able to track it down.

Pete

[snowjoker]

Antram Enterprises has what you need they stock alot of old gravely parts 1-800-324-6842 BTW they are in PA.

[nben]

We use two Gravelys alongside our Walkers. Excellent machines. We bought them primarily for the rotary brooms, but they are great in the snow too!

[nben]

here is a pic of one of them.....

[mikegamb]

those are nice units,but i like sitting down now lol

[asnowsquall]

Not to be a pain or anything but to be fair;
A) there is only 3" of snow their.
B) it looks like the chute is pointing straight up.

Hey, now I like old stuff too. Check out my Gilson Twins from 1970.
Lots of Cast Iron parts, greasable bearings, and a gearbox so nothing slips! Excellent Gilson site here http://home.gwi.net/~spectrum/snowblower.html

[snowplowjay]

Hey Walt


Are you still holding that blower for me?????


:D


Jay

[snowjoker]

Originally posted by asnowsquall
Not to be a pain or anything but to be fair;
A) there is only 3" of snow their.
B) it looks like the chute is pointing straight up.

Hey, now I like old stuff too. Check out my Gilson Twins from 1970.
Lots of Cast Iron parts, greasable bearings, and a gearbox so nothing slips! Excellent Gilson site here http://home.gwi.net/~spectrum/snowblower.html

Will that Giilson Throw snow that high? Probabbly not. And the discharge chute is 6 inches diameter and the reel to fan ratio is 1:8.25 BTW I have gone through snow over the the blower with that machine. Today I made a path out to the mailbox In which I live on a corner and went right through the 2 foot hardpack the town left there. Yes Jay I still have that other blower here

[asnowsquall]

Before this turns into a "Chevy Ford thing", my chute is bigger than yours, let me say that the way this winter is starting off you will most likely need to shoot high to get it up over the banks! A weak point on my Gilson's is the old Briggs motor's are all aluminum. I've got a brand new Honda 9HP that I used a few times this fall on my Little Wonder leaf blower/loader. I can install/remove the motor in about 15 minutes and that piece of equipment only gets used for a short time in the spring and fall. I may stick the Honda on one of the Gilsons to use in the winter as backup. Any weak points on your old machines?

[Honest Mike]

Walt, when was the last time you checked your height?? The reason I ask is, you dont look 5'10", more like 5' 8.5". :D Mike :D

[snowjoker]

There is only one weak point i can think of,The Weight, what you see in the pick is over 500 pounds!! It is a bear to turn in deep snow. But been 40 yrs and should be good for 40 more, since i rebuilt the engine this spring.And it will start almost every time on the first pull!!

[asnowsquall]

Wow that's as old as me. What kind of engine does it have.
I just pulled the head on one of my engines and there is enough slop that you can push the piston back on forth between the major and minor thrust sides! The funny thing is, the thing started 1st or second pull......... when cold. When hot it was finiky. For that blower I've got a really strong Briggs Industrial Plus which has the cast iron sleeve that I'm going to put on. The cool part is that the Short Block are pretty much identical, so what I want to attempt to do is use the old shrouding on the new block. It will look vintage, but have the cast iron cylinder.

One other disadvantage on mine us bascially no modern safety for the auger disengagment. I tengages like the old Ariens, right up near the chute. By the time you get to it, what ever made it in is destroyed. You have to be very careful around it, wouldn't want to slip walking around it. I may see if I can copy one of the newer machines safety setup. Doesn't look like an easy task.

Have a good day, and may your equipment run forever!
Dave
Let it snow Let it snow Let it snow

[snowjoker]

The engine is Gravely's own make. It was virtually unchanged from mid 1930's to 1974! The motor is a low rpm high torque. High pressure lubrication. The rpm max is 2800. The motor sizes are 5hp, 6.6 what i have, and 7.6. Compared to today's engines they are about equal to an 11-13hp honda,torque wise.

[asnowsquall]

How do you get the reel to fan ratio? Sounds like you have a nice engine, must have cast iron cylinder wall. Check out some of my dimensions. Notice how I messed up a pulley, lucky for me I can stick get one.

[snowjoker]

I got the reel to fan ratio in an old 1960's gravely brouchere. Looks like the blower you have is quite the machine also. Yes I have a cast iron cylinder jug

[gordyo]

Walt,

You have inspired me to get a picture of mine and my dad's 12hp Gravely 566. Stay tuned for a picture. I will try to sneak over to the Estate that my Dad works on were it is and snap one today. Maybe if there is some snow left after the warm day and rain I can get an action shot.

Jeff

[nben]

The Gravelys are quite the workhorse. I have yet to see a machine throw snow like one yet. Our Walkers are great (26 EFI with single stage blowers) and the Honda 521s and 621s are speedy in the light stuff. Heck, our Bobcat with the Erskine blower works good too, but when it is deep, wet, and heavy the Gravelys are the machine to beat (out of our line-up anyway:D ).

We just put a hold on a Honda 928TA today. We need a blower for the back of a truck that will work better in the wet, deep stuff. I'll let you all know how it works out......picking it up Saturday.

[gordyo]

Ok, Here are the pics I took today on the Estate that my dad works on. My Dad and I bought this Gravely back about 20 years ago and we put a brand new 12hp Kohler engine on it about 3 years ago.

[gordyo]

#2

[gordyo]

#3 an action shot. This is my Dad. 73 years old and in better shape than me. He goes over and works everyday on the estate for 4-5 hours. I know Walt and Nben will believe me when I tell you that the machine is at 1/4 throttle in this shot. I know someone will ask so I will answer your question before you ask. Yes we do have a set of chains for it but, we took them off last spring and put them somewere were we would easily find them and, well you know the rest of the story.

[snowjoker]

Nice picks, Jeff :D I would like to get a Kohler powered tractor someday, but it is easier to get the older Gravely engined ones. I am also thinking about repowering one with a twin cylinder briggs/or kohler I have seen it done in picks.

[gordyo]

Walt,

I tried to repower this one with the new style 16hp twin briggs. I called Gravelly and they told me it would not work because the bolt pattern on the engine would not hook up to the plate on the Tractor. I was able to find this Kohler engine down at the Kohler Distributor near Rhode Island. It was the last one he had and was sitting 25 feet up on a shelf and had been for 3 years. Had about 2" of dust on it. I bought it sight unseen because he said it was new and most probably the only one left in the country. (Don't know weather I believe that or not) Anyway it was well worth the money.

[snowjoker]

Well i have 2 more picks to share this one is the same tractor I posted earlier but with the 30 inch rotary mower, and minus the hood. BTW I usually run it hoodless because it improves the visibility. Look in front of the rider with out the hood and you will see the 26 inch blower facing away, and to the left of it is a 34 inch blower which is a little to much for my tractors. But Jeff's tractor will run it ok.

[snowjoker]

Here is my newest tractor, 1968 model LS with a belt driven water pump on it.