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do you have to have a creeper gear for blowing snow

IH CUB Lo-Boy Series - 154, 184, 185 Forum -- Questions and answers to all of your Lo-Boy related issues.
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EV185
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do you have to have a creeper gear for blowing snow

Postby EV185 » Fri Jan 15, 2016 12:12 pm

Hi All, I have a new to me 1976 185 W/a McKee 320 snowlander. My ? Is do I have to have the creeper gear to run the blower? I'm ahead of myself a bit I'm having other issues, seems to run good , I installed a new clutch kit, still need to do a tune up and change all fluids!! Thanks in advance!!!! Will post pics soon!!

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Eugene
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Re: do you have to have a creeper gear for blowing snow

Postby Eugene » Fri Jan 15, 2016 1:02 pm

My guess is that the creeper would be very useful for blowing snow. Basing my guess on the fact that snow conditions vary from sometimes deep, light and fluffy, or wet and heavy.

I have a 154 with creeper and mid mounted mower. The creeper gives me 6 forward gears reducing each of the 3 transmission gears by about 50%. When the grass is more than the tractor can handle, I engage the creeper. This slows down the tractor's forward motion but keeps the engine RPMs up.
I have an excuse. CRS.

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Re: do you have to have a creeper gear for blowing snow

Postby EV185 » Fri Jan 15, 2016 1:20 pm

I have seen on the net people putting a 10hp.+ Engine on the back to run the blower and mower, wonder if that works good, seems like adding a creeper set up on mine would be quit expensive??

Eugene
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Re: do you have to have a creeper gear for blowing snow

Postby Eugene » Fri Jan 15, 2016 2:39 pm

Adding an additional 10 HP engine to power the snow blower would help - - - perhaps - - - depending on snow conditions. The problem is that the additional engine would not slow the tractor's first gear motion.

My son in-law solved his snow problem by hiring a guy with a high lift to clear the drive way. Last time I inquired, son in-law said $15- per snow. Takes the high lift about 5 minutes to remove the snow. It use to take son in-law hours to move the snow.

The conversion/adding the creeper would be expensive. Probably the least expensive method of obtaining a creeper is to purchase a parts tractor with the creeper.

Years ago I saw a standard Cub with an auxillary engine added to power a belly mower. I don't know how well this set up worked.
I have an excuse. CRS.

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Re: do you have to have a creeper gear for blowing snow

Postby SONNY » Fri Jan 15, 2016 3:05 pm

The extra 10 hp engine would power the whole cub, but still does nothing to slow the ground speed down.--if parts,( junkers ), are in good supply in your area then scarf a creeper unit off one of them.--still gonna cost some big cash and labor, but you would have a REAL mower when you got done!
One of my 185 mowers has the creeper unit and I can only run in L-1 in most of the heavy mowing/bush-hoggin that I use it for.---Also it don't jar my spine as bad.
I have the fat tires on my 6-speed and 1 pound air in the tires just to hold the tire snug to the rim.---just to look at it you would think they have 25+ in them, and they still ride quite ruff!
I cant do much snow around here, but use a 10 hp 28" walk behind unit for my snow job. thanks; sonny

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Re: do you have to have a creeper gear for blowing snow

Postby Billiards » Fri Jan 15, 2016 4:30 pm

I do have a creeper on my 154. We just got hit this week with 8-12 inches over night and there's NO way I could have moved it without creeper. If I went in 1st gear without it I couldn't get the RPM's high enough to blow the snow without being too fast to start plowing it along without wanting to stall the engine as the snow piled. This was also the case with less snow too. I found that 2nd gear creeper revved 3/4 or more did perfect for the foot we got.

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Re: do you have to have a creeper gear for blowing snow

Postby Urbish » Fri Jan 15, 2016 5:44 pm

Keep in mind that with the auxiliary engine you can drop the tractor down to an idle in 1st and creep forward. I am guessing that technique works just fine.
Jim

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Re: do you have to have a creeper gear for blowing snow

Postby EV185 » Fri Jan 15, 2016 6:10 pm

So much good info. Thanks All!!!!

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Re: do you have to have a creeper gear for blowing snow

Postby Mike H » Sat Jan 16, 2016 6:59 pm

I am finding that the McGee is too much for my 185. [even with fluffy snow]
looking at adding a ''pony''motor to run the blower and the tractor to do the rest.

I have to really rev it up to throw snow and it struggles
[too much ground speed]

Mike H.

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Re: do you have to have a creeper gear for blowing snow

Postby outdoors4evr » Tue Jan 19, 2016 8:01 am

The blower will eat a lot of HP, but the 185 should certainly be up to the task. I doubt the tractor can spin up the McKee from an idle, but should be able to do it at 1/4 throttle or so if the governor is working well.
Start by lubing everything! blower drive chain, sprokets, U-Joints, driveshaft bearings, etc. The chains rust quickly because they are exposed to the snow. Start with a light penetrating oil on the chain to get things moving by hand (without the tractor running) and once things get limber enough for the tractor to run the blower, use a heavy gear oil to keep it lubricated. Be sure to oil the sides of the chain, not just the middle.

As for the grease zerk points, use something like a white lithium grease like boaters use that is water repelling.
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IH 3160a Mower
IH Model 15 Tiller
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Re: do you have to have a creeper gear for blowing snow

Postby SONNY » Tue Jan 19, 2016 4:26 pm

I was afraid the 185 wouldn't do it, but try to get EVERY part freed up and try again!---If it does handle it ,---still gonna be quite the load on that little guy! LOL!!! thanks; sonny

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Re: do you have to have a creeper gear for blowing snow

Postby Mike H » Tue Jan 19, 2016 8:15 pm

went threw the blower and drive line,everything is free and smooth.
will get it spinning at idle and bring it up to speed.
its just working the engine too hard[like we talked about on the welder sonny]
might be looking at rebuilding the engine [just not enuf wampum left].
ill keep tinkering till we get it to go.

Mike

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Re: do you have to have a creeper gear for blowing snow

Postby Mike H » Tue Jan 19, 2016 8:19 pm

also we got 26'' of fluffy snow in 2 days.

Mike

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Re: do you have to have a creeper gear for blowing snow

Postby SONNY » Tue Jan 19, 2016 11:22 pm

WOW!!! --Wish I could help ya out at moving it BUT not quite sure ole MOOSE would want to get out into that stuff!---It only starts working when snow is 10 feet deep!---It weighs 60,000 pounds and has V-8 turbo 573 engine in it with power shift and power steering plus a 4- in -1 bucket 8 feet wide and bout 6 feet tall on it! LOL!! thanks; sonny

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Re: do you have to have a creeper gear for blowing snow

Postby outdoors4evr » Wed Jan 20, 2016 8:27 am

While blowing snow, your blower will require wide open throttle position from your 185. A well tuned engine with good compression (110-120psi per cylinder)does help. Running wide open is not harmful to your engine. Remember, this is just 2200 RPM's. This is what a car engine of this period ran at while driving 55mph. It is also what your tractor is designed to run while loaded with an implement such as a mower, tiller, or blower. (see specifications page of your manual)
As for thee original question about the creeper, running wide open in first (~2.9mph) is probably too fast for the blower to keep up. Havign a creeper would be easier on you and your clutch.
184 w/ Creeper & 3-Point
IH 3160a Mower
IH Model 15 Tiller
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