Is there supposed to be a space between the paddle/auger and the pavement? I tried out my new snow thrower for the first time yesterday and was disappointed that it didn't clean down to the pavement. There seems to be a 1/16" - 1/8" gap between the rubber paddle and the ground. I had to tilt the machine up so the paddle would scrape the pavement cleanly. This made it hard to push. This doesn't seem right, but it's a brand new machine. I will need to return it if there isn't a way to adjust it for better contact with the pavement.
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184 Points
Posted 5 months ago
szwoopp, Champion
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82,940 Points
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530 Points
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184 Points
Thank you. I should have been more clear. The rubber is not touching the pavement. As a result, there's a thin coating of snow left behind after rolling the thrower normally. Only by tilting it can I get a clean pass.
szwoopp, Champion
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82,554 Points
Check the scraper bar and make sure it is contacting the ground. Perhaps it was not installed correctly or tightened.
David HD, Champion
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34,102 Points
I also bought my snow blower and used this Monday with great success. I used to have a Craftsman Two Stage snow blower, which I sold this year. The EGO snow blower did a better job scraping the snow off of my driveway vs my old gas one. So I agree with Szwoopp regarding the scrapper bar, it should be touching the surface. If not, then it was not put on correctly which should be an easy adjustment.
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184 Points
I'm not sure how to make that adjustment. Ego's customer service said to just exchange the blower.
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184 Points
The cleaner parts of the driveway are closest to the garage where I was standing, and some had melted already. But you can see where the driveway turns that there's still a coating of snow where I had cleared. I really hope this isn't the best that the blower can do. I'd like to see black pavement after I clear.
I did call customer support, and they said to exchange the unit.
I did call customer support, and they said to exchange the unit.
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680 Points
Yes, that looks pretty good, about what my EGO snow blower does.
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7,422 Points
Wow, to be honest...that looks pretty good. Have you ever owned a snow blower before? After 20+ years of operating gas snow blowers I'd be happy with those results. I suppose it comes down to expectations. In the above picture, my wife would say good job but I had a grandmother that would be telling me to work at it some more. I don't think you have have a defective snow blower here and have some doubts another EGO snow blower will do much better. More often than not, a snow blower's performance is also dependent on the "quality" of the snow that fell.
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184 Points
My Toro gas snowthrower would clean much better that that. The Ego leaves enough snow on the ground that if it's cold enough, i.e. subzero, as it can get here in Minnesota, that coating of snow would just become ice and be dangerous to walk on. I'm disappointed so far in the Ego's performance.
Oregon Mike, Champion
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48,040 Points
I don't have, or need, a snow blower but that looks great to me.
It's interesting in that most people that come on here want to raise the scraper somewhat because it tends to catch on things because it drags on the surface and you are wanting just the opposite. Not saying that's a bad thing, just interesting how we want different things from our tools.
It's interesting in that most people that come on here want to raise the scraper somewhat because it tends to catch on things because it drags on the surface and you are wanting just the opposite. Not saying that's a bad thing, just interesting how we want different things from our tools.
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184 Points
My driveway is less than three years old and in near perfect shape, so I'd prefer a scraper that makes contact with the pavement.
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184 Points
Here is another photo of the far side of the driveway where the snow didn't melt. Most of the driveway still has a thin layer of snow after running the snow blower over it.
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Ken, Champion
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59,520 Points
This may be a case of unreasonable expectations, because that looks pretty good. The scraper on the Ego blower does about as good a job as any blower I've heard of. Certainly better than two-stage blowers (speaking strictly of scraper contact with the pavement). And some people complain that it's too good and they want to raise it up higher.
I suspect the replacement unit won't be any different.
I suspect the replacement unit won't be any different.
(Edited)
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184 Points
Yes, quite sure it's not a dusting. You can see lines from the slight irregularities in the rubber auger.
szwoopp, Champion
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82,640 Points
Again the rubber auger does not contact the surface. The scrapper bar does contact the surface and does a good job of cleaning down to the surface. If you wer tilting the machine to get the auger to touch the surface, you would not get a good result. Perhaps you should try using it again in the way it was designed to be used rather than the way your old machine worked.
pictures from Ego website reviews
From the manual - the scrapper bar is the part that cleans the surface
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pictures from Ego website reviews
From the manual - the scrapper bar is the part that cleans the surface
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184 Points
It's a brand new machine. I've cleared the driveway twice--the first time tilting the machine (and getting down to bare pavement), and the second time rolling it naturally, which left a coating of snow that melted and refroze into ice and almost caused me to slip. I expect you're trying to be helpful, but you don't seem to believe me when I say that there is too much snow left on the driveway after "using the machine the way it was designed." I am exchanging the unit as advised by the company, and we'll see if "the way it was designed" will satisfy my expectations.
(Edited)
szwoopp, Champion
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82,640 Points
I have no reason to doubt you. Just trying to establish intended operation and possible root of the problem. As I and others get snow cleared to the surface Good luck with the replacement machine
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340 Points
DevonTT, I don't know of a blower that could do much better than this. 2-stage blowers would likely do worse.
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184 Points
I hate to disagree, but in my experience, a Toro gas thrower has resulted in a much cleaner pass across my driveway. BTW, when I walked across my driveway this evening, the snow left behind had melted then refroze into ice, and I almost slipped. This is my biggest concern with the performance of the Ego.
Oregon Mike, Champion
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47,576 Points
It seems you got one that doesn't scrape so maybe an exchange, if the scraper can't be adjusted, may be the way for you to go. Hoping you keep us up to date on how it goes.
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340 Points
Actually upon examination on mine, the auger should NOT touch the surface. The scraper bar scoops the snow into the auger. I had a Toro, not a bad machine but 2 cycle. You can't get those any more but it was a performer. But do this: look at your scraper edge and make sure it is contacting the surface. It might be out of adjustment. Maybe got dinged in shipping. Don't give up! And let us know how thing turn out!
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340 Points
One other thing, can you scrape that snow of with a snow shovel? If you can then the EGO should be able to also. Same technology at the surface level. (My god I've been thinking about this all day now..!!)
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184 Points
Yes, it was only 1/2" of light powder.
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184 Points
Is the height of the scraper user-adjustable?
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9,786 Points
Negative.
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7,412 Points
If the scraper is installed correctly, the issue isn't so much the scraper not being adjustable, but the entire auger housing not being adjustable through skid shoes. DevonTT as mentioned before, the biggest complaint most people have on the scraper is that it sits TOO LOW causing you to stop and slightly lift the snow blower at every crack in your driveway or sidewalk. Your complaint of the scraper being too high is the outlier which is why there is so much discussion here. So I can see why EGO recommended you try swapping your snow blower with a new one. Although, I suspect you might also be a little more particular on the results than most. From the pictures it looks like your driveway is black asphalt which makes any snow left really standout too.
