How to Get Your Persnickety Snow Blower Montana Winter Ready? As many ways as there are to cheer on the Griz or Cats.  Hope this works for you as it did for me. Needless to say: Don't do any of this while the machine is running, OK?

Photo Brian Lee SnowT
Photo Brian Lee
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Kick the Tires. Yup, they are still there! Make sure they have air in them and they’ll roll. Just a once over to find out whatever might need tightening or lubrication.

Photo Brian Lee Oil
Photo Brian Lee Oil
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Check the Oil. This is what makes the whole thing stay working. Keep it clean, topped off, and the right kind, the snow blower should stay happy. Check the spark plug- a new one each year is recommended, but you can clean it and cross your fingers.

Inspect the Shear Pins.

Don’t know what that is? The little things that make the rotating blades spin. If you hit a rock or Ice chunk they shear/break first and stop the cutter from spinning and breaking the machine. You might pick up an extra baggie of those for a few dollars.

Photo Brian Lee Blade
Photo Brian Lee Blade
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Coat the inside of the shoot and impeller area with goop. I’ve used the stuff they sell in little spray cans for lots of money that work well. One was like graphite and it got on everything it touched. I’ve used spray-on cooking oil, I got from the pantry but it worked and saved a bunch of money. My wife is making me buy two to replace it. Ask first!

Fill 'Er Up. Ideally, you either drained the tank of your gas snow blower or filled it with stabilized fuel when you retired the machine for the season last spring.

Photo Brian Lee Fuel
Photo Brian Lee Fuel
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Even if you used a stabilizer in the gas before you put it away last spring, you should completely drain your snow blower's fuel system before starting it for the first time. I’ve seen some videos that say up to a third of a tank, when mixed with fresh stuff added will fire up, and it may, but it could just as easily not, or run badly. And you’ll have to start over, in the snow at 5 below.

Photo Brian Lee Control
Photo Brian Lee Control
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Check out the Controls. The handles and grips are on tight? I oiled the cables for the levers that make the beast go and stop. Check the crank for the snow discharge shoot and look for wear on the moving parts.

Hopefully, it's ready for a test run. I say hopefully because I don’t know what the waiting list looks like at the repair shop if I have to take it in! Or, just know I'll be paying the going rate to have someone shovel out whatever Mom Nature tosses our way this season. Good luck to you!

Montana's Top 10 Record-Setting Wild Weather Events

Montana is named Big Sky Country for several reasons, not only grandiose Sunsets but impressive weather events as well! Ask any Montana resident who has scoffed at the idea of tossing a blanket or snow shovel in the trunk of the car ” just in case”. Here is a list of Montana's Top 10 Record-Setting Wild Weather Events

LOOK: The most extreme temperatures in the history of every state

Stacker consulted 2021 data from the NOAA's State Climate Extremes Committee (SCEC) to illustrate the hottest and coldest temperatures ever recorded in each state. Each slide also reveals the all-time highest 24-hour precipitation record and all-time highest 24-hour snowfall.

Keep reading to find out individual state records in alphabetical order.