Quick verdict
An 11 ounce can of CRC silicone spray that leaves a dry, slick, non-staining film on snow blower chutes, augers and impellers so wet snow slides through instead of packing and clogging. It works from minus 40 to 400 F, so it does not stiffen in the cold, and the same can lubricates shovel blades, sled runners, garage door tracks and plastic parts. It is sold for package handling equipment and has become a snow blower staple because it does exactly what the chute needs.
Strengths
- Dry silicone film stops wet snow packing in the chute
- Works from minus 40 F, so it does not gum in the cold
- Non-staining and colourless
- Also coats shovels, sled runners and door tracks
- CRC is a long-established industrial brand
Weaknesses
- Needs reapplying every few uses in wet snow
- Overspray makes concrete and steps slippery
- An 11 ounce can goes quickly if used on everything
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
Why the Chute Clogs
Wet snow sticks to bare steel and rough plastic, packs in the chute and the machine stops throwing. Clearing it means stopping, reaching in with the tool and losing the rhythm every hundred feet. A silicone coating fixes it. CRC Chute Lube is an 11 ounce aerosol that dries to a slick, colourless film and works from minus 40 to 400 F, sold for conveyor chutes and adopted by snow blower owners because the problem is the same.
This review is based on the maker’s specifications and on how silicone sprays perform on snow blower chutes and augers generally. We have not used this product ourselves.
Application
With the engine off and the machine cold and dry, spray the inside of the chute, the deflector, the impeller housing and the auger blades until the surfaces are wet, then let the carrier evaporate to a dry film. Do it before the first storm and again whenever snow starts to cling, which in heavy wet snow is every few sessions. A can lasts a season of ordinary use.
Why Silicone
Cooking spray and household oils gum up and go rancid in the cold. Penetrating oils flash off and leave little behind. Silicone stays slick and dry, does not freeze stiff at minus 40 and does not stain concrete or clothes. It is plastic-safe, which matters on poly chutes that oil-based products can craze.
Beyond the Blower
A coat on a shovel blade makes wet snow slide off instead of needing a shake every scoop. Sled runners, garage door tracks, gate hinges, snow plow blades and tarp grommets all benefit. The NSF H2 registration refers to its industrial food-plant use and is a sign of a clean formulation.
Caution
Overspray on concrete, steps and the machine’s handles is slippery. Spray the chute away from where you walk and wipe the grips.
Who Should Buy It
- Snow blower owners in wet-snow climates.
- Anyone whose shovel loads stick.
- Homeowners with doors, gates and tracks that freeze.
Common Owner Complaints
Needing to reapply and slippery overspray. Both are the nature of a dry silicone film.
Application Tips
Spray in a well-ventilated space with the machine on a tarp so overspray does not reach the floor. Two light coats a few minutes apart build a more durable film than one heavy one. Hit the impeller blades and the inside of the chute deflector where snow packs first, and recoat the impeller housing mid-season, which is where the film wears fastest.
Alternatives to Consider
DuPont Teflon silicone spray is a close equivalent. Snow blower-specific non-stick sprays are the same chemistry at a higher price. Car wax on the chute lasts longer per coat and takes more effort.
Verdict
A can of silicone spray is the cheapest way to stop a snow blower clogging, and CRC’s works in any cold you will blow snow in. Coat the chute before the storm, recoat when snow sticks and keep it off the steps.
Full specifications
CRC Chute Lube 03204 Silicone Lubricant Spray, 11 oz FAQs
With the machine off and cold, spray the inside of the chute, the impeller housing and the auger blades until wet, let it dry to a film. Reapply every few sessions or when snow starts to stick.
Cooking spray goes rancid and gummy. WD-40 is a solvent that evaporates and leaves little film. Silicone leaves a dry slick coating that stays through cold and wet.
Yes. Silicone is plastic-safe and is the standard recommendation for poly chutes.
Shovel blades so snow slides off, sled and toboggan runners, garage door tracks, gate hinges and anything that sticks in the cold.
