When Rick Weihl was a professional landscaper, he was constantly frustrated by the amount of time, labor, and equipment he needed to dedicate to debris cleanup, which lead him to start Hurricane. Since 2008, the company has been building compact stander blowers, greatly increasing the speed of debris removal on parking lots and other large areas. The X3 and Z3 might not be any more powerful than some walk-behinds on the market, but their clever design helps them clear areas far faster without backtracking.
Built Using Quality Components
Hurricane may be a small company, but they’ve chosen to go with proven components that can be relied on. These blowers are powered by Briggs & Stratton’s Vanguard V-Twins. The engine is sandwiched between the impeller and controls in a way that still provides access to service points including the oil filter and spark plugs.
Motivation is provided by a pair of Hydro-Gear IZT transaxles. These professional units come with built-in fans and hydraulic fluid filters for years of reliable service. These pumps can be accessed for fluid and filter changes by removing a single access panel.
A Unique Multi-Chute Air System
The housing has three chutes mounted on the left, right and center of the blower. The operator can switch air from side to side, blowing debris in one direction with each pass instead of having to backtrack to position the single nozzle found on other blowers.
The side nozzles are fixed, but they have dual deflectors inside to direct the air forward and back to get the right angle for the job. This makes the Hurricane suitable for work in fields and near buildings. When it’s time to move between work areas, all three chutes can be closed. All of these functions are controlled using a single joystick.
Logical Control and Transport
The quad control handle may be patented, but its basic design should be familiar to anyone who has used a Wright Stander mower. There are two grab handles on top of the controls surrounding the control levers for the hydrostatic motors. This lets the operator grab either handle and squeeze the lever instead of having to awkwardly push a lever away from the handle when turning or reversing. All the controls including chute opening, throttle and choke are within easy reach of these handles. A high-mounted LED work light is included for working at night.
These blowers have an automatic parking brake, letting the operator step off to pick up branches without shutting off the engine. A low center of gravity and torsion-bar mounted front wheels keep the blower stable on hills and helps it climb curbs.
When it’s time to move to a different job site, the blower can be strapped to a trailer using large built-in tie downs on the front and rear. Fueling is infrequent thanks to a massive 10-gallon tank.
Models
Hurricane makes two versions of their stander blower: the X3 and the Z3.
The X3 has a top speed of 9 mph and its blower can move 6,500 CFM at up to165 mph. At full speed, the engine is operating at just 3,200 RPM. A Donaldson air cleaner is fitted to the engine to help handle the dust raised by the blower. This model measures just 42 x 60 inches.
The Z3 has a top speed of 11 mph and its blower can move 8,500 CFM at up to 165 mph. The engine operates at 2,600 RPM to reduce noise. It’s slightly larger than the X3 at 44 x 65 inches.
For All of Your Hurricane Needs, Visit Shank’s
If you’re looking to buy a Hurricane blower or need to have yours fixed, stop by Shank’s Lawn Equipment. We’re a certified dealer for Hurricane, Hydro-Gear and Briggs & Stratton so we can provide you with parts and service for everything on your blower. Our shop is located at 4900 Molly Pitcher Highway in Chambersburg, PA. That’s one mile East of I-81 via Exit 10 to Marion.
Need parts for your Hurricane? Visit www.shankslawn.com. We ship across the U.S. and Canada.
