Gravel/dirt/grass surfaces are no problem, just keep the scraper out of the grass.
I really don't see the need for the speed-up pulley...That will accelerate the wear on the bearings, etc, and can be very dangerous unless your equipment is in perfect condition. My stock QA-36A will throw snow about 15-20' with no modifications other than graphite paint in the chute, and most of the time that is plenty far, if not too far. I have never been in a situation where I needed to throw snow 35'+. The trick to getting maximum distance is to vary the speed of the tractor according to the load. You want the engine to be just barely tugging on the governor. This will throw the snow the furthest. In light snow you'll have to go faster to keep it full, and if you get a foot of wet cement you'll have to go glacially slow and take partial swaths. And I'm a gear drive guy, but a hydro is the only way to go for throwing snow, as you can't really continually vary your groundspeed in a gear drive to match conditions.
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