Labrat
Gold Member
Great idea I will definitely start using blue loctite as I have several bottles f it.
Snow 54 inch Snowblower
- Thread starter Kamik
- Start date
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Great idea I will definitely start using blue loctite as I have several bottles f it.
Redfox2
Member
My 1023 with 54" sno-blower has not been ' trouble-free '. The first trouble was with the PTO shaft ( probably not properly installed ), and then late last winter the drive chain jumped the sprocket, and a couple weeks ago the drive chain broke. Aside from the occasional sheer-bolt ( I have a long gravel drive ), the actual function of the auger and impeller has been satisfactory. So far this winter we've had water-logged snow on the coast of Maine which the snow blower absolutely HATES!
I don't want to jinx myself but I have a long gravel driveway with a lot of loose rock and so far I'm at 5 years with no broken shear bolts. [knock on wood - knock on wood!) I keep the skids raised about 1 3/4 inches.
If the chain jumped the sprocket it was probably too loose. The tension adjustment is a bit critical and difficult to get right. Did you have to disassemble much to replace the chain? This past summer I bought some bulk #40 chain and made myself a section with a master link identical to the factory continuous loop. If I have a chain break I can then quickly replace it without much trouble (hopefully). For about $20 I got enough chain to make several replacements.
If your blower doesn't like water-logged snow I suspect you still have the plastic impeller.
I'm at 5-years on the same shear bolts and I have a gravel driveway. My bolts all have nylok nuts. I've never had one loosen up.
I have a 2720 with the 54" blower. It's dumb that JD doesn't sell any parts for the auger gear box. The only recourse is to purchase a complete unit. Oddly, the price on the gear box has gone down since I bought my blower. When I first got it the gear box was $900 and then a couple years ago the part number changed and now the replacement is $400. Perhaps they went to plastic gears. :-(
The 47" and 54" are identical. Have you removed the impeller shear bolt and made sure that the impeller can turn freely on the shaft with the shear bolt removed? My blower was only 1-year old when I swapped the plastic impeller for a steel one. I was surprised how much rust had already accumulated on the impeller bushing. I didn't have any trouble removing it from the shaft but it is easy to see that it wouldn't take long before the impeller bushing and center shaft could completely rust together - defeating the operation of the shear bolt.
It's a shame JD didn't install a grease fitting on the impeller hub so grease could be pumped in and prevent the accumulation of rust.
My standard practice now is to remove the impeller shear bolt after each season, verify the impeller spins freely and then spray a little Fluid Film down into where the impeller bushing meets the center shaft. I also periodically remove the shear bolts from the two auger sections and ensure that the inner and outer auger tubes spin freely on each other.