B2660 snowblower shearing pins

[shoes]

I have a front mount b2660 snow blower on my b2410 tractor. A constant problem is shearing the 1/4" roll pin that connects the drive shaft from the mid PTO to the blower shaft. Sometimes it will shear if I just take too big a bite of wet snow. I realize the pin is there to protect the drive train from damage, but sometimes I'll have to change it twice while clearing snow from a single storm, and no rocks or sticks have been involved.

Is there a harder 1/4" pin out there I could be using? I've tried getting pins at the Kubota dealer and the local hardware store with no difference in longevity.

Thanks

 

[escavader]

Welcome shoes,
Idont have the front blower,but lots of us do.Ijust read something on this yesterday.Ithink one guy said he drilled it out and put in a bigger diameter one,he was having the same issue.Hang tight one of the guys will get back to you.
ALAN

 

[lakeside]

I have a G1800 with a front mounted blower. I've sheared pins but always when I picked up gravel off the driveway. You shouldn't be breaking pins that often.

I found out, when I broke a pin late Friday night and had no spares, a large common nail worked just fine. Mine came out to about a 6" common nail. I slid the nail in the hole and it was nice and snug. After bending the nail it so it wouldn't fall out it lasted a couple of weeks, even after I finally go some shear pins. When the nail finally sheared I replaced it with a real shear bolt. No damage so the nail sheared before anything expensive broke.

 

[escavader]

SHOES,
IS there any way you can roll,it over by hand,or with a pipe wrench to see if something is binding up,breaking the pins? Also take a bar and pry on the shafts to see if all the bearings are good etc.Whats the state of the gear box,everything seem ok there when you pry with a bar.After all that and no indication of something wrong,id put a bolt in it.Start with a cheaper grade , 2 ,if that dont work try a grade 5,grade 8 would be the hardest,if you break one of them somethings certainly not mechanically right.
ALAN