Dk50C with Woodmaxx Blower

[Sierraau]

I live near Lake Tahoe where the snow is heavy and deep. I keep breaking the 5/16" grade 3 shear bolts literally every 10 minutes. First I have to lift the blower up to an elevation where it is in direct line with the pto shaft, and even with no snow in the blower box, it is a 50/50 proposition that the shear bolt will break when I turn on the pto at idle (and yes, the augers turn easily as I install a new shear bolt). Then when I am blowing I can usually get 30 minutes in blowing before I break it again. I'm not hitting obstacles, the bolts just easily break. I bought a grade 5 and attached it to the pto ujoint and it then broke the 5/16" shear bolt that drives the rotors. Any ideas on how to stop breaking bolts, or shall I just buy a box of 50 Grade 3's and grin and bear it?

 

[TractorTYMe]

If there is no apparent drag or slack on augers and rotor? That's one baffling problem for sure.

 

[sd455dan]

Sounds more like the PTO engagement is to violent if it breaks the shear bolt at idle with no snow on application of the PTO.


Is that tractor equipped with a switch type PTO engagement?
There are times a foot operated PTO clutch is an advantage.

 

[Sierraau]

Sounds more like the PTO engagement is to violent if it breaks the shear bolt at idle with no snow on application of the PTO.


Is that tractor equipped with a switch type PTO engagement?
There are times a foot operated PTO clutch is an advantage.

actually a button. I just got back from the hardware store, no snow in the auger box, blower raised so pto and blower u joints are in direct alignment, put the new shear pin in, tractor at idle. Push the button and SNAP! three times in a row. I don't get it.

 

[Sierraau]

Ok, if this thread sounds familiar, I opened the same thread in 2019 and with your help figured out the problem. In the last four years, we haven't had enough snow to warrant using the blower, so when I went to hook it up this season, it appears I forgot my own lesson. I just re-read the thread, and I will take my own forgetful advice the last time around and hopefully will resolve the problem. Since I didn't remember the previous session, I referred to the operator's manual for Woodmaxx and they called for a grade 2 bolt, but in the thread from 2019 on a tech call, woodmaxx told me that was a typo and it should be a grade 5. Back to the hardware store and I guess I will reposition the blower on the tractor and see what happens.

 

[DK35vince]

Good luck
Hope it works

 

[Beaver Cove Deere]

Ya. Grade 5 minimum. Make sure the shoulder is smooth for both sides and that sometimes requires longer bolts.

I haven’t broken a sheer bolt in a few years now. My PTO is hydro and it has a slow and smooth engagement.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Also, is your blower adjusted to be level when setting on the ground? Should be about dead level when working. I assume your pto shaft is cut to the right length?

I've been fortunate not to break a shear pin yet on mine. But I only got it this past November, so it's only had one winter on it so far.

 

[Sierraau]

Well, we got 24" overnight and I adjusted the blower to the lower holes, and still snapped a grade 5 shear. Replaced it, started it up and it was running fine for about 20 minutes then all of the sudden with the tractor in low low range I was slowly pushing (and blowing) snow and all of the sudden the rear ujoint on the blower exploded..... or perhaps it was the yoke that did the breaking.... so now I have to replace a yoke and a u joint. Not sure what is going on.... but I'd sure like to figure out what is causing this. Could it be that my 2002 Kioti doesn't have some sort of "soft-start" for the pto? It would be nice to be able to ease the blower on rather than off or on at idle rpm.

 

[07wingnut]

I don't quite know what your snowblower looks like, and my suggestion probably won't help the shear bolt failure on pto engagement, but here goes. I have a front mounted snowblower on a bx23 that worked flawlessly until it didn't and started shearing bolts in the fan. Just for info, the fan uses a grade 8. Went from no shear bolt failures for most of the winter to 6 failures in just one session. It turns out the culprit was a worn out drive chain that drives the fan and auger. Apparently it caused a vibration that made the shear bolt fatigue. From the sound of it, you do not have a chain driving the fan, but a vibration from the pto shaft ujoint close to failure may give the same result.