Snow Front Snow Blower, trouble

[bob2299]

Last year in 2011 I bought a brand new Bob Cat 72 inch front mounted snow blower, But I am having some trouble

I keep breaking shear pins, replacing shear pin is not easy you have to line up the hogger and the shaft, and when it's the rear middle impeller shear pins that breaks that one is even harder to line up. also the gears at the back of the unit are always falling off, it's a big job to put them back together, you have to remove the rear cover, then you have to remove the chain and gears, then put it back together and tighten the set screws, but it keeps happening, I do not know why,

My cousins has a rear mount snow blower, ( Kubota) when we snow blow side by side I break shear pins he does not I have 3 shear pins he has one,

I am not impress with the way my blower is built, Any one else having trouble with their blowers? Any comment would be appreciated, if it has happen to you and you know how to fix it, let me know.

Thank you.

 

[dawzie]

I have a 8' blower for my T-300. Has been flawless for 6 years. I've some really big stones and it doesn't care.

I would contact the dealer and see what they say. You shouldn't be going through pins like that unless some thing is wrong.

With the PTO out of gear, can you spin the auger ??

 

[Canada_CT230]

He has a HOGGER not an AUGER. ROTFLMAO!

 

[lilranch2001]

I was looking at a Bobcat front snowblower this fall, I am glad I didnt get one now for this reason and the no snow fall as well

 

[bob2299]

Yes with the PTO out of gear I can spin the "auger" sorry for the mistake,

but I think it is important for CT230.that I correct it. Sorry CT230 English is my second language, Je parle tres bien le francais.

I seem to be spending more time fixing this snow blower than blowing snow. Nothing seems to be out of alignment, can you post a picture of your snow blower? mine has 2 auger, a right and a left and a middle gear box, looks exactly like a small push behind blower, the rear one my cousin has only has one auger, no gear box in the middle still has the rear impeller, also he only has one shear pin, not 3

the middle shear pin on mine if very hard to change, just lining the shaft with the hole in the auger is difficult and if the pin broke and is still in the shaft their is no room for a hammer and a punch.

does any one know if they make a front blower with just one auger? and would it fit a CT230.

Mercie. Thank you. for the help.

 

[dawzie]

lets see a pic of this thing - or a model number - doesn't sound like one I have seen.

 

[bob2299]

Sorry I do not know how to post picture, can you tell me how and I will post them,

Model Number is: My owner manual has 2 model number on the cover

(FTCSB49) S/N AHN900101 & Above. and (FCTSB62) S/N A5E000101 & Above.

I do have picture from my operator manual I could scan them,l but do not know how to post,

Again Thank you.

 

[tcartwri]

I have the Bobcat rear mount 66" unit, and it is probably the best built blower I have seen. That doesn't help you though.

They are made by Erskine apparently

What rpm are you running the motor at?

 

[rsewill]

You must be using it on a gravel drive? You may want to search the forum for ways to prep your drive and your blower.

Yes, it seems like a poor design to have to go through so much hassle to replace a shear bolt. My blower is a 47" Deere which has only been used on pavement. It has only had two shear bolts replaced in 13 years and it is a five minute job.

 

[lilranch2001]

You must be using it on a gravel drive? You may want to search the forum for ways to prep your drive and your blower.

Yes, it seems like a poor design to have to go through so much hassle to replace a shear bolt. My blower is a 47" Deere which has only been used on pavement. It has only had two shear bolts replaced in 13 years and it is a five minute job.

I would PM Rick Wallace, he is a very help full Bobcat dealer, and I know he has sold at least a few of the front mounts

 

[Canada_CT230]

I use my 76" blower on 1500' of gravel driveway (3/4" down gravel). I have NEVER broken a shear pin. Occasionally, I will suck rocks but other than the noise and having to pick them off the grass in the spring I don't have any troubles.

Adjust your blower so the cutting edge is riding a little higher than the gravel and I always pack in the first couple of snow falls. That way you get a base of hard pack snow.

I wonder if you have a drive line alignment/fitting problem that could be putting extra stress on the drive system.

Unless you pick up larger rocks (1 - 2") then I could not see shear pins breaking. I know my neighbor processed a 12" piece of 2x4 thru his blower with no damage.

 

[bob2299]

Thank you for all your help, But NO I do not blow gravel, Here in Northern Ontario on Saturday the weather was -40 C or -40 F same thing at that temperature. in the spring I plowed it until it was frozen solid, now I have about 2 inch of solid Ice. On Saturday we had a small snow storm with 30cm or 12 inch of snow, and to add to this the wind was blowing so my drive way got filled up with 36 inch it was full right up to the banks. I usually use the plow truck its faster, but when their is so much snow I use the snow blower, But it always break this Saturday was fresh new snow no rocks. My drive way is a mile long. the blower is about 1.5 inch on its "scates" so it is not touching the road nor the gravel, I think that I break shear pins if I snow blow in the snow bank. this is my second year with this blower, and last year the same thing would happen, it was also my first year with a tractor, so I thought I was using it wrong.

The Biggest problem is that back gear, it has 2 set screws, to lock it in place it also has a key way, but no matter how tight I screw in the set screw, the gear keeps falling off, then its 1.5 hour job at -40F, of course i have no garage yet.... and those 2 set screw are hard to tighten because of the place they are in. This summer I will take the hole thing apart, at least it will not be -40.


I am using Grade 2 bolts as shear pins now, I was using the Bob Cat shear pins but at $13.50 each, and they were not lasting any longer, a box of grade 2 bolts is $13.00 for 100, I am afraid to use anything of a higher grade.

I did contact my dealer and he said he would send Bob Cat an e mail to see if this was an issue. But for now I will keep using my 1977 international scout with an 8 foot wide plow, at least it does not break as often, the only trouble, is the bank keep getting closer and closer, I was hoping to use the snow blower to get rid of the bank every month but .........

Again thank you for all your help

 

[94BULLITT]

Thank you for all your help, But NO I do not blow gravel, Here in Northern Ontario on Saturday the weather was -40 C or -40 F same thing at that temperature. in the spring I plowed it until it was frozen solid, now I have about 2 inch of solid Ice. On Saturday we had a small snow storm with 30cm or 12 inch of snow, and to add to this the wind was blowing so my drive way got filled up with 36 inch it was full right up to the banks. I usually use the plow truck its faster, but when their is so much snow I use the snow blower, But it always break this Saturday was fresh new snow no rocks. My drive way is a mile long. the blower is about 1.5 inch on its "scates" so it is not touching the road nor the gravel, I think that I break shear pins if I snow blow in the snow bank. this is my second year with this blower, and last year the same thing would happen, it was also my first year with a tractor, so I thought I was using it wrong.

The Biggest problem is that back gear, it has 2 set screws, to lock it in place it also has a key way, but no matter how tight I screw in the set screw, the gear keeps falling off, then its 1.5 hour job at -40F, of course i have no garage yet.... and those 2 set screw are hard to tighten because of the place they are in. This summer I will take the hole thing apart, at least it will not be -40.


I am using Grade 2 bolts as shear pins now, I was using the Bob Cat shear pins but at $13.50 each, and they were not lasting any longer, a box of grade 2 bolts is $13.00 for 100, I am afraid to use anything of a higher grade.

I did contact my dealer and he said he would send Bob Cat an e mail to see if this was an issue. But for now I will keep using my 1977 international scout with an 8 foot wide plow, at least it does not break as often, the only trouble, is the bank keep getting closer and closer, I was hoping to use the snow blower to get rid of the bank every month but .........

Again thank you for all your help

I have a 62'' front mount snow blower. I the bolts are $11 a piece for it without a nut. I ordered these for mine they are exactly like the original. [ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OKFCNU/ref=wms_ohs_product]Stens 780-205 Snow Thrower Shear Pin 10-Pack 2-Inch by 5/16-Inch Replaces Ariens 51001500 Snapper 7091550 91550 1-3865 John Deere AM136890: Amazon.com: Patio, Lawn & Garden[/ame] My blower has 5/16 bolts and 2 grooves in them turned down to a 1/4''.

 

[NOTV8]

I have the same blower as yours but can't say how it works.... only able to use it once for 2 minutes and stop as my driveway is not frozen yet and it just throws my stones away. I ended up using the back blade... then removed it last week as we have no snow and put back my loader and BH back.
maybe there is something wrong with the balance of the auger? :confused3:. Can you test run it up and see how it spin? What's your rpm?
Here she is...

 

[Lockport]

I have the same 72" Bobcat blower and have no problems at all as to what your describing. I woulda something is causing resistance somewhere, breaking your pins, and causing your gears to come loose. Is it mounted correctly on your Quick Hitch? Does it make unusual noises or exhibit strange vibrations when you run it slow. This is the first season I have had it do.nit too familiar yet. I cannot see stones a problem. I have a gravel drive snd same as myt old little 50" Kubota, just throws on the lawn. Mouthful st a time if I am digging in, too. Almost sounds like your anger is binding. Maybe the chute is bent.

 

[wallace]

I did see the word ice mentioned....If your chewing on ice, that may be what is causing the issue.
Are you hearing clunking and banging prior to it shearing? Can't imagine it is just shearing without getting into something. Can you see any metal scraped up around the housing of the auger or fan...Like something is out of alignment?

 

[bob2299]

First of all I would like to thank everyone for the help, I was wandering if any one else was having trouble with this unit, yes it is the same has the one in NOTV8 picture, ( the chute is a little different) I hear no noise when the pins are breaking or shearing, Yes I do sometime blow harder snow In order to widen my road after using the plow truch I sometimes try and blow the bank. I am starting to believe something is out of alignment but cannot figure out what, I can actually turn the auger by hand without any trouble. It has no vibration at any RPM.

I am happy to see that for some of us it is working fine, Bought it new so I would have no problems, Oh! well story of my life.

I will have to wait for warmer weather April of May and take it apart completely and see if I can find anything, The only thing I am wandering after looking at it again this week, The shaft coming from the gear box seems short, has if the whole unit has gone forward, but the auger are align, I used a string from the left auger to the right auger to check if they were bent and their OK, on that shaft, at the other end of the gear box their is a 5 to 6 inch, gear, this gear does not seem to be going in all the way, the shaft is too short but if you slide your hand behind the shaft you can feel it is bottoming out.

On that gear you have 2 set screw and on the shaft their is a hole does one of the set screw need to be align in that hole? if this is the case something is out of alignment. But I did try to move that shaft and nothing worked.

I sent an e mail to my dealer, he called me back the same day said he would look into it, have not heard any thing since. 2 weeks ago.

Again thank you for the help