Snow Front Snow Blower, trouble

[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