pronovost puma-64

[jonsstihl]

just got my snow blower yesterday morning, looks very good. hopefully it will work well, I tried it out in some heavy snow beside the driveway and I'm impressed so far but I already broke a shear pin on the auger, but that was my fault, hit a hidden rock.

the drive shaft is from comer industries (italian) but made in china

how do I get the shaft off the blower. the gearbox has a keyed shaft with a shear pin going through it to hold the yoke of the pto shaft onto it. I took out the shear bolt and tried prying it but it wouldn't budge and I didn't want to break it before even having used it.

I wanted it off to make sure the dealer had the length right and to check if they had greased it properly.

The plastic guard around the pto shaft has what looks like a plastic grease nipple on each half. are these meant to be greased so the plastic slides on the rotating shaft.

 

[escavader]

To remove the plastic sheild use a screw driver and turn them 3 plastic thingys they come right out.You are right about it having a key,but that is not a shear bolt,nothing could sheer with the key in there.Iinstalled mine myself,once the bolt is removed its just a matter of tapping it off the shaft.Not much room to hit it off i know.Try putting the pry bar in there,put a strain on it,and hitting the prybar,rotating it as you go.GOOD LUCK.
Isearched my 54 over today to search for sheer pins,i only found onewhere the shaft from the gear box connects to the chain assembly.My auger is one whole solid peice ,nothing to sheer there.Ieven looked at my manual,that was the only place on the blower that listed a sheer bolt that i can see.
ALAN

 

[jonsstihl]

just got the pto shaft off the blower, turns out there is a set screw that holds the key down as well as the bolt that holds the shaft on.

and those little plastic nipples on the guard are actually grease nipples for the ring nut that rides on the shaft, too bad they weren't drilled all the way through. fixed that and greased up the shaft real good. The shaft is from comer industries

I also found out that my dealer gave me grade 5 shear bolts when pronovost recommends grade 2 bolts.

 

[escavader]

JAMES,
Did you find more than the one location i did for the sheer bolts?
ALAN

 

[jonsstihl]

No, I found just one spot on the blower, it is a little flange just beside the small sprocket on the drive chain

and there is one more but on the tractor end of the pto shaft

the manual says to change the oil annually but I didn't see a drain plug. short of taking the whole gearbox off the only way I see that it can be done is to tip the whole blower on it's side, is there an easier way

and how do I adjust the tension on the drive chain, the manual mentions it but gives no instructions about how much is too much

 

[escavader]

JAMES,
Im not in the garage right now but i think you adjust the tension by moving that idoler sprocket.Just for kicks i put some of my old motor oil in a jug and i dump some on the chain while its running each time when im done blowing.Iknow bar and chain lube will stick better,but the used 10-30 wont kink up the chain in sub zero temps,and if i do it each time it ought to work.Ihave to get out each time im done anyway cause i like to put a couple peices of wood under the shoes to keep the unot off the ground.
Ididnt know about the one on the pto shaft[tractor end ] ill have to look for it.
Iaint figured out how to drain the gear box either .Isuppose if the units off the tractor you could simply pick it up.
Its nice to talk with someone with the same brand blower.So far ive blown 6 inches of wet heavy soup,and 28 inches of dry.The unit has been unstoppable ,i love it.
Only issue ive found,was i had trouble keeping my feet adjusted.Ihad them in the lowest position to keep the cutting edge off the ground,It kept sliding up.Isolved the problem by putting a bolt underneath the shoe,in the slot,so it cant slide down.

 

[jonsstihl]

I really haven't had a chance to use it yet. I blew a few snow drifts with it but we really haven't had a lot of snow in the last week so it has been sitting in the garage. atleast it is all greased up and ready to go. I have maybe half an hour of seat time with the blower.

I'm thinking of using motocycle chain lube on the chain but I haven't decided yet. the dealer just said to put some regular motor oil on it so I may do that.