Spoke to the divisional service rep today and now he is saying that Kubota will buy back the complete unit minus a nominal fee for the hours that I used it. He is going on vacation for about a week and will start the ball rolling when he returns. I just hope that his stance doesnt change over the next week. Thanks for all the help and allowing me to vent. I will keep everyone informed of any other changes.
shear bolt madness
- Thread starter Drtumolo
- Start date
- Views: 6170
kevinj
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2003
- Messages
- 1,419
- Location
- West MI
- Tractor
- BX-1860, L3940HSTC, B7500, Farmall M, Farmall 560D
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( He believes that the closeness of the fan to the steel cage is the problem. )</font>
I will have to check mine. I think it is about 1/8" from the fan tip to the housing. If it does not hit the housing it should not be an issue. My blower came with all the bearing locks loose and none of the shafts were aligned to my liking so I went right it before I used it. It has been trouble free for two winters. I do have the shear bolt set up with the hub mounted to the shaft and then the small bolt for a shear on two plates.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( He is breaking both the auger )</font>
The auger and the fan turn on two differerent shafts with their own bearings so to be breaking both seems strange to me. I wonder if when the fan stops then the augers overload ???
I will have to check mine. I think it is about 1/8" from the fan tip to the housing. If it does not hit the housing it should not be an issue. My blower came with all the bearing locks loose and none of the shafts were aligned to my liking so I went right it before I used it. It has been trouble free for two winters. I do have the shear bolt set up with the hub mounted to the shaft and then the small bolt for a shear on two plates.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( He is breaking both the auger )</font>
The auger and the fan turn on two differerent shafts with their own bearings so to be breaking both seems strange to me. I wonder if when the fan stops then the augers overload ???
sandyc
Veteran Member
Just a thought....and I'm over 60 so take anything I say with a grain of salt......maybe the secondary fan is not big enough. Maybe it needs to be closer to the housing so rocks don't get jamned between the blade and the housing....food for thought.
rfogle
Member
I re-read the posts on this subject and came across post #571331 dated 1/24/05 stating that the shear bolt problem rears it's ugly head when he is blowing the snow that he just back bladed from the drive way. I suspect, because of the regularity of the problem, the culprit will be the size (and quantity) of the stones involved. While I admire the tenacity in getting Kubota to buy the blower back, I believe a new blower, if made by Rad Mfg. will have the same result.
tomnky
Platinum Member
I would bet Kubota's field Rep hasn't actually came out and seen it in its' environment going through all these shear pins.
To me that is exactly what should have been to try to find out the exact cause of this.
To me that is exactly what should have been to try to find out the exact cause of this.
You are right the factory rep did not come out to see the tractor yet. He said he is going to the week after next, to make sure we are not overlooking something, but he is confident that it is an application error and not a manufacture defect. Since the dealer sold it to me knowing the kind of driveway I have the factory rep said they would stand behind the unit and take it back.
tomnky
Platinum Member
Well that doesn't sound too good if He isn't approaching the problem with an open mind.
Field Personnel should be open-minded about everything . after all Humans are not infallible even though some think they are! We all make mistakes in things We do .
So the chances of a Manufacturing defect is for sure a possibility.
Field Personnel should be open-minded about everything . after all Humans are not infallible even though some think they are! We all make mistakes in things We do .
So the chances of a Manufacturing defect is for sure a possibility.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( but he is confident that it is an application error and not a manufacture defect)</font>
Its nice that there going to stand behind it and correct the problem. But that strikes me as kind of lame to say its an application error. You mentioned at the outset that your previous blower wasn't a problem on the same driveway, and lots of people with gravel drives (like myself) use a snowblower. By calling it an "application error", it seems like they're pretty much saying don't by another snowblower from us. What do you think you'll do for next year?
Its nice that there going to stand behind it and correct the problem. But that strikes me as kind of lame to say its an application error. You mentioned at the outset that your previous blower wasn't a problem on the same driveway, and lots of people with gravel drives (like myself) use a snowblower. By calling it an "application error", it seems like they're pretty much saying don't by another snowblower from us. What do you think you'll do for next year?
I am not sure what I will do for next year. Right now I am just waiting to get out of this nightmare with this blower. I wish Kubota offered a single stage blower. I am considering trying a John Deere single stage blower since my old simplicity single stage blower never had shear pin problems.
Myself, as well as others here, have had good, reliable operation with the 2 stage blower. I have sheared quite a few pins, but it is always a rock or hunk of wood that is the cause - so the shear pin is doing its job.
I too had a Simplicity (7119) with the single stage snowblower before the Kubota. It worked well on my mostly gravel (at that time) 1/2 mi driveway. I too never sheared a pin on it, but I went through 1 to 2 belts a season at $ 50 a wack. When the blade would jam, if I didn't get the PTO clutch fast enough, the belt would be seriously wounded in seconds, if it didn't burn through and break right away.
With the direct shaft drive, a lock up would be a mechanical disaster w/o the shear pins. The clearances, etc that are mentioned and I feel not an issue. Tighter clearances just means that smaller rocks can jam the drive, but there will always be a rock that is big enough to jam up the works. The Simplicity single stage ahd hugh clearances, but I still jamed it often with a rock or stick.
Since the Simplicity days, I have paved the driveway. I still get gravel stones that are carried in by the cars, and larger rocks pushed up in winter at the edges, as well as the ever present tree branches that jam up the blower, on the average of once per outing. I always carry a few pins and wrenches with me so that I can replace them without returning to "home base".
I truly believe that you have a "lemon" unit, not a result of the basic design, or a function of the 2 stage concept. There is most likely a clearance or interference in a shaft or bearing somewhere due to a bad tolerance. With enough digging someone would find it, but the replacement is most likely the best solution. Pressure the rep to make it no charge due to your hassle and loss of use. Just hang in there, Kubota is an overall great, reliable product.
paul
I too had a Simplicity (7119) with the single stage snowblower before the Kubota. It worked well on my mostly gravel (at that time) 1/2 mi driveway. I too never sheared a pin on it, but I went through 1 to 2 belts a season at $ 50 a wack. When the blade would jam, if I didn't get the PTO clutch fast enough, the belt would be seriously wounded in seconds, if it didn't burn through and break right away.
With the direct shaft drive, a lock up would be a mechanical disaster w/o the shear pins. The clearances, etc that are mentioned and I feel not an issue. Tighter clearances just means that smaller rocks can jam the drive, but there will always be a rock that is big enough to jam up the works. The Simplicity single stage ahd hugh clearances, but I still jamed it often with a rock or stick.
Since the Simplicity days, I have paved the driveway. I still get gravel stones that are carried in by the cars, and larger rocks pushed up in winter at the edges, as well as the ever present tree branches that jam up the blower, on the average of once per outing. I always carry a few pins and wrenches with me so that I can replace them without returning to "home base".
I truly believe that you have a "lemon" unit, not a result of the basic design, or a function of the 2 stage concept. There is most likely a clearance or interference in a shaft or bearing somewhere due to a bad tolerance. With enough digging someone would find it, but the replacement is most likely the best solution. Pressure the rep to make it no charge due to your hassle and loss of use. Just hang in there, Kubota is an overall great, reliable product.
paul
rfogle
Member
I'm having a hard time getting my arms around the shear pin problem. I went from a Gravely 5665 with the venerable 34 inch "snow cannon" to the BX1500 and 2750b blower. While the Gravely chucked the snow about twice as far as the BX does it did have more trouble with gravel primarily do to it's forward weight wanting to dig in.
Without any of us seeing the problem up close and personal, I wonder about a couple of things. 1) what kind of rpm is being maintained and 2) are the hydraulics truly in float while operating the blower?
Looking back at some of the posted pictures, the impeller has seen some seriously hard use. Is it possible the impeller has become loose enough on the shaft or bent enough to be catching on the housing?
Without any of us seeing the problem up close and personal, I wonder about a couple of things. 1) what kind of rpm is being maintained and 2) are the hydraulics truly in float while operating the blower?
Looking back at some of the posted pictures, the impeller has seen some seriously hard use. Is it possible the impeller has become loose enough on the shaft or bent enough to be catching on the housing?
tomnky
Platinum Member
I have a walk behind Honda HS1132ts(two stage 11hp), and wish I had one for the bx that would blow like it does.
It cost me more than one from Kubota would but it lacks 2 inches or so cleaning my walks in one swipe.
It cost me more than one from Kubota would but it lacks 2 inches or so cleaning my walks in one swipe.
