shear bolts B2782 snowblower

[smfcpacfp]

The local dealer wants $1 each for the shear bolt Nut and washer) for this unit. Does anyone know where they can be had cheaper?

 

[techman]

If they are the same as my tractor/blower, they are standard grade bolts with grooves in them. I buy bolts at home Creapo and machine the grooves myself.

Much cheaper.

paul

 

[hazmat]

I think I paid a little over a dollar for mine.

Might try tractorsmart or messicks, but shipping will probably erase any savings.

Remember Newton's (or is it Murphy's) 1st law of pto attachments. The frequency of busting shear bolts is inversely related to how many you have on hand.

Since they are expensive, I only bought a 1/2 dozen for my blower. On my attachments that take standard bolts, I buy a box (50-100) - When I've bought a box, I've never broken a bolt. $10 well spent to keep the machine up & running.

 

[smfcpacfp]

I bought a dozen of each and have used three this year.

 

[Ductape]

I bought ten @ my local dealer for $1.97 ea. ??!!

And they didn't even kiss me first.

The bolts for the auger were .64 ....... which are just a 1/4 in. grade 8. Parts guy told me these superceded the part number i gave him (that came right off the blower itself). If i even need more of those i'll just get 'em at the big box store.

 

[lakeside]

I just got around to reading your post. DON'T use grade 8 bolts as shear pins!! Grade 8 bolts (identified by five stripes on the head of the bolt) are perhaps the strongest bolts you'd ever find on the commercial market. Grade 8s are meant to be used in high load conditions where failure of the bolt could have catastrophic consequences. You'd find Grade 8s in places like truck suspensions and frame components.

Even Grade 5 bolts (three stripes on the bolt head) are too strong to be used as a shear bolt. I've used large nails in a pinch, when it was just too far to get a replacement shear bolt.

Way back I remember hearing about someone who, unwittingly, replaced a shear bolt on a truck winch with a regular bolt. It wasn't pretty.

I just went through four of the five free shear bolts that came with my new Pronovost blower. No fault of the blower, I have a gravel driveway. I bought the cheapest 1/4" bolts I could find at Home Depot and lenghtened the thread so the threaded portion is at the PTO shaft interface area. One more shear bolt and it's time for the Home Depot bolts.

 

[Chilly807]

My experience with walk-behind snowblowers has been that shear bolts are grade 2. If you have a SAE bolt that has no head markings, it's generally a grade 2. I'd like to say it is a grade 2 every time, and it should be, but with our markets flooded with imports anything is possible.

Chilly

 

[lakeside]

Just a correction, Grade 8 bolts have six stripes on the bolt head instead of what I posted, five.

 

[robbo323]

I went to get a couple makeshift shear bolts at Tractor Supply Co on a weekend when my dealer was closed & when I grabbed some low grade bolts, the clerk there told me that I had it backwards - that low grade would "give" and flex rather than break when it should and said I needed grade 5 or 8 that - being more rigid & inflexible - would snap when they should. Can someone clear this up for me?

 

[StrangeRanger]

Some larger machines will use grade 5 for a shear bolt, but dollars to donuts on our size machines 99% of the time it's grade 2. Never grade 8.
I got to TSC b/c they have nice bins labeled clearly as to the grade. I simply buy bulk and cut to length needed.
It's also important to remember to keep your shear bolt tightened down very snug. If you keep it tight it will shear when it's supposed to better.
As much as a PITA it is to replace shear bolts, I'd rather replace them than other parts. See my posts from last year regarding the FOURTH gear box I'm on for my blower. Grrrrr...
j