Shear Pins

Magnum3252 · Dec 5, 2017

Should I buy JD Shear Pins for my 54" snowblower or get some at my Local Ace Hardware?

Peter 315 · Dec 5, 2017

Magnum3252 said:
Should I buy JD Shear Pins for my 54" snowblower or get some at my Local Ace Hardware?

If you know the size try ebay

Dutch445 · Dec 5, 2017

Peter 315 said:
If you know the size try ebay

if you are close to the dealer, (or any hardware store) and they have a bulk hardware display, you can get them
for very reasonable cost, they are 1/4 bolts, 1" or 1 1/4" long, and if i'm not mistaken
grade 5 with a nylock nut.

shui5612 · Dec 5, 2017

If you're ever stuck them you can use s regular bolt with a nut but don't tighten it too much.

Make sure the bolt is slightly of a smaller diameter. It helps..

Now while everyone will say get shear pins etc, a regular bolt doesn't have much strength and will shear pretty easily off.. if not easier than some shear pins.

But like I said, if ever the store is closed and you're midwork.. a regular bolt can save the day.

beenthere · Dec 5, 2017

Magnum
Shear pins are there to take the "hit" so something else doesn't break that may be more expensive than shear pins. Your decision as to what to use.
If shearing too many pins, find out what is causing this to happen and remedy that problem.
I like to use lock nuts on the bolts and do not tighten the bolts, but leave them loose.

jgayman · Dec 5, 2017

Magnum3252 said:
Should I buy JD Shear Pins for my 54" snowblower or get some at my Local Ace Hardware?

Use the JD shear bolts. The bolt is only $0.46 and the nut is only $0.25. Then you will know you have the correct bolts to shear properly.

As you know, your 54" blower housing already has four spare shear bolts mounted on the left side to the rear of the auger housing.

The JD bolt is rated as grade "A17D" which is equivalent to Grade-5

oosik · Dec 5, 2017

When I had a PTO driven snow blower - I used regular 'ol grade 2, 1/4" x 1 1/2" bolts. They sheared sooner than OEM shear pins - but, what the heck - they were cheep and available at the local ACE hardware. Otherwise, it was a 60 mile round trip to the tractor dealer for OEM shear pins.

bigtiller · Dec 5, 2017

I have a 54" snowblower. Here is a pic of the original shear pins. As yo u can see it is a grade 5 bolt 1 inch long.

Liquidsilver · Dec 5, 2017

I twisted a driveshaft because I didn't know to use the Grade 2 shear bolt. I just threw a Grade 5 in and whack, and ruined the PTO shaft. Could have been more expensive than that. Now I know.

bigtiller · Dec 5, 2017

Liquidsilver said:
I twisted a driveshaft because I didn't know to use the Grade 2 shear bolt. I just threw a Grade 5 in and whack, and ruined the PTO shaft. Could have been more expensive than that. Now I know.

That's got to be frustrating! But the OP has a JD 54" snow blower which requires a grade 5, 1/4" bolt for a shear pin.

sixdogs · Dec 5, 2017

A shear pin is just a bolt and usually a grade 2 with no markings on the head. Some things use a grade 5 and are identified by three marks on the head. Just check the owner's manual and buy bolts at the local farm store in the bulk bin.

Deere Dude · Dec 5, 2017

I am all for saving a buck, but if you need to buy bolts from the bulk bit you probably have other issues like rocks or ice that need to be dealt with.

bigtiller · Dec 5, 2017

bigtiller said:
That's got to be frustrating! But the OP has a JD 54" snow blower which requires a grade 5, 1/4" bolt for a shear pin.

Well shucks, that's the second time today I forgot to ad my pic.

Code54 · Dec 5, 2017

sixdogs said:
A shear pin is just a bolt and usually a grade 2 with no markings on the head. Some things use a grade 5 and are identified by three marks on the head. Just check the owner's manual and buy bolts at the local farm store in the bulk bin.

100% agree - I grabbed a handful several years ago and still have 1/2 left - doubt I spent $5 on the whole bag of them from Rural King

SPYDERLK · Dec 5, 2017

beenthere said:
Magnum
Shear pins are there to take the "hit" so something else doesn't break that may be more expensive than shear pins. Your decision as to what to use.
If shearing too many pins, find out what is causing this to happen and remedy that problem.
I like to use lock nuts on the bolts and do not tighten the bolts, but leave them loose.

I always snug em up. Not very tight, but I figure the slight elastic stretch relieves the shear zone as it is cut in two.

bigtiller · Dec 5, 2017

SPYDERLK said:
I always snug em up. Not very tight, but I figure the slight elastic stretch relieves the shear zone as it is cut in two.

I do the same, and I also add a drop of blue lock-tight. They last for a very long time this way.

PILOON · Dec 5, 2017

What I found is that 'hardware store grade' bolts stretch and distort B4 they shear while a grade 5 makes a nice clean break.
The trick is to not have a thread in the shear area as that is a built in fault so to speak.
I don't torque up tight, just snug and always use a nylon lock nut.

The softer bolts once sheared are hard to drive out while a grade 5 will simply pop out easily with the outers usually long gone and it is simply a bit tricky to align the holes to press out the captive shaft remnant (that is on the augers) an my fan I never find either halves, LOL. (I have a gravel drive)

Oh, I located a manual at one time and the factory actually did call for grade 5.

sixdogs · Dec 5, 2017

Manufacturers have gotten a little more snarky lately and recently I have seen two things with grade 10.9 metric socket head cap screws (bolts) as hear bolts that are hard to find if not bought from a dealer. Most hardware store metric socket head cap screws are grade 12.9 so to be true to the equipment you almost have to buy from the dealer and the price is many times as much as hardware, even though it's the same thing. It's OK but I was able to find some grade 10.9 on EBAY.

I'm not sure but I think 10.9 is similar to grade 2 in that it's not heat treated while grade 12.9 is likely the same as grade 5 with mild heat treating. it's kind of a mystery.

oosik · Dec 6, 2017

Well - I thought ASTM grade10.9 was equal to SAE grade 8. Looked at my torque tables and now I'm not so sure. Have to see if there is a cross-reference table somewhere.

CobyRupert · Dec 6, 2017

shui5612 said:
If you're ever stuck them you can use s regular bolt with a nut but don't tighten it too much.

Make sure the bolt is slightly of a smaller diameter. It helps..

Now while everyone will say get shear pins etc, a regular bolt doesn't have much strength and will shear pretty easily off.. if not easier than some shear pins.

But like I said, if ever the store is closed and you're midwork.. a regular bolt can save the day.

"..a regular bolt"?
"Make sure (it's) of a smaller diameter"?

Don't take this the wrong way, but this is some of the worst advice I've ever read on the internet.