Snowblower Chain Breakage

[454shooter]

Hello, I have an older Lucknow 78" rear snowblower. The #60 chain is exposed into the auger area like most blowers I have seen. My problem is that I use the blower on a long dirt drive and every time I use it it breaks due apparently to picking up a rock that must get pinched between the chain and gear. I had a partial guard welded on yesterday but it still picked up a rock and broke the chain again. It will be difficult to encase the chain with a guard due to the moving parts. Has anyone else had this problem and came up with a fix or is there a tougher chain made for blowers?

Thanks in adance........Shooter

 

[hwp]

I suspect debris (rocks, etc.) is jambing the auger or impeller rather than the chain. How free is your auger? Could you have a seized bearing? Also, I would use a lighter shear pin to protect the chain.

 

[Dirthog]

The other thing that will break the chain is when it's gets dry had a old satoh that would do the same thing. It would olny take about one pass on my driveway to. Keep a can of wd 40 with me and every pass would spray the chain that helped.

 

[454shooter]

Thanks for the replies. It is definitely rocks that are breaking the chain. The auger and bearings are fine. I will take the advice to keep it heavier lubed. I have it sprayed with a can of black oil but will lube it more often. I am surprised how quickly a rock can break a #60 chain. I ordered new chain today so I will see how it goes.

Thanks...Shooter

Keep the replies coming if anyone has solved this problem before.

 

[Fjord]

The other thing that will break the chain is when it's gets dry had a old satoh that would do the same thing. It would olny take about one pass on my driveway to. Keep a can of wd 40 with me and every pass would spray the chain that helped.

What else is good for lubricating the chain? I've tried white grease in an aerosol, chainsaw bar oil, and ordinary grease. It doesn't matter what I use the snow washes it off and the chain is dry as a bone by the time I'm done.Any better ideas?

 

[George2615]

I agree with Howard. It seems to me that your shear pins are too heavy duty. The shear pin should break way before your chain should. Most driveways I do are packed gravel / runner crush. I have picked up a stone or two between the chain and gear and the shear pin snaps right away protecting the chain. Try changing the pins down a grade or so.

 

[whodat90]

Use (get ready for it) chain lube. Get it from a motorcycle shop. It's a veeeeeeeery tacky grease in a solvent carrier. You spray it on the chain, and it goes on like wd40, then in about 10 minutes the carrier evaporates off and you have an incredibly sticky grease left on the chain that resists fling-off.

 

[Iowa2210]

I use the spray chain lube from TSC that is with the PTO parts, can remember if its made by the PBblaster people or JBweld people (I think its JB brand). Real thick, sticky, great stuff, but of course the aerosol gets pretty weak in the cold weather.

The manual for my Loftness 48" unit says I should use any old motor oil (30ish weight) on my #50 roller chain drive.

Iowa2210

 

[Fjord]

Thanks, don't know why I didn't think of chain lube.It's been about 20 years since I had a motorcycle. Just picked up a can (I think its called PJ2 or JP2 or something like that) and srayed it on.Kinda smells like heavy gear oil. We're supposed to get about 6" tonight so I'll get to find out if it sticks on better than anything else I've tried.

 

[Iowa2210]

That's the stuff! I just move a few 2' drifts with my loftness, and that lube really sticks. I have a heavy coating of the "sticky oil" on all the links. Works great. My service manual indicates you should great every 5 hrs, but I just give it a squirt after I'm done moving snow for the day and run it in.

Iowa2210

Note: the worst part of today was putting the chains on the 2210, I've found out that without them and new snowblower, I can't even make it up my own drive. maybe time to get some R1's for the winter!