Bass ackwards snowblower

[farmyid]

Well I got the driveline lengthened just in time for the big snow (actually a bit less than we expected at 18") cranked that baby up started backwards and.... lots of snow churning around but not that much coming out the chute! Took me quite a while to figure out what the problem was. The guy that sold it to me explained that he had replaced the gearbox with the wrong one and that his 540 RPM blower now needed to be turned at 1000 rpm. Well, that's not it. The problem is that although the second stage impeller is going the right way the auger is not!!! It sends the snow out to the ends of the blower. So - what I am thinking about doing is taking the auger out and flipping it over. that will put the rotation ok - but I will hve either remove the drive gear and put it on the other end or perhaps leave it on the end it is and just put a new one on the other end. I am hoping the genius welder who lengthed my drive shaft will come to the rescue again. Cool machine, huh? Any suggestions on how to make it easier appreciated! Also where to get a gear sprocket about 7" diamete? It's an old (probably thirty years) Intenational 6'-6" blower Farmyid (Mark)

 

[Junkman]

Without taking the gear box apart, you will not know. I ran into that problem once with a rototiller. It was as easy as opening the gear box and flipping some gears. On another, that wasn't possible. It is a while ago that I had done this, so all the details of how I had done it are lost to an old mans memory. The only thing that I do remember is that it had to do with flipping the gear and reversing the gear that drove it on the shaft. What I don't understand is how the second stage auger can be turning in the correct direction, but the feed auger is turning back-wards. Possibly he had this entire unit apart and only half of it isn't assembled correctly?????

 

[PineRidge]

Mark it sounds to me as though your snow blower doesn't know if it’s coming or going. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I wish that I could be of some help to you on fixing your problem. I have a Woods myself and I have been inside the gearbox. They aren't all that complicated. I might suggest doing what the other posts mentioned and you might just figure out which gear might be in the wrong place.

 

[farmyid]

"What I don't understand is how the second stage auger can be turning in the correct direction, but the feed auger is turning back-wards"
I have been wondering that as well. Of course the shafts for the auger and the impeller are coming out of the gearbow at 90 degrees to each other.
I guess I should have a look in there. I had just assumed that it must be the wrong gearbox. At least with turning the auger over I know what has to be done! This ought to be interesting. Thanks and I'll let you know what happens. Mark Leue (say Loya)
BTW If anyone who uses a Mac can give me some suggestions as to how to use the instant faces and markup I'd be appreciative (PM me)

 

[hwp]

<font color="blue"> Also where to get a gear sprocket about 7" diameter? </font>

Any farm equipment dealer should be able to help you out. All you need to do is determine the gauge of chain, it's probably schedule 50, and count the number of teeth on the sprocket. If you don't know what gauge the chain is, just measure its width and the distance between cross pins. From that your dealer will know what gauge it is. Sprockets have been standard for decades. e.g. a 50 x 48 sprocket is for schedule 50 chain and has 48 teeth. But your shouldn't have to do this.

I'll bet the gear box was put in upside down. Many gear boxes are made to be installed either way. If the gear box is upside down the impeller would turn the right way and the auger the wrong way. For this to be the problem there would have to be output shafts on both sides of the gear box turning in opposite directions.

 

[MossRoad]

Are you sure if you turn the auger over it will change direction?

I took a piece of spiral pasta and turned it over and it looks the same to me. I also bent up a wire mock-up and it also looks the same. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[slowzuki]

Yup, flipping the auger would correct the direction. I'm wondering if it is a gearbox originally intended to be driven off the front crank turning a front blower? No, I guess that wouldn't be right either!

 

[MossRoad]

Yeah, I forgot the auger pulls from BOTH sides towards the inside. If it was just a spiral from one end to the other it wouldn't work. Hey, I learned something new, today. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[PineRidge]

When I had my Woods snow blower completely disassembled to repaint it I found out the auger could indeed be reversed and put in wrong if someone was not paying attention to details. Maybe yours just got put together wrong? /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[farmyid]

"I found out the auger could indeed be reversed and put in wrong if someone was not paying attention to details. Maybe yours just got put together wrong? "
Not a chance on mine. The drive sprocket is welded onto one end and a collar on the other. I took it down to a place that said they had expierience with these kind of gearboxes today and they said they'd look at it tommorow. they confirmed what Junkman said; some of these gearboxes have a way to reverse the rotation by changing position of the gears. Wouldn't that be cool....
I also spoke to the guy I bought it from who was very embaressed. He even made noises like he wanted to help out with the cost of the repair - something that I would take to be a very upright and honorable thing to do. I'll let you know what happens. Mark