PT1430 Leaf blower - Toro conversion

[DonStillwagon]

Attached are some photos of a Toro debris blower model 30823 that I have modified for use with my 1430. The blower is rated 130mph, 3650 cfm at 2700 rpm by Toro. This link gives more information: http://www.toro.com/golf/docs/ceg/gm_3280_3320..pdf the blower is on page 5. The power source I selected is a 1 cubic inch hydraulic motor from the Surplus Center, and it requires a case drain which the 1430 has plumbed into the QT area - it is connected to the original splined input with a lovejoy coupling. I savaged a keyway into the splined shaft with a small angle grinder and a cutting disc (very slowly and carefully!), since I could not find a lovejoy coupling in the required spline count. The OD of the shaft is exactly 7/8" and I got a really tight fit.

I built the QT plate from materials purchased and cut on a large bandsaw while taking a welding class at a local community college. I removed the original casters and wheels from the front of the blower as they needed new tires and they are really unnecessary on the PT - it handles the weight just fine.

With about 25 hours of use this season, I can report the blower works well, and once you learn what you can do with elevation and tilt, the fixed blower direction is not much of a handicap. I used 4' hoses with my setup to give enough flex for the maneuvers. I am using it to clear lawn areas and blow leaves from the side ditches on about 1.5 miles of gravel roads in our hilly area. I just blow the leaves into the woods or up on the road banks. Picking the right ambient wind conditions is necessary for good results!

 

[coolconnection]

Thanks for the pictures. This is what I plan on doing with my Steiner leaf blower. I am just waiting for the nice fellow to ship me the hydraulic motor and then I will get started on it. I hope mine turns out as nice as yours. So where did you find the lovejoy conectors. I found some connectors at Tractor Supply that look like lovejoy but they say G&G. I wonder if they would work with lovejoy connectors. My Steiner blower says 150 mph, 3000 cfm at engine speed. Max engine speed is 3600 rpm. I hope the motor I get works well with it. This is going to be my winter project and I will post pictures when done. Now if I could make my own quick attach plate I would really be in business. Did you use a stick welder or a wire welder to make yours?

Thanks

 

[Marks481]

So where did you find the lovejoy conectors. I found some connectors at Tractor Supply that look like lovejoy but they say G&G. I wonder if they would work with lovejoy connectors.

Try mcmaster-carr, page 1145-1150. They are not brandname "LoveJoy", but they are flexible spider couplings (has the patent expired?).

McMaster-Carr

Nice job on the blower; looks very professional. After running back and forth over my 1 acre lawn with a lawn sweeper (marginally effective) for a couple hours on my PT422, I wish I had something like that.

 

[DonStillwagon]

There are a lot of suppliers to the original "lovejoy" design - the ones at TSC are fine, and many are interchangeable. I bought some from the surplus center. They also have all the fittings you will need for the hydraulics hookups, and their on-line store even has the dimensions and explanations of the various types. I have bought some of my hoses from TSC and Northern Tool, but they usually only stock hoses with NPT ends, so you need to purchase adapters. I have also found Pioneer quick-connects that interchange with the Italian ones on the 1430 - just take yours along and match them up.

I use both a wire feed and a stick (AC/DC/TIG) welder, depending upon what I am doing - either can be used to build a plate. The wire feed is probably the easiest, and the little Lincoln 155 that I use can weld the heavy plate if you turn it up and get the wire speed right.

Good luck with your conversion - these blowers can really help with big jobs.

Don

 

[smartguyz]

Nice job! Looks really great!

-Rob

 

[J_J]

There are a lot of suppliers to the original "lovejoy" design - the ones at TSC are fine, and many are interchangeable. I bought some from the surplus center. They also have all the fittings you will need for the hydraulics hookups, and their on-line store even has the dimensions and explanations of the various types. I have bought some of my hoses from TSC and Northern Tool, but they usually only stock hoses with NPT ends, so you need to purchase adapters. I have also found Pioneer quick-connects that interchange with the Italian ones on the 1430 - just take yours along and match them up.

I use both a wire feed and a stick (AC/DC/TIG) welder, depending upon what I am doing - either can be used to build a plate. The wire feed is probably the easiest, and the little Lincoln 155 that I use can weld the heavy plate if you turn it up and get the wire speed right.

Good luck with your conversion - these blowers can really help with big jobs.

Don

Don, I see that you are using a tractor top link with your blower. Do you also use it for any heavy lifting. Have you had any trouble with it. I only use mine on certain occasions, because I don't think it will stand up to max loads for long.

 

[DonStillwagon]

Hi J.J.: Good eye! I had just put the top link on when the original failed at about 1500 hours - the ball link broke just at the edge of the weld to the shaft and it unrolled to resemble a J, dropping the (over)load that I was lifting with my forks. That top link and the QT plate on the tractor have seen a lot of serious overloading - I know for a fact that the machine will lift about 1600 pounds (a cube of bricks) - of course it is not possible to do anything practical with that much weight as the tractor will do a fast nose-plant if you turn or try to raise the load. However I have handled many a load that was at the design limit of the machine. I have actually had to re-weld the attachment ears on the QT plate as they were tearing out with a chunk of the plate - the repair was to grind a notch with a carbide burr into the crack and run a weld into it with a lot of heat. Since I knew that the forces on the top link were considerable I always use caution when lifting work items, especially around helpers, making sure that all will be clear if it just drops. Especially important with my long boom pole (10').

Getting to your question- the link has forged ends that have a lot more metal than the original ball end so I think that part is stronger. I chose a link that has full thread engagement when at the correct length, since the thread area may be the weak point. I did purchase a couple of new ball ends and plan to rebuild the original link one day, but first I will see how this link handles the loading - as I said it certainly looks stronger in the area that failed on the original link and I like the fact that there is no weld in a critical area. I have not had it on long enough to take advantage of the adjustable feature, but that will be a bit of an advantage when working at the tilt limits of the fixed setup as you mention.

Don

 

[woodlandfarms]

See!!!! His broke too!!!! Granted after 1400 hours of service and not after 20 hours.

Don, is your links 3/4" or 1" sized? I assume 3/4" as you have a 1430.

I bought that exact tube for my PT but because i was worried about the threads slipping I just cut it up and put welded it back onto the old bar.

 

[J_J]

See!!!! His broke too!!!! Granted after 1400 hours of service and not after 20 hours.

Don, is your links 3/4" or 1" sized? I assume 3/4" as you have a 1430.

I bought that exact tube for my PT but because i was worried about the threads slipping I just cut it up and put welded it back onto the old bar.

Some of those top links are good and some are junk. You will not know the difference until something happens

You guys need to make your own connecting rods, or have someone make them for you. A 1 in thick bar about 2 1/2 in wide, as long as needed, with multiple holes in it for the various attachments. What you do is bore a hole big enough to weld in a bushing for each hole. The bushing should be 3/4 hole and the width of the link arms. I think you will break something else before you break that unit. You can even put a grease zerk in it.

 

[DonStillwagon]

Carl: Yep it failed! I was being careful for a long time after I almost pulled the ears off the QT plate. The link is a category 1 with 3/4" bolt holes. I looked at your pictures and they appear to be failing at the end of the weld area also. The commercial link I purchased at Car Quest (we are in the boonies, so they stock some tractor parts) is made in Italy, but there are no ratings on it, so how strong it is an unknown.

JJ: Thanks for the caution on the top links - anything with that much metal that only costs $23 is a reason for worry! I like your idea - my thoughts were headed in that direction also, but had not decided on what thickness of bar stock to use. I guess I will have another slow job on the drill press with a lot of chainsaw bar oil to bore a couple of holes in a bar to install those two ball ends sitting on the workbench. I have found the bimetal hole saws to work fine with slow speed and the oil. Another option is to buy a forged end that welds to a bar (like the lower arms on a 3-point hitch) - the weld area would be much larger than the tube or rod that PT uses, and the hardened socket would not be directly affected by the weld heat.

Another project!

I still think about the tearing of the QT plate and the strength of the ears welded on to it that the top link attaches to. When we fixed the plate we welded some rectangular bar stock across the plate just above and butted to the ears to give spread the stress on the plate. If you are breaking top link with your machine it probably is a good idea to inspect for hairline cracks near the top link ears on the plate.