Snow Attachments Snowblower auger drive types

   / Snowblower auger drive types #1  

ELMO67

Silver Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2002
Messages
217
Location
CT.
Tractor
KUBOTA L3010
Good afternoon, all! I have a question that I've not seen come up about the auger drive on a Kubota front mount snow blower. I'm looking at one that has a chain drive on the left side of the blower, but more commonly I've seen blowers that have a gearbox in the center of the auger/ secondary impeller. Is one design better or stronger than the others?
 
   / Snowblower auger drive types #2  
The ones with center gearbox tend to be cheaper builds, in fact on smaller units they are merely same box as used on walk behinds.
Hit something solid and U can totally trash the blower.
The side chain drive has the box separate and it drives the fan with a shaft that in turn drives the auger via chain.
IMHO the latter is a much better build and is what all the major big blowers use.
 
   / Snowblower auger drive types #3  
I have the Kubota B2781 (built by RAD industries in Quebec) 3 pt blower with the gear box in the center and been using it for about 5 years with no issues, it was the heavy duty model when purchased. The gear box is quite larger than my walk behind Sears snow blower and built with heavy steel construction. I check the oil in the gearbox at least twice a season. My neighbor bought a blower the year after me and his was the chain driven model and the one difference I noticed between my blower and his is that his auger seemed to be spinning faster and had further throwing distance. Not sure if this is true but it looked that way.
 
   / Snowblower auger drive types #4  
The gearboxs on both types can be as stought, depends on what quality and max hp the gearbox the builder selects when he makes the blower. The gearbox/pto shaft is sized for max input power coming from the tractor it is supposed to be hooked to. Usually, the bigger units do not have the auger type gearbox because those are probably not readily available to the builder like the cast gearboxes. There are good/bad things about both designs, but neither is the cat's meow. Not much maint on the chain types, except keeping the chain clean and occasionaly lubed. The open chain types are easier to keep clean, some of the mostly enclosed designs collect dirt/sand. On my JRW, I can remove the main impeller without removing the auger. I could see that would be a problem with the auger gearbox type. But, with those, you don't have the chain and sprockets. So, kind of a wash.... :)
 
   / Snowblower auger drive types
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Thanks for the replies, I'm looking at an older Unit for my L3010. Now I just have to get the seller to reply to his email!
 
   / Snowblower auger drive types #6  
Hi everyone! Just signed on today, I have a problem ,I have a 715 B front mounted blower made by RAD industries trying to mount it on my 2012 new Holland boomer 25 tractor everything is fine but the center PTO is running clockwise (standing behind the tractor) the blower has to run the other way. Anyone know what I can do about that?? besides sell the blower and get a different one.
 
   / Snowblower auger drive types #7  
The 715 is basically the same blower for the front or rear mount. The difference is the front mount will have a gear reduction/reverser gearbox off the input shaft of the blower. If you check Messick's website for the 715B, you will see a line for a reverse rotation gearbox that would have to be incorporated into your driveline. If possible, I would check with RAD for the kit, as the NH route is pricey. Please confirm the rotation direction of that center output shaft, because they also show a simpler non-reversing chain drive reduction unit. The center output shaft is a 2000 rpm shaft and the blower was designed for a 540 rpm input, making the reduction gearbox necessary. Good luck!
 
   / Snowblower auger drive types #8  
Sorry to revive an old post, but any other thoughts or opinions on chain drive, versus gearbox in the middle of the auger drive? I ask as there is one locally for a good price but am skeptical as I've only known chain drive for larger blowers.
 
   / Snowblower auger drive types #9  
If the unit is a chain drive unit it will be worth buying and repairing if it needs work as the drive system is simpler to repair. The problem with the worm spur gear drive is that its all out in the open and it has 2 open cross auger halves with at least 3 shear pins- one on each cross auger at the gear box stub shaft and the third on the impeller.
A chain drive does not have all of this exposed as the chain drive is all that is there to rotate the cross auger from propeller shaft connected to the gear box with a pair of sprockets just like a rototlller is that uses chain drive with 2 shaft gearbox. The gear box on a chain drive has the same two shaft set up where one shaft rotates the impeller fan and the second shaft rotates the chain that rotates one piece open cross auger.


I guess that I would look at a Reist Series 1000 single stage snow thrower for your mule too if it were me. It has and enclosed a chain drive system and the buyer can change the speed of the snow blower rotor by changing the sprockets with small hand tools and blue loctite to secure the allen head bolts used for the taper locks.

The 48 inch wide Series 1000 is equipped with sprocket set that will rotate the snow blower rotor at 500 RPM at the 540 RPM engine speed.



.
 
 
Top