Busted Snow Blower Driveshaft

   / Busted Snow Blower Driveshaft
  • Thread Starter
#11  
Make sure ou didn't mix up the shear pins for the auger and impeller. Auger is grade 5 impeller is grade 8. That can cause an issue. The shaft assembly isn't terrible. $220 or so I think. You should be able to fix yours easy enough. The yoke looks spread but an decent driveshaft place should be able to put matching yokes together and get it useable.

I've had to replace many shear bolts and I've replaced the auger with the chrome colored bolts and the impeller with the brass ones. That is correct, right?
 
   / Busted Snow Blower Driveshaft
  • Thread Starter
#12  
Bill, I just read your post. Ouch! I answered your PM, but I guess the part I have is not what broke on yours. I'd go with the driveline repair shop- I had to have one made up years ago for my '72 Blazer after it was stolen right off the truck in a parking garage in Burlington VT the day before hunting season opened (^%$%^$!!:mad::mad:). Those shops really know what they're doing. Fun living on a dirt road, huh? After the first major snow & subsequent plowing (yesterday), all those rocks that used to be n the middle of the road are all right next to my driveway & mailbox. Went through two shear pins yesterday, one auger and one fan. Ugh. Walt Here's some pics of my driveshaft yoke: <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=350566"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=350565"/>

Thanks Walt, gravel roads are indeed fun. Thanks much.
 
   / Busted Snow Blower Driveshaft #13  
Yes, Bill, the "silver" shear bolts are for the auger. Here's a pic of one set, factory parts:

blower sh. bolts.JPG
 
   / Busted Snow Blower Driveshaft #14  
Bill, I tried to PM you about your driveshaft issue, but I think I sent it to myself?:confused2:

Here's a copy, along with some pics:
OK Bill, I just went through my old stuff; here's how the system works:

1. The slip yoke, attached to one end of the driveshaft, slides over the short driveshaft "extension" that sticks out of the rear of the quick-hitch assembly. (The other end of the driveshaft/slip yoke combination attaches to the mid-PTO toward the rear of the tractor.)

2. The short --about 12" long-- driveshaft extension is mounted in two pillow-block bearings to the quick-hitch frame. It is secured in position by two allen set-screws on each of the bearings. By the book, it must protrude 6-5/8" from the rear surface of the quick-hitch frame's cross-piece. (Since the bearings are just about one inch thick, about 5-5/8" from the exterior surface of the bearing.)

3. IF that short driveshaft extension piece has shifted so that it doesn't stick out far enough, that leaves too little splined-shaft length for the main driveshaft's slip-yoke to engage securely, resulting in a definite possibility of it flying apart when the driveshaft/PTO is engaged.

4. As long as the position of the Q-H driveshaft extension is good, the OEM slip-yoke will hold --at least it has on my tractor. Some folks have purchased that after-market slip yoke, which has a longer splined tube, so it engages greater distance on the Q-H driveshaft's splines.

I'm certain that's where your problem lies.

Walt

quick hitch stub shaft.JPGQuickHitch man. p.14.JPGQuickHitch man. p. 13.JPG
 
   / Busted Snow Blower Driveshaft #15  
Irving, is it possible he's missing a spacer tube that floats on that spline shaft? (to keep the other end from slipping off?)

Or maybe one added

Or maybe there's several places for the snowblower to mount allowing the unit to be too far forward?.....Seems odd he didn't have that issue last year:confused2:

(Just wild guesses)
 
   / Busted Snow Blower Driveshaft #16  
No, there's no spacer. The position of the mid-PTO driveshaft along the front-to-rear axis is determined by where/when the quick-release snap ring at the rear of the driveshaft locks into position in the groove on the mid-PTO drive stub. Note that when the driveshaft is slid onto the mid-PTO drive stub, it's being slid to the rear, essentially sliding it off (rearward motion) the quick-hitch's short driveshaft.

That's where the problem lies, if that quick-hitch driveshaft has migrated forward in its two bearings. When the snap-ring engages on the PTO drive stub, it MAY leave insufficient engagement length between the forward end of the driveshaft's slip yoke and the quick-hitch driveshaft. Even when everything's as it should be, there's not a lot of engagement distance on the front end of that driveshaft (see second pic). That's why some folks have purchased that slip yoke from Inland Truck, which is a bit longer.

So far, knock on snow, mine has held up!;)

mid-PTO shaft:hydr filter.JPG2:23:09-1.JPG
 
   / Busted Snow Blower Driveshaft #17  
Oops--- here's a better pic of the forward end of the driveshaft. You can see where a longer slip-yoke might be a good idea.

2:23:09-3.JPG
 
   / Busted Snow Blower Driveshaft
  • Thread Starter
#18  
Well, just measured that shaft and where Walt's measures 5 1/2", mine only measures 3 1/2. ON THE TRACTOR GUYS :D

So, I will have to look at adjusting that set screw and shaft or look at that longer yoke.

So Walt, will I need that longer yoke if I extend that shaft out 2 more inches? and will there enough left in the QH side to be safe?
 
   / Busted Snow Blower Driveshaft #19  
Wow, only 3-1/2". That's defInitely the problem. As I mentioned before, I still have the original slip-yoke on mine, and it still works fine.

If you remove the quick-hitch assembly, you can lay it down on its side and see those four set screws. If they're still there, I bet they're loose. You ought to be able to back the screws out a bit --if necessary-- and slide the short driveshaft toward the rear until you have the 5.5" plus sticking out. Then re-tighten the set screws. Note where thread lock is recommended in the service manual.

Hope that takes care of it! Walt
 
   / Busted Snow Blower Driveshaft
  • Thread Starter
#20  
Wow, only 3-1/2". That's defInitely the problem. As I mentioned before, I still have the original slip-yoke on mine, and it still works fine. If you remove the quick-hitch assembly, you can lay it down on its side and see those four set screws. If they're still there, I bet they're loose. You ought to be able to back the screws out a bit --if necessary-- and slide the short driveshaft toward the rear until you have the 5.5" plus sticking out. Then re-tighten the set screws. Note where thread lock is recommended in the service manual. Hope that takes care of it! Walt

I pulled the blower off last night and low and behold, two of the four set screws were missing and one was loose. Looks like I will have to repair both drive lines now and replace those screws. Not enough hours in the day. lol
 
 
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