Unbelieveable - small rant on snowblower

[StrangeRanger]

I don't know if Meteor sucks or the design sucks, but my first time out blowing snow this season and my Meteor blower puked it's gearbox, again. There even sheer bolts on this POS for if I'm going to keep breaking gearboxes?!
I'm even using "softer" sheer bolts than the manual recommends!!
And no, I didn't hit anything. Sure I was throwing a few rocks, small gravel driveway sized rocks, but the blower was a good 1-2" off the driveway and I was barely throwing any rocks at all. I had left the blower up off the ground to leave a surface of snow to pack down for that exact reason.
This POS blower cost me countless sheer bolts and $427 for the gearbox last year. And now I have to do it again? I'm so f'in pissed off right now. Anybody know any sources to buy these gearboxes from? My dealer is a useless rip off and I might as well start buying them buy the case LOL.
j

 

[StrangeRanger]

Just tried to email MK Marting/Meteor via their website to see if maybe I'm running too much tractor for this blower. Their website fails on the contact page. Nothing goes through. Guess I'll try to call them.
j

 

[slowzuki]

When a rock jams in the main impeller, the weight of the spinning beater and the pto are still trying to turn the gear box. You might want to reduce the strenght of the beater sheer bolt.

May be able to find a bigger gear box too.

 

[Bedlam]

I'm sorry to ear this troubles I have a buddy who has the same blower and he picked up a good size 1/2 in steel and only broke the pin. I am curious why yours is failing..
Always good to vent here. but I can feel your frustration, Specially where you weren't doing anything to really make it go bad.
keeps us updated

 

[StrangeRanger]

When a rock jams in the main impeller, the weight of the spinning beater and the pto are still trying to turn the gear box. You might want to reduce the strenght of the beater sheer bolt.

May be able to find a bigger gear box too.

I use "softer" bolts than the manual recommends and one of the sheer bolts is right on the end of the pto into the gear box. For sure that bolt should have broken b/f the gearbox did. I've certainly changed it in the past.

I can't see how a bigger gear box could fit, the mounting location will only allow an X sized gearbox ya know.

Kubotafan: prior to running the blower the week before I removed all the sheer bolts to check them, lubed everything, inspected/greased/tensioned the chain drive, made sure the gearbox was full of lube, checked the cable to rotate the chute ... basically went over the whole thing w/ a fine tooth comb.
After the gearbox ate itself I immediately shut the tractor down and dug around to see if I hit anything. There was nothing. The auger and fan spin very easily, there is no binding in the system anywhere. Grrrr...
j

 

[StrangeRanger]

Huh... there is no other contact info on MK Martin Enterprises' website. No email links, no phone numbers, no mailing address no nothing. That doesn't bode well.
j

 

[john_bud]

Comet = China - yes?

It sounds like typical cheap china crud

 

[StrangeRanger]

Comet = China - yes?

It sounds like typical cheap china crud

No, actually Meteor is mfg'ed by MK Martin Enterprises out of Canada. So it's Canadian crud.
j

 

[slan]

Something is not right, the gearbox is made in italy and distributed by an American office so they should be pretty good quality.
comer industries
comer industries

2 gearboxes that quick?

 

[royztoyz]

What is breaking on the gearbox? On my blower I have a direct drive from the pto shaft through the gearbox to the impeller. I have a shear bolt on the shaft to the pto shaft. The gearbox on mine only drives the auger, I can't see how jamming the impeller would tear the gearbox apart? Maybe some pics would help?