Uh Oh. Snowblower ate a rock.

[TMcD_in_MI]

That's interesting. I looked at the parts diagram and I see what you mean. Did you notice that there are two different part numbers for that whole PTO shaft assembly, one number for (3120, 3320, 3520, 3720), and another number for (855/955/670/770/790/4210-4410/4200-4400) ? I wonder if one has the key and one doesn't.

The parts diagram for the gearbox doesn't show the input shaft very well at all.

I haven't really looked closely at mine so I don't know if there's a keyway there or not. I'd take a look and report back to you, but it's hard to get the right viewing angle when the blower is mounted on the tractor. If I happen to get a look at it in the near future, I'll post back here or send you a message.

Tom

 

[defed]

That's interesting. I looked at the parts diagram and I see what you mean. Did you notice that there are two different part numbers for that whole PTO shaft assembly, one number for (3120, 3320, 3520, 3720), and another number for (855/955/670/770/790/4210-4410/4200-4400) ? I wonder if one has the key and one doesn't.

The parts diagram for the gearbox doesn't show the input shaft very well at all.

I haven't really looked closely at mine so I don't know if there's a keyway there or not. I'd take a look and report back to you, but it's hard to get the right viewing angle when the blower is mounted on the tractor. If I happen to get a look at it in the near future, I'll post back here or send you a message.

Tom

i was under the impression that the pto shaft # differences simply meant that there was a different shaft for each use...whether it be length difference or something else. as far as i can tell, all of the pto shafts were splined on both ends. this is in regards to the mid pto shaft...if you meant the "tractor to blower" shaft, i haven't actually looked at those too closely.

i have my gear case apart now. i just pressed on my new bearings and races and am putting it back together. the 359 blower i bought had 3 gears inside, which made the output spin the wrong way. the output gear is the same on both, with the difference being the input gear. the one for the 59 is larger which allows it to engage the output directly. i bought that gear, and it has a hole and a keyway...just like the one i removed. now i wonder if it's a good idea to leave one of the keys out...either on the input of the gear case or on the impeller. one on the gear case would be easier to get to.

 

[xkbal]

now i wonder if it's a good idea to leave one of the keys out...either on the input of the gear case or on the impeller. one on the gear case would be easier to get to.

I tried leaving the key out of the impeller. The bolt sheared pretty much as soon as I hit a large drift. The problem is that there should be a shear bolt just for the impeller as well as each auger. Leaving the key out at the impeller means the bolt that is there has to take the force of the augers as well as the impeller. If I had more time I'd try a higher grade bolt.

When I complained to my local dealer about the design he talked to Deere and their story is that this was the first complaint they had.

Al

 

[defed]

When I complained to my local dealer about the design he talked to Deere and their story is that this was the first complaint they had.

Al

that's ALWAYS their story! i had some complaints about some things that i thought were 'design flaws' on my 4300. the dealer never heard of such things and die hard deere guys in the deere forum just say that the problems are my fault!

 

[The Haymaker]

My Dad had picked up a similiar sized JD blower for the front of his 955. After extensive rework of the mounting plates, it saw a total of about 1/2 hour use before striking something and... you guessed it, same failure. JUNK!

Now, the 5' Provost rear mount, that's a different story. Rocks, steel pipes, 100' extension cords, 50' of garden hose, aerosol paint can wedged in impeller, that is a nice rugged snow blower. And a now clean yard. :laughing:

 

[nspec]

I've never run a pto snowblower, but would a slip clutch solve this? Would it be too wet for one? Just thinking that would eliminate any questionable shear bolt issues.

 

[xkbal]

I've never run a pto snowblower, but would a slip clutch solve this? Would it be too wet for one? Just thinking that would eliminate any questionable shear bolt issues.

There's no problem with shear bolts, Deere (or whoever builds this for them) just needs to actually design the equipment to use them. I've looked for a universal with a slip clutch or shear bolt but have not had luck yet. The shaft for the front blower is quite small as it has less torque than an equivalent rear pto shaft due to the much higher rpm.

 

[TMcD_in_MI]

i was under the impression that the pto shaft # differences simply meant that there was a different shaft for each use...whether it be length difference or something else. as far as i can tell, all of the pto shafts were splined on both ends. this is in regards to the mid pto shaft...

That makes sense to me.

Just to try to keep things in perspective, I need to remind myself of two things.

1. I've used the blower for six years and have seen quite a few 4 inch rocks go flying out, or occasionally get jammed, with no breakage, other than shear bolts. I've done the 800 foot driveway many many times with no shearing of bolts at all.

2. In this case, the bolt on the impeller shaft had somehow become lost and the key was the only thing holding the impeller on the shaft. I know this because there was wear on the blower case directly behind the impeller. In fact there was so much wear that two of the four carriage bolt heads there were worn flat and thin. I suspect that the impeller bolt was gone for at least all of this winter so far and maybe part of last winter too. When the bolt is in place, there is a good quarter inch of clearance behind the impeller.

On the other hand, the dealer had three of the hub/U-joint pieces in stock, and when I told him how it had broken, he said "Yeah, that's how they do it."

With luck, I can go another six years.

Tom

 

[Dutch445]

i have my gear case apart now. i just pressed on my new bearings and races and am putting it back together. the 359 blower i bought had 3 gears inside, which made the output spin the wrong way. the output gear is the same on both, with the difference being the input gear. the one for the 59 is larger which allows it to engage the output directly. i bought that gear, and it has a hole and a keyway...just like the one i removed. now i wonder if it's a good idea to leave one of the keys out...either on the input of the gear case or on the impeller. one on the gear case would be easier to get to.

Defed, there were 2 versions of the 359 blower, the earlier ones that were on 50 series tractors had to spin in a different direction due to the front pto kit coming down off the engine crankshaft instead of out of the front of the transmission. The later ones were for the 70/55 series tractors.I just sent that gear/shaft to a customer in Colorado who picked
up a similar blower, got it all hooked up, and it went the wrong way!

 

[defed]

Defed, there were 2 versions of the 359 blower, the earlier ones that were on 50 series tractors had to spin in a different direction due to the front pto kit coming down off the engine crankshaft instead of out of the front of the transmission. The later ones were for the 70/55 series tractors.I just sent that gear/shaft to a customer in Colorado who picked
up a similar blower, got it all hooked up, and it went the wrong way!

correct, the one i have is was for a front pto tractor (3 gears backwards rotation). i need a model 59, which had only one gear configuration (2 gears). i did quite a bit of research on the models before i bought it to make sure i could convert it. once i get the gear case done, i have to modify the mount (almost fits as is) and get a mid pto shaft made.

i have the the 2 gears from the original 359, still in good shape, if anyone needs to do the opposite conversion!