Snow I broke my new snowblower!

[BeezFun]

I'd look at shear pins and PTO shaft length. Did somebody put Grade 5 or 8 bolts in there instead of Grade 2 or whatever the manufacturer specifies.

Checking what manufacturer specs is the right approach. Hardened bolts are more brittle and fracture more easily than softer bolts, so they aren't always the wrong thing to use. My neighbor's snowthrower for example specs Grade 8 bolts. Can't remember the brand.

 

[yelbike]

Great news!!:thumbsup: But to prevent a next time, check the length, 1/2" is not enough clearance. It should be at least a couple inches. I would also check the shear pins. The second gear box is always harder to get from them!

 

[149owner]

The new gear box along with several of each shear bolts from Pronovost arrived in three days. After taking the shear bolt out of the jack shaft, the jack shaft didn't seperate from the chain gear. I'll have to break the connection free and put some anti-seize on it when I put it all back together. I painted the new gear box today so will get it back together next weekend. No snow is in the near forcast so I'll have time to check it all over including the PTO shaft in it's full arc. I sent Pronovost an email thanking them for their great customer service.

 

[IdahoTractor]

In regards to all the posts about the PTO length, with the snowblower fully raised I still have about 1/2" of travel on the input shaft so it wasn't binding on the shaft. The blower was on the ground when this happened and I never ran it in the full up position.

Were you blowing up a slope that was relatively steep - maxing out the 3pt float? Doing so can cause the shaft to break without breaking the shear pins. I speak from experience.......

 

[IdahoTractor]

Back in 2008 when I got my 4240 the dealer didn't cut the shaft to the proper length and when I would lift my blower the drive shaft would start to push the blowers gear box to the point where the paint around the bolts was cracking. The blowers impeller would bind in the tub and as I lowered it the binding would stop. The farther up I would raise the blower the worst the binding would get. I removed the drive shaft, cut it and re-installed and never had an issue after.

I had the identical issue. It was the 3pt up position that caused my blower shaft to shear. Like you, my impeller was binding on the lower part of the tub when blowing uphill - maxing out the float.

 

[Rail Dawg]

Be honest. It comes back around if we're not.

It also comes back around if we are.

 

[149owner]

I took the gear box apart to see what happened. Before I put it all back together I checked the PTO shaft. In the full up position there is a 1" gap and in the full down much more. Yes, the PTO shields will go back on when everything is put back together for real!

My driveway is flat so I wasn't blowing up a slope and it was in the full down position for about 50' before it broke.

I did email the dealer and Pronovost thanking them for the great customer service.

 

[The Deerslayer]

Sadly...no snow to blow. My Puma remains in the barn awaiting to be awakened. Glad it worked out for you.

 

[lilranch2001]

Sadly...no snow to blow. My Puma remains in the barn awaiting to be awakened. Glad it worked out for you.

I almost bought a snowblower this fall, sort of glad I procrastinated, now I have 3 days of hospital bills and 2 ER visits to pay for instead.
So far this winter the snow we have had would not have been worth breaking out a snowblower

 

[don white]

I still do not understand how this happened. That break is all torque. The shear pins should have gone first.

I am guessing you have all your tarps picked up?