Snow I broke my new snowblower!

Gator6x4 · Feb 9, 2012

It appears you have done a great job on your problem solving. I personally would go one step further while the covers are off. I would remove the PTO shaft and confirm that it will fully collapse, removing the inch you now have visible. One other thing most PTO Shaft installers like to have two inches where you currently have an inch. Good luck.

149owner · Feb 9, 2012

The PTO shaft is just the way it was when the snowblower broke. I took the covers off just to prove to myself that the shaft wasn't too long and binding on the gear box housing like so many said was what happened. I don't want to cut it any shorter because when it is extended in the full down position I want to keep as much overlap as possible of the two halfs of the shaft. The shaft does collapse completely.

lilranch2001 · Feb 9, 2012

Gator6x4 said:
It appears you have done a great job on your problem solving. I personally would go one step further while the covers are off. I would remove the PTO shaft and confirm that it will fully collapse, removing the inch you now have visible. One other thing most PTO Shaft installers like to have two inches where you currently have an inch. Good luck.

all men want an extra inch.........:ashamed:

yelbike · Feb 9, 2012

lilranch2001 said:
all men want an extra inch.........:ashamed:

I think you mean the women do!!!

lilranch2001 · Feb 9, 2012

yelbike said:
I think you mean the women do!!!

lol got me there...

smfcpacfp · Feb 10, 2012

Max Power said:
personally I am a bit dismayed at the honesty or lack of on this forum regarding how to approach warranty.

it is not that surprising to me that the shear pins did not break. they are not a guaranty of saving ones equipment.

shear pins are designed to break under impact loading.

pulling in a tarp would generate a slow draw and a shear pin may or not break before other damage occurs.

I hope the dealers helps you out but I do not see that there is any requirement that he does.

best of luck

Exactly right regarding shear pins.

Rule #1 of snowblowing - know exactly what is below the snow where you are snowblowing

Kubota B3030 HSDC snowblowing Jan 2012 (HD) - YouTube

taborekle · Feb 10, 2012

149owner said:
....snip snip snip

I talked to the dealer today and told him exactly what happened and he asked me to send him the pictures, which I did.

... snip snip snip

I congradulate you sir, on your honesty. :thumbsup:

kevinj · Feb 10, 2012

149owner said:
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. .

Sounds like this may be the real issue. Shear bolt joints and slip clutches need to serviced and kept free.

Redneck in training · Feb 10, 2012

149owner said:
The PTO shaft is just the way it was when the snowblower broke. I took the covers off just to prove to myself that the shaft wasn't too long and binding on the gear box housing like so many said was what happened. I don't want to cut it any shorter because when it is extended in the full down position I want to keep as much overlap as possible of the two halfs of the shaft. The shaft does collapse completely.

The correct test is to lift the blower so the shaft is the shortest and then connect it. If you are able to connect it to the PTO then it is not too long. Otherwise cut it. There is no need to take safety covers off to check the lenght.

don white · Feb 10, 2012

I asked a materials stress engineer about this failure. He agreed that dynamic loading (shock) is differant than slow loading. The torque load at the shear pin will be greater with the dynamic loading. I thought torque was torque, but what do I know.