G2742 Snowblower shear pins

[Fendbass22]

I broke a $12 shear pin the first pass on a dirt driveway today. I'm glad it was the pin and not something else but does anyone know if there is something else I can use? $12 is a ripoff in my opinion when other manufacturers are 90% cheaper. I will keep using them if I need to but its going to be an expensive winter!

 

[Passaconaway]

If the shear pin has 3 lines on the head it's a grade 5 bolt. For my Kubota B2660 blower
I go to Home Depot and get a matching grade 5 bolt for about $1 instead of the 2 for $9 Kubota brand.

 

[638]

What is so special about this $12 shear pin ??? Pictures please.

 

[Fendbass22]

Here are the pics. The big shear pin looks like a regular bolt turned down $12. Little one is a bolt for the impeller $0.18

 

[irvingj]

Massey-Ferguson's 2360 blower has same deal-- that "cut" on the bolt is supposed to ensure a break at the specified stress. The manual cautions that the special bolt(s) have to be used to ensure adequate protection....

I haven't broken one yet, and got a spare set with the blower, so I haven't had to price one yet. While I'm inclined to stick with factory parts, $12 does sound just a bit steep! I'll be watching to see if anyone has a reasonable replacement. (At least Massey's are color-coded-)

 

[Passaconaway]

You can file down the grove in the cheap grade 5 bolt to match the original.

Bob

 

[Fendbass22]

Yea I think what I am going to do is use the spare in the picture as my model and use a dremel to cut those reliefs in grade 5 bolts. Thanks for the help!

 

[lakeside]

Humm folks, I'd start off with a bolt with no marks on the bolt head (Grade three or less) and work up. If you don't taken enough metal off, or take it off at the wrong place you could be looking at some pretty expensive repairs.

If the lower grade bolts shear too quickly you can always go to grade five and start again. Better to start off low than have an intact shear bolt and a twisted or broken drive shaft.

 

[Fendbass22]

I think that is a good tip. I am going to measure the reliefs that are cut with calipers so I get it right. I have to go to the dealership anyway tomorrow so maybe I will just buy some. I don't know. Money is tight but with a shattered gear case it will be worse.

 

[irvingj]

I had taken my extra set of shear bolts and put them someplace "safe"-- then, of course, forgot just where that was.... Thanks to this thread, however, I started looking and finally located them. (I owe you ALL some thanks-- could have proved embarrassing & inconvenient, had I broken a shear pin in the middle of a storm!)

Anyway, here they are-- same idea, but the bolts are longer; auger bolts have two grooves (one just into the threads) and the fan bolt only the one. This is for the M-F 2360 blower, which I believe is the same as for the Kubota BX series tractors. Heads are, as the manual suggests, 3-line (gr. 5) for the auger, 5-line (gr. 8) for the fan. Has anyone had to buy these yet? Price?