Kubota 51" industrial blower failure

[ericher69]

I was looking at my front mount blower and wondering how to take off the chain cover at the back of the blower when I put my fingers under the protective cover I came out with bearing shrapnel!

I take the cover off and discover that 1 of the 2 bearings holding the center fan shaft had failed! No warning of this and it did not make any strange noises.

I have about 260hrs on the blower. Will definitely add to preventative maintenance list

 

[Baby Grand]

Sounds like it happened when you didn't need the blower? Good luck on your timing, if so.

 

[arsenix2001]

I was looking at my front mount blower and wondering how to take off the chain cover at the back of the blower when I put my fingers under the protective cover I came out with bearing shrapnel!

I take the cover off and discover that 1 of the 2 bearings holding the center fan shaft had failed! No warning of this and it did not make any strange noises.

I have about 260hrs on the blower. Will definitely add to preventative maintenance list

Forgive me if I find the timing of this just a slight bit humorus. Hope its not a hard fix or too much damage done. Good luck with the repair.

 

[ericdube]

Just curious, was the bearing a sealed (pre-lubricated) design? 260 hours seems like a short period of time for it to fail. Glad you caught it during routine maintenance.

Also, did you ever get the Kubota blade you mentioned in your other post? (I recently picked one up myself from another TBN forum member, but I haven't mounted it up yet.)

 

[nfowler]

"Will definitely add to preventative maintenance list"

What kind of preventative maintenance can you do on these two bearings?

I can (barely) oil the covered drive chain on my front Kubota B2782A blower, but I have no idea how to lubricate the two bearings I think you are referring to.

What's the plan?

Thanks,

N. Fowler

 

[ericher69]

Just curious, was the bearing a sealed (pre-lubricated) design? 260 hours seems like a short period of time for it to fail. Glad you caught it during routine maintenance.

Also, did you ever get the Kubota blade you mentioned in your other post? (I recently picked one up myself from another TBN forum member, but I haven't mounted it up yet.)

Yes sealed!

I thought it was a little soon also but I do quite a bit of residential drives each snowfall (up to 50)

Yes I did get the blade you can check it out in attachments, I've started repainting not that it really needed it but I'll know that it's done to my satisfaction

 

[ericher69]

"Will definitely add to preventative maintenance list"

What kind of preventative maintenance can you do on these two bearings?

I can (barely) oil the covered drive chain on my front Kubota B2782A blower, but I have no idea how to lubricate the two bearings I think you are referring to.

What's the plan?

Thanks,

N. Fowler

Basically will take the cover off and change the bearings every 250 hrs

Not worth taking a chance as I have no back up blower

 

[ericdube]

Yes sealed!

I thought it was a little soon also but I do quite a bit of residential drives each snowfall (up to 50)

Yes I did get the blade you can check it out in attachments, I've started repainting not that it really needed it but I'll know that it's done to my satisfaction

I thought that might have been the case, but wasn't positive. That doesn't leave you with any options for servicing, other than to replace it once it fails.

Even though I have a different model blower (BX2750D), I'm going to look at it the next time I lubricate the chain.

Thanks for the update on the blade - I saw your other thread after I replied. It looks like it's going to come out great once you're finished painting it.

 

[BeezFun]

Basically will take the cover off and change the bearings every 250 hrs

Do they use salt on the roads in your area? Could corrosion have something to do with the premature failure?
Do you use a pressure washer to clean it? It's really easy to force water into places where it shouldn't go with those things.
And finally- I ruined an auger bearing on my snowthrower one time when I ingested some lightweight metal fencing that wrapped around the end of the shaft and wound its way right into the bearing. Was there any evidence of damage to the bearing seal or the face of the bearing?

 

[escavader]

Basically will take the cover off and change the bearings every 250 hrs

Not worth taking a chance as I have no back up blower

Why not slip a small grease needle behind the seal to grease it and expell the water.I do it all the time on bearings,i bet if you did it every 10 hours it would never fail again.
ALAN