Latest auger install on my blower. Have video, need opinions ASAP!

[arsenix2001]

I think that you are expecting way too much out of a non precision implement!

Does it blow snow?

Does it blow it at least 30 feet?

Do it do it's job without breaking?

This is not a 80k Mercedes

Remind me not to have you do a welding job for me. Really.. Getting a sprocket on straight isnt that hard. Do its job without breaking? I dunno, why dont you buy it off me and let it run for the 50-75 hrs a season I planned and see if the bearings hold up, chains dont wear funny and side wings dont flex. But your so confident, really if you would like to buy it for my purchase plus shipping, ill Pm you my address. At this point be my guest :thumbsup:

 

[ericher69]

Remind me not to have you do a welding job for me. Really.. Getting a sprocket on straight isnt that hard. Do its job without breaking? I dunno, why dont you buy it off me and let it run for the 50-75 hrs a season I planned and see if the bearings hold up, chains dont wear funny and side wings dont flex. But your so confident, really if you would like to buy it for my purchase plus shipping, ill Pm you my address. At this point be my guest :thumbsup:

First off

1. You have no idea of my
Mechanical/welding abilities so for you
to assume that it's the type of work I do
...you are sadly mistaken!

2. As for your blower...I do not need it as i
Have a perfectly working front mount
Kubota blower

3. Have never looked to see if my auger or
fan rotate perfectly true as I DON'T
CARE as long as it works as designed

4. Have a nice day and good luck with
Your blower

 

[RoyJackson]

My question to the OP, arsenix2001, is has he ever used another snow blower? If so, does the Woods unit run more or less true then another brand (or even another blower of Woods manufacture)?

Considering the auger and sprocket wheel assembly appear to be a built up weldment, that little bit of lateral run out doesn't appear to detrimentally affecting the operation of the unit. The chain does seem to be running mighty close to that bracket just inboard though...I think I'd want a nylon wear block between the chain and bracket.

I'm sure Messicks have other blowers at their store...suggest you ask them (since they're following this thread, they may offer) to view another blower in operation...see if there's the same problem.

As far as the "noise"...any implement running at 540 RPM is going to be noisy...if you had hearing protection, I doubt you'd notice it.

In a machined assembly, you should expect run out of less then .005"...quite a bit less, if one is willing to pay for it.
In a welded assembly (with no post welding turning of the shaft or boring of the sprocket wheel), run out could be considerably greater..easily more then .03".

I don't have a blower, but I have done a lot of QA in assemblies (both machined components and fabricated components). I'm not convinced there's actually a problem, but I'm not the guy buying the snow blower. I do know Woods has been in the implement business for a lot of years and they do make good equipment (my RFM and wood chipper are both Woods).

 

[RickB]

I don't see a lot of sprocket runout in the video. If you look at the bottom of the sprocket, away from all the moving shadows and other visual 'noise' present at the top and middle, the chain and sprocket are running quite true. The chain slapping is likely due to the auger being out of balance which is quite likely to be normal. If the thing was actually moving snow instead of sitting there rumnning empty, it would be running smoothly I'll bet.

 

[arsenix2001]

First off

1. You have no idea of my
Mechanical/welding abilities so for you
to assume that it's the type of work I do
...you are sadly mistaken!

2. As for your blower...I do not need it as i
Have a perfectly working front mount
Kubota blower

3. Have never looked to see if my auger or
fan rotate perfectly true as I DON'T
CARE as long as it works as designed

4. Have a nice day and good luck with
Your blower

1. No I dont, and relax, it was a joke.

2. Good for you, I wish I did too.

3. Here is where I disagree, even if your unit is "working". If something is out of whack, it may "work" for 100 hours and then have a major failure or find its eating chains/bearings at 100 hours instead of 500. Just saying.

4. Thanks

I don't see a lot of sprocket runout in the video. If you look at the bottom of the sprocket, away from all the moving shadows and other visual 'noise' present at the top and middle, the chain and sprocket are running quite true. The chain slapping is likely due to the auger being out of balance which is quite likely to be normal. If the thing was actually moving snow instead of sitting there rumnning empty, it would be running smoothly I'll bet.

Rick, I was actually surprised this was not the case. The sad part is the auger felt actually very well balanced, to the point I even commented to myself about it. Thier welding procedure is warping the sproket butt plate causing miss-alignment and wobble, therefore causing the chain slap. I have to disagree with you and roy on this being normal, or I should better say acceptable. Its not just noise, the chain slaping actually rocks the blower off the ground enough you can feel in in the cab of the tractor. Many other posters have chain drive units that run perfectly smooth. The Woods engineers admitted they had a quility control issue and tried steps to correct it, they just didnt work well. If it were normal, I doubt they would re engineer thier fitment procedure. Lastly I just dont find it that hard to make sure a jig is set perfect and stitch weld a plate on true, checking before it leaves the line. I would not fabricate something to that condition they showed me and let it leave my garage. In fact I debated remounting it myself, but when I paid for a brand new machine back In july, I figured "why should I have to". Bottom line is I am unhappy with it, and see no reason that with alittle more care that it couldnt run smooth. The Woods rep is coming monday, so I guess some decision will be made then.

 

[leonz]

If they are not using a restraint jig when welding the auger and sprocket the heat from the welding will distort the sprocket flange or bore if it does not have a mounting flange or shoulder.

The lack of a shoulder on a sprocket is asking for trouble if it is being welded with out a restraint jig to keep it true and parallel to the tube end at ninety degrees.

If this is the case and they do not use a jig, changing to gas welding will not be much help as you still need a shoulder on the sprocket.

 

[arsenix2001]

If they are not using a restraint jig when welding the auger and sprocket the heat from the welding will distort the sprocket flange or bore if it does not have a mounting flange or shoulder.

The lack of a shoulder on a sprocket is asking for trouble if it is being welded with out a restraint jig to keep it true and parallel to the tube end at ninety degrees.

If this is the case and they do not use a jig, changing to gas welding will not be much help as you still need a shoulder on the sprocket.

It seems they are welding a butt plate to the auger which the sprocket then bolts to. Either way that butt plate is warping. Hopefully they come up with a fix.

 

[leonz]

WEEEEEELLLLLLLL!!!!!!!

That certainly explains the problem as the expansion of the butt plate during welding is causing the warpage of the butt plate and the resulting off kilter of the chain driven and drive sections and the continuos chain stressing.

They certainly wasted a lot of your time, I ma just glad for your sake the snow has held off- If you know a good machinist they will tell them this and that this is screwed up and they have to give you a new other brand snow blower or a complete refund on monday. If you do not get any satisfaction I would strongly suggest that you contact the agency I mentioned earlier and you will get your money back quickly as this is still not a correct running machine and you have already taken delivery of it once with no solution of the problem.

I would ask a machinst friend to make the trip with you there and buy his or her dinner for going to examine this mess and verify what is wrong then-
...................


You would never see this with a Farm King, Normond or Pronovost snow caster-it would never leave the shop floor to be painted until it was corrected.

 

[5030]

I think that you are expecting way too much out of a non precision implement!

Does it blow snow?

Does it blow it at least 30 feet?

Do it do it's job without breaking?

This is not a 80k Mercedes

That covers this whole debacle in a nutshell....

Let me give you the straight scoop.....

It's a weldment so it will runout a bit both laterally and radially (which is why the chain noise isn't steady). That's why it has a trensioner sprocket, to take up the slack.....

Far as I'm concerned, Messicks went above and beyond to satisify your whining. Go get it and be glad Messicks fixed it. If I was a dealer (of implements) which I'm not, I would tell you to go pound it.....

 

[5030]

WEEEEEELLLLLLLL!!!!!!!

That certainly explains the problem as the expansion of the butt plate during welding is causing the warpage of the butt plate and the resulting off kilter of the chain driven and drive sections and the continuos chain stressing.

They certainly wasted a lot of your time, I ma just glad for your sake the snow has held off- If you know a good machinist they will tell them this and that this is screwed up and they have to give you a new other brand snow blower or a complete refund on monday. If you do not get any satisfaction I would strongly suggest that you contact the agency I mentioned earlier and you will get your money back quickly as this is still not a correct running machine and you have already taken delivery of it once with no solution of the problem.

I would ask a machinst friend to make the trip with you there and buy his or her dinner for going to examine this mess and verify what is wrong then-
...................


You would never see this with a Farm King, Normond or Pronovost snow caster-it would never leave the shop floor to be painted until it was corrected.

...and you must wear rose colored glasses. It's a production item, built to production tolerances.

I'm a journeyman tool and die maker by trade and he could buy me dinner (I prefer steak and lobster) and I'd tell him just what I stated above....