Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Need Help/Info to Repair Meteor Snowblower

[HillStreet]

Well, I thought I was doing the right thing to service my Meteor SB51 snowblower before putting it away for the season, but I broke it.

While changing the gearbox oil on the Comer gearbox, I stripped the threads on the gearbox plug hole (the plug threads are but the gearbox hole threads are stripped).

I am trying to remove the gearbox, and cannot get the fan off the gearbox shaft. I generously applied penetrating oil so I'll let that sit for a while. I tried prying it with hammer claws but that didn't work. I want to hear from you guys before I apply too much muscle. The parts diagram shows a key on the shaft where the fan attaches.

Then, after I get the gearbox out, I thought I would take it to a machine shop for repair. Looks like there is enough meat on the hole to tap a larger plug, or at least I hope so.

Any ideas are appreciated.

 

[joeyd]

When I had a question about my SB 68 I emailed MK Martin directly and they answered me. Here is the email address of the employee who answered me,
Kevin@mkmartin.ca

I hope you get the answer you need.

 

[HillStreet]

Thanks Joey,

I'll contact him. I still cannot get the fan off the shaft even though I applied penetrating oil and struck it with a hammer and pried it. I might try to heat it next and strike/pry it while it's hot.

 

[HillStreet]

I contacted the factory, they told me that heat is not recommended to remove the fan from the gearbox shaft.

I have been prying and hammering and still cannot get the fan off the gearbox shaft. Tried every which way of prying and it won't budge.

To refresh, the reason I am trying to remove the gearbox is to have the stripped threads repaired at a machine shop. Now I'm wondering, can I avoid all this and repair/ retap the threads while it's still on the blower?

After all, the plug is just to change/ check gearbox oil every few years. Any ideas?

 

[JoeL4330]

might look, instread, for "temporary", "universal" drain plug ...e.g.,
Needa Parts/Universal oil drain plug (652006) | Oil Drain Plug | AutoZone.com
TCI Auto/Universal transmission oil drain plug kit (805800) | Oil Drain Plug | AutoZone.com
TCI Auto/Universal transmission oil drain plug kit (805800) | Oil Drain Plug | AutoZone.com
or even something like
6 Assorted Expansion Drain Plugs 1 2 5 8 3 4 for Many Pedal Jet Sail Row Boats | eBay

 

[Buckgnarly]

When restoring an old 51" Meteor I ran into the same fan problem, never did get it off.

I would use something like the repair plugs above, any good local parts place will have them. Or simply tap the next plug size up.

 

[ruffdog]

Assuming it is a tapered pipe thread. If it was mine and I was still working in a shop, I would first take the tap and load it with grease, then tap the hole deeper. Then, I would machine a plug that is slightly larger to match the hole. When machining tapered pipe threads, you use gages that show you if your hole is tapped at the correct depth. If you tap it too deep, the fitting goes too deep. Some plugs at the store seem big anyways so you might be able to use one of those.

 

[doxford jim]

The gearbox on my snow blower has a cover that bolts on - is your the same? If so Just take the cover off and empty the gearbox oil. The gearbox must come apart somehow as it assembled from different parts. Re-tap to another size and install a small piece of pipe and an elbow with a plug.

 

[HillStreet]

Jim,

The gearbox is installed between an upper and lower steel plate, and the rear shaft goes through the blower housing. I removed the four mounting bolts (they pass through the gearbox and upper and lower plates), but cannot remove it because the fan is mounted on the shaft on the other side of the blower housing.

The plug hole that I stripped is on the side of the gearbox, limited access. The plug is a machine bolt, fine thread, I'm guessing 9/16 or 5/8 diameter, about 3/4 inch long.

 

[ruffdog]

Hmmm...a bolt thread? Depending on the hole size, I would tap it to the thread that allows no drilling on your part because of the limited access. That is easy in my case because I have all the taps for SAE course and fine thread, metrics, and pipe threads.