Snow Equipment Owning/Operating Pictures of your snow weapons

[airbiscuit]

Not exactly a weapon but just a project for the snow. Built this for ice fishing a few years ago. Russian snowmobile. Punch up Paxus 18 and snowdog on the tube. View attachment 674438View attachment 674439View attachment 674440

Fine Russian Engineering

 

[BravoXray]

I just finished refurbishing a 47" single stage John Deere blower that was originally for an 855 compact tractor, I think.
I fabricated a new parallelogram type mount to attach it to my JD 430, then had it all blasted and powder coated JD yellow.
Put new bearings on the auger shaft, checked and lubed all the u-joints, and install new warning decals.
Looks much better now.

 

[airbiscuit]

How tricky was fabbing up the drive mechanism?

 

[BravoXray]

Actually, gearbox on the blower is in the center, so it lines up with the PTO on the tractor. The mount keeps both u-joints on the PTO shaft running at the same angle, so it runs very smoothly. I did have to make a relief cut in the lower cross brace on the tractor mount and in the cross tube on the lower linkage, but only because I didn't plan the position of the linkage low enough. It only gets close when the blower is lowered all the way down to push the front of the tractor off the ground. So, it really isn't a problem.
The previous mount simply pivoted the blower up and down and put the u-joint in a pretty bad angle when the blower was raised up. I would have to replace the u-joint every couple of years.

 

[ArlyA]

Actually, gearbox on the blower is in the center, so it lines up with the PTO on the tractor. The mount keeps both u-joints on the PTO shaft running at the same angle, so it runs very smoothly. I did have to make a relief cut in the lower cross brace on the tractor mount and in the cross tube on the lower linkage, but only because I didn't plan the position of the linkage low enough. It only gets close when the blower is lowered all the way down to push the front of the tractor off the ground. So, it really isn't a problem.
The previous mount simply pivoted the blower up and down and put the u-joint in a pretty bad angle when the blower was raised up. I would have to replace the u-joint every couple of years.

I like your work. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[BravoXray]

I like your work. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Thanks!

Being retired and having a shop with a lot of tools, a bunch of odds and ends steel stock, and a few machines, makes it easy to tackle projects like this. A MIG welder, plasma cutter and drill press help a lot.

 

[ArlyA]

My shop is a high school metals shop my friend operates and lets me in. Great to have, but only when I can sneak in.... Now I wish I was in northern Indiana!! :laughing:

 

[Hilbilly]

I like your work. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Me too!! Very professional looking.

 

[airbiscuit]

I like the parallelogram linkages. Did you have to modify the PTO Length?

Can't wait to see a video of it in action.

 

[BravoXray]

I like the parallelogram linkages. Did you have to modify the PTO Length?

Can't wait to see a video of it in action.

The parallelogram mount keeps the u-joint angles correct when the blower is raised and lowered. The original JD blower mounts are this type.

No, the length was very nearly the same as with the previous setup. Besides, the PTO shaft is a universal type that is rectangular tube and bar, and could compress a few inches or extend almost a foot and still work. The original shaft that was made for it was a splined shaft that had been shortened or lengthened at one time and was seriously out of true, and would vibrate quite a bit. I bought the new shaft at Tractor Supply and shortened it up to work.

If we get enough snow this year to use it, I'll have to post a video of it in action.