PTO shaft with shear pins for snowblowers....

[ruffdog]

but would replacing the shear bolt PTO with one with a clutch be a good idea?

The problem with running a clutch is snow turns to water on the clutch. Your clutch could be dry, wet, rusting, or froze solid with ice.

 

[Buckgnarly]

I made my own for both Meteors that I have owned. Get a set of Fisher plow shoes, some 2" square tube, and go from there. Here's the two I made, I refined the mounting method on the red one, used a hitch pin instead of the round washers normally found on Fishers.

 

[Buckgnarly]

I'm running a rear mounted Pronovost Puma 54" off my B26 and I'm looking for advice on the PTO shaft. I have 100' of gravel driveway and I regularly break the shear bolts, especially at the start of the season when the gravel is exposed. Now, I'd rather break a shear bolt than a gearbox but would replacing the shear bolt PTO with one with a clutch be a good idea?

MK Martin said no, too many chances that it will not slip.

To follow up, I wound up getting a T50 shaft with M10 shear bolt. Should hold up to the tractor, as the other shaft I had only had an M6....broke that starting the blower with no snow!

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

To my understanding, clutch pto shafts are mostly for things like rototillers, bush hogs etc -- things that take a constant beating. With a snow blower you shouldn't be breaking shear pins that often.

As someone already said, too much issue with water/ice/rust etc on a clutch shaft on a snow blower. In fact, I've never seen a snow blower with a clutch shaft and I couldn't even count how many different models/manufacturers that has been

Also, for those that aren't aware, shear bolts are a special kind of metal that breaks clean without the bolt stretching. If you use a standard bolt (grade 3/5/8 are the common) they will stretch first before they break making them a pita to change and you risk damaging the shaft

 

[Buckgnarly]

Also, for those that aren't aware, shear bolts are a special kind of metal that breaks clean without the bolt stretching. If you use a standard bolt (grade 3/5/8 are the common) they will stretch first before they break making them a pita to change and you risk damaging the shaft

That may be true for some small snowblowers, but all shear pins used on the two Meteors I have owned are normal grade 2/5/8 bolts. Even my Ford brush hog uses grade 2 1/2" bolts for the shear pin. That is straight from the manual in both cases.

 

[flyingcow]

Whether you have an HST or a standard shift tractor, lowest RPM's when engaging pto. Also blower should be free of snow before engaging. Some are a little sensitive when engaging. Also, I break 2 or 3 a season.

 

[Looking4new]

I've broken one on the pto and one on the auger so far this season. For the pto I use 5/16 bolts 2.5" long with a nut. I get 'em from the hardware store, so they are probably grade 5.