shear bolt madness

Junkman · Feb 25, 2005

Tell the dealer to replace the entire snowblower and you will pay to transfer the housing, and that is all. It isn't suitable for the purpose intended and as such, it is defective according to the A Businessperson's Guide to Federal Warranty Law. This is published by the Federal Trade Commission. Here is an excerpt of what it says....

( The implied warranty of merchantability is a merchant's basic promise that the goods sold will do what they are supposed to do and that there is nothing significantly wrong with them. In other words, it is an implied promise that the goods are fit to be sold. The law says that merchants make this promise automatically every time they sell a product they are in business to sell. For example, if you, as an appliance retailer, sell an oven, you are promising that the oven is in proper condition for sale because it will do what ovens are supposed to do—bake food at controlled temperatures selected by the buyer. If the oven does not heat, or if it heats without proper temperature control, then the oven is not fit for sale as an oven, and your implied warranty of merchantability would be breached. In such a case, the law requires you to provide a remedy so that the buyer gets a working oven.

The implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose is a promise that the law says you, as a seller, make when your customer relies on your advice that a product can be used for some specific purpose. For example, suppose you are an appliance retailer and a customer asks for a clothes washer that can handle 15 pounds of laundry at a time. If you recommend a particular model, and the customer buys that model on the strength of your recommendation, the law says that you have made a warranty of fitness for a particular purpose. If the model you recommended proves unable to handle 15-pound loads, even though it may effectively wash 10-pound loads, your warranty of fitness for a particular purpose is breached.

)

MadDog · Feb 25, 2005

Bravo, Junkman, a very lawyerly presentation of UCC implied warranty law.

...but there's a catch; in most jurisdictions, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose can be effectively disclaimed by a manufacturer (except for "consumer goods") if the disclaimer is in writing, conspicuous and expressly mentions merchantability.

"consumer goods" are goods used primarily for household or family purposes.

It is an interesting question whether a CUT tractor-mounted snowblower constitutes "consumer goods." If the snowblower was made to mount on a lawn & garden tractor, I think the argument that it is "consumer goods" would be pretty strong. Conversely, if it were made to mount on construction or agricultural equipment, probably not. ...a snowblower made for a CUT??? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

The only thing that's certain is that you could spend more $$ litigating the issue than what was in dispute. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif ..just goes to show, there are lots of problems for which the law doesn't provide a very meaningful remedy. Sorry .... /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Junkman · Feb 25, 2005

I say "shake the tree" and see what monkeys fall out of the branches. I think that if he is reasonable that Kubota will deal with the problem. I don't think that for a $2500 snowblower that they will want to have any hassles. Besides, he can go after the dealer and let the dealer deal with Kubota. It the blower was purchased with the tractor and financed, he can legally stop making payments on the tractor until the issue is resolved. Don't remember where I learned about that, but it is allowed on car purchases. There are many ways to put pressure on them and still be reasonable. The only thing that he has to remember is to always be civil. Sometimes a little unreasonableness goes a long way if presented properly....... Junk...

JimMorrissey · Feb 25, 2005

"Gravel" shouldn't be causing the shear bolts to break anyway. I broke them all the time with mine, but I was hitting some pretty big stuff (baseball size and smaller)....not gravel. If you are pulling big stuff into the blower, they will break. If it truly is smaller gravel like material then yes something is wrong, although I can't imagine what. He tried Grade 5 and they were breaking!

Drtumolo · Feb 25, 2005

The grade 5 shear bolts that I tried are the regular kubota shear bolts. Their enginers told me to switch to a grade 2 standard bolt. The gravel that I am pulling up into the blower is only a little 2b stone (@ 3/4"dia.). I talked to the kubota customer service deptment and they put me in contact with the divisional service manager. He is having one of their district service techs come to my dealer next week(hopefully) to take a look at my blower. I explained everything that we have tried to the divisional manager and he agrees that something seems wrong with my blower but he said that he feels it is an isolated issue because he has not heard complaints from other dealers about shearpin breakage.

Junkman · Feb 25, 2005

( ...................... he said that he feels it is an isolated issue because he has not heard complaints from other dealers about shearpin breakage. )

This is just one more reason for them to replace it. This late in the season, you might not get another chance to test it and next year, it will be out of warranty. My bet is that is what they are betting on. Once the 1 year warranty is up, it doesn't matter what transpired before. At this stage of the game, I wouldn't even want another until next year so you get the full one year warranty for the replacement... Junk...

JimMorrissey · Feb 25, 2005

Yep, good idea to have something done now. Definitely dont' let them drop the ball this spring.

Hopefully since you have filed a formal complaint this problem is considered under investigation and they won't suddenly say...."Sorry, you're out of warranty"

It may just be that your particular gravel is perfectly sized to continuously wedge itself between the fan blades and the housing causing enough force to snap it. Maybe if the gap was just a bit smaller or larger it would pass the rocks. I know how frustrating it can be when you break yet another shear bolt. Visions of the sledge as a problem solving tool come to mind.

Av8r3400 · Feb 26, 2005

You've never mentioned exactly which shear bolt is breaking. There are at least 3 that I know of on mine. Pluss one on the drive shaft.

Drtumolo · Feb 26, 2005

Originally all three shear bolts were a problem but since I switched to the grade 2 bolt the only one that seems to break is the one on the secondary fan. I asked the divisional manager about the warranty issue and he said since it is all documented it would not be a problem.

Egon · Feb 26, 2005

Oh where oh where is Nomad to apply all his educational prowess to this shear bolt problem?? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Egon

Junkman · Feb 26, 2005

Ask him to put that in writing and to let you know for how long of a period they will continue to supply you with free shear bolts. How about your billing them each time for the time that you have to spend for installing new bolts. Ask him if he spent $2500 on an implement that had constant problems if he would accept his reply to you. I deal with reasonable people reasonably, but unreasonable people not at all. His response is unreasonable. It isn't a time issue as to how long they warranty is for, but when they are going to fix it so it will operate the way that it is intended. My guess is that he was the former service manager for Yugo. That was there attitude also. If you drive this car, things are going to break. Don't drive it and it will last you a lifetime... These type of people make me... /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Drtumolo · Mar 3, 2005

Well I thought I would give everyone an update on my snowblower problem. The district service rep was suppose to come take a look at my blower this week but he decided to troubleshoot my problem over the phone. He told me he has seen this problem numerous times, typically in states like maine were they get alot of snow(funny thats what I thought the blower was made for). The solution he came up with is to drill out the 5/16 holes to 3/8" and use 3/8 grade 2 bolts in place of shear bolts. His exact words were "this would solve the shear bolt breakage problem". (Go figure!) Of course he would not offer me any kind of extended warranty to protect me next year if his "fix" causes other damage. I told him this was not exceptable and we would have to pursue other action even if it would involve legal action.
I was shocked at the low level of customer service this service group is offering. They are very polite and professional but they must think all their customers are idiots when they offer solutions to problems like the one they offered me.

sandyc · Mar 4, 2005

I have been lying in the weeds on this issue but I have yet to break a bolt (knock on wood) and I have a gravel drive. Guess I am wondering if the addition of the pipe and or other additions to the blower is causing the driveline to rack out of alignment and bind up the works thereby breaking bolts.

As a thought, are you engaging the blower at idle and then increasing the rpm to blowing speed? Typically I engage my blower when I start clearing my drive and do not disengage it until I am through. I grease the auger shaft every-other-storm and the universal joints twice a season.

After every use I defrost the blower and melt all the snow and ice off all of the moving parts.

Also, the blower is made by RAD (I think) in Canada and Kubota may not want to warrant their work.....

Drtumolo · Mar 4, 2005

I removed the wheels and the pipe and tried the blower and the problem is still their. I think the problem is caused by to tight of a fit betwen the secondary fan and its housing causing even the smallest stones to get jammed. I just find it hard to understand why kubota would just tell me to stick a bigger bolt in it in place of the shear bolt.

Junkman · Mar 4, 2005

( I think the problem is caused by to tight of a fit between the secondary fan and its housing causing even the smallest stones to get jammed.)

If this were the case, then I and a whole lot of other people would have the problem also. I clear along the side of my neighbors garage and it sounds like a machine gun going off when I pick up the stone that he has in that area. I haven't broken a shear bolt there yet. In fact, I have broken only 2 shear bolts. Both on pieces of 2 X 4 that the dog carries around in her mouth as toys and drops in the driveway before it snows. Now her toys are missing till spring.

( I just find it hard to understand why Kubota would just tell me to stick a bigger bolt in it in place of the shear bolt. )

They don't care about your problem and the damage that this modification will do, because by next year it is out of warranty. I have sent you by PM the name and address of the top person to speak to at Kubota. If that doesn't work, then get and attorney involved and start action against the dealer. Let him fight with Kubota. You purchased it from him and it is his primary problem. You might try contacting the manufacturer of the blower for assistance if you can establish who they are. They have no obligation to you, but many times they will help to maintain there reputation.

rfogle · Mar 4, 2005

Two thoughts but first a question. Is there a reason you need to use the backblade? 1. Why not lower the blower and let the bblade sit. 2. I too have a 2750b, bblade and gravel driveway. I had a piece of 1.25" pipe cut just a tad longer than the back blade, slit with a plasma cutter wide enough to slideover the cutting edge, welded a flat washer on each end to prevent sliding and welded a small length of chain near each end. When I need to use the back blade on snow, I slip the pipe on, secure it with bungee cords across the back of the blade chain to chain and go to it. You will be surprised how effective a just you get without the concern of the blade digging in.

kevinj · Mar 4, 2005

( I think the problem is caused by to tight of a fit betwen the secondary fan and its housing causing )

I am confused, the fan shear bolt is like a 1/4" x 1" bolt. Are you shearing the fan bolt or the auger bolts which are 5/16" x 2 1/2 with a groove in them?

qqq · Mar 4, 2005

( I am confused, the fan shear bolt is like a 1/4" x 1" bolt.)
They must have changed this at some point. When I got my bx2750b snowblower it came with a couple of spare auger shear bolts and a spare fan shear bolt. The fan one was smaller as you note. But when I actually had to change the one for the fan, it turned out to be the same size as the auger.

In fact, while I was changing it I happened to notice the decal in the attached picture that shows the same part is used in all three shear bolt locations.

Junkman · Mar 4, 2005

He is breaking both the auger and the fan shear bolts. The snowblowers that were manufactured for the 2004/2005 winter season have been changed and now use the same shear bolt in all 3 locations. The previous models use a different type of shear bolt system for the fan. He believes that the closeness of the fan to the steel cage is the problem. I believe that this is a manufacturing problem, because none of the rest of us with the same BX2750 snowblowers are having problems. When one out of many is the problem, then it is the defective snowblower. If we all were having the same problem, then it would be considered a design problem. Personally, I believe that Kubota should just bite the bullet and replace the snowblower. Junk....

techman · Mar 4, 2005

There are actually 2 shrear bolts on the fan. The one on the shaft. I think of it as a "last resort" shear bolt. There is another 1/4" small shear bolt that is not on the shaft proper, but on a pair of flat plates that connect the fan part to the shaft attachment. This bolt is facing the front.

All of the fan shear bolts that I have broken are the 1/4" ones on the plate. By design it is a perfect shear coupling, and the smaller bolt size should make it the weakest link. If the larger bolt that is through the shaft is breaking, then I would agree that there is likely some sort of interference with the rotating shaft, rather than the fan itself.

paul