B2301 and Snow

[MikeMi]

Hello. Looooong time lurker and now member.

So, looking for a front angle blade for my 2018 B2301. I have the BX5455HD Blower with the B2714C Mount. I know the B2765A blade will fit the mount.

Trying to determine if the BX2763A blade will fit the B2714C mount? Found a deal on the BX2763A blade. Hunted everywhere online for hours over the past couple years with no luck.

The BX2763A comes with the BX2751 mount, looks like the male insert to the blade is the very close or the same, but can't find anything on that either. Kubota doesn't make it easy. 2 good dealers have no clue, either.

Finally, any insights on the B vs BX blade appreciated...strength, robustness, etc. Always thought B stuff was heavier duty than BX equivalents. But, turns out my BX blower is the heaviest duty they make for B tractors. Go figure.

As a note, the blower seems to pop shear pins on the slightest pebble, so want the blade for most snows then try to switch to the blower once I have a good base, one of our 3-4x per year big snows or to clear border piles from the plow.

Thanks for your time!

 

[yorkies77]

I was always shearing a lot of pins also on my snowblower. I did some research and found out that you only torque them to 8 pounds and I was always doing it a lot heavier. I haven't sheared one since I got a small torque wrench and torqued them to only 8 pounds. Before I would shear 2 or three every time I blew out our 400' driveway.

 

[BAP]

I believe that the Triangle Shaped receiver hitch for the blower and blades is universal for that type of setup.

 

[MikeMi]

Thanks, Yorkies. The shear pins on mine are a nut and bolt style, not a bolt to threaded hole, so no torque spec..

 

[NoJacketRequired]

Which shear bolt are you breaking, the one on the impeller or one of the ones on the auger?

If you are breaking the bolt on the impeller I would respectfully suggest you may have the wrong shear bolt.

Why to I say this? I say it because I have been blowing gravel driveways and sod for years using B-series tractors and front-mount blowers. (See my avatar - that's at the airport where I removed a lot of snow from grass in order to ensure clearance for low-winged aircraft). I have broken shear bolts, that's certain. I have not broken any shear bolts by blowing gravel.

When I say "blowing gravel" I mean that I live on a gravel road which is plowed by a big Volvo road grader. The snowbanks pushed back by that grader are laced with gravel. So much so that my impeller housings have no paint on them and the impeller blades have very little paint left on them at the end of the season.

You should have no trouble blowing regular road gravel.

Another quick thought... check the clearance between the ends of the impeller blades and the impeller housing. The fit should be fairly tight, maybe 1/8" clearance. If the gap is too wide you will both lose blower efficiency and you will get "stuff" stuck between the ends of the impeller blades and the impeller housing - that could break a shear bolt.

 

[MikeMi]

Thanks, NoJacketRequired, appreciate your time to reply. Expert user experience is tough to find! Will check the impeller clearance asap.

In my case, it is the auger bolts that are breaking. The auger is 2 piece and I've lost them on both sides. Even have my shoes set full down to keep the scraper as high as I can. My 250' driveway is some odd mix of small pebbles and 'medium' what seems like misc other rock. Not standard lime or jagged 22A most around here have. Must say, it is low maintenance, and somewhat self levels just driving on it...zero potholes in 3 years here.

Blower is not digging them up, just picking up an expected very small amount. I got the shear bolts from Messick's as OEM, but will check. My impeller and housing are close to what you describe, paint gone and surface rust that I keep an eye on. Thought I had it made with the mower/FEL/blower when I got it. Back to the neck wrenching back blade last year.

BTW, the chute seems to clog extremely easy, as well. Any tips/tricks appreciated. Herad removing the front safety screen on the chute will help but have not tried as yet.

 

[DustyRusty]

You might be over tightening the shear bolts. As for the chute, I removed my chute guard and I spray the chute, and impellers with cooking oil to keep the snow from sticking. I also leave the machine out in the cold so the metal is cold and doesn't melt the snow. If your clogging is blowing wet snow, you can use ski wax on the inside areas of the snow blower. It might have to be repeated frequently during the snow season.
As for the tongue, it is the same. The only difference between the blade for the B and the BX is the width of the blade. BX is 5' (60") and the B is 6' (72") Same with the snowblower, the larger the machine the wider the snowblower.