More snowblower issues

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Use a grade 8 bolt that fits the center, then use a piece of rod that will bottom out to the shaft but fit inside that bolt hole, then use the bolt to push the rod towards the shaft, thus pulling the front off.

 

[Snowman7]

What is the length of that shear bolt? My dealership-supplied B2782B blower fan shear bolt has the same head markings as yours, but from your photo it may be a bit longer?
The important measurement is the length of the bolt's shaft that's NOT threaded right under the bolt head. It's short enough that the shear plane passes through THREADS not the unthreaded shaft, which by the looks of your photos there's a ding into the bolt shaft in the UNthreaded part.
The threads on these grade 5 bolts create the shear diameter necessary. The shoulder shouldn't pass through the shear plane when inserted from either direction.

View attachment 95215 View attachment 95221

If the shop or dealer installed a too long shear bolt, that would cause this.

It looks identical to the new bolts, old on top

 

[Snowman7]

Use a grade 8 bolt that fits the center, then use a piece of rod that will bottom out to the shaft but fit inside that bolt hole, then use the bolt to push the rod towards the shaft, thus pulling the front off.

Hmmmmmmm, I like it

 

[Snowman7]

Looks Grade 5. Tried to find an image of the Part # to see if supposed to be grooved -- no luck.

Looks like it tried to shear off just above the threads.
View attachment 95213
Not the same blower - My auger pins are grade 5. Fan is grade 8. Both grooved.

Grade 5 marks- auger for mine.
View attachment 95219
Grade 8 for impeller

View attachment 95220

I am surprised there is a grade 8 involved anywhere.

 

[Donystoy]

On my LX2963 the impeller shear pin is a regular grade 5 x 5/16" bolt. Picked up some spares from my dealer and was expecting otherwise. I have not broken one yet, but I did find that everything is covered with a ton of paint. Wondering if this might prevent the shear pin from doing its job. When I first purchased the blower, I had to use a hammer and chisel around the oil check plugs on the gear box before I was able to remove them to check the oil level.
Going to remove the original oem shear pin later on this week to examine it. I will then see how hard it is to break the paint bond and spin the impeller.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

bolts in pic#22 aren't 'shear' bolts, no 'groove' cut on the them ?
was always under the impression that a 'shear' bolt is no longer the grade it was,after being modified.
the groove is a 'designed in flaw' where the bolt is supposed to fail

 

[nbryan]

bolts in pic#22 aren't 'shear' bolts, no 'groove' cut on the them ?
was always under the impression that a 'shear' bolt is no longer the grade it was,after being modified.
the groove is a 'designed in flaw' where the bolt is supposed to fail

These shear bolts on the fan have only one shear point which is aligned to the threaded section, which effectively reduces the bolt diameter to the threads' depth.
The augers shear bolts are much longer, and have 2 shear pounts as they pass through the auger drive shaft. One shear point is also in the threaded area, but the second aligns with the un-threaded section so there's a machined groove there to effectively reduce the bolt diameter and allow the shearing.

 

[nbryan]

It looks identical to the new bolts, old on top

The top bolt looks like the threaded section is almost 1/4" shorter than the new bolt.
Conversly, the un-threaded part of the bolt shaft is a bit longer, so will protrude through the shear plane and not allow shearing at the threaded psection, which it looks like happened - your old bolt's neck is dented just into the unthreaded section.

 

[Snowman7]

I gave up for now on removing the shear plane. Rear blade it is for the time being. I will survive as long as we don’t get the big dumps. I thought Wolfmans idea was going to work until one of the blades wedged into the housing. Still zero separation between the fan and shear plane.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I gave up for now on removing the shear plane. Rear blade it is for the time being. I will survive as long as we don’t get the big dumps. I thought Wolfmans idea was going to work until one of the blades wedged into the housing. Still zero separation between the fan and shear plane.

The fan should stay in place and just the center sleeve should come out.

 

[DustyRusty]

Did you remove the front auger assembly by removing the bearings from the sides first as I suggested? Then if you remove the gearbox from the rear, the fan should start to slide around. No matter what else you do, please don't take a hammer to it for fear of damaging the snowblower further than it already is. There is an active thread about a BX2750 snowblower where someone else is going through the same issue as you are, except that his is a chain drive snowblower. Even though his is the chain drive and yours is gearbox driven, the principles of operation are the same. https://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/threads/bx2750-auger-and-fan-removal.61755/#post-611449

 

[S-G-R]

Any updates @Snowman7?

 

[Snowman7]

Any updates @Snowman7?

I found out from Kubota Corporate that it is under warranty until 5/23. It is at the dealer.
I will let you know what the damage was. I was able to borrow a trailer.

 

[S-G-R]

I found out from Kubota Corporate that it is under warranty until 5/23. It is at the dealer.
I will let you know what the damage was. I was able to borrow a trailer.

That's good news! Hope you get it back before it snows.

 

[Snowman7]

That's good news! Hope you get it back before it snows.

If this thing lets me down again I will be looking at snow pushers.

 

[S-G-R]

If this thing lets me down again I will be looking at snow pushers.

Lol, I was actually thinking of getting rid of my pusher and rear blower and going to a front blower.

 

[Snowman7]

So all is good, fixed with warranty, although nobody could tell me why the shear bolt failed

 

[number two]

Good deal!
Hope it stays well!
That should tractor/blower should be a snow-eating beast.
Good Luck!

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

For what it's worth: Back in the 70's, (1970's), I used my B7100 with a rototiller, commercially. I'd blow thru shear pins almost every week, depending on the ground I was tilling. Sometimes 3 shear pins a day in clay soil.
Stopped buying the "factory shear pins ", and would buy grade 3 bolts and nylock nuts. In bulk. Never tighten then down. But just enuf to keep the bolt from sliding out.
Actually, Sometimes I'd didn't even bother with the nut. Just put in a new bolt, and twisting pressure keeps it in.

Bottom line us, it's a bolt designed to break. It doesn't do anything else, except protect your gearbox, pto, chain drive, etc. There's no need to torque it down.

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

It would be interesting to take a factory shear bolt, and several cheap bolts from the local hardware store. Test the shear breaking point.
I'm guessing a grade 3 bolt at 10 cents apiece is about the same as a factory shear bolt at 4 dollars.