B2781B -51" Snowblower PTO drive shaft info and potential problem

[Bayfieldkubota]

FYI. Be sure to check the measurements with the output shaft coming from the PTO to the mid PTO driveline shaft. My output shaft came loose from the mid driveline shaft and it cost me $280 for a new output shaft! There are two 1/4" allen set screws on the front and rear bearing collars that the driveline shaft slide through. Three screws let go and the rear output shaft came loose from the spline of the driveline shaft.

The distance from the end of the spline on the driveline shaft to the edge of the bearing coupler is 5 3/4".
That leaves about 3/4" for the front driveline male to connect to the front spline of the midline shaft. The midline shaft slides between the rear and front bearing collars and can be adjusted to the proper setting. It will all make sense when you look at it. My dealer said to use blue locktite on the four allen set screws to assure they stay put. Clean out the holes with carb or brake cleaner to clean out the grease before using the locktite. I will be checking the 4 set screws before I blow snow in the future and I advise you to do the same!!!

 

[NoJacketRequired]

Ummm... I hate to sound like a curmudgeon but I believe if I've read your post properly the issue is not with the B2781B blower but with the subframe mount. Or have I got this all wrong?

What I think I'm reading is that your shaft between the mid-pto on your tractor and the aft end of the subframe mount is of a length which allows only marginal engagement of the PTO shaft with the splines on the aft end of the subframe mount.

If my interpretation is correct the issue really is an issue with ensuring the proper use of subframe and driveline components. When one starts researching this topic it is very easy to quickly give oneself a headache as each combination of tractor and subframe results in a different combination of driveshaft components. Newer subframe mounts use one-piece driveshafts between tractor PTO output and input to the subframe - this makes for a lot less guesswork and a much less expensive driveshaft. Older subframes/tractors have a two-piece "one slides within the other" driveshaft and these ones are the ones which require a lot of detective work to ensure the right parts are installed.

(Don't ask me how I know... I have three B-series tractors with three different subframes and three different front-mount blowers!)