More snowblower issues

Snowman7

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Equipment
LX3310 535 loader, LX2980, RB2672, FDR1660
May 20, 2020
348
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Boyne Falls, MI.
So the blower(LX2980) was working great yesterday with the new couplings and we came to a sudden stop. Injested a rock and killed the tractor immediately. I surprisingly was able to pull rock from the fan and found the broken shear pin behind the chain access on the drive shaft part #77700-02696. The broken shear pin is reference #120 in manual. Replaced, pulled out of garage, engaged to to a God awful sound which is the impeller(fan) hitting the housing. The shear bolt on fan should have broke, it did not, it did bend a little and was a little stubborn coming out. In the pics you will see normal clearance between fan and housing and the blade that is bent and contacting the housing. Any ideas on how to get this thing out? I see why the shear pin did not break, I can’t get the shear plate to turn from the fan.
 

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Snowman7

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LX3310 535 loader, LX2980, RB2672, FDR1660
May 20, 2020
348
246
43
Boyne Falls, MI.
And if I do get it out, do you think I can straighten it with a bench vise, I am thinking probably not. Maybe I should start looking at snow pushers,lol.
 

DaveFromMi

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L3901, 5' Bush Hog
Apr 14, 2021
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Doesn't seem to be any downside risk in trying to hammer our the shape of the impeller. You will need to eliminate most of the vibration due to imbalance or other components might break. If you fail, then get a new one. Is the housing bent as well? Should maintain a consistent gap between impeller and housing to get the best snow throwing performance.
 

Snowman7

Active member

Equipment
LX3310 535 loader, LX2980, RB2672, FDR1660
May 20, 2020
348
246
43
Boyne Falls, MI.
Doesn't seem to be any downside risk in trying to hammer our the shape of the impeller. You will need to eliminate most of the vibration due to imbalance or other components might break. If you fail, then get a new one. Is the housing bent as well? Should maintain a consistent gap between impeller and housing to get the best snow throwing performance.
Housing looks fine as far as I can tell. This thing does not want to come out though. I can’t beat on it very well with it in the housing.
 

nbryan

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B2650 BH77 LA534 54" ssqa Forks B2782B BB1560 Woods M5-4 MaxxHaul 50039
Jan 3, 2019
1,166
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Hadashville, Manitoba, Canada
Housing looks fine as far as I can tell. This thing does not want to come out though. I can’t beat on it very well with it in the housing.
Try a gear/pulley puller if you haven't already, and have access to one. The fan shear plate adapter is keyed to the power shaft, and the fan free turns on a brass bushing inside when there's no shear pin in place. With all the pressure frrom that bent plate rubbing it's binding something fierce on the bushing and pinning the shear adapter plate and its spline key.
A good sized puller could probably work it off.
Otherwise I'd go after the 4 through bolts that mount the reduction gearbox to the blower frame and loosen them slowly to releive the thrust from that blade, then pull it off and straighten it out.
 

Snowman7

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Equipment
LX3310 535 loader, LX2980, RB2672, FDR1660
May 20, 2020
348
246
43
Boyne Falls, MI.
Try a gear/pulley puller if you haven't already, and have access to one. The fan shear plate adapter is keyed to the power shaft, and the fan free turns on a brass bushing inside when there's no shear pin in place. With all the pressure frrom that bent plate rubbing it's binding something fierce on the bushing and pinning the shear adapter plate and its spline key.
A good sized puller could probably work it off.
Otherwise I'd go after the 4 through bolts that mount the reduction gearbox to the blower frame and loosen them slowly to releive the thrust from that blade, then pull it off and straighten it out.
I don’t have a gear puller, but thanks for the idea. I will try to loosen the four bolts behind the blower. Non mechanic here,lol
 
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GreensvilleJay

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Apr 2, 2019
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I had a look at an online drawing....
sigh....
maybe remove the 'gearbox' unit behind the blower shell ?
some wooden wedges between the 'gearbox' and the back of the 'shell' should pull the two apart.
I 'think' that'd allow the fan to come out the front

for sure print off the drawing and post close by,seems there's a few parts involved.
 

DustyRusty

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2020 BX23S, BX2822 Snowblower, Curtis Deluxe Cab,
Nov 8, 2015
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I did the same thing with a snowblower about 18 or 20 years ago. You have to take it apart from the rear, and make sure to keep track of what goes where. If you heat the impeller with a torch, you can straighten it. Mine vibrated afterward, but I just ignored it and it never caused me any problems. Back then the fan was about $100, and today it is closer to $300 from memory. I bought a new fan at the time but never got around to installing it. If it wasn't for bad luck with that snowblower, you wouldn't have any luck at all. LOL
 
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Snowman7

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Equipment
LX3310 535 loader, LX2980, RB2672, FDR1660
May 20, 2020
348
246
43
Boyne Falls, MI.
I did the same thing with a snowblower about 18 or 20 years ago. You have to take it apart from the rear, and make sure to keep track of what goes where. If you heat the impeller with a torch, you can straighten it. Mine vibrated afterward, but I just ignored it and it never caused me any problems. Back then the fan was about $100, and today it is closer to $300 from memory. I bought a new fan at the time but never got around to installing it. If it wasn't for bad luck with that snowblower, you wouldn't have any luck at all. LOL
The sad part is that that stupid shear pin is supposed to prevent all of this. If only the damn thing did it’s job.
 
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RCW

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BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
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Chenango County, NY
The sad part is that that stupid shear pin is supposed to prevent all of this. If only the damn thing did it’s job.
True. That's their job, after all.....:(Sorry to see you had this issue.

I've learned to tighten them "snug" occasionally. Not real tight, just make sure lock washer is snug. Not saying that was your issue, but they can get out of position if loose. Could inhibit proper shear.

One thing I've learned is that OEM shears are good (and pricey), but was surprised they can vary some. Some of my supply are 1/4" longer than others, but as long as grooves/relief locations are correct, all good.

I say this while knocking on wood, but I don’t think I’ve broken a shear in 1+ seasons on a stone driveway. Like Dustyrusty, been doing it for 20+ years with a tractor and 10 more with walk-behind.

3B9B894F-9398-43DD-A3DB-E86E5E6BBD22.jpeg
 
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Pau7220

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L3650 GST, Landpride TL250 FEL w/ Piranha, 6' King Kutter, GM1084R Finish
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I don’t have a gear puller, but thanks for the idea. I will try to loosen the four bolts behind the blower. Non mechanic here,lol
If you have an Auto Zone, Advanced, or O’Reilly auto nearby, you can go there and get one on a loaner program.
Hopefully there’s enough material there to grab it.
The key on the shaft may be twisted jamming the whole deal.
Get a couple more 3/8” bolts about 1/2” and 1” longer to push off of. You want those threaded in quite a bit so you don’t damage the internal threads on the shaft. Amazing that the shear bolt failed to do its job, or that the adapter is so fused to the fan that it couldn’t.
 
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nbryan

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B2650 BH77 LA534 54" ssqa Forks B2782B BB1560 Woods M5-4 MaxxHaul 50039
Jan 3, 2019
1,166
708
113
Hadashville, Manitoba, Canada
I don’t have a gear puller, but thanks for the idea. I will try to loosen the four bolts behind the blower. Non mechanic here,lol
Ok, then loosen the 4 bolts one turn or less each at a time so all 4 evenly release the pressure on the shaft. At some point the fan will be able to turn on the bushing, and the shear plate knock free and slide off with or without the spline. I would inspect the spline and key for damage and get some key bar stock and make a new key anyway.
Best of luck finding a way to straighten that blade! I'd try sledgehammering against a concrete block, or given I've a backhoe with hydraulic thumb I's find a way to use that to bend it back more or less into shape so it clears the housing properly.
 
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Snowman7

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LX3310 535 loader, LX2980, RB2672, FDR1660
May 20, 2020
348
246
43
Boyne Falls, MI.
Well, I gave up about an hour ago, had dinner, and left the thing for the evening. The movement you see on this shear pin plate took 10 minutes with a 4 lb sledge. It is like that thing is welded on there. Something has to be bent.
 

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Snowman7

Active member

Equipment
LX3310 535 loader, LX2980, RB2672, FDR1660
May 20, 2020
348
246
43
Boyne Falls, MI.
The sad part is that that stupid shear pin is supposed to prevent all of this. If only the damn thing did it’s job.
$519 for that piece of crap fan, already looked in case I can’t straighten it. I will not buy another one, absolutely ridiculous.
 

DustyRusty

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2020 BX23S, BX2822 Snowblower, Curtis Deluxe Cab,
Nov 8, 2015
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North East CT
Since you said it was bent, that would indicate that the person who assembled the machine used the wrong bolt. I have a correct bolt sitting next to my computer keyboard that has a head marking of M113 that I picked up at the Kubota dealer last month for my blower. I have no idea what that head marking means and Googling it didn't come up with anything. According to the parts book, it is supposed to be a grade 5 by 1 1/4" x 1/4" bolt, but I am unfamiliar with the head marking. I believe that once you get the gearbox off everything will come apart with almost no effort. Most likely it is only the fan blade that is bent. I see no need for a puller, to take any of the parts off the machine. If you need a puller, you have a bent shaft, which is extremely unlikely. The rock stopped the rotational force of the fan, not the shaft. I believe that the fan has moved rearward or forward (most likely) and that there is a misalignment that you are trying to work against. Don't keep beating on it with a hammer. You need to unbolt the auger shaft from both sides and remove the augers from the front. I would do this first to relieve the pressure. Make sure to mark the augers right and left because they are different should they come off of the gearbox shaft.
In the end, you might have to take the rear gearbox off and work toward the front. I only had one gear-driven snowblower apart and that was a while ago. It was the same thing, the neighbor ingested a potato-sized rock and had the identical problem that you are facing. Once the fan was loose from the front gearbox, it spun freely till it hit a high side of the housing. We heated and straightened the fan and it was fine. Kubota orange paint will hide many scars and mistakes. Just be patient and you will be fine.
While you have the fan off, drill the center and put a grease fitting in there to keep any rust from forming. Fill it up once and forget it. The other thing is that you can skip the grease fitting and paint the shaft with never seize. It is a personal preference.
On a used blower that I purchased, I found that someone put the lock washer under the shear bolt head, and that caused a misalignment of the cut grooves in the shear bolt. I had a hard time driving it out, but once out all I had to do was run the proper size drill bit through the hole to correct the alignment, and it was never a problem.
 
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GreensvilleJay

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BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
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my gut says the key is partially sheared and mushed 'locking' the 2 pieces together. I've seen this happen to flywheels on lawn mower engines.
you 'might' be able to tunr the shaft backward to 'realign' the key and both keyways
YES it is going to be a royal PITA......
 
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Snowman7

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Equipment
LX3310 535 loader, LX2980, RB2672, FDR1660
May 20, 2020
348
246
43
Boyne Falls, MI.
my gut says the key is partially sheared and mushed 'locking' the 2 pieces together. I've seen this happen to flywheels on lawn mower engines.
you 'might' be able to tunr the shaft backward to 'realign' the key and both keyways
YES it is going to be a royal PITA......
It is like the two are welded together, I bet you are right, I will let you know when I reach the promised land.
 
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RCW

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Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
8,399
4,053
113
Chenango County, NY
Here is that shear bolt
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.
Screenshot_20230204_074057.png

Not the same blower - My auger pins are grade 5. Fan is grade 8. Both grooved.

Grade 5 marks- auger for mine.
822853E6-8D5C-4AA2-A813-FF7F6793BE65.jpeg

Grade 8 for impeller

B0DE4978-4BA6-4BBA-AF85-48372667264D.jpeg
 
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nbryan

Well-known member

Equipment
B2650 BH77 LA534 54" ssqa Forks B2782B BB1560 Woods M5-4 MaxxHaul 50039
Jan 3, 2019
1,166
708
113
Hadashville, Manitoba, Canada
Here is that shear bolt
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.

IMG_20230204_184238188.jpg IMG_20230204_185454216.jpg

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