Snow blower free wheel

[Warren Lake]

on my larger snow blower one wheel fell off in use at the end of last season. Think I left it off and put another shear pin in and carried on then that broke after some use. Now have found the outside part and going to look for other two.

What is the purpose of this thing, do you not want two wheels to drive all the time? I know when I spin it around on the spot it would be easier if the one wheel turned.

Is it okay to go without this thing and just use a shear pin? There is one part im missing here but since its not on the other side just a sheer would think its okay. Can find photos if im not making sense 11 Hp Craftsman 31" blower



thanks




w

[Jim Koepke]

Both wheels turning puts half the stress on either sheer pin. Turning the snow blower around with the wheels in gear likely puts uneven stress on the pins. Do you always turn in the same direction?

Having only one wheel doing all the work will likely have the one pin breaking when it is the most inconvenient.

jtk

[Warren Lake]

Thanks Jim,

I dont think that was on the smaller one. When it broke when im snow plowing and the part is lost somewhere in the snow learning about it when the wheel falls not ideal.

Might have to just buy many sheer pins and keep replacing them. Haven't used it yet this year so the broken pin was from last year and that stuff to make it spin was off it. As far as turning not sure I remember buzzing out to the road then just spinning the machine around with the throttle on and going the other way. Why is this feature on the big one and not on the small machine? Both the same brand. Ill look better tomorrow, machines were buried in the portable shed and already had a decent snowfall but as I look out its still going on. Had found a small service place fairly close to me and his service was excellent just not sure if he will be open or not.

w


At the moment im missing the ring, I have the part with the pull out pin and the larger black part is missing but around. Can I not bypass this stuff and just use a shear pin through there? Sorry for the crappy photo.


447947

[Ronald Blue]

I can't tell in the photo. The pin goes through the flange on the wheel and the hub? If it's a thru hole maybe use a bolt? Not necessarily ideal but functional. I think the idea of the pull out to freewheel pen is so it's easier to move on dry surfaces.

[Ron Selzer]

My first snow blower had a pin on the right side wheel, depending on where it was placed the snow blower would drive with both wheels together and be a real bi..h to turn or in the other hole it would let the right wheel "freewheel" and be very maneuverable. Also when in the freewheel mode it let the right side sag which caused the scraper blade to wear unevenly. So for an easy snow it was easier to let the right side freewheel and for a heavy wet snow esp. at end of driveway where the snowplows packed the snow in it worked better with both wheels locked together. The current snow blower dosen't allow for this pin to be moved yet seems to do almost as well in the heavy snow. Haven't run it in a few years since carburetor leaked all the gas out one summer day. Have replaced the carb, changed the oil, haven't needed it since.
Ron

[Lee Schierer]

My Simplicity snow blower has a trigger on the left hand grip that I can pull to release one of the drive wheels. This allows one wheel to free wheel making turns easier. You need two wheels driving to work in heavy/deep snow. Otherwise the blower will want to turn toward the free wheel or just stall in place for lack of traction.

My old Toro blower had pull handles, one on each side so your could release one or both wheels to free wheel to make turning in either direction easier.

[Warren Lake]

thanks,

Id prefer they both drive and the turning around ive always just left the throttle on and spun it, I found it easier to turn and spin than not be under power.

Oddly the one large metal part that was missing and things are insane here at the moment I remembered I found a part on the staircase the other day. No idea where it came from. I set it on a shelf with similar parts that came from an auction, I dont know what those parts are but likely from a moulding machine. I went down to the shelf and couldnt believe it im about 98 percent sure this is the other part for the blower so all I have to find is the large circlip thing. Stuff I lose is never that easy to find. The shop gets better and better other stuff still catching up.

I guess the way I was doing it and spinning under power may have been harder on the sheer pins. Wont get to it till tonight and will take a look for that pin. Suppliers must be closed as i emailed the guy with no response. Thanks for the info its appreciated. I just did the hand thing last year but figured better get things set up this year, will see what Mother Nature has planned.

[Brian Elfert]

It sounds like something else is broken if you keep breaking shear pins on the wheels. I didn't even realize they have shear pins on snow blower wheels until I saw this thread. You might want to check snowblowerforum.com to see if anyone there can help.

[Warren Lake]

thanks Brian

I think its part of the deal, they are there in two or three places to protect stuff and my first blower my mom gave to me after my father could not use it anymore. I found it didnt work, upon inspection I ended up with the transmission apart in -20 weather and broken transmission gears. A shear bolt had been replaced with a grade five. Wrong choice of course but considering the small driveway my parents had and what I do which is maybe 20 times as much as I do two places then one more neighbor and more ive done fine.

Ill look for any sharp edges but logic says when I go out on a road under throttle and do my donout spin thing it may put a bit more stress on the sheer pins. I wont temp fate with a strong bolt. Im hoping the smaller one didnt have that happen again as I remember an issue in deep snow running into a branch that had broken off as the storm started and was completely covered in snow. When I checked last night it appeared that the different blades and the back inside one to the shut were still connected okay rather than free spinning but will find out later when i get time to get to it. I dont remember the manual explaining the free wheel thing and it wasnt on the smaller one but there is likely a you tube as well so will have to check that but you guys have let me know the why for that so thats a good start. Happy that the big one started so easily, old gas drained and Shell V power in and sounded good. realize there is debate on running them dry fuel stabilizer and and.

When there is time ill check for the ring, the one black part that sits against the wheel has two allen screws in it as well, logic will make sense when I put it on and see how those two work together. Im fine to put it all on and leave it locked up all the time if I am not damaging stuff or shortening the life of the shear pins, if you are supposed to lock it and unlock it before you spin around seems like a bother.

w

[Lee Schierer]

[QUOTE=Warren Lake;3082781]Ill look for any sharp edges but logic says when I go out on a road under throttle and do my donout spin thing it may put a bit more stress on the sheer pins. QUOTE]

Since there is a safety lever on the hand grips that engages and disengage the drive, just release the handle when you make your donuts and you don't put any strain of the shear pin.