Tractor Snow Blower

[Yoby]

So last year I pick up an old SnoLander 520 (6ft pto driven) snow blower to put on my 45hp yanmar tractor. Worked a couple kinks out last year just ensure I knew how to use it. But we never really got enough snow to truely test it.

With the snow we got yesterday, I got up this morning and started blowing. I think we roughly got 4 inches.... Shouldn't have been too hard at all. I make my first pass from the shed to the house (~60) and sheared a pin. Odd, but maybe I snagged something. Get the pin replaced, make my first run from the house to the road (80 yrds). I get 10 ft from the road and shear another. Now I am just wasting time replacing pins and I have to get to work. Said piss on it I'll use the loader.

So my question for anyone that is familiar with PTOs and shear pins. What size should I have? When I got it last winter, there we a keyed slot with a set screw for the shear. the shaft on the blower box showed signs of stress, so I drilled it out and put a pin in its place. I am thinking I have under sized it or have the wrong grade pin.

Any thought are helpful

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This is what I was using for my pin. I think 3/8" x 2 1/4"

http://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/speeco-2-pk-pto-round-loop-locking-pins/0000000027142

 

[Biglunch]

Try a bolt maybe. most shear bolts are a grade 2

 

[Yoby]

Correction, I am using a 1/4" pin. Went to FF over lunch and picked up bolts. 1/4" and 5/16". If it keeps shearing on me without loading the tractor the hole is getting bigger. I have a feeling it is a trial by error

 

[Trapper62]

Try a bolt maybe. most shear bolts are a grade 2

That pin you show is not made to handle the pressure of a shear pin, use bolts as described and you will be fine.

 

[Wild and Free]

On my 5' 3 point Chinese Jinma blower I wound up drilling out the holes in the auger shafts to 3/8 instead of the 5/16 it came with and using grade 5 bolts with locknuts to get them to last more than a few minutes as well. Now I might change one a day or snow event instead of one every few minutes on the augers. Those were the only ones I had issues with. Have not used it the last 2 winters now though which is a great thing, hoping to keep the trend going, I am sick of this crap already.

 

[deleted member]

Yeah. That ain't no shear pin. But, then again.... bolts aren't either are tgey?

 

[Srputz]

Use a grade 8 bolt. When they sheer its a clean brake. If you use a grade 5 they will bend before braking and you play heck getting them out.
Just my 2 cents

 

[eyexer]

just go to an equipment dealer and tell them you want a shear bolt. what you posted is a hardened pin.

 

[buckhunter24_7]

Well should be able to just run grade 5 bolts unless you got something else going on. Be careful how high you lift the snow blower when you move forward the sharp angle of the PTO shaft can cause them to break. I wouldnt use grade 8s just cause they are way stonger and you could damage your blower but if it keeps happening you might have to try it. Make sure you get em tight

 

[wby257]

I to would use a grade 8 bolt. And I would check make sure the u joints don't have play in them. or the gear box isnt getting worn or a bad bearing. Put it together and pull the PTO shaft off and see how easy the auger turn (S). If everything turns easy its the pin. And its just a matter of getting a heavier pin.

 

[riverview]

the low h.p. farm king blowers have 3/8 shear pins.

 

[Wrkn2hunt]

I work for the company in Cooperstown that builds the Black Max line of blowers and get very few shear bolts breaking. I would look into other issues causing this to happen. We sell to city's, counties, and ranchers and rarely break shear bolts.

 

[Davy Crockett]

Did it pull the motor down before it sheared ?

 

[wby257]

I agree with Wrkn2hunt. I think there is something else going on. Check your gear box or you have a bearing locking up. Do the spin test

 

[riverview]

the main problem is the pin he was using isn't made for or even close to strong enough for a shear pin.

 

[Yoby]

I change out to a grade 2 bolt. Didn't help. Drilled it out to to a 3/8 and a grade 5. Didn't have an issue and it even made the tractor snort a bit.

The gears don't seem to be a problem. Spins freely when no connected. No binding of any kind.