Snowblower Forum banner

Newspapers caught in snowblower

7K views 24 replies 15 participants last post by  Toro-8-2-4 
#1 ·
#2 ·
Yep. happened to me last year. Flyers being thrown in the driveway during a snow storm. Delivery people dont care as long as they get rid of their quota. By the time I got
crap out of the augers and impeller and my HS 928 back up and running I lost close to 2 hours during a major storm. It broke off the impeller shear bolt and jammed it in the hole. Had to take it all apart to get a chance to punch out the middle piece. The house was vacant almost a year and the owner hadn't shut the flyers off. A great day.
 
#3 ·
I had that happen once, but I was lucky and saw it just as it was being sucked into the augers. I let go of both handles and was just in time. It was a bit of a pain getting the intact paper out but it hadn't gone far enough to break a shear pin or do any other damage. **** papers!
 
#4 ·
Same happened to me, the newspaper was hiding in the snow plow drift in front of the mailboxes. The paper was drawn in and jammed up the impeller. Took me 1.5 hours to take the reciprocating saw with a long blade to try and cut through the bunched up paper. That did not work so well so I resorted to the propane torch to burn it out. Finally got enough burned out that the rest could be pulled out by hand.
Not fun.
 
#12 · (Edited)
I havent had a problem with the newspapers in the driveway, but we have one of those free "pennysaver" type community newspapers..
When we bought our house in 2006, the free paper had a plastic tube, like a piece of PVC pipe, just for their paper, attached to the side of my mailbox post, under the "regular" mailbox. (I think by law, they cant put their paper in a regular mailbox)

I didnt want the free paper, so I removed the tube and threw it away..
a week later, they added a new tube to the side of my mailbox post!
I have since learned the trick..

You leave the plastic tube for the free paper on the side of your mailbox post..
You take four of five of their free papers, (or any bunch of old newspaper,) roll it up tight, and stuff it into the tube.
then leave it in there, permanently, for years..decades even..
that stops the delivery of the free paper! ;)
it's the universal sign for "I dont want the paper, stop giving it to me"..I see it all over my area.

Scot
 
#19 ·
Barney, I don't mind your sarcasm. I do in fact repair a lot of snow blowers. Mostly for a hobby and not all for profit. so I have taken a lot of gear boxes apart to repair where a commercial business would junk it. I also have been reading posts on boards like this for a long time where fine people have discussed this exact issue of Toro using bolts vs. shear pins. Have you?:wink2:
The brass worm gear can break or wear out for a combination of other reasons too. But you can not argue that the impact of hitting something that causes the engine to stall does not take it's toll on the teeth. Add to that, perhaps, poor lubrication, worn out bearings causing the worm shaft to move around and it is a formula for failure.
 
  • Like
Reactions: barney
#21 · (Edited)
Barney, I don't mind your sarcasm. I do in fact repair a lot of snow blowers. Mostly for a hobby and not all for profit. so I have taken a lot of gear boxes apart to repair where a commercial business would junk it. I also have been reading posts on boards like this for a long time where fine people have discussed this exact issue of Toro using bolts vs. shear pins. Have you?:wink2:
The brass worm gear can break or wear out for a combination of other reasons too. But you can not argue that the impact of hitting something that causes the engine to stall does not take it's toll on the teeth. Add to that, perhaps, poor lubrication, worn out bearings causing the worm shaft to move around and it is a formula for failure.
Yes in fact I read through the entirety of posts that make any explicit mention of Toro machines from beginning to end. The point was gear boxes, not sheer pins.
You mention "boards like this". Is there another snow blower forum worth visiting other than this one?
 
#20 · (Edited)
So you're saying you've seen more worn out Toro gear boxes than other brands to the point that it's an obvious design flaw. Not just your own 824 data point?

As an aside I have to wonder how many Toro owners are constantly stalling out their machines and what the **** are they doing/hitting to be doing this all the time such that they are wearing out their gear boxes.
 
#23 ·
I think anything harder than e grade 2 bolt with the proper cuts or shear slots, and/or groves will endanger your gearbox, why take a chance. OK the Murray that I refurbished has 1/4" grade 2 "shear" bolts, with no groves or other weakened spots, and I"m not very comfortable with that. Just sayen.
Sid
 
#24 ·
Our idiot Sunday newspaper delivery person threw it into the very end of the driveway (not even the on the walkway or near the post box) and it (3 inches thick & double bagged) was buried under the 18" EOD this past weekend. This after I received a text from the circulation desk saying the paper delivery would be delayed until afternoon so I wasn't even looking for it. Thank God for The Auger Shear Bolt Guard system on the HSS1332ATD... Saved me again!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top