[schneetag]

I brought my new Drift Breaker home yesterday. I still can't believe it. On a whim, I entered " Drift Breaker" into the FB Marketplace search window. I wanted to see if any might have been for sale in the country. Well one did turn up.., two towns away, and for $50.00. The ad had been up for 23 weeks, but I thought I'd send a message anyway. The seller stated that it was still for sale.

It's a 26 inch machine, model 536.909800, code 8275. It's a non-runner, but the engine has good compression. The electric starter works. The control cables (except the impeller cable) are stuck. I've already removed them, and will start spraying WD-40 into them. I also removed the carburetor for cleaning. I had to free up the impeller control rod. It was gunked up. I tried moving the transmission lever from neutral, but it didn't seem to want to move. I didn't force it. I'll have a better look when I have a chance. Hopefully the linkage is stuck. Or maybe a bound yoke, or fork, if this transmission has them.

No more snow blowers!

 

[Ziggy65]

Another great find, should be good for hours and hours of entertainment

It looks like the chute deflector mechanism may be an after market unit, or did they come with these from the factory.

The third stage on these really make them stand out, especially when they have the optional 2 light kit mounted on top of the bucket.

 

[oneacer]

You surely want some XTrac on that beast ....

 

[Clutch Cargo]

Is that deflector control original??

 

[schneetag]

Thanks! I could be wrong, but I believe that the deflector is original. I forgot to mention the the p/o installed rubber impeller paddles. The air filter assembly, and heater box are missing. I may be able to make a box from metal sheet.

Yes, I will be picking up a set of XTracs at some point.

 

[JLawrence08648]

There are no air filters on snowblowers. They will clog with moisture, freeze, then starve the engine of air. Plus no grass clippings or dust to worry about in the winter.

 

[schneetag]

JLawrence, thanks for letting me know. One less thing to have to pick up.

I found this vid showing the deflector control.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...=K3O6GIwzMb8&usg=AOvVaw2JjtZ9aEScQ4bj4q9OAkdA

 

[Ziggy65]

Cool, that was a rare feature back then.

Here is a video comparing an old Craftsman to a new one

 

[schneetag]

Nice vid. You are right. I like the headlight assembly.

 

[HCBPH]

That looks like a pre Murray unit, maybe AMF as it was a friction disc unit.

 

[schneetag]

HCBPH, I read about your splitting the ground, and impeller engagement controls, along with your pic of the drive end in another thread. My guess is that you installed another hand lever on the left handlebar to engage the impeller. Is this correct? Was the original cable long enough to re-use?

 

[HCBPH]

HCBPH, I read about your splitting the ground, and impeller engagement controls, along with your pic of the drive end in another thread. My guess is that you installed another hand lever on the left handlebar to engage the impeller. Is this correct? Was the original cable long enough to re-use?

I happened to have another cable from a parts machine which I used on the auger control and left the original cable on the drive. I added a 2d handle to the left handlebar, drilled a hole in the white handlebar panel like on the right side. There's a thread on how I did it on the forum and it goes into detail on the various changes I did to make it work. You can reach out to me if you have questions.
Note though this is on a blower with the Tecumseh transmission and not a friction disk. IIRC the controls are the same but I've not done the mod to a machine of your machines vintage.

 

[schneetag]

Thanks! Yes, the controls are the same. I had seen a close up pic of the modded controls on your blower. I'm planning on using a handlebar mounted locking lever for the auger similar to those on Gravely 2 wheelers. I will also leave the drive lever as is.
For now though, I'm still working on freeing up the cables that I removed. Two (throttle, and chute adjustment) are working again, but the drive, and auger cables are still works in progress. I also need to open the pan so that I can check the friction disc, and linkage. The shift lever doesn't want to move out of neutral. The disc may just be gunked up, and stuck on the shaft. This was the case with the shift link.

 

[schneetag]

Because I haven't opened up the bottom of the Drift Breaker yet, I'm assuming that whereas I release the clutch to engage the 1964 blower, I would depress, and hold the clutch lever against the handlebar in order to engage the Drift Breaker.
Gravely 2 wheelers have a similar trait, with old ones you move the directional lever forward to reverse, and rearward to move forward. At some point Gravely reversed it so that forward is forward, and backward is reverse.

 

[HCBPH]

If you need a cable, here's one but it will take a slight mod. Check out the chute cables on a Drift Breaker. It's around the right length but it has a loop on both ends. You'd need to make a clevis or something similar to attach it to a handle control but that's easy to do.

 

[cpchriste]

If you need a cable, here's one but it will take a slight mod.

cable 49551?

 

[schneetag]

Thanks, guys. HCBPH, I don't see a pic, or link. I'm still trying to get them moving again, but it's entirely possible that I will need to buy at least one new cable. The chute cable is moving now, but the throttle, and ground drive cables are still frozen. I have been slowly feeding them PB Blaster, looping them with their ends up, and hanging them in the garage.

 

[HCBPH]

If you check out a cable for the auger or drive control, check out 49551MA, that is a replacement for an adjustable chute. As I said it has a loop on both ends so you have to make up a clevis or something else to attach it to a handle but it's length should work.

 

[schneetag]

Great information. Thanks, HCBPH. While the chute cable is working, it still binds up as the cable gets close to it's end on one side. I'm going to install it, and see if it reaches this point when in operation. If so, I'll need to replace it. It shouldn't be hard to make something up for the ends of a new one.

 

[schneetag]

I lucked out and found the heater box, and on/off (ignition switch) for the Drift Breaker on ebay. It arrived today. It's in great condition. Some surface rust on the inside, but I can take care of that. I had a cap on hand which fit the large hole. The on/off switch works too, but one spade connector is missing, and the other is loose. I'm going to try to repair it.

The switch works