Snow Blower vibration ???

[Brockport Bill 1,733]

my grandson has a 520hc with a tall chute snowblower -- using blower for first time this year after using plow in past winters -- he and my son say it  has considerable vibration including causing vibration felt in the tractor itself. I do not use it so i can't be more specific??? Is vibration common? I asked if auger, sprocket, pulleys etc appear to operate normally and they could not describe anything that seems abnormal? They have lubricated it and inspected it.

 

Can any blower owners share with me if vibration is typical and if NOT, perhaps any insights what they should look for that may be causing it?

 

thanks, Bill

[Easton Rich 403]

Not an owner but did the check any bearings?

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,121]

Auger tube bent? About the only part heavy enough to cause a vibration.

[squonk 41,604]

I had a Tall shoot blower. It "bounced " as it ran. Had all new bearings and sprockets. The auger is quite large and spins so fast I'm sure some of it is "normal" unless the auger is perfectly balanced. After a few seasons I'm sure and balance had gone away. 

[peter lena 8,822]

@Brockport Bill  single stage or double ?  lots of rotational  hang , ups are quite common ,  would bet its a combination  of things , bearings , related drive chains , rusty / bound up saposed to move points , it won't be a single area / spot  it will be a ongoing combination of  many areas .  my first used single stage , was a pile of neglect , was practically  anything I looked at or touched , bound rusted drive chain , related , dry rusty bearings , pto set up was also a  total  mess. , cultch was  all but gone , pointing to , frozen bearings . related drag , would try and find a spot where it moves at all  , by hand at drive belt point  . just some insight , pete

[moe1965 749]

Some vibration would be expected lots of spinning parts . Check to see if the belt is on the correct pulley on the PTO .   It should be on the smaller drive pulley.  If it is on the larger drive it will spin faster and could vibrate more.  

[Handy Don 12,568]

Bent jackshaft from drive pulley to chain drive sprocket? Damaged pulley? Loose bearing on jackshaft or augur shaft?

I’d experiment with different throttle settings to see if there is a resonant frequency--that may help you see where it’s happening.  

[peter lena 8,822]

@Handy Don   agree with the experimental , look / see ,  its rarely a  one and done , typically a  movement  function failure .  lots to check out , pete

[Brockport Bill 1,733]

6 hours ago, moe1965 said:

Some vibration would be expected lots of spinning parts . Check to see if the belt is on the correct pulley on the PTO .   It should be on the smaller drive pulley.  If it is on the larger drive it will spin faster and could vibrate more.  

thanks  -- it is on correct pulley

[ri702bill 8,550]

2 hours ago, Handy Don said:

resonant frequency

aka "Critical Speed". A seldom seen problem, but when it does, it is very repetitive and a true PITA to address.

Here's an associated tidbit - the resonant frequency problem repeats at the square of the initial problem RPM. (Initial at 400 RPM, second time is at 400 x 400 - 16000 RPM.) Needless to say, we will not witness the second......