523XI Snow blower trouble

[Xearl 131]

One last question .Dose the spacer  just have the three holes  or is there one for bearing clearance  .  ED

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

I made my spacer with a center hole big enough for the lip of the Toro bearing flange to sit flush against, so basically it was a copy of the flange itself, Jeff.

[Kurt-NEPA 755]

Just now, WVHillbilly520H said:

I made my spacer with a center hole big enough for the lip of the Toro bearing flange to sit flush against, so basically it was a copy of the flange itself, Jeff.

Me too!

[Xearl 131]

THanks ED

[Kurt-NEPA 755]

Here is a drawing of the spacer I made for mine.

 

[Xearl 131]

Kurt , Excellent . I think with this I can do it or take it to my buddy  .  You are talented and nice enough to share your knowledge .  Thanks .  ED

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

@Kurt-NEPA, I believe it was you and Duke who I got all the 2stage mods from for my own, thanks to you both, I'm very pleased with the performance of mine and IMHO Toro should have done this before they ever quit production, but I digress, @Xearl I'm sure once all of these are done you'll be a believer too, Jeff.

[Xearl 131]

Jeff ,  You are a big help with this project and what I said to Kurt applies to you also . Without you guys helping me out I would still be looking on line for answers .  Tractor supply has a 15% sale tomorrow evening which is when I will get the bearings to make that mod .Now if someone would come up with a used auger shaft in good condition it would be n ice .

[WHX?? 49,151]

Yes this is a very good thread fellas. I will be using all these ideas once I tie into my deuce project. Lots of  to down load   Will have to be sure to check out @HorseFixer's thread too!

[Kurt-NEPA 755]

1 hour ago, WVHillbilly520H said:

@Kurt-NEPA, I believe it was you and Duke who I got all the 2stage mods from for my own, thanks to you both, I'm very pleased with the performance of mine and IMHO Toro should have done this before they ever quit production, but I digress, @Xearl I'm sure once all of these are done you'll be a believer too, Jeff.

 

And I have to pass the credit to others.  I got the bearing idea off here about 4 years ago. The paddle improvement idea is all over YouTube.  The center support idea came from an old Craftsman Blower I had.  It was about the same size and used a center support.  Then I got looking around.  Most blowers have one.  I tried it really helped on vibrations.  My impeller was all chewed up and cracked .  I did the best I could with it and I'm positive it is out of balance.

[HorseFixer 2,012]

Great thread and Ideas. I need to do my Chucker and rebuild the blower section someday soon. I have some improvements on bearings same as you did.      Xearl So what did you finally end up using for lubrication for the gear box? 

Edited March 26, 2017 by HorseFixer

[HorseFixer 2,012]

5 hours ago, Kurt-NEPA said:

 

And I have to pass the credit to others.  I got the bearing idea off here about 4 years ago. The paddle improvement idea is all over YouTube.  The center support idea came from an old Craftsman Blower I had.  It was about the same size and used a center support.  Then I got looking around.  Most blowers have one.  I tried it really helped on vibrations.  My impeller was all chewed up and cracked .  I did the best I could with it and I'm positive it is out of balance.

 

If it is cracked and out of balance that is easy to check and fix. 1st Sandblast and weld the cracks. 2nd Take a shaft and stick through it and tighten down take two sharpened pieces of steel on edge and rest the shaft on them on each side. If it is out of balance it will rotate till the heavy side is downwards just like a lawnmower blade will. Add some weld to the other sides till they all balance out. Rotate impeller on these edges and stop, if it is balanced it will stop and not rotate either way. This is kinda primitive but it will get you a heck of alot closer that you were before. When I made my rubber wipers for my impeller I weighed the stainless steel plate, bolts, washers, nuts, and rubbers themselves with a gram scale so they were the Exact weight. Being balanced is a big part of overall efficiency in this whole operation.      

[Xearl 131]

I am still waiting for parts they should be here tomorrow . I am going to Tractor supply tomorrow for the bearings after that I have to make the spacers . I posted on wanted for a used auger shaft ,so I'll wait a couple of days and see what happens so Horse Fixer I still don't know what I am putting in the gear case for a lube . I used to have Datsun 's way back when and the trannys used to go . I think I replaced 3 or four but solved that problem by adding STP to the gear oil . I might try that

[Xearl 131]

Jeff , I found a picture of an end plate drilled for the bearings and I now see what you meant about using the top hole as a start . I could not picture it in my mind because the end plates are out in the shed and I was to lazy to go out before I had all the parts .

[HorseFixer 2,012]

7 hours ago, Xearl said:

so Horse Fixer I still don't know what I am putting in the gear case for a lube . I used to have Datsun 's way back when and the trannys used to go . I think I replaced 3 or four but solved that problem by adding STP to the gear oil . I might try that

 

Xearl, you gave the correct answer yourself earlier on in this thread. You need nothing else! 

[Xearl 131]

Kurt , I double clicked on the original photo you sent with the gear greased up and low and behold the rest of your pictures came up .  I looked at the and I finally saw what you m

Well fellows I know have another question .  Did your brass gear on the auger shaft have any play ?  Mine has a couple of thousands and I don't know if it should be a near perfect fit . With gears ,bushings , seals and cases I have a good amount of money invested . I don't want to put this together with a built in problem .  I hate to get a new shaft for 300 or so bucks .   Ed

[Kurt-NEPA 755]

2 hours ago, Xearl said:

Did your brass gear on the auger shaft have any play ?  Mine has a couple of thousands and I don't know if it should be a near perfect fit .

I'm not sure about the gear fit Ed.  Mine was tight to the shaft.  I could have pressed it off and replaced the shaft, but chose not to.  I think I could have machined the new shaft, but I left well enough alone.  I know the gear in on the shaft with a key, but don't remember if there was a set screw.  No set screw is a give away that the gear needs to be pressed on.  Be careful with the keys, I think they are all Hi-pro keys, not Woodruff. 

 

I'm glad you enjoyed this pictures.

 

Kurt

[Xearl 131]

Well here I am again still waiting for some parts . I bought bearings and retainers at Tractor Supply and started to figure out how to mount them . I see how  a 1/4 " spacer under the retainer would move the bearing inboard as to get more on the shaft . The recommended 2" center hole of the spacer will not clear the lip on the back half  , both sides are the same , so I am going to enlarged the hole to clear the lip . I made up a wooden jig to center the bearing retainer . I think I am going to wait and finish the gearbox and do a dry fit to make sure the bearing sits all the way on the shaft . I want to put the retaining bolt back in the end of the shaft . If anyone sees a problem please feel free to let me know .

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

Ed, 1 reason I did the spacer was because of the bearing retainers lip and not wanting to disturb "center" of the thrust washer hole by enlarging it to fit, I also used the bare auger shaft with steel plugs of the correct diameter bolted to the ends like your wooden versions to help keep everything aligned while transferring the new bolt pattern to drill in the correct location, I used set screws in the threads of shaft to keep them from rusting/galling before I put my end caps on, I do wish I had captured my rebuild photographically but I was sorta in a rush using my F.I.L.'s garage with his(sometimes) unwanted/needed help, but I'll try my best to recall and help you through yours, hope this video of mine running plays for you ,Jeff.

VIDEO0001.mp4

Edited March 31, 2017 by WVHillbilly520H

[Kurt-NEPA 755]

Looks good Ed.  I like the wood plug idea.  I didn't put the bolts back in the end of my auger shaft, I just looked at mine and my auger shaft has shifted about 1/4".  End bolts would stop that.  Another spring job for me.

 

BTW, I did not open the end plates up to 2" dia.  Just the spacer.

Edited March 31, 2017 by Kurt-NEPA

[Xearl 131]

Thanks Jeff and Kurt , You both are a big help . I see everyone does the job a little differently so as long as I am careful I think I'll be OK . Kurt I am not enlarging the hole in the end plate but in the spacer to clear the lip on the back half of the retainer . Pictures will follow . Nice video Jeff .   ED

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

Ed, I wasn't sure if that video would play or not but I was trying to show you how smooth/vibration free the auger runs now with the greaseable cam lock bearings and I believe that "whirring" noise is mostly from the rubber paddles extensions in the impeller drum, when I first got it home I could barely rotate it by hand as the drive chain/sprockets were rusted stiff the impeller fan had 2 badly bent blades and the auger bushings were nearly worn through, Jeff.

[Xearl 131]

Nice job Jeff . Only someone who has worked on these tractors can appreciate that kind of work . Special Loctite arrived today for the loose gear ond the thrust washers should be here tomorrow . Now all I need is some sunshine .  ED

Edited April 1, 2017 by Xearl
spelling

[Xearl 131]

Here we go again . Just when I thought I was finishing up a new puzzle .  New gears ,bushings ,seals and bearings and spacers for the bearings . I put the gear box together and thought I'd better do a dry fit before putting the augers on . Well the side covers went on but way the bearings would not line up even with all the bolts loose .  I took the bearings off and finished buttoning up the side covers and discovered the shaft was about a 1/2 "  off .  I started the tractor to see if the  gear housing was working and it seems to operate OK .  The only thing I see to do is move the paddle shaft back the 1/2"  to line up the  auger shaft .  I think to do that I will have to split the blower to get at the sprocket and the bearing retainer .  I can't see that the gearbox can be assembled wrong so why this is going on I have no idea .  Help on any ideas or  thoughts would be much appreciated . ED  ( both sides seem to be off the me amount . )

Edited April 15, 2017 by Xearl
spelling

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

Ed, on my 2stage for the classics the impeller shaft gear and support bearing moves fore and act on the shaft before tightening the gear, lock collar and impeller fan I would leave them "loose" as to where you can probably obtain the 1/2" you need to align the auger shaft up to the bearings and side plates, leaving everything loose till everything is aligned then going back through and tightened once completely aligned, hope this makes sense and helps, Jeff.