Toro 521 Snowthrower restoration

[echris 1,425]

8 hours ago, bds1984 said:

Nice work.  But on a side note, nice Duff beer coozie and Founder's.  

Thanks.

And also, Mmmm Duff, I mean Mmmm Founders...

[echris 1,425]

Still waiting on parts to complete the power head, so I started assembling the auger tonight.

I'm going to have to give my neighbor a B- for the paintwork. 

He already completed most of the auger in 2011!
The old timer always grades my projects, so it'll be fun to take him down a peg, hahahaha!
I know he'll agree.

I assembled the gearcase....5 or 6 times. The front sintered bearing was hanging up when I torqued the halves of the housing. It was giving me fits. I almost gave up. Almost...

 

 

 

[Bill D 1,932]

Looking good!  90 wt or bentonite in the gear box?  Did you put never seize on the auger shafts?  

[echris 1,425]

10 hours ago, Bill D said:

Looking good!  90 wt or bentonite in the gear box?  Did you put never seize on the auger shafts?  

 

There's a can of anti-sneeze hiding to the right of the 1st pic.





The service manual calls for Lubriplate MAG-1 grease for the gear case. That stuff is expensive! Know of any cheaper alternatives that work as well?

Thanks!
 

[Bill D 1,932]

Sorry I don't.  

[ebinmaine 68,265]

19 minutes ago, echris said:

 

There's a can of anti-sneeze hiding to the right of the 1st pic.





The service manual calls for Lubriplate MAG-1 grease for the gear case. That stuff is expensive! Know of any cheaper alternatives that work as well?

Thanks!
 

@peter lena 

@Greentored

 

[peter lena 8,719]

echris, how about the  JOHN DEERE " CORN COB GREASE "  , THIS IS RECOVERABLE GREASE FOR GEAR UNITS, AND it doesn't break down, also pricing is very good at about 5 $ a tube . being   a grease head I am very familiar with all kinds of lubricants , just found this , https://www.amazon.com/John-Deere-Multi-Purpose-Polyurea-Grease/dp/B00CAXJM2M/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&hvadid=77859234718782&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvqmt=e&keywords=john+deere+corn+head+grease&qid=1602693289&sr=8-7&tag=mh0b-20 , polyurea grease is what you want , check it out, pete

[Greentored 3,217]

What he said!  ^^^^^

[echris 1,425]

I love you guys!


EDIT: I guess that would be good for mower spindles as well? The entire WH?

Edited October 14, 2020 by echris

[peter lena 8,719]

echris, probably the best hi temp grease for mower deck spindles is LUCAS RED N TACKY , @ 5 $ A TUBE AT WALMART . MAKE A REGULAR HABBIT OF AREOSOL LUBRICATION AT A NUMBER , movement ,points like choke and throttle cables , and areas that do not have grease fittings . when greasing your front axel  you have 3 fittings ,1 on each spindle and one at the center axel swing point. also jack up tractor so spindles get a thorough greasing , also do the " fan gear " at the base of the steering column. that lucas grease has a 550 temp rating , very good for those hot spindles , i also use it on my pto muel bearings . other questions just ask , pete   

[Bill D 1,932]

I got some "00" grease at TSC.  Would that work in the gear box?

[echris 1,425]

On 10/14/2020 at 5:36 PM, peter lena said:

echris, probably the best hi temp grease for mower deck spindles is LUCAS RED N TACKY , @ 5 $ A TUBE AT WALMART . MAKE A REGULAR HABBIT OF AREOSOL LUBRICATION AT A NUMBER , movement ,points like choke and throttle cables , and areas that do not have grease fittings . when greasing your front axel  you have 3 fittings ,1 on each spindle and one at the center axel swing point. also jack up tractor so spindles get a thorough greasing , also do the " fan gear " at the base of the steering column. that lucas grease has a 550 temp rating , very good for those hot spindles , i also use it on my pto muel bearings . other questions just ask , pete   

Thanks for all the great info @peter lena While I just got my first WH back in May?, I've already done all of that.

Where things rub together, squirt some juice now and again.

 

It's great to know there's folks like you around here who can guide us when we're not sure which juice to use.

Thanks again. Much appreciated!

[peter lena 8,719]

BILL D , did a quick on your question , https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/30884/replace-oil-grease#:~:text=Typically%2C semi-fluid greases such,frequently are run to fail.&text=It is important to remember,a thickener and some additives.  don,t know if it will work , but if you clean out all the old , and put in fresh , you will be definitely better off . that run to fail statement , is  something i would not follow, pete 

[echris 1,425]

Good news! Jack's Small Engines shipped almost everything else today!

Except the one head bolt drilled and tapped head for the muffler mount. 

At least it's good to know Toro is back in business.

[peter lena 8,719]

echris this what I did on those 6203 bearings, if you have the wider rubber seals on those bearings , and a small pocket screwdriver , you can easily convert a noisy failing bearing  over to a solid quiet bearing, only using the pully pictured as an example to seal type , but I recently did my mule bearings over , they get very hot , with the grease upgrade , they are quiet and smooth . it was the regular bearing failure , (  due to lo temp grease ) that made me try something different , have the same change over on 3 tractors , it works , quiet decks and drives , and no issues , now I do that on any bearing replacement , go Lucas , pete 

 

[echris 1,425]

@peter lena Great write-up, thanks for the info. Much appreciated!

I've restored bearings many times, sealed and unsealed. One of the tricks I use is to soak it in lacquer thinner which really helps to get the old grease/dirt out. Once it's clean, wet it in thinner, blow it clean/spin it slowly using an air compressor. Only few turns, wet it again and repeat. Repeat until either it's silent (apart from normal dry bearing noise) or you can tell its too far gone because it's still going whomp, whomp, whomp. That last part is very scientific.

It works though!

I tried this on the second stage bearing on the Toro a few weeks ago, but she was definitely too far gone.

Edited October 17, 2020 by echris

[echris 1,425]

We're on the home stretch now kids!

 

I've said to this myself nearly every day for the past week, but I'm pretty sure EVERYTHING is painted. Probably a lie.

A few pics from today:

1st coat of paint on the wheels:

 

 

 

MMMM stainless socket head cap screws...

 

 

 

It's starting to get chilly here, so I brought the last few parts in to cure over the ancient American Standard furnace/paint curing device in my basement. (I suppose I should clean the top of my furnace...)
Once the paint on the wheels tacks over, they'll be going up there too. In the pic above, the wheels are right next to it though, so they're still getting some nice heat. Much warmer on top though.

 

[ebinmaine 68,265]

1 hour ago, echris said:

still going whomp, whomp, whomp

There's other noises too. 

A small bearing will go ssnihk, ssnihk, ssnihk. 

[echris 1,425]

24 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

There's other noises too. 

A small bearing will go ssnihk, ssnihk, ssnihk. 

Pro-tip: If, when it's fully cleaned of old grease and/or dirt it goes, "whomp-ssnihk-whomp-ssnihk", it's either a larger bearing that's shot, or a smaller bearing that's shot.

If it goes, "ssnihk-whomp-ssnihk-whomp", you're rotating it backwards. Idiot.

[ebinmaine 68,265]

1 minute ago, echris said:

, you're rotating it backwards

Could also be upside down. 

[echris 1,425]

1 minute ago, ebinmaine said:

Could also be upside down. 

True. Or even downside up.

Besides, what do I have to lose? You've already told me I'm "not allowed" to mount the tires for at least 4 weeks until the wheel paint cures.

So I may as well play with some bearings in the meantime.

Whomp-whomp.

[echris 1,425]

The drive assembly is complete, lubed and ready to go!
 

 

 

 

Neat trick from the Toro service manual. That's one honkin' spring. Worked like a champ with a hammer and some wire!

Started mating up the auger and drive assembly tonight too! Now if I could just get that last head bolt, I'll be in business.

 

[ebinmaine 68,265]

Snazzy!!!

[rjg854 11,474]

Looks fantastic 

[Bill D 1,932]

Looking nice!