Converting Vertical Shaft Snowblower to Horizontal??

[Kipling79 1]

Hello, I have been looking for a snowblower for years, and found a deal that I couldn't pass up. Unfortunately the blower is a 06-37sk01 and not designed for my horizontal shaft machine. Darn.

 

I have read that some people have converted blowers to work with horizontal shafts. I have all the tools I should need, but am looking for guidance if possible.

 

I have a 314-8 mower, and the blower is a 06-37sk01. Worth the trouble?

 

 

[Ed Kennell 38,028]

You probably would have to buy a horizontal shaft blower to get the belt tensioning system,  pulleys, jack shaft, and mounting hardware.     Personally, I would look for the correct blower.   

[squonk 41,039]

I did the opposite. I put a horzizontal Simplicity blower on a vertical shaft WH 210-H. Pictures of it together are long gone. (Photobucket)  I custom built the mounts, tensioner the who she-bang. Worked good. You can somewhat see the metal brace running across the back in the pic of the blower

 

 

 

 

[BeninCT 451]

The belt cant just make the 90* turn from one pulley to another?  Never set one of these up but there are plenty of belt arrangements that rely on pulleys that are 90* from each other.  Might need a different kind of belt but its a thought.  Again never set up a snowblower on a tractor so could be an impossibility

[squonk 41,039]

I used a 5L series belt for mine and gave it a single twist. I tried a B belt and it tore up within minutes.

[Ed Kennell 38,028]

50 minutes ago, BeninCT said:

The belt cant just make the 90* turn from one pulley to another?  Never set one of these up but there are plenty of belt arrangements that rely on pulleys that are 90* from each other.  Mkind of belt but its a thought.  Again never set up a snowblower on a tractor so could be an impossibilityight need a different

Yes, the correct design belt can easily make a 90 turn.     The problem would be the number of idler pulleys required to route the belt from the right side of the engine to the center of the blower  without the belt rubbing the frame, axle, and hood.

[squonk 41,039]

Many horizontal shaft engined tractors ran the belt from the engine to the back and the up to the blower. I think Cub, AC and Deere were like this

[haydendavid380 759]

Following this closely. I have a brand new 200 series tall chute sitting in my garage with nothing to put it on

[wallfish 16,986]

[lynnmor 7,302]

1 hour ago, wallfish said:

 

I believe you will need all the correct parts from the yellow line and to the right.  If you could find a donor blower that is beaten and cheap, that may be the best.

[Handy Don 12,163]

1 hour ago, wallfish said:

I agree with @Ed Kennell. Look for the right blower.

@wallfish's idea (new jackshaft with pulley to take the PTO belt and relocated sprocket to do the final drive) has merit, but only gets you part way. Other obstacles:

1. You'd have to fabricate a way to attach the blower to the tractor (what you have there is not "bolt on" for your 314--not even close)

2. You'd need an idler/tensioner pulley set just like a regular horizontal-drive blower

3. And this is the killer, the final drive of this blower rotates the auger in the opposite direction of the regular WH horizontal blowers. In the first image, below, you can see the drive for your blower is direct over the two sprockets. In the second image, for a regular horizontal single stage blower drive, you can see the chain (blue line) loops around two idlers so that the auger rotates the other way!

 

 

  

 

 

Edited January 30, 2021 by Handy Don

[squonk 41,039]

Bolting on that blower would be rather simple. Get another mule drive and use the frame of it to attach to the front tach o matic. Weld a plate on it and drill holes to bolt the blower on. That's how it attaches to a 200 series tractor.  to lift it you would have to weld an arm on the blower that sticks up. Fab some kind of collor clamp on the lift handle and attach a rod joining them then do Wallfish's blower drive pulley idea ect. 

Edited January 31, 2021 by squonk

[Handy Don 12,163]

1 hour ago, squonk said:

Bolting on that blower would be rather simple. Get another mule drive and use the frame of it to attach to the front tach o matic. Weld a plate on it and drill holes to bolt the blower on. That's how it attaches to a 200 series tractor.  to lift it you would have to weld an arm on the blower that sticks up. Fab some kind of collor clamp on the lift handle and attach a rod joining them then do Wallfish's blower drive pulley idea ect. 

 

All good, @squonk, and simple for someone with your skills. But you did you notice #3 in my post above? The auger turns the wrong way if connected as you describe.

[squonk 41,039]

15 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

 

All good, @squonk, and simple for someone with your skills. But you did you notice #3 in my post above? The auger turns the wrong way if connected as you describe.

I had the same issue with my 210. Flip the belt on either pulley and it turns the other way.

[Handy Don 12,163]

Just now, squonk said:

I had the same issue with my 210. Flip the belt on either pulley and it turns the other way.

Getting the 210's, under-side vertical-shaft pulley to a regular blower's pulley is, yes, a question of which way to twist the belt 90º on its way to the horizontal jackshaft pulley--feasible since those pulleys are already 90º apart.

Reversing the rotation from a 314's horizontal-shaft PTO to a 200-series blower's also horizontal (and possibly extended) jackshaft would require a full 180º twist (and a way to keep the crossover from rubbing) as well as a tensioner/idler in there somewhere. Possible, sure, but complicated and a lot of custom fabrication. IMHO, way simpler and more reliable to find the correct blower.

[squonk 41,039]

Yes the correct blower would be a better option and they are plentiful. Just explaining how it can be done

[Ed Kennell 38,028]

List it in our classified/trade section.   You may get lucky and get an even trade that bolts right on your tractor  and makes someone else happy.   Like Mike said, single stage short chute blowers are for sale everywhere for  $200.

Personally, I sold all my blowers and only use plows.    No belts, chains, bearings, or stone damage to deal with.    

[Kipling79 1]

Holy cow, you guys are a wealth of information. By sheer coincidence, my coworker found a guy with the proper blower (although she is in rough shape) and I bought it. This blower is much older but is definitely built like a tank. I appreciate all of the input, it will help me decide whether to cannibalize the older one, or restore it. I am leaning towards restoration since it does work, and would leave both blowers original and functioning.

 

I think I can add some input into the discussion regarding shaft rotation, though. In my own research, I was reading about a guy who had the same problem and all he had to do was "move the chain to the other side of one of the sprockets on the blower". I haven't looked, but it sounds like the drive chain rides on top of one of the drive sprocket and he moved it to the bottom or visa/versa?

[Handy Don 12,163]

1 hour ago, Kipling79 said:

I was reading about a guy who had the same problem and all he had to do was "move the chain to the other side of one of the sprockets on the blower". I haven't looked, but it sounds like the drive chain rides on top of one of the drive sprocket and he moved it to the bottom or visa/versa

Yes, you can reverse the rotation with one of the blowers that already has the two idlers by re-routing the chain (can you link the article you saw this in?). Yours (the first one) has no idlers and cannot be easily reversed.

Glad to hear you scored one that is made for you machine and that it's savable!

[Kipling79 1]

3 hours ago, Handy Don said:

Yes, you can reverse the rotation with one of the blowers that already has the two idlers by re-routing the chain (can you link the article you saw this in?). Yours (the first one) has no idlers and cannot be easily reversed.

Glad to hear you scored one that is made for you machine and that it's savable!

 

Thanks! Just hooked the thrower up, and it definitely moves snow better than it looks. This old one is a keeper.

 

The link I found is here: https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=gardent&th=110113

 

I am not sure whether the mowers and throwers converted there (B series) are similar, but searching the model # of the vertical shaft thrower is what brought me there.

[wallfish 16,986]

NICE!!! Glad you're ready go for the snow.

 

Seems he has the correct blower on there now so most of this a mute point. But just for possible information down the road for the next guy searching and ready to take on the challenge, here's more.

Changing the direction of rotation for the auger should be a fairly simple process IMO. Drill two 3/8" holes in the side plate to bolt on 2 new idler sprockets above and below the auger and route a longer piece of #40 roller chain around all of the sprockets like demonstrated above.  The idler sprockets may need to utilize washers or spacers as shims to line up with the auger sprocket.  I'm not familiar with that particular blower but it might already have the holes in the side plate. It does have the bearing holes in the back for the horizontal shaft set up but I think those side plates might be specific.

 It appears like the slot in the back of the housing which the chain goes through to drive the auger is a bit lower than for the typical horizontal configuration. So that may need to be addressed as well. Like lengthening the slot higher.

 Moving some of the existing mount steel pieces up and welding on a 5/8 bar so it's horizontal will get it to fit into the tractor's Tach A Matic.

 Welding a 1/2" curved pin in the center on the bottom back of the housing will probably be required for the lift connection on a HZ powered tractor. Requires a lift bar and flag to operate the lift

 Making the tension pulley set up isn't that difficult either and would require a v idler and a flat idler pulley, drill a 3/8" hole on both ends of a 3/16"x1"x8" long flat bar and one hole centered, weld a 3/8" round rod in the center hole. Two holes will need to be drilled in the mounting bars to slide the round bar through. Use washers and cotter pins to hold it in place and lined up with all other pulleys. That will require 2 more 1/8" holes drilled through the round bar in the proper position for the cotter pins. Another piece of flat bar will need to be welded on for the spring.

A flange bearing can be mounted to the back of the side plate for the sprocket end of the new 3/4 shaft. That new shaft can be purchased as keyed shafting so no machining is necessary for the pulley and sprocket key ways. Another bearing for the pulley side will be required to support that end of the shaft

Looking at pictures and drawings of the correct blower for reference will explain many of the tasks required for the conversion.

 

Of coarse buying the proper blower as suggested is the easiest and best way to go but he did state in the first post he has the tools and could not find the proper blower. So I was just throwing out $0.02 for an idea how to proceed by adding a horizontal shaft and pulley without getting too crazy on the belt connection. Assumed more questions would follow if the conversion was to proceed to an actual project.