Snow thrower from B165 onto 520H?

[pfrederi 17,685]

I do think even with my failure at geometry the bend is more than 10 degrees but it probably isn't super critical.  Will measure the drive pulley tomorrow.  Also let me take a couple more pic of the tachmatic end of the bracket tomorrow. .  Distance between that  and the idler pivot...

Edited February 28, 2022 by pfrederi

[Indianajohn 53]

From looking at your pic with the ruler, I figured 1” from the end of the arm to the center of the rod, and 4.25” from the end to the center of the idler pivot rod. That’s just my best guess tho. I figured the angle as 80 degrees from 90 equals 10 degrees. That’s what I set my angle finder to when I made my drawing. I also figured the other end of the arm where it attaches to the blower housing at roughly 4.75” - 5”.

Edited February 28, 2022 by Indianajohn
Additional info

[peter lena 8,589]

@Indianajohn  , notice that the idler pulley frame movement area is often solid rust , make Shure you lubricate that area , the easier it follows the belt drive , the better it works , pete

[pfrederi 17,685]

Tachmatic cross rod is 10 inches from the edge of the blower housing.  Idler pivot arm is 2-7/8" out from the frame.  Drive pulley is 5-1/2"

 

Idler arm pivot is 3-1/2 in from tachmactiic cross rod

 

.

[Indianajohn 53]

Well, the first fly in the ointment just reared it’s ugly head. One of these things is not like the other…. 
I thought all these single stage throwers were welded together on the same line. Guess not…

Mine is much wider across the top housing where the chute is attached than a regular single stage. From the pics you posted in the beginning with the scale across the housing where the mounting frame attaches, it looks like about 7 3/4” across that housing. As you can see, mine is much wider. At first, I thought about somehow making the mounting frame wider where it attaches to the housing, but that would add a lot of complexity to the project. So after thinking about it for a bit, I have decided to cut the welds that hold the side plates on, cut down the top plate to the correct width, then weld the side plates back on to bring everything to the correct width. Then I can simply carry on as originally planned. Thankfully, my housing is made from three parts, the top plate, and two side plates, so not too difficult. Will just add another hour or so of time to the project, but I’ve got more time than money……

Edited March 2, 2022 by Indianajohn

[wallfish 16,988]

6 minutes ago, Indianajohn said:

but I’ve got more time than money

Ahhhh, a luxury I miss is time. Used to have plenty to fool around with out tinkering in the shed. Not so much recently

That's probably the best approach IMO, just move those side plates.

[Ed Kennell 38,048]

12 hours ago, Indianajohn said:

One of these things is not like the other….

Would this work.

Leave the side plates where they are if the right side plate will permit the drive pulley to align with the PTO pulley.   The jack shaft bearing can be mounted inside the side plate if necessary.

 

Weld the new mounting frame to the existing rugged angle iron on the bottom of the blower.    The only thing critical  for the frame side bars is the width, the horizontal length to the Attach-a-matic, and the vertical height from the bottom of the blower to the attach-a-matic engagement rod.   The shape and angle of the mounting frame is not critical.

[Indianajohn 53]

Well, I actually did consider doing something like that, but I decided that simply narrowing that housing would be faster and simpler. There are just a few stitch welds on each piece to cut loose, and cutting down the top will be quick work for the plasma cutter. I just need Paul or someone to confirm or correct my estimated measurement on the width of that housing.

[pfrederi 17,685]

28 minutes ago, Indianajohn said:

Well, I actually did consider doing something like that, but I decided that simply narrowing that housing would be faster and simpler. There are just a few stitch welds on each piece to cut loose, and cutting down the top will be quick work for the plasma cutter. I just need Paul or someone to confirm or correct my estimated measurement on the width of that housing.

Inside to inside 7- 9/16.. Frame rails are 7-1/2 outside to outside guess they gave then 1/16 to play with...

[Indianajohn 53]

So my guesstimate of 7 3/4” across the outside wasnt too far off. Apparently the margin of error is rather wide. I figure there’s enough “spring” in that mounting frame that a fraction of an inch either way isn’t going to be a make or break. Thanks Paul! You’ve been a big help.

[Ed Kennell 38,048]

34 minutes ago, Indianajohn said:

Apparently the margin of error is rather wide

   Just so the inside dimension is greater than 7" so it will slide over the 7" wide attach-a-matic.    Keeping it close to the 7" width will lessen any side to side movement of the blower  and keep the pulleys in alignment.

[Indianajohn 53]

I had hoped to take advantage of the nice weather yesterday to get some work done on this project, but I had a couple of other things that had been waiting a lot longer. However, I did get it brought up by the shop and got the old mounting bracket removed. The bad part was that the old nyloc nuts were really rusted. I was really wishing I had some six point boxed end wrenches, cause I figured anything twelve point would probably slip. All I had were line wrenches, but luckily that worked. Next up is to cut the chain that is nothing but rust and get the jack shaft out. Then I can remove the chute and get it out of my way. It has to come off anyway since the rollers need freed up and the cable replaced. Does anybody know if those rollers have bearings or something like that in them?

[Ed Kennell 38,048]

16 minutes ago, Indianajohn said:

know if those rollers have bearings

No bearings.     Just   metal to metal.

[Indianajohn 53]

Bummer. I guess I kinda expected there to be some sort of bearing surface in there. At least a bushing. So I suppose the best you can do is clean off as much rust as you can, grease the heck out of everything and move on….

[Ed Kennell 38,048]

7 hours ago, Indianajohn said:

 grease the heck out of everything and move on…

Yep, or drill out the guides, press in a bronze bushing and use a SST bolt.

[Indianajohn 53]

Since it warmed up this afternoon, I got to spend some time in the shop. Made some more progress. Got the idler pivot arm pretty much  done. Just have to make the belt guides, but that will be easy. Got started on the spring lever too. Hopefully I can finish it tomorrow. Got some 1/2” and 5/8” round bar stock. Next up is getting my 3/8” x 1.5” stock to make the frame.

[Indianajohn 53]

Part two done today. So now the belt tensioning parts are pretty well finished. Also started cutting the welds loose on the housing. Will probably work some more on the housing tomorrow. Hoping next week to get my 3/8” flat bar. Unfortunately since it’s starting to warm up, attention will have to be shifting to the grass cutting stuff. In fact I have one of those green tractors in the shop right now fighting a leaky carb problem, so this is going to be a “as I get a few minutes here and there” project soon.

 

[Indianajohn 53]

Finally an update on this project. I got some time last week to finally get back to work on this thing. It mostly went pretty well, but some of the welds weren’t able to be cut with a cutoff wheel, even on the right angle die grinder. So I discovered that a plasma cutter works good as an arc gouge. Anyway, I got the sides cut loose, then cut about an inch off the top on the right side and about two inches off the left, and with the sides bolted to the bracket, I clamped the sides back to the top and welded it all back together. I think it came out pretty good. It certainly wouldn’t fool anyone who knows what one of these should look like, but that wasn’t the point anyway. Form follows function in this case. The pretty paint is just to keep the rust at bay. Next up is the lift rod attachment pin while I collect jackshaft parts, so any detailed information or maybe a good pic with some measurements would be helpful. I’ve only seen one not so clear pic, so I have a basic idea of what it should look like. Thanks!

[Indianajohn 53]

Hello……is this thing on?

[Ed Kennell 38,048]

1 hour ago, Indianajohn said:

Hello……is this thing on?

Thing is on.

[Indianajohn 53]

Was starting to wonder after several days. I guess everybody is busy, or nobody wants to help me anymore….

[Indianajohn 53]

Well, to close out this thread, here is the finished product. Couldn’t have done it without all your help. Still need to finish making the wings, but it should be ready to blow some snow when this big storm is over. Took a lot longer than I had intended, but sometimes life gets in the way.

[c-series don 8,676]

Nice job! Good save with that blower, at first I was thinking that would be a real pain in the neck to make work. However you made it look pretty easy!! Can’t wait for some action shots! 

[Ed Kennell 38,048]

On 2/24/2022 at 10:10 PM, Ed Kennell said:

 But it can be done if you have time and are looking for a project.

You're the proof....It can be done.      Great job.

[Indianajohn 53]

Well, I thought I was done tonight when I got my wings mounted. Turns out I missed something. Apparently the chain for the auger is routed differently for the vertical shaft tractors, and it causes the auger to spin backwards. They only use one idler sprocket and that routes the chain differently around the auger sprocket. So I need get a second idler and re route the chain. A minor bump in the road……lesson learned…