The End Is Here.........
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The entire east coast is being hit by this storm with rain, freezing rain and snow in the northern areas.
Here on the Atlantic coast we're getting only wind and rain. Yahoooo!!!
Over the past couple of weeks I've been working on my snowblower which came to a grinding halt last March.
I took it to a repair shop a few weeks ago who wanted a small fortune ($400. - $500. parts and labor) to take it apart and repair whatever the problem was.
I knew it wasn't the engine so the problem had to be in the auger system.
I had no shop manual, but took the horns by the bull and took it apart myself and found a destroyed auger thrust bearing which cost only $45.00 (free shipping in Canada) to replace.
While it was apart I lubed and greased every wear point and adjusted the clutch, so I should be good for another couple of decades.
The old girl is over 25 years-old and I was pleasantly surprised that factory parts are still easily available on the internet.
I was working in unknown territory, but now that I've had it completely dismantled and know all the systems, any fear I had is long gone and the old girl is purring once again.
But that doesn't mean that I'm in any hurry to use it
Will I ever be able to put it back together again
Surprise! All in one piece once again!
Here on the Atlantic coast we're getting only wind and rain. Yahoooo!!!
Over the past couple of weeks I've been working on my snowblower which came to a grinding halt last March.
I took it to a repair shop a few weeks ago who wanted a small fortune ($400. - $500. parts and labor) to take it apart and repair whatever the problem was.
I knew it wasn't the engine so the problem had to be in the auger system.
I had no shop manual, but took the horns by the bull and took it apart myself and found a destroyed auger thrust bearing which cost only $45.00 (free shipping in Canada) to replace.
While it was apart I lubed and greased every wear point and adjusted the clutch, so I should be good for another couple of decades.
The old girl is over 25 years-old and I was pleasantly surprised that factory parts are still easily available on the internet.
I was working in unknown territory, but now that I've had it completely dismantled and know all the systems, any fear I had is long gone and the old girl is purring once again.
But that doesn't mean that I'm in any hurry to use it
Will I ever be able to put it back together again
Surprise! All in one piece once again!
That's what you call a saving. Good for you Rocky, beats doing it this way I guess.
Hi Rocky - normally we don't get enough snow to even have more than a couple of passes with a gritter, let alone a snow plough. When I worked up the valleys, it would be light rain leaving home, and a foot of snow in the work's car park. It took me over 4 hours, one day, to get home in the snow - luckily, we have had front wheel drive cars for years and that allowed me to edge past wheel spinning lorries and rear wheel drive cars, on my 13 mile commuter run. We had 2 Indians in the office (Asian Continent, not Native American) and they had never seen snow - at lunch break they rushed out to throw snowballs at each other and run through it.
I don't own any large machines - a 16"rotary petrol lawn mower is enough, and I wouldn't dream of pulling that apart! I admire those who take a leap into the unknown - all this stuff from China, and Asia, that's not repairable (no spare parts available, even if they were.) Buy British, European or North American (the survivors of the Eastern storms) and you get Quality and Customer Service (spares and advice). I realise that it is, usually, more expensive to buy but it can be repaired - in our throw away society. I read that the Japanese M/C industry is worried about the increasing strength of European manufacturers - niche markets, quick design & build times and the all important "heritage" models. Must be good for our future.
I don't own any large machines - a 16"rotary petrol lawn mower is enough, and I wouldn't dream of pulling that apart! I admire those who take a leap into the unknown - all this stuff from China, and Asia, that's not repairable (no spare parts available, even if they were.) Buy British, European or North American (the survivors of the Eastern storms) and you get Quality and Customer Service (spares and advice). I realise that it is, usually, more expensive to buy but it can be repaired - in our throw away society. I read that the Japanese M/C industry is worried about the increasing strength of European manufacturers - niche markets, quick design & build times and the all important "heritage" models. Must be good for our future.
I once bought a grease gun for the grease nipples 
on my bike, and my Morris Minor, it was made in Taiwan, and you guessed it, it lasted all of a few months. So I bit the bullet and bought a more expensive British grease gun, that was about 35 years ago now. Still going as strong as the day I bought it.
on my bike, and my Morris Minor, it was made in Taiwan, and you guessed it, it lasted all of a few months. So I bit the bullet and bought a more expensive British grease gun, that was about 35 years ago now. Still going as strong as the day I bought it.
If I was going to pay $500. for a mechanic to fix the blower then I may as well buy a new one for about $900. as there was a pre-season sale that week for the modern version of my model.
But the engine works fine and then what would I do with the old machine?
I couldn't see throwing it away as it would be a terrible waste. I have no problem tearing into vintage motorcycles and their engines so how hard can a snow blower be?
Well, as it turned out it wasn't that hard at all. Just go slow, take pictures and make notes. Once I understood how it worked, there was no problem at all - just simple nuts and bolts.
I was able to find an exploded parts list for the auger system and pinned it up as you can see in the second picture.
I have plenty of British, American and metric spanners and sockets so I wasn't wanting in that department. All I needed was the will to do it.
Now that it's all back together at such a cheap cost I'm feeling quite smug (chuffed) with myself
But the engine works fine and then what would I do with the old machine?
I couldn't see throwing it away as it would be a terrible waste. I have no problem tearing into vintage motorcycles and their engines so how hard can a snow blower be?
Well, as it turned out it wasn't that hard at all. Just go slow, take pictures and make notes. Once I understood how it worked, there was no problem at all - just simple nuts and bolts.
I was able to find an exploded parts list for the auger system and pinned it up as you can see in the second picture.
I have plenty of British, American and metric spanners and sockets so I wasn't wanting in that department. All I needed was the will to do it.
Now that it's all back together at such a cheap cost I'm feeling quite smug (chuffed) with myself
That's what you call a saving. Good for you Rocky, beats doing it this way I guess.
I once bought a grease gun for the grease nipples
I've had similar experiences.
I have a complete set of American-made spanners and sockets that I bought in 1958. I paid $35.95 for the set and steel carrying case at the then Sear-Roebuck store (Craftsman house brand).
That was a weeks wage back then and I'm still using them today and used them on the snow blower. Not one of them has ever broken.
I was pleased to see that the bearing I bought was made in Canada (NOS), but it's so hard to find home-made items these days.
I work on a few lawnmowers at my radiator shop when things get slow, its amazing how some of these 'cheap' made lawn mowers, tillers, leaf blowers, and weed eaters are made. I once tore down a gasoline engine on a generator for a friend of mine only to find a stripped out camshaft sprocket made out of cheap plastic. Never did find a part for it, its enough to pull your hair out.
Had to use my snow blower twice already this year. Last week and tonight. Maybe 10cms total today, but it was ice pellets and wet heavy snow on top. The power went out last week for 36 hours during that freezing rain/snow event. Last night for 3 hours and tonight for 4.5 hours. I am DONE with winter already.
I agree with everyone's statements about buying quality. A little more up front, but it pays off in the long run.
That's why I bought a Triumph.
I agree with everyone's statements about buying quality. A little more up front, but it pays off in the long run.
That's why I bought a Triumph.
When we bought the Tiger, fhe Dealer looked up the Serial Number and told us that it was made (assembled ) in Hinckley. I have been on 2 factory tours - before we bought the Tiger - and I was impressed by the cleanliness, layout and overhead part delivery system of the Assembly Plant. The modern machine tools and measuring equipment gives you confidence tn the quality of the finished machines. Lots of imported parts, boxes in the warehouse stamped with their Asian origins, but, obviously, made to Triumph's specification. I don't know how many machines are assembled in the Far East, but there are at least 2 Assembly Plants there. If we ever buy another Bike, it will definitely be a Triumph - the Tiger is ideal for us and hasn't given us any trouble, except for a battery failure, outside Triumph's control.
You don't want to see what happens around here with snow. A light dusting causes folks to act as if we had 2 or 3 feet. We might get one light dusting every 5 or so years.
Totally agree Hemibee - now that Linda & I have retired, we haven't driven in snow for 5 winters. We have Welsh Senior Bus Passes, so wait for the roads to be clear enough for the bus to drive through our estate. It's bliss not having to get up at 6.00 am to scrape the ice off the windscreen, and arise at the crack of noon. After 42 years of work, it's lovely to make our own schedules, although I sometimes have a panic attack, on a Monday morning at 8.00 am, thinking that I should be at work, but it soon passes.
