Spout Rotater Questions

[HubbardRA 19]

I need a little help from one of you northern snowmen about putting a spout rotater on my snowblower. My blower is totally without a rotater of any kind. When I first hooked it up a couple years ago I was just going to use a bungy cord to hold it fully to one side or the other. Luckily we have not had enough snow since then to need it here in VA. This weekend I found one of the older GM power window motors buried in some junk that I was cleaning out of my garage. "It works". Since I have to build the entire rotater assembly, I have two questions: 1. Do the rotaters use small steel cables or nylon cord? 2. What diameter is the cylinder that the cable/cord wraps around? Simple questions, but easier to start out with the right stuff than to have to change it after it is done. My rotater will be similar to the one Elon recently built, with the exception that I have to build all the pieces. I don't have a manual rotater to start from.

[Ronald Hribar 91]

I believe his was a direct drive. Chute has a toothed rim and a gear on window motor. The old style had about a 1 3/4 cylinder and cable running around both sides of chute. turn cylinder on way and it turn chute that direction when you turn cylinder other way opposite cable turns. Somehow I think you know that all ready. I do not believe size od cylinder is important. too large will take more to turn chute, and not as precise. Too small and it will take a lot of turns on end of drive to reverse direction of chute. Nylon rope may be smoother than cable.

[UCD 14]

Small Steel cable and 1"

[HubbardRA 19]

Ronald, Elon used the cable system on his setup. It was RedbarnRick who used the gear drive. Maynard, Thanks for the picture. That is a lot of help. Believe it or not, the window motor I have looks just like the one Elon used, but is wired differently. Case ground, a forward wire, and a reverse wire. His used a floating ground and he had to change the polarity to change direction. I thought my motor was bad when I put one wire on + and other on - and all I got was a spark. My oldest son picked up the motor next day, grounded the case and touched one wire to + and it worked. Switch the wires and it reverses.

[Ronald Hribar 91]

You are correct. I was wrong. But if youare making whole system I would go to direct drive. Possibly steal something off a snow blower that does not use the cable, preferably a worm drive

[ehertzfeld 1]

I used an original one. In the past, I have used overhead door cables from trailers. They are thicker and alot stronger. [img]/club2/attach/ehertzfeld/img0992.jpg[/img] Elon

[HubbardRA 19]

Elon, The local hardware store (about a mile from my house) sells cable of all sizes, cut to desired length. Just needed to know what to buy. Remember, this is the "Hubbardized" Sears snowblower that I got from Dan, that I am putting the rotater on. Don't find too many Simplicity snowblowers in this area. In fact, we don't find very much snow in this area. Does it make sense to anyone else, that I am getting ready for that big snow that only happens every 3 or 4 years in this area? Maybe I am just looking for more reasons to play with tractors. Hey, I found the window motor, buried in some parts back in the corner of my garage. I had to find some use for it. Right? :D:D:D

[UCD 14]

What is on mine with out going out to measure it I believe is 1/16th. It could be 3/32nd's, I know its not 1/8th.

[HubbardRA 19]

Thanks Maynard. It doesn't take much to rotate that spout. Center wire out of a bicycle handbrake cable would probably be enough. I've got plenty of cable in the garage. Unfortunately most of it is 1/4 or 3/8. Think I had a piece of 1/8 somewhere. Got to go look for it.

[Roy 0]

Rod, You could always steal the cables off your garage door.

[tec2484 1]

The blower on my 728 is 3/32" cable. I would send you some but it would cost more to send it than the $1.50 at the hardware. If it costs moree than that let me know and I will send it out to you. Also you could go to your local garage door place and check out the junk pile. We throw all the old steel in a pile for our scrap guy to take.

[HubbardRA 19]

tec2484, Not a problem, I have a piece that I'm going to use. I got all the materials I need. Just need to find the time to fabricate the pieces. Heck, I haven't even put the blower on the tractor yet. Tied up this weekend too. Hope it don't snow any time soon.