42" single stage snowblower refurbish

[tripleguy]

Anyone aware of any videos showing teardown of a 42" single stage blower? I'm going to replace the bearings in mine and wondering if its straight forward? Any good source for the new bearings?? Thx.

[PhanDad]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/TIMKEN-GRA100RRB-COL-GRA100RRBCOL-NEW-IN-BOX/143474143701?hash=item2167b9b1d5:g:FMwAAOSwIh5d-C8V

Replacing bearings is straight forward (you'll probably need a puller), but IMO it helps to have the tool that tightens/loosens the bearing eccentric collar:

It was much easier using this than a punch and hammer, especially in tight spaces.  

Here's a series of pics I took when changed out bearings:

 

The drive sprocket came off pretty easily:

 

To stop the auger from turning when using the puller I used some plywood :

 

But the chain side bearing didn't want to come off:

Please let me know if you have the same issue.  

 

Edited March 3, 2021 by PhanDad
spacing

[PhanDad]

A post about the snow blower auger bearings:

https://simpletractors.com/forums/topic/36247-snowblower-auger-help-please/

FYI: "GRA" is greaseable;  "RA" not.  

 

[tripleguy]

I'm assuming the bearings on either end of the auger are the same?? You say sprocket came off OK but chain side bearing was stuck. Is it safe to assume the bearing on the other side of the auger wasn't stuck?

[PhanDad]

1 hour ago, tripleguy said:

I'm assuming the bearings on either end of the auger are the same?? You say sprocket came off OK but chain side bearing was stuck. Is it safe to assume the bearing on the other side of the auger wasn't stuck?

Bearings are the same.

I don't remember the non-chain side being an issue.  

[tripleguy]

Got the bearings and attempted tear down. Got sprocket off with a gear puller but it's not going to grab the bearing so..... Have to see if I can get a pry bar behind the bearing and pound it off or get a bonafied bearing puller. Might also just grind the gear puller jaws down so they form a 90 degree grabbing surface. I still have to address getting the collars off. Might have to find that collar removal spanner. Where did you get yours?

 

 

Edited March 1, 2021 by tripleguy

[PhanDad]

2 hours ago, tripleguy said:

Where did you get yours?

Amazon.

 

[dhoadley]

I found this to be pretty useful.

https://www.harborfreight.com/bearing-separator-63662.html?_br_psugg_q=bearing+separator

[PhanDad]

2 hours ago, dhoadley said:

I found this to be pretty useful.

https://www.harborfreight.com/bearing-separator-63662.html?_br_psugg_q=bearing+separator

Yup.  That's exactly what I used (shown in pic above) after I got the eccentric collar loose.  

 

 

[tripleguy]

Got them off. Punch and hammer got collars off and I was able to walk off the non-sprocket side with a small pry bar and hammer. Sprocket side I borrowed a friends 3 jaw puller and it went fine. I'll need to look at a spanner to tighten the collars. 

 

[rbstuartjr]

Thanks for the info here, I’m going to be tearing mine down this spring as well. There’s a crack in the non sprocket side by the skid shoes that needs to be welded. Considering welding more steel around the edge on the bottom to stiffen it up some.

[tripleguy]

How much grease do you preload in there when you reassemble? I planned on putting a moderate coating on the sides of the bearings vs packing the snot out of the retaining cups. What's the correct amt of grease to initially charge them with please.

[PhanDad]

1 hour ago, tripleguy said:

What's the correct amt of grease to initially charge them with please.

Great question.  I have no idea.

Since the single "grease hole" in the outer race is small and the sides are shielded:

I installed them and pumped them full of grease until the grease came out along the shaft.  

Since these are "Ag" bearings, maybe an "Ag" expert can offer advice.  

 

[rbstuartjr]

My retaining cover/ cups don’t have zerks in them. Can they be ordered through Simplicity or aftermarket anywhere? I am currently using non regreasable bearings. When I overhaul mine, I would like to add bearing covers with the zerks and greasable bearings. Thanks

[PhanDad]

38 minutes ago, rbstuartjr said:

My retaining cover/ cups don’t have zerks in them. Can they be ordered through Simplicity or aftermarket anywhere?

Simplicity part # for the flange with zerk is 172279.

And like everything at Simplicity today, the part isn't cheap:

https://www.jackssmallengines.com/jacks-parts-lookup/part/simplicity/2172279asm

I would think you could drill and tap one of your flanges and add a zerk.   After the rotors out, bolt the flange back on the blower and drill the flange at the cutout.  Here's a couple pics that should help with location/angle:

 

 

[rbstuartjr]

Thank you sir I will look into doing that. 

[Bill725]

The relubricatable spherical bearings are Fafnir P/N GRA100RRB. The collar is Fafnir P/N S1100K. The relubricatable flangette units are Fafnir P/Ns G52MSA & G52MSB. Stamping A contains the boss for the grease fitting and a grease groove which allows the grease to enter the holes in the outer ring of the bearing. I would install with the bearing grease hole directly under the grease fitting.

Edited March 4, 2021 by Bill725

[tripleguy]

I reassembled mine today. Reinstalling them with the hole lining up with the zerk will be a challenge unless you have the blower up at waist height and a 2nd set of hands! That said, I did manage to true up my bent auger and with some steel welded to one of the paddles, it will balance out nicely. Even without the weights it runs out much smoother under power. Poly skid shoes and I'll be set for the next storm or next winter if we're done with snow.

[PhanDad]

51 minutes ago, tripleguy said:

I did manage to true up my bent auger

True up the flights or center shaft?

If the center shaft, how did you do that?

[tripleguy]

Shaft. Well, first I called a couple machine shops nearby and they said they couldn't help. So I straddled 2 jackstands with the ends of the auger greased and found the low spot. Rotated it 180 deg from what I determined the low/heavy spot and pounded it nearest the center on both sides with a 4' length of sch 80 pipe. About 6 whacks got it better. I'll add some weight to fine tune it but its better than it was. 

Edited March 5, 2021 by tripleguy

[tripleguy]

I did fine tune my auger today. Added 2 pieces of 1/8" thick x 1" wide steel on one of the paddles. Won't show my work cuz my auto dimming face shield crapped out so I splattered it in place for now. Anyway, it runs smoooooth. Better than it ever has. I laid the steel on the paddle until it would stop rotating backwards with no chain on the sprocket and I think I got it pretty close.