# Rookie Mistake!



## TomB985 (Dec 21, 2013)

For anyone inclined to remove the blower housing of your Honda, please learn from my mistake. 

I put my blower back together after near complete disassembly to rehab the old girl. Today I got to try it out on a small amount of snow, and I noticed it was making a bit of a racket that I wasn't expecting. It then stalled out when I got to the end of a run, and I saw what looked like the friction plate for the auger brake on the ground. 

So I took the belt cover off this evening and found this:



Wuh oh...that's NOT supposed to be between the pullies! I removed the blower housing and surveyed the damage:





Fortunately I caught it before the steel brake dealt significant damage to my aluminum pulley. From what I can tell I reinstalled the housing with the brake engaged which forced it in between the pullies. Of course it couldn't do its job there, so it proceeded to grind stuff up until I corrected it. I neglected to take a photo, but there was a real sharp edge I had to dremel down on the brake. 

Don't do what I did! Make sure the auger brake is in the right position when you reinstall your blower housing!


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## Blue Hill (Mar 31, 2013)

If nothing else Tom, you can take comfort in knowing that a lot of folks learned something, even if it was at your expense.


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## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

We have all been there, maybe not with that model or particular goof, but goofed nonetheless.


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## TomB985 (Dec 21, 2013)

Blue Hill said:


> If nothing else Tom, you can take comfort in knowing that a lot of folks learned something, even if it was at your expense.


Thanks, that's my intention here. 

I spend a lot of time on internet truck forums because I'm a bit of a geek. I've become spoiled by the technical resources out there for pickup trucks, but I realized as I was disassembling my gear box that there isn't nearly as much out there for snow blowers. So I'm trying to change that as much as possible. 

The auger takes a good 4 or 5 seconds to spin down now because the brake is worthless without the friction pad. That doesn't bother me, but I wonder if I'll be doing any damage to my pulley with the steel arm rubbing against it. I'm debating either cutting the arm off or taking the time to replace it. For some reason I'm wonder if the auger tensioner pulley would work correctly with the arm removed.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

You can glue something else there. I think I have heard of people taking a piece of an old automotive brake pad or something. Maybe part of an old belt or tire.


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## TomB985 (Dec 21, 2013)

Shryp said:


> You can glue something else there. I think I have heard of people taking a piece of an old automotive brake pad or something. Maybe part of an old belt or tire.


I have the old material. What would I use to glue it? Never successfully glued anything to metal before.


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## Blue Hill (Mar 31, 2013)

Contact cement should be all it would take. This time of year, I would look for the non flammable kind if you are going to be using it in a heated space.


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## TomB985 (Dec 21, 2013)

Blue Hill said:


> Contact cement should be all it would take. This time of year, I would look for the non flammable kind if you are going to be using it in a heated space.


Thanks. I'll pick some up tomorrow and give it a shot. Fortunately I shouldn't have to take the housing off for this, I can get to it from underneath.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Any type of JB Weld or 2 part epoxy should work well too.


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## 6crnbnh (Feb 11, 2015)

Just did the same thing last night, though my brake appears to not have had the friction pad on it for quite some time. Ordered a new one but for now I will pull the auger housing back off and just remove the brake altogether. Yes, I know, a Honda rep would freak but hey, it's been like that for awhile and I haven't lost an arm or leg.


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## DaveS (Feb 6, 2015)

Can the OP repost the pics? I can only see the first one. Thanks!


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## TomB985 (Dec 21, 2013)

DaveS said:


> Can the OP repost the pics? I can only see the first one. Thanks!


Sorry about that Dave, also sorry it took me a week to get to it. I edited the OP and fixed the links. 

That's what I get for trying to arrange my photobucket.


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