# New Toro's no shear pins!?



## Kestral

I was reading on the Toro web site that the larger Toro snowblowers do not use any shear pins. The theory being the front drive case/gears are so strong that if you do pull something in that it will just stall out the motor. What do you all think of this? Good or bad? I feel I should mention I once drove over and pulled in a brick into my "94" Toro 1132 and it stalled right out without any damage at all but for a moment there I thought it bit the dust!


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## micah68kj

*Toro tough!!*


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## td5771

I have not tried the toros personally but I was at a toro dealer picking up parts and heard the dealer tell a toro owner on the phone to "go buy grade 5 bolts. that is all I am going to sell you anyway. they dont use shear pins."


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## RayZor Fist

My old Craftsman used to blow through shear pins all the time until I got sick of it and just popped some grade 8 bolts in there. Never a problem after that for the next 20 years. Later on I realized it was because my blower was set too close to the ground for my old crappy, lumpy driveway.

My new Toro swallowed a foot long, 3 inch thick piece of branch yesterday that was buried in the snow and it came flying out the chute. No problems.


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## micah68kj

RayZor Fist said:


> My old Craftsman used to blow through shear pins all the time until I got sick of it and just popped some grade 8 bolts in there. Never a problem after that for the next 20 years. Later on I realized it was because my blower was set too close to the ground for my old crappy, lumpy driveway.
> 
> My new Toro swallowed a foot long, 3 inch thick piece of branch yesterday that was buried in the snow and it came flying out the chute. No problems.


Not too sure about the grade 8 bolts. I'm sure you knew the probable consequences. Personally I'd rather replace shear pins by the dozen then to rebuild a set of gears.

Those Toro's are a heck of a tuff machine!


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## db9938

I'm just curious as to what the mechanism looks like to take the place of shear pins? I've looked the Toro website over, but haven't found anything that explains since they use this, they no longer need shear pins.


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## Kestral

I mentioned in another post I looked at some new Toros today both being there largest two stage models and it looked to me there were bolts or pins still there? I ment to ask the dealer but I forgot. I will mention that when the place I work for purchased the "94/95" Toro 1132 "now mine" my boss asked for some extra shear bolts/pins when he bought the unit. The dealer told him you will never need them I will sell you them but you will never need them and we never did. We even had tried to throw two bricks and a chunk of a 2x4 once and they never snapped! It stalled the motor out every time but the shear bolts never snapped. Also no damage to anything it was impressive. It gave me a new respct for the alimuminum fount gear drive the Toro unit is real tough.


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## td5771

I don't believe there is a mechanism to take the place of the shear bolts. They just put hardened bolts in place of the shear pins.


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## Toro-8-2-4

I think it is a great advancement if it truly results in expensive parts holding up long term and not interrupting your work with broken pins. 
Stopping for shear pin breaking is a pain. If that is avoided with an occasional stall then that is forward motion in the industry. Some of what you guys are reporting is impressive.
However, My Toro 824,which is a 20+ year old machine did not come with factory shear pins. It has just a grade 5 hex bolt as was mentioned in an earlier post.

I am now replacing the auger gears. Makes me wonder if shear pins were used, would I be doing this right now?

I don't think the bolts were ever removed and I had to beat them out with a 5 lb hammer.

I have not opened the gear box yet but it will be interesting to see how it failed.

I had a friend that made his own shear pins on a lathe out of grade 2 bolts. Pretty simple when you think of it. You could even make them in a vice with a hack saw or file.


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## RayZor Fist

Here are a couple photos of the bolts in my Toro 926 OXE.

As you can see by the head markings, they are grade 5 bolts.


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## sscotsman

Sounds like a bad idea to me..having regular bolts instead of shear pins.
I would much prefer to have shear pins..
that way I know my gearbox is properly protected..

Even if I had one of these new Toros, I would replace the bolts with proper shear pins, just in case..

Scot


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## Blue Hill

RayZor Fist said:


> Here are a couple photos of the bolts in my Toro 926 OXE.
> 
> As you can see by the head markings, they are grade 5 bolts.


What's the sleeve for Ray?


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## RayZor Fist

Blue Hill said:


> What's the sleeve for


It's like a spacer because the bolts are so long.


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## Blue Hill

RayZor Fist said:


> It's like a spacer because the bolts are so long.


Hmmm. I wonder why they would put in a longer bolt than necessary, which then requires the extra sleeve. It would seem to make more sense to put in the correct length bolt in the first place.


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## Toro-8-2-4

My 1990 824 uses a sleeve on the head side of the bolt. It is not nearly as long as the one in the picture. In fact I did not know it was there until I started to remove it. The hole on the auger shaft is counter bored and the sleeve is dropped in. I confirmed its existence in the parts list. They call it a spacer. It protrudes about .03". My first reaction was that it seemed odd. 

My only guess is that they want the head of the bolt to mate against a flat surface. 
Not sure why the one in the pic is so long. My guess is it is driven by a business decision vs. design optimization.


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## UNDERTAKER

The auger/impeller spacers act as the shear pin they will go before the bolt breaks. You have to replace them every now and then


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## Toro-8-2-4

I don't get it. If the spacer breaks, the bolt is still in there turning the auger. Am I missing something?


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