# one side of auger wont spin



## Norm Downey (Jan 2, 2019)

I did hook a small brick in the auger this morning, one side is not spinning. Could the axle be bent?


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## russ01915 (Dec 18, 2013)

Check the shear pin


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## russ01915 (Dec 18, 2013)




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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

Doubt if you bent the shaft as it's well protected and supported and really no place for it to bend to.

Remove the shear pin and turn the auger, remove both sides as it's always good to turn them by hand every year to move the rust around. I do this after oiling with synthetic oil, then I grease the auger, turn it again. I oil at each end of the auger, in the shear pin hole, turn the auger several times, then I grease the zerk fitting, turn again, grease the shear pin, replace it. Also slide the auger to the left and right.

On some machines it's relatively easy to remove the sides of the auger housing, this way you can slide the rakes out, sand, grease.

For this type of question, post make, model, and year.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Watch the vid that Russ posted. Done. *Don't over torque the pin when installing. * Auger must be loose on the shaft.


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## russ01915 (Dec 18, 2013)

micah68kj said:


> Watch the vid that Russ posted. Done. *Don't over torque the pin when installing. * Auger must be loose on the shaft.


You are correct. Don't over tighten the nut. Stop when it comes in contact with the auger.


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## RIT333 (Feb 6, 2014)

micah68kj said:


> Watch the vid that Russ posted. Done. *Don't over torque the pin when installing. * Auger must be loose on the shaft.



Seems like if you are tightening the bolt so tight that it would bend the auger shaft, the sheer pin should break first, right ?


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

Not necessarily . . . . but what is certain is that too tight will compromise the ability of the shear bolt to do it's job. All power *must* be transferred via the bolt as a shear load, and not due to the augur being compressed against the shaft . . .


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

RIT333 said:


> Seems like if you are tightening the bolt so tight that it would bend the auger shaft, the sheer pin should break first, right ?


They're designed to shear. I have seen shear bolts torqued to where the shaft and auger are running together. It is possible. Shear force may not equal stress force. (?)


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## RIT333 (Feb 6, 2014)

micah68kj said:


> Shear force may not equal stress force. (?)



Excellent point !


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

:welcome: to SBF Norm Downey



micah68kj said:


> They're designed to shear. I have seen shear bolts torqued to where the shaft and auger are running together. It is possible. Shear force may not equal stress force. (?)


I'm pretty sure the shear force would be less than the torque failure value. It's usually much easier to shear a piece of metal that it is to pull it apart.

.


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