# Troy bilt snow blower



## lefty

Good Evening.

I wish I had a model and serial number but it has been scratched off completely. Not on purpose I'm guessing but none-the-less.

This machine is a friends and I want to take the auger assembly out. I've removed the bucket assembly and auger pulley easy enough but below the pulley, there is what appears to be a collar. I have no idea what purpose it serves but I think it needs to come off in order to pass the shaft through the housing.

There is a set screw that I have removed but there is a second indentation on the collar that I'm not sure about...no set screw in this hole.

I'm not sure if i should get a puller on it and start going to town or if the whole assembly is supposed to go through.

Also, the pulley key seems to but stuck in there pretty good and I'm wondering if I should just start pounding that out as well. I've included a pic if anyone is familiar with this set up. I've taken a few machines apart in my day but have never seen this setup.

Thanks
Lefty


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## all3939

Key will need to be removed before anything is done. Catch a corner with a punch and walk it out. It's only wedged in there not much else holding it in. As for the collar, soak it with PB blaster or any good rust penetrating oil and then use a puller to remove it. You may need some heat on the collar to expand it some to break the bond and then remove it while it's hot. The bearing below should be replaced since your at it. Best of luck.


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## bad69cat

yeah if you put heat on it your going to have to replace the bearing........ try removing the set screw and hit it with PB too....... I'm surprised you got the pulley off without a lot of heart ache! Usually this stuff gets pretty rusted on. There is a technique with heat and using paraffin wax that might help. I'd try soaking it and tapping it with a hammer/chisel a few times. Maybe drill a few more small holes to get more penetrant in there.....


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## lefty

Thanks guys. Yes, it is very close to the bearing. And I can't ruin it because like I said previously, I have no legible model or serial number for the machine and have no idea how to get parts. Just curious, what purpose does that collar serve? Is it retaining the bearing?

Thanks


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## 43128

post some pictures pof the entire machine and we can more than likely determine the model number


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## db130

This looks like a Bolens design that Troy-bilt used. Does yours look somewhat like this:

Public Surplus: Auction #1108403 -> maybe you can start with the model number listed there.

I feel your pain. I went through this a while back while trying to get a working snowblower out 2 Bolens 824 snowblowers. I had to cut off the auger pulley as well as that collar, but only because I had those same parts from the other machine.

I'd think that you could just pick up a suitable collar at the hardware store once you determine the correct bore size, no?


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## lefty

I was surprised that the pulley came off so easily as well. I just gently nudge it with a bar close to the center and it came right off.

Here are some picks of the machine, including the scratched up id tag.


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## db130

I was right, it has Bolens lineage. Looks like it's a 42010 from your picture with the mangled model number. You can get the owner's manual here:

Troy-Bilt Snow Blower 42012 User Guide | ManualsOnline.com


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## lefty

Thanks DB. That looks like it might be it. Is the part in question a spacer, collar? Honestly, it doesn't look like it does much except bust my balls. I can't figure out why it is even there.


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## db130

It's listed as a collar:

Bolens Snowblower Bearing kit 1741640 1185838 Fits 18538, 624,824,826,1026&More | eBay


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## toroused

Spectum's own directions for removing an eccentric collar like this, as taken from his Gilson website ("Snowblowershop Service Bulletins"). It explains how and why to nudge that second hole, the non set-screw hole. Perhaps this can be of value to someone out there confronted with the same situation.

Link: http://www.gilsonsnowblowers.com/snowbulletins/gsbs_08.pdf


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## lefty

Extremely helpful guys. I see now what that other hole in the collar must be for after looking at the service bulletin. And those parts in the ebay link look exactly like I have. I love this forum. I'll let you know how I make out.

Lefty


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## DennisP

All that collar does is lock the bearing to the shaft so that the shaft doesn't spin inside the bearing and wallow it out.

FYI, that same bearing design is used on all MTD brand 2-stage and 3-stage snowblowers. But, the big difference, is that on those units the impeller sandwiches the bearing to the pulley, thus that collar is never used.

If you buy bearing replacements online that are not MTD sourced parts, they usually include the collar. It just slips on and slides left or right to lock the shaft as I mentioned, then the set screw is tightened down. The hole is to use to tap it on/off. If you use a new one, or reuse that one if the bearing is serviceable, be sure to use some anti-sieze on the collar and the set screw. It will make future service easier.

BTW, why don't you have the bucket for that thing on a piece of cardboard, a rug or even a towel??? You are scratching it up, and that actually looks to be in really nice shape.


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## lefty

Consider it done. It now rests upon a piece of cardboard. Thanks for the heads up. I didn't even think of that.

With a full day of penetrating oil and a couple of light taps with a punch in the hole, that collar came loose like butter. Thanks for all your help. Now I just need to get the key out without mangling it. She's in there pretty tight.


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## lefty

Is there any more advice on removing that key? I've hammered her pretty good....almost to the point where I think I may have to replace it and she won't budge...not a bit. Almost like it's part of the shaft.

Thanks very much
Lefty


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## all3939

I've heard this being done before. If hammering away destroys it to the point it will need being replaced. Here ya go, take a dremel with a cut off wheel and split the key in the length almost to the bottom. Then grab it with nippers to collapse it and yank it right out.


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## lefty

Here's a pick. I can't find it on any of the schematics. Are they pretty standard? You can see I've done some damage already.


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## all3939

Yes, that's a woodruff key. Easily obtainable at a hardware store. Lay the shaft down with key up and soak with pb blaster. It will break loose. The back of the key is round so it will flip up when you work it.


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## Grunt

That is a Woodruff key and a replacement can be found at most hardware stores using the thickness of the key as a guide. It is like half of a circle. Just get a small sharp chisel under one edge and drive it up and out.

I type too SLOW.


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## lefty

Well guys, with this good advice and renewed confidence knowing that I can get the part, I went at it with reckless abandon and finally leberated the woodruff key. Thanks again.
Lefty


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## lefty

This one is going to be the death of me. So I got the collar and key out but have no idea what to do with this bearing. The flange obviously prevents the passing through to the inside of the bucket. I can't tell if the bearing and threaded sleave (blue arrow) are one component or if I'm supposed to pull the bearing off over the threaded sleave.

The impeller seams to prevent me from pulling the shaft far enough out to get a grip on the bearing with the jaws of my puller to even try, which I hesitate to do without really knowing what's going on. I was searching the tubes for any video but didn't have any luck. Any advice would be appreciated.


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## all3939

What you have there is the extension of the bearing. That is one piece connected to the bore of the bearing. The collar you previously removed locked onto that extension. The rest you have there comes off as one part. You have to clean up the shaft and file smooth any marks left from the set screws. Soak it well and pull it off. The bearing is only stuck with rust to the shaft and is more of a slip fit design thereby using the collar to lock the bearing to the shaft. Maybe tap it the opposite direction after a good soak in order to clean up the surface where the bearing was located then it may come off easier.


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## lefty

But how do I get behind it? The shaft won't come out far enough because the impeller bottoms out on the back of the housing preventing me from getting my puller around the bearing. And if I could, it looks like I'd be putting alot of stress onto the other portion of the bearing and would cause damage. I'm obviously missing something. Should I slip something slim behind it and then hammer down on the shaft? Protecting it with a block of something of course.


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## all3939

If it were me I would go a different route. I would use a Dremel with reinforced cut off discs, probably go through quite a number of them and I would split that bearing at two places 180 degrees apart and be done with it. Then I would prepare the shaft for the new bearing.


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## db130

As a last resort, you could cut that bearing off with a dremel which is what I had to do with my Bolens when I swapped the gearbox.


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## lefty

What about this?

So the reason I wanted to take the assembly out of the housing was because the tail end of one of the auger blades is rolled over (see photo). Since it is rolled over, it will have to get longer before it gets shorter and I'd have to get past the housing. So I figured I'd take it all apart, go through it, heat up the end of the auger blade and bend it back.

This is my friends machine that the seller left when he bought a house so we don't have any history on it and have no idea how or why it happened. He said it runs great, just drags on the housing. Everything seems to work well. Augers spin freely on the shaft once the pins are removed (I will likely replace the pins anyway). Gear box seems sharp and bearing seems tight. The flanges that hold the auger blades to the side of the housing were a little dry so I figured they want grease.

So I'm thinking I should just put this back together and cut the very end portion of the bent auger blade off, rather than cutting the bearing and dealing with that whole thing. Am I crazy?

P.S. After posting this and looking at the photo, I noticed the cutting edge is worn quite a bit. Might the end of this blade caught the ground at some point?


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## all3939

My friend, you need to get that bearing outta there because at this point it doesn't make any sense leaving it there. It's probably shot to **** or close. Just split it as mentioned earlier and remove the whole shaft forward. At that point your boss and can do anything meaning hammering that auger tip back in line. Not much left till you are there. A good reinforced dremel cutoff disc will get through that bearing pretty quickly.


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## lefty

Understood. Thank you. Once other quick question. A mouse made num nums on the top corner of the tank. Since it's not at the bottom, I don't think I need to replace the tank. I'm thinking I could seal it somehow. See pic. Any advice on that?


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## nwcove

i would replace the tank, but it could be " fixed" with a few different approaches. no matter how you do the repair, the prep work is very important.


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## Shryp

Find someone local in your area that repairs machines. Odds are they have a pile of blown up motors in the back they can grab a tank off of for dirt cheap. You can check craigslist or even post a wanted ad.

I think originally you could have just rotated the auger blade forward and then bent it back without taking anything apart.


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## lefty

I am actually lucky enough to have that. There is a guy who lives only a few miles from me. All he does is sell used snowblower parts. I will likely take that route. Thanks.


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## lefty

So I was able to get a hold of a used tank. Haven't picked it up yet but good call Shryp. 

Having another issue. I apologize in advance if this should be in a new thread but I wasn't sure. The machine seems to randomly pop. It sounds like it's missing or something. I have a new carb (after market cheapy) dialed in pretty good, new plug and I cleaned and remounted the coil. 

Went through checking the wiring and found the mices had gotten to the kill wire from the coil. Just the insulation so I wrapped it with electrical tape. Running the machine off of an auxiliary fuel source as I am still waiting on the new tank.

I read some other posts from people with similar problems and am wondering if it is a valve issue. HMSK80. Looks like a 42012 based on a helpful post from db130.

Thanks
Lefty


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