# Toro 1800 power curve electric motor



## Toyboy (Dec 19, 2010)

I know this is a long shot, but my Toro that I use for my decks has lost a bearing in the motor. 
Toro part # for the motor #73-3520
The motor is obsolete, but now and then a new old stock pops up but never when you need one.
Right now I'm trying to get the drive gear off the motor shaft to get at the bearing. At this point I don't even know if it's repairable. 
If anyone has a line on a replacement motor in decent shape, keep me in mind.
Thanks

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## bad69cat (Nov 30, 2015)

Is it these? Toro 1800 Power Curve Snow Blower 38025 2 Rotor Ball Bearings 61 8780 | eBay


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## Toyboy (Dec 19, 2010)

bad69cat said:


> Is it these? Toro 1800 Power Curve Snow Blower 38025 2 Rotor Ball Bearings 61 8780 | eBay


No, those are for the paddle/auger


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## Grunt (Nov 11, 2013)

Have you called any of these shops to see if repairing the motor is economically feasible?

Electric Motors Repair in Hayward, Wisconsin with Reviews & Ratings - YP.com


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## Toyboy (Dec 19, 2010)

Grunt said:


> Have you called any of these shops to see if repairing the motor is economically feasible?
> 
> Electric Motors Repair in Hayward, Wisconsin with Reviews & Ratings - YP.com


No, not yet. All of them are 50mi or better from me. We have the big Birkenbeiner ski race this weekend (area is packed with 30,000 racers and support), so I won't be able to really get to checking some of these out till next week. Thanks for the leads.


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## Vermont007 (Mar 29, 2015)

I have that same Toro for Decks and some shallow Barn Roofs.

Here's a PartsTree reference that may help you find the Bearing:

https://www.partstree.com/parts/toro/snow-blowers-snow-throwers/38026-1800-toro-1800-power-curve-snowthrower-sn-270000001-270999999-2007/housing-and-rotor-assembly/

I don't think there's much about this unit that's obsolete . . . . they're still making them !

But let's hope that it's just a Bearing or 2 on your Unit, as a new Motor ($251.79) costs nearly as much as a whole new Unit (≈$325.00).

Mine has been trouble-free . . . . except I had to replace the Switch; too much On & Off (but that's how this one is used !)


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## bad69cat (Nov 30, 2015)

I see units on Ebay for much less though......hope you can find the bearings and fix it....


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## Toyboy (Dec 19, 2010)

I looked at the schematic of the blower, but it looks like the motor is sold as an assembly, because I could not see the bearings broke out.
My motor, part #73-3520 is listed at $333..... crazy money, especially when a new machine can be found for less then $250
I've not been able to get the drive gear off the motor shaft yet, and that has to come off to get at the bearing. It's threaded on like a chainsaw clutch, but there is nothing (no flats) to hold the shaft when trying to unscrew it. If I can't figure a way to get that off, it's toast.


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## Vermont007 (Mar 29, 2015)

If you can get to the Bearings, you'll probably discover that they're nothing special, and if *the size is molded into the vinyl sidewall seal*, you'll be able to obtain replacements from general merchandise . . . . not TORO specific.

I go through a lot of sealed ball bearings among my yard/garden/lawn/snow equipment, and buy bearings at an auto supply shop. I've bought them from China on eBay (same item) but for less than $2.00 apiece; but I often have to buy 10 or 12 at a time.

I was surprises when I changes bearings on a Craftsman Trimmer, and pulled the old ones out only to discover that Sears had originally used to same Chinese Ball Bearings when the unit was originally manufactured back in 1997.


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## Toyboy (Dec 19, 2010)

Vermont007 said:


> If you can get to the Bearings, you'll probably discover that they're nothing special, and if *the size is molded into the vinyl sidewall seal*, you'll be able to obtain replacements from general merchandise . . . . not TORO specific.
> 
> I go through a lot of sealed ball bearings among my yard/garden/lawn/snow equipment, and buy bearings at an auto supply shop. I've bought them from China on eBay (same item) but for less than $2.00 apiece; but I often have to buy 10 or 12 at a time.
> 
> I was surprises when I changes bearings on a Craftsman Trimmer, and pulled the old ones out only to discover that Sears had originally used to same Chinese Ball Bearings when the unit was originally manufactured back in 1997.


Well I got the gear off without messing up the shaft. Now the bearing is stuck on the shaft...grrrr.... it's just one thing after another.


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## bad69cat (Nov 30, 2015)

HUH - never saw a bearing that was threaded onto a shaft though? I'd take a cut off wheel and cut right through it just before you hit the shaft and give it a twist..... it will come off


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## Toyboy (Dec 19, 2010)

bad69cat said:


> HUH - never saw a bearing that was threaded onto a shaft though? I'd take a cut off wheel and cut right through it just before you hit the shaft and give it a twist..... it will come off


You misunderstood what I said. The drive gear was threaded on the shaft. That I've gotten off without damaging the shaft.
Now the bearing is stuck on the shaft BUT, it is enclosed in a bridge like armature that holds the brushes. I have the get that assembly off without breaking the "pot metal" bridge. I'm starting to believe these motors were not designed to be rebuilt.

If I could put up a pix of motor, it would help a lot. Can't figure out how to get it on here from photo bucket yet???


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## Toyboy (Dec 19, 2010)

I got the bridge with bearing off the motor. Yeah!!! Next step (tomorrow) is get it out of the bridge and find a new one. NHB 608Z bearing. I'll have to get some measurements to make sure I match them up.


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## Vermont007 (Mar 29, 2015)

If your measurements match, maybe you can use the 608ZZ ?

Here are some on eBay for 77¢ . . . . but you have to buy 10 !

Pack of 10 Balls Bearing 608ZZ ID Bore 8mm 22mm 7mm 608Z by VXB Bearings 608 | eBay


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## Toyboy (Dec 19, 2010)

I've thought of that, but I'm only going to change one and the other 9 would be unused. I'm going to check local first. Even if it costs me 3-5 bucks for one, the machine should lase a very long time. As it is, it don't owe me a cent since I picked it up at a yard sale for $12 four years ago. It only sees around 2-3 hours use each winter blowing off my elevated deck. Saves me a whole lot of shoveling.
Good friend has a son that's a big wheel at Timkin. He's going to check to see if they make that bearing. If so, just maybe I can get a sample?


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## elgy (Dec 20, 2021)

Toyboy said:


> I've thought of that, but I'm only going to change one and the other 9 would be unused. I'm going to check local first. Even if it costs me 3-5 bucks for one, the machine should lase a very long time. As it is, it don't owe me a cent since I picked it up at a yard sale for $12 four years ago. It only sees around 2-3 hours use each winter blowing off my elevated deck. Saves me a whole lot of shoveling.
> Good friend has a son that's a big wheel at Timkin. He's going to check to see if they make that bearing. If so, just maybe I can get a sample?


5 1/2 years later I came across your thread on replacing a bearing in the motor of the power curve... I am in the same situation as you. I have the motor on the bench and have to get the drive gear off, so far no joy. How did you hold the motor shaft to loosen the gear? I have tried small vice-grips on the space between the motor and the fan. I am thinking of trying to file a flat on the shaft so the vice-grip won't slip. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
What bearing did you find?
Thanks


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## elgy (Dec 20, 2021)

* I was able to get the motor apart and replace the bearing after a quite a bit of fussing about. *

1) I was not able to hold the motor shaft well enough to remove the belt drive gear which is screwed on with a regular right-hand thread. So I used a metal plate with my puller to remove the fan from the back of the shaft, than used a vice-grip to hold the shaft.
2) The bearing holder was easily removed, the brushes have to come out of their holders first.
3) The bearing was totally destroyed, next challenge was removing the inner race of the bearing from the motor shaft. I fabricated another metal plate and used it with a puller to get the inner race off.
4) The outer race was a challenge. I ended up using my Dremel and a drill to cut into the race and the bearing holder in order to have access to the race and drive it out. I was worried that I would destroy the piece, which would have made the motor unusable. This same part holds the bearing and the brushes.
5) The bearing is a standard 10mm x 26mm x 8mm and I just happened to have one laying around, don’t know where it came from. You can find the bearings on Amazon (6000ZZ Ball Bearing 10mm x 26mm x 8mm Double Shielded 6000-2Z 80100 Deep Groove Bearings High Carbon Steel Z1)
6) Installing the new bearing was straight forward but I had to patch the plate that the brushes are mounted on because it got broken while I was beating the old bearing out.










The bearing holder showing how I hacked it to to be able to pound the old bearing out.










New bearing installed and brush support fixed with JB Weld.










The old bearing and plates I used to pull the inner bearing race and the fan.

I have to wait 24 hours for the JB Weld to harden before I can put it back together, I hope there will be no further problems.


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## Toon (May 11, 2021)

elgy said:


> * I was able to get the motor apart and replace the bearing after a quite a bit of fussing about. *
> 
> 1) I was not able to hold the motor shaft well enough to remove the belt drive gear which is screwed on with a regular right-hand thread. So I used a metal plate with my puller to remove the fan from the back of the shaft, than used a vice-grip to hold the shaft.
> 2) The bearing holder was easily removed, the brushes have to come out of their holders first.
> ...


If you find yourself in that situation again you can use a blind hole bearing puller to remove the bearing without having to damage the housing. There is a slide hammer that threads onto it to pop the bearing out.


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## elgy (Dec 20, 2021)

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Toon said:


> If you find yourself in that situation again you can use a blind hole bearing puller to remove the bearing without having to damage the housing. There is a slide hammer that threads onto it to pop the bearing out.


My problem was that the bearing was so destroyed that the inner race stayed on the shaft when I removed the bearing holder... so there was nothing for a blind hole puller to grab.

The motor is reassembled and back in the snowblower and it works! We only had a very light snow this week, but enough to test that my repair was successful. It remains to be seen if the motor will last another 12 years.


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