# Craftsman Track Drive Rebuild Thread



## Ramma2 (Jul 3, 2014)

This summer I decided to dismantle my Craftsman front end and try to rebuild it. Things were looking pretty rusty in the housing, rust was bubbling through the powder coat like crazy, and there were a couple of cracks forming on the side pieces that if they got bad enough, I wouldn't be able to fix or find replacements for. This is the first time I've attempted something like this so I'm sure I'll mess it up somewhere, but hey good to learn right? Most work I've done on this blower is rebuilding the carb 2 years ago.

Now for some pics!

Overview Shot:









Deep shot of the housing:









Rusty Shoes:









Rust in the chute:









All rust under the paint:









Crack in the side panel. Both sides were cracked, other side was about twice as long as this side.


----------



## Ramma2 (Jul 3, 2014)

Time to disassemble!

Soaking the pulley for a few days. Lots of horror stories on the net about pulling this thing off.










Using a puller, got the idea from one of donyboy73's videos. Came off smooth as silk.










Keeping bolts sorted. My dad uses muffin tins. I need labels with mine or I'd never remember.










Everything taken apart, got my pieces back from the sandblaster.










Looks beautiful, no more rust!










Got primer on a few of the parts right away, then had my coworker weld up the cracks in the side panels for me. Looks good as new.


----------



## Ramma2 (Jul 3, 2014)

Ordered replacement parts from RepairClinic.com.

Parts list:
Main Bearing
2x Side Shoes
Scraper Blade
New V Belt
Gearbox Gasket
Fuel Line (not related to this project but the current one is cracked pretty badly)
Shear Bolt set

Parts should be here next week, for the mean time lots of sanding and priming. More posts and pics to come if there's interest.


----------



## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

Looking great.


----------



## gibbs296 (Jun 22, 2014)

Very nice. Keep up the good work, she will be like new in no time!


----------



## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

Awesome. I like a good resto job. I restored a 1973 Gilson made Montgomery Ward 8/26 and it looks great. I was hoping to use the original engine but I quickly fiqued out why it was was being sold for $15 dollars. The engine puffed blue smoke from worn valve guides and the carburetor was quite finicky on it and it leaked oil too. Classic Briggs 2 piece flow jet updraft carburetor tend to be suceptable to leaks at the junction were the high speed jet emulsion tube goes through the float bowl assembley. This makes them hard to tune since the leak will allow more fuel into the engine unmetered. Since it would have cost way more money than what it was worth to restore the original engine I ended up repowering it with a 212cc HF Predator and it works great now. I like that the bucket and the side panals are damm near made out of boiler plate and it is not flimsy at all compared to some low end cheap 2 stages snowblowers made today. It also has a cast iron gear box for the augers and it works really smoothly too. Good job on the restoration post before and after photo's of your work.


----------



## Normex (Feb 21, 2014)

Nice work but a good add-on at this stage would be a Clarence Kit or build your own you won't regret it.

Norm


----------



## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

ALOHA to the forms.. been there done that to..


----------



## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

keep up the good work and keep posting about your restoration


----------



## MuncieM22 (Jul 28, 2012)

A big + 1 on that Clarance kit!!!...............


----------



## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Welcome to the forum 

Nice work.


----------



## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

*Rebuild*

Welcome to the forum. Those welds put mine to shame. Well done and when you're done you'll have a machine that will last many years.


----------



## liftoff1967 (Jan 15, 2014)

I also would like to welcome ya to the forum. Looking forward to seeing it all finished up. Very nice job thus far!


----------



## greatwhitebuffalo (Feb 11, 2014)

nice job.
I just picked up one of those Craftsman track drives 5HP, 9"impeller, for free from a neighbor, yesterday. He got it for free from another guy. It runs perfectly and is in fairly good condition, but the original owner was using it, and it ingested a rock, and swelled the impeller chamber all around, as the rock rotated with the impeller blade. It needs to be bodyworked back into shape and welded. It also needs 2 shear bolts.


----------



## gibbs296 (Jun 22, 2014)

Not to insult the honda track heads, but i would like to see one of these all restored with a predator engine and an impeller mod vs a honda. Lotta beer money saved!!


----------



## greatwhitebuffalo (Feb 11, 2014)

I'd like to see one repowered with a vintage USA made 16HP Briggs.


----------



## superedge88 (Nov 26, 2013)

gibbs296 said:


> Not to insult the honda track heads, but i would like to see one of these all restored with a predator engine and an impeller mod vs a honda. Lotta beer money saved!!


Still wouldn't have a hydro on it


----------



## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

gibbs296 said:


> Not to insult the honda track heads, but i would like to see one of these all restored with a predator engine and an impeller mod vs a honda. Lotta beer money saved!!


And you gotta know where and what to buy and look for. I bought mine at an auction, for a lot less then most would believe. You CAN, have your Honda and Heineken too, just not at the same time. You might hit a side walk crack, and spill your beer.


----------



## Ramma2 (Jul 3, 2014)

Progress? Progress. With snowfall theoretically less than 60 days a way it's time to get moving on this project.

I pondered the impeller kit, and ultimately decided against it. Living on a cul-de-sac, my and my neighbor's driveways are 15 feet apart at the closest. I'm already fighting to keep my snow in my yard and that was when it was a rusty beast, so I figured an impeller kit would be a bit too much.

Anyways, here's some more pics!

Everything all sanded and primed.










Big bucket close up, rust free and ready for paint.










Augers all painted up!










Impeller ready to go.










Old parts and new parts. Old scraper blade certainly has done it's job.


----------



## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

Looking good.


----------



## cdestuck (Jan 20, 2013)

Your doing one heck of a bang up job. Anxious to see the finished pics.


----------



## Ramma2 (Jul 3, 2014)

2 more pics.

Shell paint:










Starting to assemble, all new hardware.


----------



## SweetD (Dec 6, 2013)

Nice work - what type of paint are you using?


----------



## Ramma2 (Jul 3, 2014)

Paint I'm using is some implement enamel they carry at fleet farm.

Augers back in place, getting close to the finish!










Chute pieces, getting them prepped for paint.


----------



## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

snazzy


----------



## Grunt (Nov 11, 2013)

Very nice restoration Ramma2. Look forward to seeing the completed project.


----------

