# Sticky  Impeller Kits and Potential Damage to Your Machine



## orangputeh

polling members here who HAVE installed impeller kits.


1. Has an impeller kit prematurely worn out your impeller bearing ? ( if new or good shape before install )

2. Has an impeller kit prematurely worn out the drum of your bucket?

3. Has anyone here regret installing an impeller kit? If so , for what reasons?

4. If impeller kits are so great, was hasn't Honda installed them on their machines?


The reason I am asking is because a local shop is claiming that impeller kits are destroying machines. Impeller bearings, belts, other internal components, and wearing out drums.

I'm claiming that the impeller bearing was old or sketchy to begin with or the kit was installed wrong dragging on the drum perhaps.

Between another member and myself we have installed many many kits and have never received a complaint.

So putting this question here worldwide. With nearly 30 thousand members we may have a better answer.

Thanks.


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## Auger1

Question 1. NO
Question 2. NO
Question 3. NO
Question 4. Why hasn't any manufacture put it on their machines?

I have installed the paddles on over 50 machines, no complaints and only praise for how well the machines work with the mod. The local shop is just butthurt because people here know how to fix stuff better then they do.


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## Toro-8-2-4

1.no
2. no
3. no
4. Simplicity has used them on Snow A Way machines in the 70's. My guess is they do not install them any longer because of the added cost. Why doesnt honda use them.? Do they need an impellar kit? I thought they were only worth installing on wide gaps between the impellar blade and housing.

Why don't you reach out to Honda and ask them.

If you are making the components yourself and do not take care to make sure all is the same size/weight you can have an imbalance and that may caause a premature wearing of bearings. If you know what you are doing and do it conciencously I do not see a problem with an impeller kit.


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## Cabincat

I just put a "new" old kit I purchased 12 years ago or so on my 624.


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## deezlfan

Only blower I ever assessed for an installation had so small a gap between the housing and the fan below the outlet it made absolutely no sense to install one.


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## cpchriste

1. Has an impeller kit prematurely worn out your impeller bearing ? ( if new or good shape before install )
No
2. Has an impeller kit prematurely worn out the drum of your bucket?
No, some paint loss if set too close to the drum wall.
3. Has anyone here regret installing an impeller kit? If so , for what reasons?
No
4. If impeller kits are so great, was hasn't Honda installed them on their machines? 
IMO Honda impeller clearances are small enough (when new) that the kit results in no benefit


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## dr bob

I used some urethane for the paddles, left it long, and figured that it would "wear in" with a little run time. Bad decision. It quickly scrubbed the paint out of the drum. Following that, I decided to PM the impeller bearing (it was fine...) an while it was apart I repainted the inside of the drum and did a cleaner job trimming the urethane for no contact. So operator mistake caused some damage, but nothing critical.


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## Ballroomblitz

Question 1. NO
Question 2. NO
Question 3. NO....love tinkering and wanted to verify positive / negative aspects firsthand, personally on my machine i wouldn't bother as performance increase was negligible.
Question 4. COST....manufacturers want to maximize profits and most buyers do not require them.


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## Russell Stephan

> 1. Has an impeller kit prematurely worn out your impeller bearing ? ( if new or good shape before install )


Complete bunk! Bearings designed to handle radial loads are functioning for tens of thousands of hours at loads far exceeding the impeller housing of a snowblower, think motorcycle wheel bearings... They're similar in size and see speeds and weights far beyond blower bearings.

Snowblower bearings go bad due to moisture intrusion and the resulting corrosion, that's it.




> 2. Has an impeller kit prematurely worn out the drum of your bucket?


Do windshield wipers wear out your windshield?




> 3. Has anyone here regret installing an impeller kit? If so , for what reasons?


I've put a couple in hastily that didn't perform well and had to go back and adjust... And as with most things, the problem was technician related.




> 4. If impeller kits are so great, was hasn't Honda installed them on their machines?


Labor and cost prohibitive. Can only be fit during a one-on-one basis dependent on housing/impeller concentricity and the like.



> The reason I am asking is because a local shop is claiming that impeller kits are
> destroying machines. Impeller bearings, belts, other internal components, and
> wearing out drums.


With wipers, machines half the size and cost would rule the day. Or, it could be plain ignorance and the fear of something anything "new".




> I'm claiming that the impeller bearing was old or sketchy to begin with or the kit
> was installed wrong dragging on the drum perhaps.


If one was to demo two exact machines side-by-side, one with impeller wipers and the other without, no one would ever take one home lacking the wipers.




> Between another member and myself we have installed many many kits and
> have never received a complaint.


There are many examples of threads on this forum where someone does something slightly different and all of a sudden, the world is going to end. The same kind of lemming mentality also permeates established industries with established habits.




> So putting this question here worldwide. With nearly 30 thousand members we
> may have a better answer.


Search YouTube. Is there even one video up of someone espousing the removal of wiper modifications?

There's your answer...


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## Russell Stephan

> I used some urethane for the paddles, left it long, and figured that it would "wear in" with a little
> run time. Bad decision. It quickly scrubbed the paint out of the drum. Following that, I decided
> to PM the impeller bearing (it was fine...) an while it was apart I repainted the inside of the drum
> and did a cleaner job trimming the urethane for no contact. So operator mistake caused some
> damage, but nothing critical.


If one has a metal discharge chute, eventually, all the back panel paint gets "sandblasted" off. The same thing is going to happen to the impeller housing with or without wipers.

Are the friction surfaces of the brake discs on your car painted? As long as there are no long-term pauses in use allowing pits of corrosion to develop, wiper contact with the housing is of minor consequence.

Actually, contacting wipers are a good thing if one applies Fluid Film or even a dollop of used motor oil to the housing post-blow. Add the corrosion preventative and allow the impeller to turn over a few times spreading it evenly.

Please, by all means, follow the maintenance regiment which fits your personal goals and requirements.


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## jherbicide

Sounds like a cop out to me...


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## CarlB

orangputeh said:


> polling members here who HAVE installed impeller kits.
> 
> 
> 1. Has an impeller kit prematurely worn out your impeller bearing ? ( if new or good shape before install )
> 
> 2. Has an impeller kit prematurely worn out the drum of your bucket?
> 
> 3. Has anyone here regret installing an impeller kit? If so , for what reasons?
> 
> 4. If impeller kits are so great, was hasn't Honda installed them on their machines?
> 
> 
> The reason I am asking is because a local shop is claiming that impeller kits are destroying machines. Impeller bearings, belts, other internal components, and wearing out drums.
> 
> I'm claiming that the impeller bearing was old or sketchy to begin with or the kit was installed wrong dragging on the drum perhaps.
> 
> Between another member and myself we have installed many many kits and have never received a complaint.
> 
> So putting this question here worldwide. With nearly 30 thousand members we may have a better answer.
> 
> Thanks.


running one for 12 years on the 84 cub cadet with no issues. Impeller bearing was replaced when i did the rebuild 12 years ago.


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## Jackmels

Done Quite a few over the Years. No Problems or Regrets. I always carefully inspect the impeller bearing, and replace if there is any question whatsoever.


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## orangputeh

Russell Stephan said:


> Complete bunk! Bearings designed to handle radial loads are functioning for tens of thousands of hours at loads far exceeding the impeller housing of a snowblower, think motorcycle wheel bearings... They're similar in size and see speeds and weights far beyond blower bearings.
> 
> Snowblower bearings go bad due to moisture intrusion and the resulting corrosion, that's it.
> 
> 
> 
> Do windshield wipers wear out your windshield?
> 
> 
> 
> I've put a couple in hastily that didn't perform well and had to go back and adjust... And as with most things, the problem was technician related.
> 
> 
> 
> Labor and cost prohibitive. Can only be fit during a one-on-one basis dependent on housing/impeller concentricity and the like.
> 
> 
> With wipers, machines half the size and cost would rule the day. Or, it could be plain ignorance and the fear of something anything "new".
> 
> 
> 
> If one was to demo two exact machines side-by-side, one with impeller wipers and the other without, no one would ever take one home lacking the wipers.
> 
> 
> 
> There are many examples of threads on this forum where someone does something slightly different and all of a sudden, the world is going to end. The same kind of lemming mentality also permeates established industries with established habits.
> 
> 
> 
> Search YouTube. Is there even one video up of someone espousing the removal of wiper modifications?
> 
> There's your answer...


I did a very extensive test on 2 exact machines. One with a kit and one without. In the wet slushy stuff the difference was like night and day

I have only had my kit for 3 seasons so that time frame is not long enough. However I replaced the impeller bearing before installing the kit as i do with EACH machine I build.

I suspect the shop that has seen a few problems are on older machines that has never had an impeller bearing replaced in the first place. After 15 or more years the impeller bearing should be replaced anyways. They usually have some play in them.


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## orangputeh

Jackmels said:


> Done Quite a few over the Years. No Problems or Regrets. I always carefully inspect the impeller bearing, and replace if there is any question whatsoever.


Same here, It's easy to inspect the bearing when I pull the augers/impeller for servicing those components.

Thanks.


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## Catch—22

Good topic…It really comes down doing proper maintenance on your machine… and understanding what your modifications are doing. My old JD826 (now OHV 1026) has a gap of 1/4” +/-, between the tip of the fan blades and the barrel, its rare to have the chute clog. The fan does spin faster and truer than stock but, I think the reason is the shape of the blades and that there are four of them (I'd add wipers more to prevent gravel from getting jammed, than throwing distance). 

If someone adds wipers and they're just shy of contacting the barrel, I can't see how that would damage the fan bearing. I do think the wipers will increase the load, as the liquid will now be captured by the fan. Maybe that amplifies a fan bearing that's in need of service. Or, because the machine can now power through slush, the operator isn't slowing down and taking smaller bites?

It's a good mod, that should have been done by the factory…mass production and close tolerances cost $$$, so that's likely why you don't see them.

The paint getting sandblasted…nothing to do with wipers. Thanks to the DPW having to make the roads completely clean and dry at the last snowflake, there's plenty of “media” going through my machine and it takes the paint off the barrel and the chute, every year.

As an illustration of how adding a fan mod is more than slapping some bits on the machine, I present you with this vid. 




It was posted here a long time ago and shows
1) the wrong way to mod your fan 3:00 timestamp.
2) the wrong way to diagnose and change out a worn bearing 12:00 timestamp.

Skip to the end when he starts the machine and his “fix” for the poor mod job… That will stress a lot more than the fan bearing.

Happy Friday!


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## 2AriensGuy

I have done it. 
I made my own using a semi truck mud flap so it flexes. 
I also replaced the original 2007 bearing while I was in there. 
I have no imbalance issues. 
I did not weigh the components. 
It works so well that after the Buffalo blizzard started to melt, our blower was the only one that was not plugging up at all. 5 others tried but they were plugged within 5 minutes, then they put them away. Someone actually stopped and asked how come ours was not plugging up. I told him I did the impeller mod and bumped the power up to 16 hp.


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## orangputeh

2AriensGuy said:


> I have done it.
> I made my own using a semi truck mud flap so it flexes.
> I also replaced the original 2007 bearing while I was in there.
> I have no imbalance issues.
> I did not weigh the components.
> It works so well that after the Buffalo blizzard started to melt, our blower was the only one that was not plugging up at all. 5 others tried but they were plugged within 5 minutes, then they put them away. Someone actually stopped and asked how come ours was not plugging up. I told him I did the impeller mod and bumped the power up to 16 hp.


I really don't understand the imbalance claim since the kit has exact same paddles and hardware.
Thanks for the feedback. 

Same with me. Sometimes I am the only one not clogging up.


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## tdipaul

When a company is putting hard rigid tires on their machines to save a buck there ain't no way they are going to invest in whatever it would take to make the impeller-to-housing tolerance tighter.

It is also possible that nervous corporate lawyers have long feared that increased chute velocity could increase property damage and risk of injury (and the inevietable lawsuits that follow, especially nowadays)


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## Darby

Impeller mod wearing out housing? Maybe if you are blowing beach sand, maybe. My small number of hours sample is all positive. Btw, are impellers from the factory balanced?


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## jherbicide

The balance question is silly if you ask me… Do we believe when the machine is actually blowing snow the auger is anywhere close to being balanced? Think about all the varying weights of snow on each of the paddles depending on all kinds of variables including where the paddle is in relation to the chute.


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## 2AriensGuy

Yeah, it is my humble opinion that if someone can mass produce a sturdy enough walk behind housing and auger gearbox and a durable drive system that can handle the power of a V-twin engine of around 22 hp, then they will absolutely corner the market in high snow areas. Also, small commercial businesses would buy them too.

The bigger stand on units start around $15k without any attachments. The blowers are an additional $3.5k and up. I think if they kept the price under $10k they would sell like hot cakes. Nobody would even care if they used a China engine. They would sell. 

Again, just my opinion.


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## leonz

2AriensGuy said:


> Yeah, it is my humble opinion that if someone can mass produce a sturdy enough walk behind housing and auger gearbox and a durable drive system that can handle the power of a V-twin engine of around 22 hp, then they will absolutely corner the market in high snow areas. Also, small commercial businesses would buy them too.
> 
> The bigger stand on units start around $15k without any attachments. The blowers are an additional $3.5k and up. I think if they kept the price under $10k they would sell like hot cakes. Nobody would even care if they used a China engine. They would sell.
> 
> Again, just my opinion.


==========================================================================================

They won't buy it is a single function machine and the snow business is seasonal.

If you build the right 18 horsepower 26 inch single stage walk behind with a #60 roller chain and sprockets powering a 16 inch snow blower rotor with a 7 inch diameter rotor tube with 20 degree angle flighting and 4 center paddles and use a 4 speed forward and 4 speed reverse belt driven transmission that operates with pressure on the handlebar and double V pulleys to turn and use a 12 volt linear motor to rotate the chute and a second linear motor to raise and lower it for transport with the small pneumatic caster wheels directly behind the housing. 

Using 4 wheel drive with small open gears to drive the wheels simplifies it even further.


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## Yanmar Ronin

Stuck this one.


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## Toro-8-2-4

orangputeh said:


> I really don't understand the imbalance claim since the kit has exact same paddles and hardware.
> Thanks for the feedback.
> 
> Same with me. Sometimes I am the only one not clogging up.


It is when people make their own kit. Like out of a tire sidewall and mismatched hardware they have hanging around. Common sense can be uncommon. If you have 3 blades you have to install them on the 3 blades, not 2. or 1 etc.

I agree with what you said. if you buy a kit and follow the directions it should be well balanced.


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## orangputeh

Well, I'm still waiting for a negative experience like this Honda shop says. 

I think whoever posted that The manufacturers won't install these as standard equipment is because of the added cost. Plus they are not needed 100% of the time. In the Sierra we get the wet slushy stuff in November, December, then usually nice powder for several months and then the late storms in March- April may be wet.

The bigger machines generally need them like the 1132-1332 Honda. People have asked me to install them and I ask if they really need it?

They usually say no to clogging issues but they want to throw the snow further.....My 1132 with kit was throwing over 100 feet. It was FUN to cover my neighbors garage door with snow across the street. He called the cops on me once because I gave him the finger. 

All I know from experience is these kits can be game changers.


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## Great white

orangputeh said:


> Well, I'm still waiting for a negative experience like this Honda shop says.
> 
> I think whoever posted that The manufacturers won't install these as standard equipment is because of the added cost. Plus they are not needed 100% of the time. In the Sierra we get the wet slushy stuff in November, December, then usually nice powder for several months and then the late storms in March- April may be wet.
> 
> The bigger machines generally need them like the 1132-1332 Honda. People have asked me to install them and I ask if they really need it?
> 
> They usually say no to clogging issues but they want to throw the snow further.....My 1132 with kit was throwing over 100 feet. It was FUN to cover my neighbors garage door with snow across the street. He called the cops on me once because I gave him the finger.
> 
> All I know from experience is these kits can be game changers.


I wish I had neighbors like yours. 
it’s pretty dull by me. 👍


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## HillnGullyRider

More than likely, unless there is some egregious imbalance from the kit, or they've increased impeller speeds substantial percentages beyond stock, The problems that shop describes are likely due to a different reason altogether. Over tightened belt or collision impact comes to mind. Most snowblowers have some run-out in the auger rake shaft from collision impact, most is minor and undetectable without precision measure, It can however be bad enough to play havoc on the impeller bearing and the drum. the drum will actually flex over 100 times per minute equal to the run-out. This will also throw off the impeller circumference. Eating a single newspaper or phone book will affect rake shaft run-out.


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## HillnGullyRider

orangputeh said:


> Well, I'm still waiting for a negative experience like this Honda shop says.


i believe the Hondas run higher impeller speeds than other manufacturers, especially for the smaller impeller models where a customer may want to increase throw distance.
Speed throws far..... but like a compressor or any other pump, speed kills.


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## 1132le

Toro-8-2-4 said:


> It is when people make their own kit. Like out of a tire sidewall and mismatched hardware they have hanging around. Common sense can be uncommon. If you have 3 blades you have to install them on the 3 blades, not 2. or 1 etc.
> 
> I agree with what you said. if you buy a kit and follow the directions it should be well balanced.


all due respect the tire being no good is bs
my oldest kit put on in 2009
13 yrs and counting
tire
tek screws
mis matched washers
3800 to 3900 rpm for 13 yrs impeller bearing most likely original
st824 rust bucket
45 50 feet throws good snow
slush 35 feet
straight water like a fire house 25 feet

ive installed 20 plus kits bailer belt single stage rubber from toros mud flaps etc etc
tire is my choice bar none
ive also tried bolts and tek screws


all kits i do now are like i put on last night
car tire
tek screws
washers
never had one fail
the impeller is never in balance taking in loads of different snow
the impeller bearing being worn? lmfaooooo


even this thread is a joke more internet bs about bs

tried to stay out of this thread the tire comment coudnt be let go


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## guzzijohn

I've been using poly watwer tank material. Cut them slightly large and let them wear in. Love the smell of burning poly during break in??!!


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## Toro-8-2-4

1132le said:


> all due respect the tire being no good is bs
> my oldest kit put on in 2009
> 13 yrs and counting
> tire
> tek screws
> mis matched washers
> 3800 to 3900 rpm for 13 yrs impeller bearing most likely original
> st824 rust bucket
> 45 50 feet throws good snow
> slush 35 feet
> straight water like a fire house 25 feet
> 
> ive installed 20 plus kits bailer belt single stage rubber from toros mud flaps etc etc
> tire is my choice bar none
> ive also tried bolts and tek screws
> 
> 
> all kits i do now are like i put on last night
> car tire
> tek screws
> washers
> never had one fail
> the impeller is never in balance taking in loads of different snow
> the impeller bearing being worn? lmfaooooo
> 
> 
> even this thread is a joke more internet bs about bs
> 
> tried to stay out of this thread the tire comment coudnt be let go


Wow. That seems like a strong response that is a bit out of proportion. You are reading way too much in to what I wrote.. Let me be much more clear. When you make your own kit , you cut own materials, like out of a tire or mud flap or whatever. It is much easier to cut out pieces that are not equal in size or weight. Or someone may mix an match materials fasteners etc.. It could have diffeent thicknesses, densities weights etc. That is my point. Not that a tire or a mud flap is NO GOOD!. I am all for using what you may have laying around. Nothing wrong with that. To me, It is pretty much commonsense that you want it as balanced as possible and not be cavalier about it.

If feels like you are looking for a fight that is not there. You seem angry? Are you?


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## Rooskie

leonz said:


> ==========================================================================================
> 
> They won't buy it is a single function machine and the snow business is seasonal.
> 
> If you build the right 18 horsepower 26 inch single stage walk behind with a #60 roller chain and sprockets powering a 16 inch snow blower rotor with a 7 inch diameter rotor tube with 20 degree angle flighting and 4 center paddles and use a 4 speed forward and 4 speed reverse belt driven transmission that operates with pressure on the handlebar and double V pulleys to turn and use a 12 volt linear motor to rotate the chute and a second linear motor to raise and lower it for transport with the small pneumatic caster wheels directly behind the housing.
> 
> Using 4 wheel drive with small open gears to drive the wheels simplifies it even further.


And a heated cup holder, of course!


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## orangputeh

Toro-8-2-4 said:


> Wow. That seems like a strong response that is a bit out of proportion. You are reading way too much in to what I wrote.. Let me be much more clear. When you make your own kit , you cut own materials, like out of a tire or mud flap or whatever. It is much easier to cut out pieces that are not equal in size or weight. Or someone may mix an match materials fasteners etc.. It could have diffeent thicknesses, densities weights etc. That is my point. Not that a tire or a mud flap is NO GOOD!. I am all for using what you may have laying around. Nothing wrong with that. To me, It is pretty much commonsense that you want it as balanced as possible and not be cavalier about it.
> 
> If feels like you are looking for a fight that is not there. You seem angry? Are you?


You can always ignore a member. I have several members on ignore. Don't have to read their stuff.


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## harry398

overthinking this....

ive used big truck mud flaps (way over kill) and tire sidewalls.

I prefer tire sidewalls for several reasons. Lighter. easier to get. less weight. can be a pain installing, but no biggie... I use screws. why people use 5/16 or 3/8 bolts is beyond me.... Its not a 1000 hp twin turbo race car or a submarine or a jet airplane. Its NOT spinning 7000 rpm. 

its job is to lightly wipe the impeller housing and the tighter the seal there, there better the flow (like restripping a supercharger).

that guy on you tube --65 ford...thats how he does it, and I learned the trick from him. it doesnt have to be perfect either....just close enough to wipe some of the snow-slush off the housing.


simply, the more weight you add....more stress on parts....no need for 3/8 bolts and 4 washers........that may be part of the problem.


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## 1132le

Toro-8-2-4 said:


> Wow. That seems like a strong response that is a bit out of proportion. You are reading way too much in to what I wrote.. Let me be much more clear. When you make your own kit , you cut own materials, like out of a tire or mud flap or whatever. It is much easier to cut out pieces that are not equal in size or weight. Or someone may mix an match materials fasteners etc.. It could have diffeent thicknesses, densities weights etc. That is my point. Not that a tire or a mud flap is NO GOOD!. I am all for using what you may have laying around. Nothing wrong with that. To me, It is pretty much commonsense that you want it as balanced as possible and not be cavalier about it.
> 
> If feels like you are looking for a fight that is not there. You seem angry? Are you?


hardly iam lookiing for a fight or angry? 
you must be mis reading me iam not the guy who types and says ignore me if you dont like it
i did say all due respect did i not
the thread is useless imo
some people not you have a clear need of self importance it gets old
its not the space shuttle
Shucks i will never be invited to the fake all expenses paid snow blower convention in vegas


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## leonz

Rooskie said:


> And a heated cup holder, of course!


Yup, I forgot to add the low voltage boat radar and cup holder option while I was typing.


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## Jimvw

I used the rear snow flap off a snowmobile and left it long enough to wear in, used 2 self tapping screws with a washer to hold it in place. Lasted 9 years and then needed replacing as it wore out. Now I have a smaller Blower and it does get jammed if I don't spray liberally with WD40 before using. It does fine in the distance catagory but the wet stuff does stick. Not going to put the 'KIT" on until it gets warmer outside. Found WD40 can with a wider angle spray, more like a fog to spray it down with instead of the narrow small nozzle. 

I would think that once ice and snow sticks to the impeller, it is going to be out of balance. Kind of like when snow and ice freezes on the inside of car rims, or mud on trucks...


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## Yanmar Ronin

OK settle down please. Not worth going to war, ruining relationships or a trip to the Cooler.

Steady as she goes and Regards,


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## Toon

1. Has an impeller kit prematurely worn out your impeller bearing ? ( if new or good shape before install )
NO

2. Has an impeller kit prematurely worn out the drum of your bucket?
No (see pictures)

3. Has anyone here regret installing an impeller kit? If so , for what reasons?
No

4. If impeller kits are so great, was hasn't Honda installed them on their machines?
Cost

I have only had my impeller kit installed for this winter but here are my thoughts.
Although the Honda has only a 1/8" gap in the impeller fan housing the impeller kit did improve the throwing performance and so far has eliminated the wet snow clogging issue.
Since the impellers are evenly placed around the fan shaft there is little to no increase in load on the bearings.
The wear seen in these photos are the high spots on a drum that isn't perfectly round and is no more wear than what was present before the impeller kit was installed.
As for the complaints from a Honda dealer it only shows that they are not informed well enough on an upgrade that definitely does help performance.

Auger housing before the impeller kit was installed.









High spots showing normal wear, after impeller kit upgrade.


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## dr bob

I concur heartily with jherbicide's comments on imbalance. The loading on the impeller itself is anything but even. Snow is loaded into the drum from the auger rakes from the bottom primarily, thanks to rotation direction of those rakes. The rakes themselves push harder and load the drum higher as snow depth increases, and also as ground speed increases. The impeller paddles are loaded with snow only part of the way around the drum, with snow exiting towards the chute at the top of one side when things are working well. Bottom line, except when there's no snow in the barrel, there's no impeller "balance" to mess up with the added pieces even if they don't all weigh the same.

As far as adding load on the impeller shaft bearings, similar deal. On that back end of the impeller drive shaft behind the bearing, the belt from the engine pulls up at a vector related to how the belt fits over that pulley and how much force is applied. It's almost vertical for the sake of this discussion though. Forward of the bearing is the impeller itself, with almost the opposite force pushing down, at maybe an average vector around 45º from vertical and opposite the discharge chute opening. Those from weight/inertia of the snow and friction on the inside of the drum. A certain amount of that loading is shared with the auger drive reduction unit, supported on the inner ends of the auger rakes with little stub shafts. The bulk of the impeller loading is on the impeller bearing though. With the somewhat opposite loads across the bearing, and with more snow load on one end demanding more torque from the other, I'll casually suggest that having an impeller kit installed offers minimal change in the net radial loading on the impeller bearing.

------
TL;DR -- 
As a casual PM task I decided to replace the impeller bearing on my then seventh-season machine. My inspiration was the growing number of forum user reports of shaft damage from running with a failing bearing. I'd have to go dig out the log book, but I'll guess this was at about the 200-250 hours point and with maybe the last 25 of those hours with the impeller kit pieces in place. The bearing I took out was not as-new but was close and still very serviceable. Had I known that going in, I probably wouldn't have done the PM work, but the stuff was all apart and a new part was sitting there. Plus I wanted to repaint the inside of the bucket where my poorly-fitted original kit pieces had worn the original paint off.

More:
Were I thinking this through "from scratch", I'd be sorely tempted to have a new drum liner fabricated, maybe from 12ga stainless sheet metal, rolled to fit inside the original painted drum. The four 'elevator' bolts that hold the lower discharge chute in place now would do fine for holding the new liner in place, fitted inside where the auger bucket joins the impeller barrel. It might need another pair of those bolts towards the bottom, opposite of the discharge chute opening, no worries. 

The actual impeller blade design is optimized more for cost and ease of assembly than performance, so would very likely get a hard look. In my little spare time retirement consulting gig, I've done a significant amount of fluid flow modelling, including pipes, fittings and valves in water and steam service. Snow offers a pretty impressive range of densities and friction between the common powder and raw concrete consistencies, so this might be a fun exercise. Would it revolutionize (sorry...) impeller paddle design? Probably not. But I've got all these tools for the task, so it might be a fun exercise even just starting with the primitives we have now.


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## harry398

BOY...you do tell a great story......and are very sure of yourself. 

WOW

vector.


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## nwcove

No issues with kits installed on two machines , both for about 5 seasons.


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## detdrbuzzard

i have a kit on both of my Toro 521's and the 824 Powerthrow and none of them have had an issue since the kits were installed


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## KJSeller

guzzijohn said:


> I've been using poly watwer tank material. Cut them slightly large and let them wear in. Love the smell of burning poly during break in??!!
> View attachment 206703


Better than Napalm in the morning 😂😂😂😂😂.


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## KJSeller

1 No
2 No
3 No


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## tuffnell

I installed the kit 10 years ago and to this point in time have not had any problems related to the kit. Maintenance is the key to keep your snowblower working properly.


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