# Bolens 824B worm gear questions



## waferdog (Dec 9, 2013)

I have a multi-part question based on a Bolens 824B I have. It appears that the worm gear is ripped up and needs to be replaced (previous owner had no gear oil in the housing). Bolens specific parts seem to be non-existent but I believe I found the right part here based on the part number from the schematic. Should the worm gear be all I need to replace or are there other parts that need to be replaced at the same time? If so, is there a specific rebuild kit available for Bolens? Or is there a good source for Bolens parts anywhere?

The second part of the question relates to disassembly. We were able to get most of the disassembly accomplished but are having a problem removing a collar on the impeller shaft and are thus unable to remove the unit. I've attached a picture of the collar (which I don't seem to see on the schematic), it sits right in front of the bearing flange behind the blower housing. We backed out the set screw but are unable to move it. Is there a secret to removing this that I am missing? I won't be able to complete this repair without getting this out.

Thanks in advance for any help.


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## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

Not sure if I can help. That is an spendy piece of brass. Sorry I cant help with your question about replacing just the worm, but I must remember to check my oil level.
Your link to the gear schematic wasnt working for me.
Confused on the impeller shaft question. What set screw? It looks like you got the pully (44) off. Are you just having a problem getting the mushroomed end of the impeller shaft through the bearing (59)?


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## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

Figured out what was wrong and here is a fixed link to gearbox schematic
www.samsbolens.com/images/824_parts_7.jpg


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

If you unbolt the auger shaft on both sides up front can you slide the assembly back enough to get a little bit of clearance between that collar and bearing? My guess is it is rusted on there as the pulleys generally do that. Do you have a gear puller big enough to get on there?

I agree that the impeller shaft does look mushroomed so you will have to grind that down before getting the collar all the way off.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

the collars many times are frozen. no great secret. heat the collar to expand it but not to much as then both parts will heat up and it will be just as stuck.

I just had one on a walker mower. I didn't waste my time and just cut through it and split it in half.

Another way could be that most of those bearings use the clamshell on the outside like you see in your pick. There is also one on the inside behind the impeller. the bearing rides in a 1 3/4(or so) diameter hole. If your remove (or cut off if its is stuck or spinning) the other bolt the whole shaft /bearing and collar will come out the front with the auger assembly.


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## Grunt (Nov 11, 2013)

Have you tried putting a pipe wrench on the impeller shaft inside the bucket and use another to try and twist the collar loose?


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## waferdog (Dec 9, 2013)

Thanks for the responses so far. Please keep them coming.

dbert, if you look at the last two pics you can see the collar that is right in front of the bearing flange. I didn't get a pic of the set screw in the last pic. I assume the collar is there to prevent the shaft from going forward.

shyrp, we already have the auger shaft unhook and actually cannot get it to go back any as I believe the impeller itself is preventing that. We also tried a gear but did not have enough clearance for it to grip.

td5771, we started trying heat but I was worried about the rubber parts of the bearing flange. If parts availability were more assured I would definitely be a little rougher. I think we may try some heat again. Do you think propane is good enough or should i get something hotter like MAPP? I suppose if I did have to cut through the collar that I could probably find something to replace it fairly easy.

Grunt, I may try that tonight in conjunction with the heat.


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## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

waferdog said:


> dbert, if you look at the last two pics you can see the collar that is right in front of the bearing flange. I didn't get a pic of the set screw in the last pic. I assume the collar is there to prevent the shaft from going forward.


If it had been a snake...



Grunt said:


> Have you tried putting a pipe wrench on the impeller shaft inside the bucket and use another to try and twist the collar loose?


At least you dont have to worry about damaging the auger gear. 

So is this MTD vintage (post 2002)?
post on tractor forum says;
BOLENS:
Prior ownership
BOLENS
FMC
TROY-BILT
MTD as of 2002

just saying if it's a MTD your parts availability options should go up a bunch.


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## Grunt (Nov 11, 2013)

The pipe wrench inside the bucket would be to hold the shaft so no torque is applied to the gear box, only the collar through the other pipe wrench.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

what about that other bolt, and remove it from the housing that way


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## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

Doesnt look like that will help. 
As he said in the first post this collar is missing in the drawing, but you can see how it needs to come off before the shaft will go thru the bearing and bearing mounts


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

He can pull the clamshell off over the collar and then knock the bearing out the front. Once he has it apart then he can worry about getting the collar off.


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## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

I guess I assumed the fwd half of the clamshell had a smaller hole like the illustration. What keeps the bearing from migrating towards the impeller otherwise?


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

The clamshell only grabs the outer race. It will be knocked out with the bearing, but the top one should slide over the collar.


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## waferdog (Dec 9, 2013)

I spoke with a friend tonight who introduced me to the concept of lock collars and explained that this is what I was dealing with here. What that means in my case is that once you remove the set screw from the collar you rotate the collar counter clockwise (after you've also removed the outer clamshell) and this will actually rotate the bearing assembly back off the shaft. The problem I found is that the collar itself was broken off (probably because of our attempts to remove it previously) of the assembly so rotating it off did not bring the assembly with it. Thankfully, I was able to get vise grips onto the rest of it and get it off. I was then able to remove the whole auger assembly and remove the wrecked worm gear. The good news is that think I should be able to reuse the impeller shaft bearing assembly despite my best efforts at wrecking it. 

This leads to the next question - does anyone know if the worm gear that linked in my original post will work for this blower. Does anyone know of a cheaper source?


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## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

1720933
replaces
GW-B1720933
GW-1720933
I think you have the right part number, and $80 seems to be the going rate.
$72 here but i didnt check shipping
http://www.mowpart.com/1720933-mtd-gear-worm-20-teeth.html
$69 here but i dont know vendor or check shipping charges
MTD 1720933 GEAR-WORM 20 TEETH


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

I am sure you know, but make sure you clean the gearbox out real good to get the rest of the shavings out. Also check at least 5 different times during final assembly to make sure the auger rakes are put back on the correct sides and turned the correct way.


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## waferdog (Dec 9, 2013)

Dbert, thanks for the options. I see mowpart has a price matching function so I may try to save a few bucks there.

Shryp, thanks for the advice. I already did a pretty good cleaning inside the case but plan to work it a little more to get it as clean as possible. As far as the rakes are concerned, I did take pics and mark them to remember the correct arrangement. I would hate to have to take this apart again to fix those.

One worry I still have is how well that back impeller shaft bearing is going to go back on as. Hopefully it rotates back in without issue but I am thinking those parts may be a bit harder to find if there are issues. We'll know when we put it back together.


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## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

How are the gearbox seals and gasket. IAW where did the oil go?


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## waferdog (Dec 9, 2013)

dbert said:


> How are the gearbox seals and gasket. IAW where did the oil go?


That's a good question that's been on my mind. Everything looks good and tight but I don't have a ton of experience with oil seals so I am not exactly sure what I should be looking for.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

waferdog said:


> That's a good question that's been on my mind. Everything looks good and tight but I don't have a ton of experience with oil seals so I am not exactly sure what I should be looking for.


If it was mine I would spend the extra $5 and replace the seals.


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## grtpumpkin (Dec 19, 2013)

I had this same problem 4 years ago with my Bolens 1032. I spent over $300.00 in parts. My shaft along with the brass gear was toast along with all the bearings. You should be able to buy all the parts still from MTD. It leaked all the gear oil and I was unaware. I drilled and tapped a barb fitting on the top and also drilled and tapped a higher oil level check bolt on the left side. I looped a hose aiming down off the barbed fitting, this serves as a breather. From what I researched on the net the changes in temperature causes pressure changes within and can force oil past the seals. The seals are not really much of a seal. I had a flat tire and it was leaning way over and some oil seeped out. I keep the oil level high enough to insure the needle bearing on the shaft is well lubed. The shaft alone was almost $150.00.


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## Hawthorne62 (May 13, 2015)

This reply is two years after the post but it might help somebody? The collar you are referring to is something I removed from my machine by simply backing off on the set screw and then latching onto it with a pipe wrench and turning it counterclockwise. It came right off!

Hope this helps.


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