# I think I busted my gearbox!



## driz (Dec 19, 2013)

My wonderful cave dweller wife just love rocks and being in N NewYorkistan we have our quota and then some. I usually snag one of her pet ledge rocks once a season and break a pin…..or two. Well tonight was different. It grabbed one the size of a potatone that made it into the impeller. Instead of the usual rock out and one side of the auger needing shear pins I found a bent impeller arm folded mostly straight.
It’s not rubbing or hitting when I manually pull it around. When I run the thing it’s fine until I engage the auger / impeller . It sounds like a bunch of rocks going arounf in a clothes dryer. Snow still flys and everything is going around just the rock rolling around sound. I’m guessing it’s the gear box as I dropped the bottom cover and the gear sets look fine. What’s first pulling the auger I’m guessing and seeing how that sounds and feels in my fingers. I may as well pull and straighten that impeller blade while it’s easy to get at. 
Anything else to check or go over while I’m in there?? Suggestions ??


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

if you bent the impeller it is likely just hitting the back side of the impeller housing. straightening the impeller even with a prybar should likely get rid of the noise.


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## driz (Dec 19, 2013)

I’ll definitely check this out but I doubt it’s the impeller hitting because the part bent is the tip which is factory bent 45ish degrees to form those scoops, it’s bent almost straight. Rolling it over by hand isn’t showing any drag or scrubbing . There’s not a lot of slop in the shaft and bushing either as I had replaced them a hundred hours ago due to extreme slop . I think today when it warms up I’ll see if I can get it running and put the long probe of my mechanics stethoscope on the gear box and see if the loud rhythmic grinding noise originates there. No matter what i find I bet I’ll be splitting the machine and having to yank the impeller assembly to fix whatever is wrecked.


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

are you sure the impeller didn't get bent back towards the motor at all. all it takes is 1 spot hitting


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

One good thing, since you already changed the shaft and bushings a while ago, it should be easy to dismantle to get at the issue .... my first bet would also be straightening out the impeller, etc ....


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## driz (Dec 19, 2013)

I found it, it’s the flange behind the belt, drive pulley .


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

Ouch!


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Better that than the gear box I suppose .....


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## LenD (Nov 17, 2020)

Put those rocks up for sale on Kijiji first thing tomorrow morning


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

*What model and year is it????*


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