# Newspapers caught in snowblower



## Honda1132 (Sep 2, 2016)

Heard this item on the radio today about newspapers and flyers getting caught in snowblower.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/brunswick-news-flyers-1.4986659


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## Prime (Jan 11, 2014)

Yep. happened to me last year. Flyers being thrown in the driveway during a snow storm. Delivery people dont care as long as they get rid of their quota. By the time I got 
crap out of the augers and impeller and my HS 928 back up and running I lost close to 2 hours during a major storm. It broke off the impeller shear bolt and jammed it in the hole. Had to take it all apart to get a chance to punch out the middle piece. The house was vacant almost a year and the owner hadn't shut the flyers off. A great day.


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## WVguy (Nov 24, 2018)

I had that happen once, but I was lucky and saw it just as it was being sucked into the augers. I let go of both handles and was just in time. It was a bit of a pain getting the intact paper out but it hadn't gone far enough to break a shear pin or do any other damage. **** papers!


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## bbwb (Oct 25, 2018)

Same happened to me, the newspaper was hiding in the snow plow drift in front of the mailboxes. The paper was drawn in and jammed up the impeller. Took me 1.5 hours to take the reciprocating saw with a long blade to try and cut through the bunched up paper. That did not work so well so I resorted to the propane torch to burn it out. Finally got enough burned out that the rest could be pulled out by hand.
Not fun.


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## vinnycom (Nov 6, 2017)

should send a bill to whom ever sent out flyer/newspaper or even charged for littering


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## WVguy (Nov 24, 2018)

vinnycom said:


> should send a bill to whom ever sent out flyer/newspaper or even charged for littering


That would be an interesting class action suit. Not enough money for the lawyers to take it on though. But if it happened it would stop that practice of throwing fish wrappers in people's driveways.


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## zandor (Dec 15, 2017)

WVguy said:


> That would be an interesting class action suit. Not enough money for the lawyers to take it on though. But if it happened it would stop that practice of throwing fish wrappers in people's driveways.


I'd be tempted to go after them in small claims court if I bent an auger or broke a gearbox on one. Not worth it for a shear bolt though, and hopefully Ariens builds a solid enough machine that it would just be a shear bolt.

I wonder if the small claims courts around here can grant equitable relief. A court order to stop littering would be fun. Contempt charge every time they chuck their junk at my house.


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## Toro-8-2-4 (Dec 28, 2013)

Been there and done that. Glad to have shear pins and not solid bolts like on Toro's.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

* "SR'' Eats those things 4 breakfast, lunch and dinner around here. and spits oot the remains 30ft away from Ground Zero. k:k:k:mg::emoticon-south-park*


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

Toro-8-2-4 said:


> Been there and done that. Glad to have shear pins and not solid bolts like on Toro's.


* The Engine will stall oot when it hits that subject. THAT IS WHY THERE ARE NO BLOODY SHEAR PINS IN TOROS!!!!!!!!!!*


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## jsup (Nov 19, 2017)

bbwb said:


> Same happened to me, the newspaper was hiding in the snow plow drift in front of the mailboxes. The paper was drawn in and jammed up the impeller. Took me 1.5 hours to take the reciprocating saw with a long blade to try and cut through the bunched up paper. That did not work so well so I resorted to the propane torch to burn it out. Finally got enough burned out that the rest could be pulled out by hand.
> Not fun.


I had the same experience. Did the same things. I soaked the paper with gas first, but found out tightly packed paper doesn't burn too well.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

I havent had a problem with the newspapers in the driveway, but we have one of those free "pennysaver" type community newspapers..
When we bought our house in 2006, the free paper had a plastic tube, like a piece of PVC pipe, just for their paper, attached to the side of my mailbox post, under the "regular" mailbox. (I think by law, they cant put their paper in a regular mailbox)

I didnt want the free paper, so I removed the tube and threw it away..
a week later, they added a new tube to the side of my mailbox post!
I have since learned the trick..

You leave the plastic tube for the free paper on the side of your mailbox post..
You take four of five of their free papers, (or any bunch of old newspaper,) roll it up tight, and stuff it into the tube.
then leave it in there, permanently, for years..decades even..
that stops the delivery of the free paper! 
it's the universal sign for "I dont want the paper, stop giving it to me"..I see it all over my area.

Scot


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## topher5150 (Nov 5, 2014)

Toro-8-2-4 said:


> Been there and done that. Glad to have shear pins and not solid bolts like on Toro's.


I sucked up something frozen last year, the sheer bolts were fine, but it stripped the teeth off the brass gear in the box


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## Toro-8-2-4 (Dec 28, 2013)

POWERSHIFT93 said:


> * The Engine will stall oot when it hits that subject. THAT IS WHY THERE ARE NO BLOODY SHEAR PINS IN TOROS!!!!!!!!!!*


yes.....It sure does.

And prematurely failing auger gears. I owned a Toro at one time. The Auger worm gear was eventually toast. I am sure the Grade 5 bolts used instead of shear pins were a contributor. It is a trade for some early on conveniences for another problem later on.


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## Toro-8-2-4 (Dec 28, 2013)

topher5150 said:


> I sucked up something frozen last year, the sheer bolts were fine, but it stripped the teeth off the brass gear in the box



Sorry that happened to you!.... What kind of machine do you have? I don't see any listed.


I am not saying you did this, but you need to use the correct shear pin and install them correctly. If there are spacers you need to use them in the correct location. On older machines you need to make sure the auger has not rusted to the shaft. Keep'em greased.


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## topher5150 (Nov 5, 2014)

Toro-8-2-4 said:


> Sorry that happened to you!.... What kind of machine do you have? I don't see any listed.
> 
> 
> I am not saying you did this, but you need to use the correct shear pin and install them correctly. If there are spacers you need to use them in the correct location. On older machines you need to make sure the auger has not rusted to the shaft. Keep'em greased.


I thought I did all that, but it happened to my 1980s Simplicity 860. Before I put it all back together I lubed the output shafts so hopefully the next time it's the sheer bolts that go


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## RobertSX4 (Nov 17, 2017)

i sucked up a phone book and it got lodged in the chute, no impeller on mine so not much to break (it was a small phone book not the kind you would use as a booster seat)


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## barney (Nov 21, 2017)

Toro-8-2-4 said:


> yes.....It sure does.
> 
> And prematurely failing auger gears. I owned a Toro at one time. The Auger worm gear was eventually toast. I am sure the Grade 5 bolts used instead of shear pins were a contributor. It is a trade for some early on conveniences for another problem later on.


You must be in the business of fixing snow blowers for a living and have a wide experience of Toro snow blower repairs compared to others, otherwise you wouldn't make a blanket statement like that,... amrite? :wink2:


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## Toro-8-2-4 (Dec 28, 2013)

Barney, I don't mind your sarcasm. I do in fact repair a lot of snow blowers. Mostly for a hobby and not all for profit. so I have taken a lot of gear boxes apart to repair where a commercial business would junk it. I also have been reading posts on boards like this for a long time where fine people have discussed this exact issue of Toro using bolts vs. shear pins. Have you?:wink2:
The brass worm gear can break or wear out for a combination of other reasons too. But you can not argue that the impact of hitting something that causes the engine to stall does not take it's toll on the teeth. Add to that, perhaps, poor lubrication, worn out bearings causing the worm shaft to move around and it is a formula for failure.


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## barney (Nov 21, 2017)

So you're saying you've seen more worn out Toro gear boxes than other brands to the point that it's an obvious design flaw. Not just your own 824 data point?

As an aside I have to wonder how many Toro owners are constantly stalling out their machines and what the **** are they doing/hitting to be doing this all the time such that they are wearing out their gear boxes.


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## barney (Nov 21, 2017)

Toro-8-2-4 said:


> Barney, I don't mind your sarcasm. I do in fact repair a lot of snow blowers. Mostly for a hobby and not all for profit. so I have taken a lot of gear boxes apart to repair where a commercial business would junk it. * I also have been reading posts on boards like this for a long time where fine people have discussed this exact issue of Toro using bolts vs. shear pins. Have you?*:wink2:
> The brass worm gear can break or wear out for a combination of other reasons too. But you can not argue that the impact of hitting something that causes the engine to stall does not take it's toll on the teeth. Add to that, perhaps, poor lubrication, worn out bearings causing the worm shaft to move around and it is a formula for failure.


Yes in fact I read through the entirety of posts that make any explicit mention of Toro machines from beginning to end. The point was gear boxes, not sheer pins. 
You mention "boards like this". Is there another snow blower forum worth visiting other than this one?


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## barney (Nov 21, 2017)

Toro-8-2-4 said:


> Barney, I don't mind your sarcasm. I do in fact repair a lot of snow blowers. Mostly for a hobby and not all for profit. so I have taken a lot of gear boxes apart to repair where a commercial business would junk it. I also have been reading posts on boards like this for a long time where fine people have discussed this exact issue of Toro using bolts vs. shear pins. Have you?:wink2:
> The brass worm gear can break or wear out for a combination of other reasons too. But you can not argue that the impact of hitting something that causes the engine to stall does not take it's toll on the teeth. Add to that, perhaps, poor lubrication, worn out bearings causing the worm shaft to move around and it is a formula for failure.


P.S. 
Here is a bit of actual data you may have missed as posted by a professional of nearly two decades servicing Ariens and Toro:

Beno351:
I have had many Toro gearbox's apart for seals. I have only had to do 2 for gears on 10+ old machines and 1 two year old Powermax the gear split apart on that Toro warrantied no problem. Toro knows how to build them as you can tell by the grade 5 "shear bolts". The Ariens pro box is a good one also.

(It sounds like he's seen a lot of gear box internals)


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## Sid (Jan 31, 2014)

I think anything harder than e grade 2 bolt with the proper cuts or shear slots, and/or groves will endanger your gearbox, why take a chance. OK the Murray that I refurbished has 1/4" grade 2 "shear" bolts, with no groves or other weakened spots, and I"m not very comfortable with that. Just sayen.
Sid


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

Our idiot Sunday newspaper delivery person threw it into the very end of the driveway (not even the on the walkway or near the post box) and it (3 inches thick & double bagged) was buried under the 18" EOD this past weekend. This after I received a text from the circulation desk saying the paper delivery would be delayed until afternoon so I wasn't even looking for it. Thank God for The Auger Shear Bolt Guard system on the HSS1332ATD... Saved me again!


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## Toro-8-2-4 (Dec 28, 2013)

barney said:


> P.S.
> Here is a bit of actual data you may have missed as posted by a professional of nearly two decades servicing Ariens and Toro:
> 
> Beno351:
> ...



I am glad you used the search feature to look up things. Thanks for sharing it.

I am not here to argue who is right over opinions. People can make up their own minds after hearing the experience and anecdotal data from Beno351 (who I am sure is experienced and competent) and others.



When I rebuilt my Toro auger gear box I first had to beat the day lights out of the grade 5 bolts to remove them from the auger shaft. They were bent enough to make it a real task. I found the internal Oil-lite style bearings to be in good condition. The only problem was a messed up brass worm gear. Yes, the steel gear box housing is much more robust than the Aluminum found on other machines. It would seem the cause of failure was impact and not misalignment. A soon as one tooth shears off it is all down hill from there. 



If I were to acquire another Toro I would replace the stock Grade 5 Bolts with Ungraded or full thread grade 2 bolts.



I know Toro Dealers will stand behind the no shear pin design. Repairing worm gears can be profitable.


I will leave anyone having interest with two last thoughts. 



Briggs and Stratton now makes a no oil change engine. You never need to change the oil and there is no oil filter. I am sure it will last past the warrantee for the average home owner. Would you still change the oil?



Here is a thread from another message board. Some like the Toro no shear pin design and others have had some bad experiences. It is all anecdotal but you decide.


https://www.abbysguide.com/ope/discussions/4459-0-1.html


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