# New guy with an HS 55



## Kevin Settle (Aug 3, 2019)

Hey guys!

New guy here. I’ve never been a snowblower fanatic or anything, but have always been mechanically inclined, and have worked on plenty of engines.

Anyway, today I snagged an old HS 55 for a whopping 5 bucks! It looks to have not been used much, but it has been sitting for quite a while. The guy I got it from was just letting a friend store it at his house, and the friend never came to get it, so his loss was my gain. 

He said it doesn’t run, but he wasn’t very mechanically inclined so he didn’t try too hard. 

I haven’t tried to start it yet, but I also noticed it doesn’t have an air filter. So that, a good lube job, some fresh gas and a good carb cleaning are my first orders of business, assuming I can still find an air filter for it. 

Just figured I’d share my score for today. Seems like these machines were well made back in the day.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

*ALOHA From The Paradise City. :smiley-rpg027::smiley-rpg027::smiley-rpg027::smiley-rpg027::smiley-rpg027:*


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## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

Kevin Settle said:


> Hey guys!
> ......
> 
> I haven’t tried to start it yet, but I also noticed it doesn’t have an air filter. So that, a good lube job, some fresh gas and a good carb cleaning are my first orders of business, assuming I can still find an air filter for it.
> ...


Snowblowers do not use an air filter because the cold air and moisture will freeze and clog the filter very quickly. The carb should be contained within a metal box that allows engine warmed air to keep the carb from freezing. You may also want to check the spark plug and ensure it fires with the ignition system.


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## Toats MaGoats (Feb 19, 2019)

I'd say don't bother fixing anything and sell to me for $50. You can 10 times your money... Just sayin 

Congratulations on stealing that. I just got an older K2 version myself last year (paid $500 CAD since it was only one for sale around Calgary) and put love into it and now mine runs like a top again. 
You will love tinkering. 
Did you but the Wheel or Track version?

Seriously...$50 and I will take it 


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

Kevin Settle said:


> Hey guys!
> 
> New guy here. I’ve never been a snowblower fanatic or anything, but have always been mechanically inclined, and have worked on plenty of engines.
> 
> ...


drain old gas, change plug , clean out carburetor . check oil before starting . should run after all that. warm up oil and then change oil.

how bout pictures? here's my 55.


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## vmax29 (Oct 19, 2017)

And make sure the skid shoes are adjusted right. 

I like that logo stamped into the auger housing!


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## Kevin Settle (Aug 3, 2019)

Sorry for the lack of updates, between trying to buy a house and working and going to school, life has been very hectic!!

Anyway, for a total of about 47 bucks (including the purchase price of the machine),I have a fully functional HS55!

I bought a new gas tank because the old tank was completely rusted inside, bought a new carb since the old one was filled with dirt from the wind sweeping dirt up inside the intake when it sat outside for God knows how long, replaced the spark plug, stator, and changed the oil (which had so much gas mixed in it it was pretty much the consistency of water). I also sprayed all the moving parts with a good spray on grease.

So I put it all together, filled the tank, turn the choke on and... it fired up on the first pull!! 

The auger and transmission both engage and disengage nicely, and it runs like a top. She’s ready to throw some snow!

One question though. Not surprisingly, presumably from sitting for so long, the auger gearbox is leaking oil. I didn’t see any full or drain plug to speak of. Is there any way to fill it with oil? I would like to take it apart and put a new gasket in it. It looks like a fairly easy fix. But how do I fill it with oil?


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## Kevin Settle (Aug 3, 2019)

orangputeh said:


> Kevin Settle said:
> 
> 
> > Hey guys!
> ...


That thing is clean!! My is very faded from sitting outside for so long. But I’m gonna try and bring the color back to it when I have some time.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

Kevin Settle said:


> That thing is clean!! My is very faded from sitting outside for so long. But I’m gonna try and bring the color back to it when I have some time.


mine wasn't faded but i have brought back color with rubbing compound and a lot of muscle and work. sometimes when the machine is very nice otherwise I will take the housing , fuel tank, and chute off and have them blasted and powder coated. it's fairly affordable if live live near a city with competing shops that do this work.


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## Toats MaGoats (Feb 19, 2019)

Kevin Settle said:


> One question though. Not surprisingly, presumably from sitting for so long, the auger gearbox is leaking oil. I didn’t see any full or drain plug to speak of. Is there any way to fill it with oil? I would like to take it apart and put a new gasket in it. It looks like a fairly easy fix. But how do I fill it with oil?


It's easy, but a bit time consuming as you have to take the machine apart a bunch just to get to auger gearbox.

You must separate the bucket from the engine, then you undo the 4 bolts per side of bucket that hold the auger rods and the rod's bearings and then remove the main tranny shaft from pulley to gearbox and pull out all and then slip augers off the auger rods/shafts and then you can separate the gearbox.
In all honesty it's not a long process but in fact you get to know your machine a lot more when you do this.
I'd go to www.boats.net and but new bearings since you have to take them off the bucket anyhow and the old ones MAY be seized more than you think. Plus the bearings I believe we're just $9 each. You can also buy the gearbox gasket from them too.

I too had a leaky gearbox but I noticed the previous owner/repairer used grey gasket maker WITH the factory gasket. I removed all grey gasket maker safely and amazingly the gasket was still perfect shape so I cleaned with isopropyl alcohol any mating surface and then after inspection of interior and removes all gear oil and refilling with new, I then put back together and refilled. What a difference in how easily the tranny shaft would spin then!!!
Let out of machine to see if it would leak. None so I put it all back together the next day. 
Lots of YouTube vids on how to separate bucket and engine and how to replace the two belts while in there. I did that too because of necessity. WOW this thing is amazing now.


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## Toats MaGoats (Feb 19, 2019)

Some pics during the repairs









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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

Toats MaGoats said:


> Some pics during the repairs
> 
> 
> 
> ...


where's the bearing?


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

double check the serial number on a 55 for the drive belts.I think one is larger than the other. i use boats.net for reference for parts.


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## Toats MaGoats (Feb 19, 2019)

orangputeh said:


> where's the bearing?


On the back view of the bucket, there is one bearing behind that silver disc. The other two are on sides of bucket under the same silver disk (held on with 3 screws)

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## Kevin Settle (Aug 3, 2019)

Toats MaGoats said:


> Kevin Settle said:
> 
> 
> > One question though. Not surprisingly, presumably from sitting for so long, the auger gearbox is leaking oil. I didn’t see any full or drain plug to speak of. Is there any way to fill it with oil? I would like to take it apart and put a new gasket in it. It looks like a fairly easy fix. But how do I fill it with oil?
> ...


That’s a huge help! It would probably be good for me to tear it down to that point anyway to give everything a thorough once-over. It looks relatively simple so I’m sure I can easily handle it.

The bucket seems slightly twisted, so maybe j can straighten it out in the process. I think it maybe have been dropped off a trailer or something at some point because the left side was pushed in slightly (enough that it was contacting the edge of the auger), and the right side was pushed slightly out. And when sitting on a level suface, there’s about 1/4” clearance between the left side bucket “skid” or whatever it’s called and the ground, when the right skid is on the ground. It’s nothing major, but it would be nice to get everything all square again.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

Toats MaGoats said:


> On the back view of the bucket, there is one bearing behind that silver disc. The other two are on sides of bucket under the same silver disk (held on with 3 screws)
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk


oh, okay . i just don't see the impeller bearing in that center plate. thought i just saw housing behind it. looks off center.

i really like the 55's. I have 2.

they are my second favorite Honda after the HS80.


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## Toats MaGoats (Feb 19, 2019)

orangputeh said:


> looks off center.


yeah thats just my camera angle is off center.


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## Toats MaGoats (Feb 19, 2019)

Kevin Settle said:


> That’s a huge help! It would probably be good for me to tear it down to that point anyway to give everything a thorough once-over. It looks relatively simple so I’m sure I can easily handle it.
> 
> The bucket seems slightly twisted, so maybe j can straighten it out in the process. I think it maybe have been dropped off a trailer or something at some point because the left side was pushed in slightly (enough that it was contacting the edge of the auger), and the right side was pushed slightly out. And when sitting on a level suface, there’s about 1/4” clearance between the left side bucket “skid” or whatever it’s called and the ground, when the right skid is on the ground. It’s nothing major, but it would be nice to get everything all square again.


While its still warm adn dry out, I'd HUGELY recommend you get to know the procedure to take the belt cover off and then how to remove the bucket easily and then you may as well clean up the 30+ years of use in there (like I did and see how shiny it is now  ) and then replace bearings and belts as they reallllly are very cheap and then investigate why your bucket is slanted and straighten that out and YES adjust the bucket skids. I had to buy new ones (again I think they were $12 USD on boats.net) 
Also, when you take the auger blades off the shafts, I'd suggest you sand down any rust that may exist on those shafts and (I wish I had done this) lightly coat the shafts with a grease before you reinstall the auger blades back on over, to avoid any issues in future maintenance.

May I offer a tip when installing/adjusting height of skids? when fixing the height, I put the snowblower in the middle height (general use) selection with the foot pedal, then put a thin 1/4" thick ceramic tile under the bucket's black metal strip at bottom and then installed/tightened the skids, so I can snowblow without having to worry about hanging up on small items as I push down the sidewalk/walkways


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## Kevin Settle (Aug 3, 2019)

Toats MaGoats said:


> Kevin Settle said:
> 
> 
> > That’s a huge help! It would probably be good for me to tear it down to that point anyway to give everything a thorough once-over. It looks relatively simple so I’m sure I can easily handle it.
> ...


That’s a great idea as well!

Thanks for all the pointers and suggestions. I supposed I should get more familiar with this thing and get it in tip-too shape before the winter.

They say it’s gonna be a bad one... but who ever really knows? I just want a few decent size storms so I can test this thing out!


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

Kevin Settle said:


> That’s a great idea as well!
> 
> Thanks for all the pointers and suggestions. I supposed I should get more familiar with this thing and get it in tip-too shape before the winter.
> 
> They say it’s gonna be a bad one... but who ever really knows? I just want a few decent size storms so I can test this thing out!


which is better? working on it now or when it's 10 degrees below zero????

most of the snowblower owners around here opt for the latter and they DO PAY when i have to go out in a storm for a repair that should have been taken care of in the summer.


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