450 Snowblower continues to plug

[cboyland]

I have had it with my 450 snowblower on my 2072! It continues to plug all the sudden. I had to adjust the PTO clutch(which helped and improved performance) and after 2 times using it....it starts plugging again! All this after a new belt. Bearings appear to be good and tractor runs at full rpm's. I purchased this so I had a good quality machine...im questioning if this is the case. I yard machines works better then this blower does. Anybody had any idas or experienced this before?

 

[proessler]

Chad , you may want to check engine RPM with a tachometer. I assume you are running @ WOT when operating the 450. Does the belt squeal when going into snow? Also What shape is the tension spring on the blower drive ? Have you tried less than full width cut when blowing? Does the blower drive assembly turn freely when belt is off?

 

[jdiederichs]

Check the auger shear bolts also. If one side is sheared the auger may turn freely so it can be hard to notice. If plugging in the discharge chute try spraying it with a furniture polish, silicone spray etc.

 

[cboyland]

paul, I a unsure how to check the RPM;s with a tach let alone turn them up? The belt does not squeal, and the tensio spring is still pretty tough. Takes a good effort to flip it. The blower assembly spins freely when I spin it by hand with the belt off

 

[kmcconaughey]

Chad, you did not state what the snow was like. Was it wet and sticky, dry and powdery or someother condition? Is there ANY rust inside the auger housing, blower housing or discharge chute? Rust = rough (as in not slippery) which will lead to plugging. If there is any rust, sand it down and paint it, then paint it with a coat or two of a graphite paint. I use a graphite paint on the inside of the auger housing and discharge chute on my single stage QA42 snowthrower. It has almost eliminated plugging up. The only time it plugs up now is if the snow is very wet and sticky. A farm supply type store should have graphite paint. One brand is Slip-Plate but there are several others.

 

[cboyland]

kraig, thanks for the input. the auger and housing were painted last fall. there is no rust and it is a plastic chute. The snow is pretty powdery but packs well and tight.

I felt my chute and it is warm. This is a cub cadet 2072 it is on)quiet series) and all the heat is coming out the front. The exhaust AND from the inside of the heat shields. It all blows foward toward the chute of the tractor. I think my next step is blocking the front grill and taking the sides off. Does anybody know how to turn up the RPM's?

 

[kmcconaughey]

Chad, hopefully Art Aytay will post on this. He has a 2072 with a 450 blower. I don't recall him having plugging issues. Art's 2072 originally belonged to my parents, I don't recall my father having plugging issues with it either...

I believe the only issue my father had with it was shearing pins on the augers and blower impeller. FWIW, Art only has the tractor, the old 450 blower went to someone else. It's possible that you have a sheared pin on one of the augers like Jim mentioned. With the belt attached, and the tractor off, see if the augers or impeller spin freely as if they are not connected firmly to the shafts and/or gears.

 

[dtanner]

BTDT ,Seems I stripped the gear in the blower housing on my 450 . I was told after I did it to never engage the pto at to hight rpm`s

I had the problem of no blowing snow very far till I found the gear stripped.I need to order some new parts.

 

[bcarberry]

What kind of grease or oil do you use in 451 cub cadet snow blower ...thanks Bob

 

[kmcconaughey]

From the manual for the Model 450 (nearly the same as a Model 451):

 

[jstertz]

Chad--I concur with Donald. It sounds to me like you have a mechanical failure in the gear box. I transplanted a Magnum 20 that I believe was originally in a 2072 into my 682 Cubbie. I have since installed a 450 snow blower on it. It is a beast!!! This thing is very used (--think worn--) but it still handles the snow really well. I havent had it plug yet this winter and I've run some really wet heavy snow in it. The first time I used it the belt was well worn and it was slipping and squealing the whole time. The I switched to a new belt and set the tension. As far as I can tell the only limitation I know face is the power of the tractor, which is ample to run this blower. I'm going to try to attach a link to this post of me blowing with it on a beautiful day. The snow was medium weight and the 450 was throwing it up about 25' and out about 50' which is typical. I hate videos from the seat of the tractor but no one else was around to video me!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBsEapA4T0s

So, in spite of that it seems that you have a mechanical issue somewhere. If the drive belt isn't slipping and the clutch is holding, it has to be something between the gear box and shafts to impeller and auger ribbons. To test it, I personally would take off the drive belt and turn the pulley by hand listening for possible gear trouble and also "feeling" for it too. Sometimes if gears are bad you can even feel it when you turn the apparatus by hand. If that doesn't seem to indicate anything, I would also try blocking the auger and so it won't rotate and then BY HAND turn the pulley and see if you can over ride it (the gears). IMHO you shouldn't be able to turn it at all. There definitely shouldn't be any slipping gears feel or anything like that. With proper speed and power, the 450 should stay clear of snow.

 

[jdiederichs]

Chad,

Another issue which just surfaced on my 551 that may apply. The spring-loaded belt tensioner on mine got moisture in the pivot and froze tight. The blower would run (empty) but when I put it in snow it would slow way down and stop.

I heated the pivot up with a torch and voila! It worked fine again. This was the only time I ever had that happen. So I later disassembled it and greaed up the pivot point and now it works great.

When you are on the seat you would never see this, and running it in a no load situation you would never susspect a thing! Need to actually determine that it is moving and not frozen/rusted tight.

 

[dtanner]

I don`t know if you all remember why I`an not using my 450 this winter. I did not know that I would damage the shaft spline on the gear box and the thrower impeller of the blower by not idling the diesel when in gauging the PTO. So after a few times of switching the PTO on I stripped the impeller so it will not hold enuf to move heavy snow. It will still spin everything , but not with a load of snow because I like to fill the blower and work it. It did work great the first few times I used it but I now have a repair in mind. I don`t think I can hurt anything by welding a slip joint to the blower impeller and the other piece to the gear box shaft.
A proper repair would be to replace the gear box splined shaft and buy another blower impeller. Much $$$
I was offered a 451 last summer that I know works for $100.00 and will buy that if needed. I think The difference in the two from the 450 and 451 are just the belt size on the gear box pulley. . is that correct Jim D ??

 

[jstertz]

Donald--I am thankful that you have shared that account of your misfortune regarding that startup issue. I always idle mine down before engaging it because of you sharing that story with yours. It is a bummer that it happened, but I know that I learned from it for sure. As far as the 450/451 deal. I thought that I remember reading that the two blowers had a different set of gears in them. I think that is why people have changed the pulley diameter size to get them to run as the should on the other tractors (either newer or in most cases older). However, I'll sit back and see if someone who knows for sure chimes in.

 

[jdiederichs]

Don,

The gear boxes have different ratios between the 450 and 451, to make them compatable with the change in pto clutches.

 

[dtanner]

Jim D

I did know it was gearing, but I think 451 has a bigger belt also. Thanks for setting me straight.

 

[jdiederichs]

Don,

I remember when the spline failure happened

That was such a rare failure, at least I had never heard of one other than yours.Makes me wonder if that shaft was not hardened as it should have been.

So you have real hands on experience with the series, you provide such good input, such as starting the unit at low speeds. That basic blower design was used through the MTD product line, I didn't think the driveline design was well suited to the Cub Cadets (more of an afterthought)

When the 1st of that design was introduced, the model 364, it had lots of IH engineering into it. That is why we saw the PTO shaft drive to eliminate the clumsy belt drive. When MTD took over the driveshaft was phased out and the "down/around/up" belt drive was used.(Cost less$)Makes me jealous of the guys with old 364's!

Better end this here, otherwise they'll think Harry or Denny wrote it