How would you do it II: You guys were right !

Ok, well I decided to use what I had with me, a 4" grinder, tried 1 pass, then a little hammer action, to see how distorted the end of the shaft was, got the bearing half way out and jammed, cut almost through and it expanded and broke on its own, 1 more even pass with the grinder, a file then, some sand paper, all on the end, not where the bearing needed to be.

You guys were right, what in heck was I thinking(lets not go there LOL) old bearing = 1 piece, 2 set screws, replacement, was 2 piece, locking collar with 1 set screw and a divot for a punch to turn and lock, very easy to set and holds on your mark, before you tighten that set screw, now that shaft will not move and offset the drive sprocket. That old drive sprocket sure looks odd and worn, 1/2 of one side seems to be gone, compared to the new one, #60 roller chain, 3/4 pitch if I recall. Something was off, ( we've only had it a year ).

<img src =http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j185/BillyNY/Loftness661DTS006.jpg>

<img src =http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j185/BillyNY/Loftness661DTS007.jpg>


So that went well, but I still have a dilemma with the chain, it's new, so are the idler and the drive sprocket, the auger sprocket looks to be fine, a nicked tooth or two is all. What started this whole thing was the dummy(not me) who cobbed up the top link pin at the first storm, well thankfully the pto was not on, it dropped over and knocked the auger bearing out of the flange. I still think it needs to move right 1/4" - 1/2" see the photo. Chain jumps and bumps the housing, see the grooves it and or the old one made, you can see it's hugging the left side of the auger sprocket, no matter how tight or loose, she seems to jump/ rubberneck, tense then loose, bang against the housing, (top side of chain bounces) what do you guys think, 2 of the three sprockets, drive and idler seem to have lined up fine, must be the auger sprocket, which means I have to loosen the set screws on each side (bearings) and tap it over. Now if I get that aligned, still bounces, must be a tension issue, what say you ? LOL !


Idler looks off in this photo, must have taken it before I shimmed it out and tightened, chain lines up when you look down from the top.




See where the chain hugs the left side of the sprocket

Hay Billy, thanks for getting your Snow Blower fixed up. That should pretty much guarentee no more real snow storms in NY this year. LOL Looks like you got-r-under control. The Acg.

I do like your thinking on that, good thing I did not put it off, trying to leave it ready for next season, I've had enough of the snow, as I am sure you guys have out your way, you always get it worse than us!

are you sure the sprockets are square with each other? looks like one is cock eyed put a straight edge or string on them.

Dad bought one of those new.We could never keep that chain tight.Something was made offcenter and in one position the chain would be tight and another position loose.We just has to find a happy medium.The shaft broke where it was welded to the auger on the drive end also.We had to tear it apart and get a new stub shaft from the company.The tractor tire threw slush and road salt onto the chain and it would rust up over night.I finally put a piece of mudflap over the front to protect it.

I was trying to figure that out, problem was what to square up against, I did rotate and measure against the housing, auger sprocket seems to be straight, but if we are looking at the same thing, I think the entire auger needs to slide right, the other 2 sprockets seem to line up and run true, and you can kind of see that the auger shaft has an exposed area on the stub shaft, that probably was in the bearing before it dropped over, hopefully I can get it to move, think I tried it once before, when I first put it back together, would not budge, have to try that again.

The idler/tensioner on this is a sloppy design, grade 8 5/8" bolt, shimmed out, either side, slot in the housing both sides, hard to get that bolt to be parallel or even if you will, you could easily have the idler sprocket cocked to one side. I have fooled with it quite a bit before the new parts arrived.

Oil this chain and the snow takes it off, though the snow lubes it, you have to oil it down soon as you are done, or it will rust. I left it dry to work on it and its new, don't look it though does it. I get the feeling this Loftness 661DTS is going to take some tinkering to get that chain right, or like you said, happy medium.

I'm just wondering if the chain is just a little too tight. A roller chain needs just a little slack or it will run hot which is not good. Not saying it is tight, can't tell for sure by looking.

Chain looks to vere to the right in photo 4. or is that an optical illusion.could you put a straight edge on sprocket in photo 5. not string.

I think in the photo the idler was set tight, to see if it lines up, had to leave, did run it only at an idle then shut it off. Some slight chain clatter every few turns. Now I get it, they want the chain to run hot, to slice the snow Take the stick rule and make some marks for the idler slots, keep it straight, adjust the auger rt., soak with chain lube.....

Yes on 4 & 5 , definitely no illusion, it's off, hopefully I can persuade it to move over a bit.

Put the straight edge on the drive sprocket and driven sprocket. I think they ARE lined up with each other, but think one is cocked to the side

Looking at your pictures you have the tensioner lifting the chain up.The tensioner should be on the slack side of the chain not on the drive side.On the blowers that I have worked on the tensioner is on the top of the top chain pushing down.You want the chain pulling the load directly not over the tensioner.

Billy on your tensioner repace the sprocket with wood. Make it a little wider and then the chain will find it's little nitch and be good. I had a 2 row mounted picker one time that had wooden blocks for tighteners and it worked good.
Bob

I think I would of put the locking collar on the outside for easier access ? Appears to have plenty of shaft sticking out.

John Deere makes a spray chain lube that works pretty well,i gave up on oil.

I think the whole shaft needs to slide to the right just a little to where your chain is running in the middle of the slot.It looks too close to the left side.You don't show whats on the other end of the shaft,I guess its got bearing on it like this side?That could have become misaligned from vibration when using it or something,or maybe never was aligned right to begin with.Also it looks like the idler is on the wrong side of the chain like somebody else said. It looks like there are a couple of ways it could work,but it makes sense that you would have more adjustment than you do if it was on the right way.

After taking a second look at the picture,I can see where the idler was bolted up on the other end of the slot before,so you definitely have that in the wrong place.I also see where the chain was chewing on the metal of the housing.Maybe something down below needs adjusting also?

After taking a second look at the picture,I can see where the idler was bolted up on the other end of the slot before,so you definitely have that in the wrong place.I also see where the chain was chewing on the metal of the housing.Maybe something down below needs adjusting also?

You could, actually, the one that came with the bearing, seemed to lock in place + the set screw, should hold a lot better now.

Kind of like oil impregnated wood bearings, that would work, all that snow in there, would have to fabricate a bracket or something, good suggestion, in case for some reason I can't get it to work with that idler.

Yes, I have used it, though I've been using a napa brand chain lube on the spreaders, I think the darn snow just wipes it out, snow lubes it, just oil 'er to keep from rusting I would think.

Good observation, you have a point there, both you and trucker 40 noticed this, you can see where the bolt was originally, the old idler was on its way out, so I ran it that way, (orientated as in the photos)with more slack just to get through.

The shaft with the new sprocket and bearing is the drive shaft, larger one is the auger being driven by it. I could not set that idler where the old mark is in the slot. I'll be honest, I knew something was awry here, forgot how it was originally, did not seem to fit any other way, slack side would be the bottom, or it would rub the housing, top side would be drive side pulling towards the front of the blower, tractor etc. which would mean the idler is on the slack side, pushing up as shown now. Are we thinking backwards to each other, (photo etc.)or chain direction reversed?

Something seems to be incorrect, I noticed this as well, just that it did not seem to fit any other way, though me forgetting how it was to start does not help! LOL Often times tell tale marks like these help when re-assembling things, I always make note of things like this, make a mark, match mark or what have you. My question now is, actually kind of funny too, I'm wondering how this idler/tensioner is supposed to go, lower section of chain as shown its on the bottom pushing up, top section of chain is tense and pulling, as Steve Martin once said, "I'm so confused" LOL .... time to take another look and see whats up with this thing.

Okay, I think I got you now, I just went to the loftness website and looked through a bunch of their manuals, I finally found one that shows how the chain is orientated, or at least it shows a dip in the top section of chain, idler goes on top just like you said, just hope that provides enough tension for bottom to come up and miss the housing. I'm one of those types who needs to see it, how in heck did I get this backwards LOL, too funny now !

PS I am sure the link count is correct, I brought the worn chain with me when I sourced it from a local tractor implement dealer, as well as the link quantity was in the parts book.

PSS roller chains for dummies 101 LOL

I think I have it now, just looked through the mfr website manuals, should be on top, it was hitting on top as well, this will solve that and hopefully enough tension to keep the slack side on the bottom from rubbing, slide that auger over and that big sprocket ought to line up better, this ought to do 'er I hope !