chain tensioner 2-stage blower

[cheesegrader 433]

On (I HOPE!) my last pass of the snowblowing season, I threw the drive chain off my 79361 2-stage blower.

The chain was replaced last year, and the snow was incredibly heavy.

I thought the chain may have stretched out and jumped off.

I opened it up, and the chain tensioner block had disintegrated.

TORO has discontinued the part.

Does anyone have a substitute, or another way to re-tension the chain without the block?

Seems like a sprocket on an adjustable bracket would be a better idea.

Sliding a chain against a fiber block is doomed to cause the block to fail.

[HorseFixer 2,012]

Cheese,

 

That blower is minimum 14 years old and I would say that the block has served the duty well.     I agree a better tensioner would be in order but when I got mine, there was a wood block inside that the last guy whittled and put in there.        Talk about shade TREE mechanics.     The new block I installed 4 years ago is made out of nylon. The Last time I looked (this fall) mine was in good shape.  I will be rebuilding my blower soon and when I do maybe I will look into something that is better.  

 

~Duke 

[daveoman1966 3,610]

Just a thought...  Some OHC car engines use a spring-loaded timing chain tension block.  Might something like that be fit to the snowblower, somehow.

[shorts 182]

The timing chain tension blocks are coated with plastic, probably a polyethelene compound like HDPE or UHMW, phenolic or bakelite. Check with your local plastic supplier for a left over piece of what they would recommend for a tensioner block, actually a rubbing block, left over off cuts are commonly refered to as drop's.  You could probably carve a new block out of a plastic cutting board or do like Duke's blower was and just make a wood block out of a piece of hardwood.

[shorts 182]

Cheese as I was replying above it crossed my mind that a fiber block with the right properties, water absorbing and self lubricating might actually be a better solution than an idler roller or sprocket in the harsh wet environment that a snow blower operates in and probably at less cost initially and as a regular maintenance part

[cheesegrader 433]

Shorts,

 

There has to be some reason they used fiber in the first place.  I wondered if it would hold oil.  

 

Duke,

 

I think I will take a pass on the wood version.  I think I can find some UHMW polyethelyene scrap, and might try that first.

If it is a good enough bearing surface for my future knee, it should be good enough for my blower!

[shorts 182]

Cheese;

some of the plastics absorb water and swell up, discovered that fact while doing new product field follow support service on sliding boom reach type forklifts that used poly blocks with shim packs for bearings. New bearings that were shimmed to tight would swell up in the florida humidity and wear prematurely due to binding up when they absorbed moisture.

[rwilson 128]

What about slides on a snowmobile suspension??

[kayvonmansouri 10]

Did any of you find a solution to this problem?  I just installed my blower, and was doing some maintenance and found my wood block almost gone and the chain really loose.  I was planning on cutting a new block and installing but don't want to if there is a better solution.  i can't think of a plastic block i could purchase that is solid.  A hockey puck comes to mind but that is more rubber than plastic.   

[bmsgaffer 2,043]

UHMW Plastic:

 

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=23217

 

I dont know what the chain guide looks like, but you could probably make a few from a foot length of whatever size you need.

[kayvonmansouri 10]

Awesome and the price is great too! Thanks for posting this

[CTBT&D 77]

I installed the smallest chain idler I could find for a dirt bike. I believe it was for a Kawasaki or Honda 80cc. 32 or 34 millimeters in diameter. Nylon, sealed ball bearing, mounted on the original bracket with washers/spacers to line up on center. Has worked great  for the last two seasons.