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bmsgaffer

New XI Snow Blower

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bmsgaffer

I found an XI snow blower on that popular auction site for a good price. It was a New Holland, and there were no other bidders on it. Now I just have to get it home. I will probably just use Fastenal. 

 

Any tips and tricks from the XI snow blower owners that I should be looking for? Does it look pretty complete? 

 

It appears that the auger might need a few of the fins straightened, but otherwise seems to be in good shape. 

 

 

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shallowwatersailor

Nice score! It looks complete so that shouldn't be a problem. I would suggest the usual of:

  • New drive chain. Check the shaft drive sprockets for wear.
  • Check/replace auger bushings.
  • Check/replace the bearings for the shaft drive.
  • Check scraper for wear.
  • Spare/new drive belt.

Something you might consider doing is cutting a flat spot on the underside of the lift handle to make it easier to install the belt. I use a three foot length of 1/2" steel bar to lift the handle due to the awkward angle it is in and pressure it exerts. The flat spot prevents it from slipping while your fingers are between the two pulleys. It could act like a guillotine!.

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bmsgaffer
2 hours ago, shallowwatersailor said:

Something you might consider doing is cutting a flat spot on the underside of the lift handle to make it easier to install the belt. I use a three foot length of 1/2" steel bar to lift the handle due to the awkward angle it is in and pressure it exerts. The flat spot prevents it from slipping while your fingers are between the two pulleys. It could act like a guillotine!.

:thanks: I am definitely not interested in cutting any part of myself off on this thing. 

 

2 hours ago, shallowwatersailor said:

Check/replace auger bushings.

So the auger runs on bushings? I think I have seen some people upgrade to bearings, have you looked at doing this John?

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doc724

On single stage blowers, the auger runs on bearings.  John Matthews has everything else covered, except maybe buy a dolly if you do not have one.

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shallowwatersailor
33 minutes ago, doc724 said:

On single stage blowers, the auger runs on bearings.  John Matthews has everything else covered, except maybe buy a dolly if you do not have one.

 

No wonder my "bushings" haven't gone bad!  :D Of course last winter, and this one so far, the snowthrower has been doing anchor duty to keep the concrete floor from moving. :ychain:

 

 

Edited by shallowwatersailor
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WHX??

Auger fins get like that no matter how careful you are, not a biggie. A biggie, for me anyway, is the shape of the teeth on the auger sprocket. If they are badly wore the only recourse is a new auger. The drive sprocket & idler are easily replacable $$ wise .....the auger I would be afraid to even look. See if the seller can provide a pic of it.One of the pitfalls of buying off a popular auction site is not being able to lay your own eyeballs on it. Any chance a nearby member would be able to inspect for you Brandon?

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bmsgaffer
1 hour ago, WHX9 said:

Auger fins get like that no matter how careful you are, not a biggie. A biggie, for me anyway, is the shape of the teeth on the auger sprocket. If they are badly wore the only recourse is a new auger. The drive sprocket & idler are easily replacable $$ wise .....the auger I would be afraid to even look. See if the seller can provide a pic of it.One of the pitfalls of buying off a popular auction site is not being able to lay your own eyeballs on it. Any chance a nearby member would be able to inspect for you Brandon?

 

I have already done and bought it, but honestly for the price I can do some work on it. Its not something that will be a primary tool around here, but I know that the year I sell it will be the BIG ONE. (Last time I sold a mint tall chute snow blower we had massive snowfall the following winter and i had trouble pushing it back)

 

Most of the augers in these single stages are the same, right? Could I find another decent condition older one or one for a 200 series and use the auger from that?

 

Also, I see these are still available from Toro.... :laughing-rolling: 

2017-01-31 21_13_59-RCPW Search Results for _93–1615–01_.png

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SylvanLakeWH
42 minutes ago, bmsgaffer said:

 

2017-01-31 21_13_59-RCPW Search Results for _93–1615–01_.png

 

:ROTF:

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WVHillbilly520H
9 hours ago, WHX9 said:

Auger fins get like that no matter how careful you are, not a biggie. A biggie, for me anyway, is the shape of the teeth on the auger sprocket. If they are badly wore the only recourse is a new auger. The drive sprocket & idler are easily replacable $$ wise .....the auger I would be afraid to even look. 

3 years a go I refurbished my tall chute single for my 520H after 15 plus years of dirt/gravel driveways the auger sprocket was shot but if you take good measurements and carefully cut the old sprocket welds off a new one was/can be procured from TSC just needs bored to the correct I.D. I did it myself (but a local machinist could do it for you) then weld back to the auger (doesn't matter if it is a tooth off from factory it isn't timed like the 2stage) and it worked just fine that winter before I snagged my 2stage I refurbed, I wasn't paying $900 for the auger for a thrower I paid $400 for 15 years earlier, just my experience :twocents-02cents:,Jeff.

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bmsgaffer
2 hours ago, WVHillbilly520H said:

3 years a go I refurbished my tall chute single for my 520H after 15 plus years of dirt/gravel driveways the auger sprocket was shot but if you take good measurements and carefully cut the old sprocket welds off a new one was/can be procured from TSC just needs bored to the correct I.D. I did it myself (but a local machinist could do it for you) then weld back to the auger (doesn't matter if it is a tooth off from factory it isn't timed like the 2stage) and it worked just fine that winter before I snagged my 2stage I refurbed, I wasn't paying $900 for the auger for a thrower I paid $400 for 15 years earlier, just my experience :twocents-02cents:,Jeff.

 

Jeff, you answered my next question before I even asked it. I was thinking about that last night, and IF the sprocket was worn and the auger was still balanced, that was my next thought. I would take it to have a sprocket bored and re-welded. That will most likely be less than $900! Thanks!

Edited by bmsgaffer

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WHX??

I see you were not afraid to look BMS!

My thoughts about the auger sprocket as well guys. When I got my single the drive sprocket teeth were badly hooked and of course the idler sprockets were gone. New #40 chain, idlers form TSC and a finished bore sprocket form Motion. and I was in business. In checking the auger sprocket ...hmm not TOO bad, maybe get a season or three out of it if I lube it down after every workout. Eventually will have to deal with it and was thinking the cut/weld option. I'm sure it would be less than 900.  Any chance you have pics of doing that Jeff? Also as many as these singles I see out there for 1 - 200 clams  maybe a donor 42 incher if the augers match up?

Edited by WHX9
speeling
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bmsgaffer

The auger part number in 1977 was 4467...

 

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So it is exactly the same part (or at least compatible part) from at least 1977 through 2004 (the IPLs I checked)... That should give some leeway as far as finding used augers to replace!

Edited by bmsgaffer
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WVHillbilly520H

@WHX9, no pics really of the cutting off and replacing of the auger sprocket but just of it torn apart and some after, @bmsgaffer sorry if I'm stepping on your post but at least you know it can be repaired and I don't believe the "balance" will hurt or noticable I haven't and if memory serves me right I might have been 1+/- tooth on the new sprocket but it worked as good as the day I put to use 15 years ago now I have it 1 of the 520s I bought last year and the 2stage on my anniversary and a blade on the other, and as far as I'm concerned the tall chute single throws nearly as far as the 2stage it just clogs up on slush and DOT plow banks where the deuce didn't last year, Jeff.

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bmsgaffer

@WVHillbilly520H Perfectly on topic as far as I'm concerned, thanks for the pictures and info! :handgestures-thumbupright:

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bmsgaffer

Well I finally got around to picking it up from Fastenal. The auger is pretty beat up. It looks like someone tried to snow blow a gravel pit with no snow in it. 

 

I will keep an eye out for a better auger, but it should be repairable. Most of the bends can probably be straightened except right in the center where the flat "blower" portion is. I am not sure how they got it to look like this, but oh well. The sprockets seem OK, but hard to tell until I take it apart. The chain looks like it had been tensioned as much as it will go, so that will be replaced which I was planning on anyway. 

 

The biggest thing will be the bearings. They seemed a bit stiff, but it could be the old chain so I will have to inspect further when I disassemble it. This may not happen till the summer at this rate, but at least it is here when I get time. This will give me the opportunity to touch up the paint and try my "magic paint" on the inside. (Its a hydrophobic wear-resistant coating). The last classic style blower I had was in too good of a shape for me to want to sand down the (very nice!) interior paint and recoat. 

 

I still feel like I did OK!

 

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1995 520H+96+97

A three pound hammer in each hand will straighten everything.:handgestures-thumbupright:

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WHX??

 

:hilarious:

 

24 minutes ago, bmsgaffer said:

someone tried to snow blow a gravel pit with no snow in it.

Auger does look pretty beat up but nothing some straightening with a heat wrench and the angle grinder can't fix. Maybe some rubber paddles for the middle??  As long as the auger isn't bent??

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shallowwatersailor
8 hours ago, bmsgaffer said:

The auger is pretty beat up. It looks like someone tried to snow blow a gravel pit with no snow in it. 

 

I will keep an eye out for a better auger, but it should be repairable. Most of the bends can probably be straightened except right in the center where the flat "blower" portion is. I am not sure how they got it to look like this, but oh well.

 

Not saying that the PO didn't blow gravel but ice will do the same, especially the EOD  with the salt spreader mix. Good acquisition!

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bmsgaffer

I was looking through my pictures today (since I haven't been able to actually take the unit apart) and I zoomed in on the chain picture and it doesnt look good... :doh:

 

Also, what the heck were they blowing that had hair? Hope the neighborhood dog is still there. :shock:

 

Does the sprocket look as bad to you as I think it looks?

 

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Edited by bmsgaffer
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WHX??

No doesn't look bad at all. if it was bad the teeth would be pointed & sharp on the tops and not flat. Also they would have a hooked shape  Better to see that with the chain off. I think you might be good to go after some cleaning. It appears that the chain is oiled, which is a good sign, so things are just sticking to it from sitting. Better check for the PO's cat... might be still in there :lol:!  Can't quite figure out your chain  routing tho, don't think it looks like mine. Course I forget this is for an xi Have you got two idlers?

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bmsgaffer

From what I understand the XI's only have one idler. Since the engine is pointed a different direction they were able to route the belt so that the input pulley spun the same direction as the auger but on the sideways engines the input pulley had to spin reverse of the auger, thus the extra idler to wrap the chain 'round the other way. Least I think that's how it made sense in my head :confusion-scratchheadblue:

 

Thanks for the input on the sprocket, that's a bit of a relief for now. I will get a better look soon.

 

The auger does get stiff part of the way around when spinning by hand. It SEEMS to be straight, but need to look better at that. Also the bearings on all the shafts will need to be inspected as this had been sitting a while apparently. Hopefully it will all loosen up with some cleaning and strategic oiling. I will probably order all the bearings for replacement just to have them on hand if nothing else. I already have a new chain waiting for the refresh. 

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WHX??

Might just be a rusty chain & stiff links causing that bind,

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JERSEYHAWG /  Glenn

Wow, a few weeks back I sold a stone mint "as new" . Looked like it was out of the box. I never used it at all.

Just suprised what's out there and what's not out there.

 

maybe these pictures will help you out. I might have more pics around if you need them.

 

Glenn

 

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Edited by JERSEYHAWG / Glenn
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shallowwatersailor

Kind of hard to see as I still have the snowthrower stored (probably until next year at this point!) but I have an additional plate welded on to the skid shoes to broaden the foot pattern. Definitely put a new idler and chain on it.

 

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bmsgaffer
On 2/17/2017 at 4:08 PM, JERSEYHAWG / Glenn said:

Wow, a few weeks back I sold a stone mint "as new" . Looked like it was out of the box. I never used it at all.

Just suprised what's out there and what's not out there.

 

maybe these pictures will help you out. I might have more pics around if you need them.

 

Glenn

 

Thanks for the pics Glenn! I so badly wanted to get yours, I saw it listed very early but I could not afford one that nice :lol:

 

On 2/17/2017 at 5:01 PM, shallowwatersailor said:

Kind of hard to see as I still have the snowthrower stored (probably until next year at this point!) but I have an additional plate welded on to the skid shoes to broaden the foot pattern. Definitely put a new idler and chain on it.

 

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Thanks John. That's a good idea. I was contemplating making some sort of heavy duty wheels like some have done on here in the past to fit on those slots, but I like that wide pad. Maybe with a runner made out of UHMW to protect concrete? 

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