Cheap Blower Pulley Exploded!

[HorseFixer 2,013]

Tuesday morning I woke up early to 7" of snow and decided to Geter done. About half way through I was up by the porch and a awful noise started so MJ came out and said what is that and I smell something burnt I got out of my comfy cab to investigate and seen a shredded belt. So backed it in the garage and investigated Yikes The cheap pressed bottom pulley that attach

[Horse'n Around 22]

Wow I cant imagine what could have led up to that kind of a failure.I know less than nothing about snow blowers but I cant see what could have caused it. My first thought was that moisture could have got between the two pulley halves, and may have rusted and weakened the center of the pulley, but the photos show no evidence of it. Could something have very briefly stopped the rotating assembly suddenly causing the pulley to let go?

It looks like you found a good replacement on there now,it looks like you wont be having any more episodes like this again.

John

[MalMac 1,332]

I had a similar pulley blew the hub right out of it like it had a froze bearing. Come to find out the bearing was fine. Pully just made of junk overseas steel.

Hey Duke when your done blowing snow up there you can head down to my place. I am about 16 miles south of South Bend. MY 2 stage is still in the loft out in my barn. Just got the plow on for now.

Tim

[stevasaurus 23,277]

Bob...I would think that pulley can experience some great pressure at times...looks like the new one will be OK for ya. A little scary I'll bet. :ychain:

[300zx 7]

I have never seen a pulley come apart like that, but after seeing it, I'm going to check my pulley for cracks before it ruins my new Kevlar belt.

[dcrage 630]

Duke

Don't know how similiar the pulleys are but the left spindle pulley on my 37" SD deck look just like that this past September -- I purchased that deck at the same time I bought my tractor in 1991 (i.e. new Wheel Horse parts) -- So I replaced the pulleys on both spindles with original WH parts ($58 for the pair as I remember) -- Had the same symtoms that your snow thrower gave; noise and vibration -- I complained to anybody who would listen about the damn cheap construction that came apart after 19 years of use (with tongue in cheek)

[whfan74 2,071]

Glad nothing worse happened and most importantly no one was injured when it decided to let go. Looks as though you have it set up to last for quite some time now.

And quit hoggin all of that snow up there! :ychain:

[squonk 43,799]

I've seen that before. A lot of those pulleys are just 2 stampings made out of crap, crappily welded together. then they grind down the crap welds to make them look nice and weaken them further. that pulley you have now won't break.

[Kelly 1,033]

How old is the blower??? lasted how long?? if they made it bullet proof we could not aford to buy them.

[Operator 7]

Got to be that trampoline spring or was that on the lift side

Cheap tin pulley spot welded, they just don't makke them to last do they?

Randy

[buckeye 5]

I would keep an eye on that new pulley. Technically, the shaft should be exposed past the outside of the sheave to have a proper "grip" on the shaft. Although it appears to be a tapered sheave, they can still come loose if they dont have enough shaft to bite onto.

[HorseFixer 2,013]

Got to be that trampoline spring or was that on the lift side

Cheap tin pulley spot welded, they just don't makke them to last do they?

Randy

Rand now thats some funny stuff right there! Trampoline spring musta swung up and smacked that pulley real good! So the pulley got mad and busted a move on the belt! Damn I hate it when that happens! I need to take those other two pulleys and take to motion industries and see if I can get them also! Kelly being I bought it from you as I recall you said sumptin about a 5 year satisfaction gaurantee warranty Repair bills in the mail! :D

[Kelly 1,033]

I'll get a check right out.

[dkopp 1]

Wow, you must have some tough snow up there. :ychain:

[SALTYWRIGHT 861]

HI......STAMPED PULLEIES ARE ONLY GOOD FOR UP TO ABOUT 3 HORSE POWER.

ABOVE THAT THEY WILL SPLIT IN TIME.

[porkchop 1]

:D I think it might have been too much "HORSE POWER"!! :ychain:

[HorseFixer 2,013]

I think it might have been too much "HORSE POWER"!!

No WAY RANDY! Cause I've been lookin for a 16 hp BIG BLOCK Transplant! :ychain:

[PPGman 5]

Makes me want to go out and check my pulleys. I would have to second the thought on these cheap stamped pulleys made over seas. Nothing like almost being done with your work only to find out you got a hand grenade sitting in front of your leg.

We should tax all this junk comming out of China and Tiawan at least 40% before it leaves the docks and enters the retail market. If we did that, i'll bet we would have a countless selection of steel parts and pulleys made right here in the good ol' USA. Just my 2 cents worth....doesn't seem like a hard problem to solve.

Glad you didn't get hurt, that replacement pully looks like it will serve you better! :D

[Don1977 605]

Stamped steel pulley are junk no matter where they are made. They will ware out and slip causing them to heat up and go more out of shape. I think that is what happened to

HorseFixer's pulley. I was trying to help mow a sick friend yard a couple of years ago it was over gowned and the old pressed pulleys where slipping so bad it would not cut. I went back and had my old double d cast iron pulleys machined to fit the newer type spindles. You have the pulley fixed now the stamped steel idlers will go.

[clintonnut 126]

I am using one of these on my pulling tractor! I heard of this before so I sandblasted the zinc off and ran a nice hot weld bead around the back side to keep the thing together while it is straining against the brute force of a moded single cylinder kohler!

Charlie

[Suburban 550 28]

Duke, good to see Kelly gave you a 5 year warranty with your purchase. I don't believe I ever seen a pulley come apart like that. Are you sure you weren't makin' some fine tuning adjustments using Sluggo before the problem occurred? :D

[JimD 3,347]

Duke, good to see Kelly gave you a 5 year warranty with your purchase. I don't believe I ever seen a pulley come apart like that. Are you sure you weren't makin' some fine tuning adjustments using Sluggo before the problem occurred?

:D

[buckrancher 2,694]

It looks to me Duke that the belt wore in the pulley groove far enough to make the metal on the sides of the pulley paper thin

you added just enough torque to shred it like ripping a piece of paper in two

there not much material thickness in those stamped sheet metal pulleys to

withstand much wear

the new one will out last the tractor

Brian

[rmaynard 16,293]

HI......STAMPED PULLEIES ARE ONLY GOOD FOR UP TO ABOUT 3 HORSE POWER.

ABOVE THAT THEY WILL SPLIT IN TIME.

Russ is correct about the stamped pulleys. All drive pulley should be cast or machined steel. The torque necessary to power a loaded snow blower will cause the hub of the stamped pulleys to twist and sheer.

Bob

[Gerry w 2]

Duke, another possibility, the hula girl has sabotaged it!! She wants to come home!!