Snowthrower chain route/diagram?

[Ralph53 0]

I have an older C-160 tractor (runs like a top) with what I measure to be a 36 inch snowblower. I recently broke the snowblower chain and found a connecting link but can't figure out how to route the chain for repair, having never studied it closely. It has four sprockets total, including the drive shaft, auger, and two adjustment sprockets (I presume). The top and lower adjustments' teeth are both very close to the larger auger sprocket. I tried routing around all four but it seems too loose. I looked in the manual section of this forum but couldn't find a 36 inch and do not know the age of my tractor. It is an 8 speed with Kohler engine. Any help or link to a diagram would be much appreciated. I found one diagram on another site for a different model snowblower, but it definitely wasn't the route for my chain. Thanks for any help.

[TT-(Moderator) 1,128]

:WRS:

The information you seek is here:

[Wyattrrp 59]

I am curious about the chain routing on the 4 sprocket blowers. I know some older ones had only 3 sprockets (drive shaft, auger and one bottom idler). Is there a difference in routing path 3 vs 4 sprockets? The three different blowers I have owned over the past several years all had the routing per the link by Terry above for 4 sprocket blowers. My chains pass over the drive shaft sprocket passing under the large auger sprocket then up over the top idler then under the bottom idler. This yields a direct Jack Shaft to Auger chain connection. Should the auger hit a curb or other object the full force of the dirve shaft gets transferred directly to the auger large sprocket with minimal length of chain between them. The drive shaft is directly pullin on the auger gear and other gears have loose chains under load.

There is another routing that works on 4 sprocket blowers. The chain from the top of the drive shaft can pass above the auger sprocket directly to the top of the top idler on 4 sprocket blowers, passing over the top sprocket, then back around the top of the large auger sprocket, then over the top of the bottom idler returning to the bottom of the drive shaft sprocket. Drive shaft spins counterclockwise so the auger still spins clockwise correctly with this routing.

I am curious whether this routing takes the same chain length and if there are any negatives to this routing. I see in Ralph Lanes gallery photo under Implements - Blowers his close up of an ST-324 chain routing shows the chain passing under the large auger sprocket to the lower sprocket. Cant tell if there is an upper sprocket or only 3 on this older blower. Either way the auger spins correctly. Is that because there are only 3 sprockets and the chain only engages about 8 to 10 teeth on the auger gear so they modified it on newer blowers to 4 sprockets so the chain engages many more auger teeth? With this chain route on 4 gear blowers if the auger hits solid stop condition, the drive shaft energy has to pass through the upper idler in a 4 sprocket setup, then to the stopped auger. Not sure if the ST-324 has 3 or 4 sprockets?

Regardless, I am curious whether there really is any difference on the 4 gear blowers whether it takes routing #1 or #2 above? Does the chain length vary between the 2 routes?

I know that curiosity killed the cat, but we are dealing with Horses here and some dumb things can bug you until you find the answer (short of freezing my butt to try removing the chain and re-routing it on my current 79360!)

Someone I bet knows this answer.

Wyatt

[ThreeHorses 20]

There is definitely a difference in chain lengths in the 2 ways you list for routing the chain. Just tried to re-route one of my 4 sprocket blowers per the manual that was routed from the drive sprocket directly to the top sprocket then around the auger. The chain was about 3 links short from what is necesary to route it per the manual. My son "Workin Horses" used new #40 chain I got at TSC to route it correctly. Per his count it tool 51 links for the correct length, I'd have to check if this included to link to join the chain together. I have a spare new chain and also a spare used chain made by adding links to the chain that was short.

Which way is better? Routing it per the manual eliminates slack in the chain from allowing it to hit the underneath of the top side of the blower where it goes in off the drive shaft. That's one of the reasons I wanted to change the routing of the chain which wasn't per the manual. I don't know if either way is easier on the blower if you run something solid into the auger and lock it up. I hope I never do this in the future, haven't had it occur yet.Normally shouldn't be a problem if you're familiar with the area you're blowing snow.

[Wyattrrp 59]

Thanks for the info. I replaced chains on throwers with high chutes which are not all that old but chains had stretched past the slot for lower sprocket tightening limit, and new chains each took 51 Male links including the masterlink when routed from Shaft Drive gear down under the Auger gear then Up to the top gear like in the manual and TT's link. Not sure on how many models of throwers this is correct for but suspect many 4 gear blowsers. Not sure how to count the chain links but this 51 count is for the Male Links with the pins, not counting the thinner links that only have the holes to accept the pins. 1 thrower I needed to add a half link .

#40 Roller Chain as well as Master Links and Half Links in packs of 4 are all available at TSC for reasonable $$. Good thing about replacing stretched chains after several years is the new ones pretty much guarantee they won't break like some seen on here wrapped around the drive shaft and jamming the auger and splitting the housing AND you can use the old chains to wrap the front tires midtread as an aid to steer the lighter front wheels when a thrower is on the front which makes steering a bit testy at times.

Good to know the correct chain routing takes at least 3 links longer than the other upper routing. I did not realize the upper 2nd non-manual incorrect routing makes the upper chain hit the housing hole at the drive shaft. Makes sense that the above the Jack Shaft to under the Auger large gear won't hit the upper housing opening and on 4 gear throwers this is a longer but the correct routing. Buying 10 Ft of #40 roller chain yields 2 sets of replacement chains since 51 links is about 4.5 ft of chain.

Thanks ThreeHorses.

Wyatt

[Kelly 1,028]

Just a quick note if your chain broke, it's time to buy a new chain, it is stretched and will break again, under $20 you can have a new chain, don't forget to check the idler sprockets for bad bearings.

[Ralph53 0]

Thanks to all for the help with my original query. I have been working some extended shifts since that original post and hadn't found a chance to check for replies previously. Terry's link was the one I had seen previously but would not work for my 4-sprocket contraption. My drive is on the opposite side and the top idler sprocket has a steel bar covering the face that will not allow the chain to completely circle that sprocket. However, Wyattrrp's alternate suggestion for 4 sprockets sounds like it could work, and I will definitely give it a try tomorrow after the weather here gets back above zero. You're probably right about the chain needing to be replaced, Kelly (thanks to those who gave suggestions for getting the right length), but I'll probably give mine one more try if I can get it to fit. Thanks again.

[aj hougland 1]

I did not find a diagram,. I need a diagram please, I cannot follow written directions never could even when I was in school

[cleat 4,986]

These help ?