Case 446, Broke Still !

[propane1]

So, this is still broke !!!!!! I kick it each time I go by. Any way. I might look at it soon. Might.



Noel

[Eugen]

Oh man, that sucks! What happened?

Don't give up the fight!

[Timj]

Don't kick it, you'll just end up with a sore toe and it will still be broken.
Get some good pictures and we'll figure it out, I think everyone here except Bob and me has one of them blowers.
We have the technology, we can save it.

[propane1]

Last weekend before that storm it broke. Idler arm with spring attached, decided to drop down into the ground and flipped its self under the tractor and instead of that arm pointed forward, it’s was pointing backward. Bent every thing to beep. Spring was still hooked to arm.

I was very carefull how I kicked it, so’s I would not hurt myself, Timj. Hehe.

Noel

[propane1]

I can probably, maybe , could figure out how to fix it. Kick. But what I want to know is ? Why or how would this happen ? ? ?
If and when this ever gets fixed. I will make sure that if something happens, that the arm can’t drop to the ground.
Engineers who designed that system should have their behinds kicked.

Noel

[DavidBarkey]

@Propane57 Noel I tried searching the issue and could not find one other that had said problem . I am going to take a guess and say due to the fact you were out with it before snow a branch/root/ dog lead or something like that gabbed the handle pulled it down and when it bit the ground that did the rest . Bouncing alone would not do it unless the spring was wrong and to light weight . Even if the belt came off the handle would go up not down . One thing to check and make sure the belt is not to short , as that May bring the handle close to the ground . Another is motor mounts , if there is to much movement when the engine torques the belt could be pulled up on and pulling up on the tensioner pulley forcing the arm down .
Points to ponder when you get the rest straitened out .

Dave

[propane1]

@Propane57 Noel I tried searching the issue and could not find one other that had said problem . I am going to take a guess and say due to the fact you were out with it before snow a branch/root/ dog lead or something like that gabbed the handle pulled it down and when it bit the ground that did the rest . Bouncing alone would not do it unless the spring was wrong and to light weight . Even if the belt came off the handle would go up not down . One thing to check and make sure the belt is not to short , as that May bring the handle close to the ground . Another is motor mounts , if there is to much movement when the engine torques the belt could be pulled up on and pulling up on the tensioner pulley forcing the arm down .
Points to ponder when you get the rest straitened out .

Dave

Well if it's gunna happen, it's gunna happen to me, for sure. No roots or any thing there Dave, don't have a dog. Belt was new about two weeks ago. 81" x 1/2". Can't say that the spring is weak, because it did throw snow and the belt did not slip. and I'm reasonably sure I would notice that when I put it together. But if the belt came off and the spring fell out of place, it would fall down, right. I was just Idling along driving back to the garage. No torque on any thing. Thanks for all the ideas Dave. I'll keep trudging along and see what happens.

Noel

[propane1]

So guys, I straightened the arm and the pin on the tractor. Put the belt back on. No spring on yet. Cotter pin just set in pin to hold arm on. When I pull up on the arm, like the spring does, the forward end of the arm is about 3” off the ground. So is this correct ? 81” belt is installed. If I put a longer belt on, that would raise that arm at the front, but will it make the belt roll of the drive pulley because of entering the pulley below top centre ? If I put a shorter belt on, that will make the front of the bar closer to the ground. Don’t want that ! So do you think the engine pulley, stationary v pulley and idler pulleys are the correct size. Who knows what has been done and what parts have been changed in 40 years.
And I believe that when you lift the thrower, this tightens the belt, which causes the idler pulley to come up, which puts the front of the arm down, closer to the ground.
The more I think about this and explain things, the more I think what happened to the 446 is, with the arm only about 3” or so from the ground, and with the thrower lifted, which lowered the arm more, while was driving I came down a slight hill which then turn to flat ground, and I would say the bar caught the flat ground long before the rear wheels got to the flat ground to level the tractor.
So, how do I raise that bar so it’s higher up ? Why is the bar so long out the front, to begin with ? And could I just cut some of it off ?
Ideas and your thoughts please.
Sorry for the long winded post.

Noel

[Eugen]

I will measure the distance on mine when I get out there and let you know. Still at work now.

[DavidBarkey]

@Propane57 Noel what is the diameter of the idler(V grove) and tensioner arm pulley( flat back ) ? Might be the pic but the tensioner pulley looks to big to me . That will effect belt length.
I will Measure mine ,

Dave