Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Posted in another thread was the following:

this is an email a fellow member recieved from Toro in response to shear bolts

"Toro snow throwers do not have shear pins.  The reason for this is if you hit something while snow throwing, the auger and engine will stop letting you know that something is wrong.  You can then remove whatever it was that you hit, start up the machine, and continue snow throwing.  If the snow thrower had shear pins, they would need to be replaced before starting the snow thrower again."

   The claim above was a bit suspect so on checking it appears to be advertising hype.

    Toro has been claiming the "virtual" elimination of shear pins because of the great ruggedness built into their auger designs.  On checking their new models you'll find they along with the new tougher design include the same old shear pin or as they call it "screw-hh".  Screw-hh is a shear bolt. 

Check the drawings:

For a Toro 521 model 38052:

https://lookup3.toro.com/partdex/index.cfm?xCaller=Toro

Toro 724 38050:

https://lookup3.toro.com/partdex/index.cfm?xCaller=Toro

Toro 824 model 38083:

https://lookup3.toro.com/partdex/index.cfm?xCaller=Toro

The 521 and 724 were long runs for many years.  The 824 above is for a late 90's XL model made for three years.

The 38622 is a new 2008 model and the advertising speak is that the shear pin is "virtually eliminated".  The drawing shows it's still used as it has been for 30 years.  Toro may have beefed up their auger assembly as they tout but still use shear bolts named screw-hh.

Here's their advertising claim:

Toro - Homeowner Snowthrowers
Body Text: Heavy-Duty Auger Gearcase Power is transferred to the serrated augers by a gearcase designed to withstand extreme stress, virtually eliminating the need for troublesome shear pins. Headlight Standard.

   On the models I looked at the drawings all call out a screw-hh.

38622   2008   280000001-280999999 Auger and Housing Assembly

https://lookup3.toro.com/partdex/index.cfm?xCaller=Toro

What was posted applied to old machines and new machines.

If you looked at the drawings you would realize that what was posted covered the last 35 years or more.

Do you mean machines older than 35-40 years? 

There are no sensors anywhere on Toro machines to sense backpressure when an object is hit, new machines or old machines.  The guy might have told your friend that Toro's had air bags.  The quote does not make sense.

dawei

thank you trouts.  i replied to a similar post and people told me the same thing.  toro doesnt use shear pins.   why would a company not use them.  they are design to take the sudden stop shock of the sunday newspaper.  i dont care what kind of bullet proof gearcase the will not stand up to a sudden stoppage.

thanks trouts.i thought that was a strange statement,replace shear pins are not that difficult.if you have them of course.