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

Well, I found some great info from a guy on here so I thought I'd post up my initial thoughts on this snowblower I purchased last week. I really didn't want to purchase a snowblower that cost this much but I have a 900ft stone driveway and did not want to buy a plow. I paid 3100.00 for the snowblower and picked up the optional side skid kit which I have not installed yet. If you decide to purchase one, make sure you drain the oil after you get it. I found out that the dealership that I purchased mine from added 10w40 oil instead of the reccomended 5w30 because this is what they had by the drum. I picked up some cheap 5w30 and swapped it out and it looked like it needed it, there were already break-in metal flakes all throught the oil. I'll change it again after the first hour of run time and then again over to synthetic once I get some time on the motor.

The augers and shafts need to come apart as soon as the machine arrives. I found less than a dab of grease on the shafts and splines. The bearing caps can be packed with grease as well. I used bell ray waterproof grease. After running it a little bit, I was not happy with the dim output of the headlight. I'm upgrading to this as soon as it's in stock. http://www.v-leds.com/Exterior-LED-Bulbs/DRLFOG-LED/Universal/27W-9-LED-SPOT-AUX-WORK-p9622351.html#ReviewsTabAnchor

It puts out 1600lm and uses about the same amp draw as the stock halogen. I also ordered a cheap hour meter from ebay that should fit the bill.  I'll post up some picts later on.

Mike

MIkecr250 wrote:
I'm not familiar with the HS55, never seen it in person.  Sounds like what you are describing is the same construction for all current snowblowers, except the  newer Honda HSxxx and the new Yamahas.

The newer Honda with model names HSxxx are different.  I would suggest you look at the how the shear bolts are attached to the carrier block.  Internally to the auger tube, there is a short length of shaft, but it doesn't go all the way to the other end of the bucket side plates, very little shaft surface area for it to accidentally weld on.  When the shear bolt breaks, it doesn't fall into any tubes, but out to the ground.  You can grease it if you like, but offers no additional benefits.  What I do twice in the spring and fall is to take out the shear bolts, spin the auger and feel for any resistance.  It should spin nicely without much drag, no corrosion.  That's all there is to it.

MIkecr250 wrote:
If you have a light in the back people can see you.  When I bike in the winter time, having light in the rear is just as important as having one in the front.  If the front light is for a safety reason then having one in the back is just as important.

aa335 wrote:

Struggling with the picture hosting or linking on this site...=(

MIkecr250 wrote:
Highly dependent on the browsers that you use.  Safari on mac doesn't play nice.  Firefox works better.

Firefox worked thanks.  Anyway you can see the shaft ends in the pict I posted. These were assembled dry from the factory.

Mike, welcome aboard.  I have not done what you are doing to your new HS1332 on my HS928.  If you don't mind, can you please post more pictures on the steps related to greasing the auger shaft.

MIkecr250 wrote:
Yes, the shaft doesn't go all the way through the auger.  Isn't the shaft diameter stepped down so that it doesn't actually touch the auger tube?

Is the HS55 the same design?

MIkecr250 wrote:
Well your the first person that understands what can happen.   To the stub shafts that go into the auger tubes if and when they go dry, and they will.  Honda in my opinion should at least suggest that the shaft / tube connection be checked for grease at some point.  You have to have had that joint apart to appreciate how tight the tolerances are.  I bought a very well used and somewhat abused 928 that had a snapped the gear box shaft.
Because of the exact situation that developed when the dry shaft was allowed to spin in the tube when a shear bolt broke.  The auger welded (galled) itself to the gear box shaft.  And the next time something was hit or got picked up the shaft snapped. All the stress, strain and pressure is on the short piece of shaft.  It's not spread out like it is when the shaft runs the entire length of the auger tube.
It's not a bad or faulty design.  The fault is with Honda not making that area a maintenance concern.  Granted it only becomes a concern under heavy usage and or the age of the machine.
But the issue and concern is valid.

Galling - Definition:  A condition whereby excessive friction results in localized welding with subsequent splitting and a further roughening of rubbing surfaces of one or both of two mating parts.
Galling can occur even at relatively low loads and velocities

aa335 wrote:

No, the shaft is not stepped down, in fact it fits pretty snug. I packed the hollow shafts with grease and will eventually add grease fittings to them when I get time. I dont have pictures of it, but the second stage blower comes off a splined shaft that also had no grease on it but a dab. I've seen it before, these things develop a very little bit of rust and then they are never coming off. I'd rather grease it. I've also read that grease give a degree of impact absorbtion if you hit somthing like I will likely do with my gravel driveway.

That's the first time I've seen a picture of the shafts as they come from the factory.  For me it's had to believe that there is little to no grease showing on those shafts.
Don't know what they are thinking?  And I know that there is an O ring to keep out water so they say, but come on. Every time the auger tube slides even just a little it's going to move the O ring.
Water doesn't need much of a space to get in places you don't want it to be.