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

Hey, I have had my 826oxe for almost three years and for the first time the two shear pins that bolt the impeller onto the shaft that leads into the auger gearcase broke. I never had any on hand because I was told/it is advertised there is no need for shear pins in these machines. And I couldn't get new ones when this happened because everything was shut down due to the storm. So I had to shovel! When the shop did open the next day they said it was common for this to happen, especially due to the high stress on the machine because the type of snow it was clearing(wet/heavy/hard packed and about 3 feet high). The guy said also that the shear pins in the auger do break on occasion. So I picked up a bunch of extra shear pins for the impeller and auger. I wish they had told me this when I bought the machine so I would have had them on hand for when they were eventually needed. Any other toro owners have this happen? If you haven't, and you don't have any extras in your toolbox I advise you to go buy some!

Always keep a few spare shear pins!  I have never broken one yet, BUT...you know when it happens that it will be in the middle of a blowing session and that'a when you need it and may not be able to get out and get it.

Yup. It's just that for me when I bought it the salesman was pushing hard on the pitch that I wouldn't ever have to replace shear pins in this particular model.
Toros website states:
The Heavy-Duty Auger Gearbox has special oversized hardened gears and shafts designed to withstand extreme stress, virtually eliminating the need for shear pins.

With the salesman pushing it hard and toro's website stating that, I never gave it a second thought. They should be advising their salesman to relay the message that that isn't quite true and to toss in some shear pins to avoid their consumers having an epic freakout in the middle of a snowstorm! LOL

Rule #1: Don't believe the salesman - do your own homework.

Rule #2: Anything that can break will do so under extreme stress/unusal circumstances.

Rule #3: Always be prepared for the inevitable (as much as possible).  Whatever can happen, will happen, usually at the worst possible time!

Rule #4: Don't forget Rules 1, 2 or 3.

I'll bet your machine ingested a rock or someting similar for a shear pin to break. Heavy, wet, hardpacked snow would not typically cause this type of failure.

FrankMA wrote:
How do you know a salesman is lying? 

"His lips are moving."  

Hehehe.  Couldn't resist.  I'm sure there are good honest salesman out there, just as there are compassionate and honest ambulance chasers. 

FrankMA wrote:
That's the thing, I did do my homework. Toro's own website says there is no need for shear pins. Just do a google search for  "toro power max shear pins", on the first page of results you will see several statements backing up what the website and salesman said:
- virtually eliminating the need for shear pins
-No shear pins needed so none to replace. Power is transferred to the serrated augers by a gearcase designed to withstand extreme stress, eliminating the need for troublesome shear pins. I have had readers tell me they have run 2 inch rocks through their Toro and didn’t break a thing!
- This heavy-duty gearcase operates without shear pins because it is rugged enough to actually withstand stalling out the motor if it encounters serious yard debris.

Why is that info so common out there? It's ALL BS!!

" I have had readers tell me they have run 2 inch rocks through their Toro and didn’t break a thing!"

There's a big difference between passing a 2" rock and having the same rock jamb the auger.  If a rock anything else stops the auger or impeller from turning, something has to give. 

So, the choice is yours.  A two bit shear pin or $250.00 or more in repairs.

borat wrote:


That's an easy choice, but that is besides the point. The point is, why does is state from several different sources(from the manufacturer, to the dealer, to other third party sources) that there is no shear pins when that is obviously incorrect?

I have zero issues with the fact that shear pins busted, just that I was told that it didn't need them so I never had any on hand which caused major inconvenience in the middle of a huge storm. I can, however say the shear pins will rarely break in the toro because last year my dogs 20' chain got completely entangled in the auger and it kept going(obviously struggling) without anything breaking..

giocam wrote:
The point is, why does is state from several different sources(from the manufacturer, to the dealer, to other third party sources) that there is no shear pins when that is obviously incorrect?

Well it may be a matter of schematics but the bolts that Toro uses are just grade 5 bolts not shear bolts!! The bolts for the impeller are grade 5 tap bolts (a tap bolt is a bolt that is threaded the full length of the bolt). The bolt for the auger should be long enough so that there are no threads in the auger shaft the spacer is so that the bolt can be tightened. This differs from most other manufactures who use shear bolts most often designed with a turned down spot so that the bolt will break in that spot & break easier.

"The point is, why does is state from several different sources(from the manufacturer, to the dealer, to other third party sources) that there is no shear pins when that is obviously incorrect?"

Quite possible that Toro is appealing to the "know nothing - do nothing" generation of people who want a device to make a specific task easier without any committment to maintenance, nor the need to understand how/why things work. 

Our nations are dumbing down in a big way.  Any opportunity that a manufacture can see to capitalize on mental and physical laziness will become a part of their sales philosophy.  Consumers can be their own worst enemy. 

When I was shopping for a Toro 2 stage snowblower, I was under the impression that the shear bolts do not shear easily.  It is there for catastropic event to protect the engine.  For the most part, the load from the auger obstruction was supposed to stall the engine, preventing further damage.  I can't remember if that was a salesman or Toro's stance on how it functions.

I'm not sure why Toro takes that approach.   It is plausible even though I'm not comfortable with that idea.  Their auger, impeller and gearbox aren't built any more tougher than an Ariens or Honda.  Perhaps there's more to Toro's design than I can see.

In any case, if the shear bolts breaks and protects from further damage to the machine, that's what really matter.  If there's a high occurance of broken shear bolts with normal use, then I would see that as a problem and design flaw.

I didn't buy a Toro, but got a Honda.  Toro is nice, I like their ergonomics, but they don't have hydrostatic drive or tracks.  Toro's 2 stage are generally high priced compared to Ariens.  The first year of using my Honda, I was breaking shear bolts frequently.  A couple of these times were due to hitting something solid, a few of them were due to overtightening of the shear bolts.  These would cause the bolts to shear prematurely at a lower load.  I'm not sure if Toro has anything stated in the manual on how the bolts should be torqued down, that's where I would start to look at.