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

Well here is my most recent find.  Actually I bought it at an auction back in August.
But didn't get around to restoring it until earlier this month.
It was pretty rough but started on the second pull. So figured it
was worth the 40.00 I paid for it.


   

The upper handle was pretty messed up.  So I replaced it with one that I kept around from and old Toro CCR2000.
It bolted right up and was also a little longer than the stock Honda handle.  Which is nice.





Stripped and repainted the muffler cover.  As well as the lower handles.


 

The blower housing sides needed quite a bit of straighting.  Also welded on a small piece of steel onto the bottom of the left  side
where it had been worn off.  Not adding the piece would have allowed snow and water to get inside what is the belt and pulley
compartment.  That would not be good.  Installed a new set of paddles and a new scraper that I bought on ebay for $53.00

 


Cleaned up everything inside.  Have to say that these blower are really well built.  The steel used for the bucket and the
undercarriage is heavy gauge.  Actually the undercarriage is plate steel.  The bracket between the engine and the bucket
is like something you would find in a automobile.

 

Sandblasted the bucket and sealed some of the joints with auto Spot putty.  Gave it two coats of Rustoleum Red oxide primer.
Then two top coats of Krylon Tough Rust semi gloss.  I did end up giving the center interior section of the housing another
coat of black Rustoleum Hammer finish.  That gave it a smoother, slicker finish and that paint if extremely durable.
That is also what I painted the auger with.

 



 

Didn't do much else other than check the carb bowl for dirt or signs of water. 
Replaced the plug, oil was good and clean.  Belt was good.  So it's ready to go.

In case some of you noticed there is a modification that I made.  I designed a chute rotator system for it.
Which I will show in another thread.

Sounds like either the tension pulley is getting at the belt.
Which could be because the pulley is out of alignment.
Or it could be the the belt is not routed correctly.
Usually there is a diagram on the inside of the belt cover on most
SS machines that show the correct way to route the belt.
On Toro's there is a post with a nylon sleeve on it.
If the belt doesn't get placed on the correct side of that post
it will eat belts.

The Honda's don't have that post. But they have a "Belt Keeper"
just in front of the crankshaft pulley. 
The Keeper has a "notch" in the top of it.  So it looks as if the belt should run over the top in that notch.
But in fact, it's supposed to run underneath the keeper as shown in the photo below.
  If it's run over the top your going to get binding, reduced power to
the auger and it's going to eat up your belt.
Just a thought.

I have had it out a couple of times.  Snow came early this year.
My thoughts.
It's got a Honda engine.  For anyone who's ever owned one that's almost all that needs to be said.
Super dependable, one pull under all conditions and regular gas. (no smell)

Lower DB level.  It's just purrs, instead of screaming.  That's kind of nice.

I've had it in snow over the top of the housing. Powered right thru. (fresh snow)
10" of EOD no problem (dense,wet on the bottom)

The powered chute works well. Haven't had any problems.
(did have a pin fall out that I forgot to drive in all the way)
Also the first and second time I used it.  I forgot and tried to spin the chute
with the handle.  It didn't like that.

It's throwing distance is at least as good as the Toro 5hp models.
It's a tighter stream that a Toro.
Also haven't had any problem with chute clogging with the wet stuff.

I didn't put OEM paddles on it.  As you said they are to expensive.
We will see how they wear.  But even if they don't last as long as OEMs.
I would still buy aftermarkets for the next set.
Think I paid $45.00 for the set and scraper on ebay.