countryboy

There is a few things that I need to know first, is the broken axel a selp propelled axel? If it is, is it the axel that run's all the way across thats broke? If so that one will run about 20 bucks and will take a little work because you will have to take the gearbox apart. If it's one of the outside one's that have the short stub axel that will be pretty easy to fix and the cost is about 15 bucks. You can go to mtd.com and look for parts there, you can also look in the owners manual and see if they have a parts diagram and look up part numbers there with prices. You can find them a little cheaper at online small engine's part's places, I would also call local and see what the prices are. Good luck.

You got pretty lucky you could get the bolt out, if it would have been rusted in they can be a real pain to get out alot of times. I would also suggest getting some anti-sieze to put on the bolts, it will make it much easier to get the bolt out someday if you want to and the exhuast bolts tend to rust in more than most bolts too. You should be able to get the anti-sieze at a hardware or farm store, if not an auto parts store will have it. Good luck

Hi Matt,
I would like to first know how the bolts broke? Is part of the bolt still in the engine?

These bolt's are just ordinary bolts, go to a hardware or farm store and they will be able to help you out, may even just give them to you. I would get grade 5 bolts, grade 2 is a weaker bolt and grade 8 is a harder bolt. HTH

It only need's to be changed once a year, unless your putting more hours on it. There would be no point in changing oil now and then in the fall if you aren't going to use it.

Loudpedal wrote:

The grease zerk's on the auger shaft is there to prevent rust, the main reason is not for easier removal but to keep the auger shaft from rusting to the auger in case you run something through your blower they will turn and break the shear bolts. If any of you have tried to take a rusted bolt or similar thing apart you will understand the welding affect rust has.
Taking the shear bolts out and rotating  the auger while greasing it up a few times is a great idea, I only do this about every 3 or 4 years but I grease it up every year. Once a year is plenty considering the fact that it is just to prevent rust and the grease will not go to far.