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The design of the snow blower is not so complex that the working units often fail. However, there are parts that can wear out quickly. One of them is the friction ring. The part seems to be simple, but the snow blower will not work without it. If you wish, you can make your own friction ring for a snow blower, but it’s easier to buy one.
The purpose of the friction ring and the reasons for its wear
In wheeled snow removal equipment, the clutch ring is an important transmission part. It is responsible for rotating the wheels at the speed specified by the gearbox. Typically the ring is made of aluminum alloy, but stamped steel is also available. The shape of the part resembles a disk with a rubber seal on it.
During natural normal operation, the ring wears out slowly. If the rules for using a snow blower are violated, the part quickly fails.
Let's look at a few of the most common causes of wear:
- While snow removal equipment is operating, gears are switched without stopping it. The first load falls on the rubber seal. The elastic material protects the metal part, but not for long. The rubber seal wears out quickly. Following this, a metal ring is subjected to load.Over time, it breaks down and the snow blower stops.
- A careless attitude towards operating a snow blower contributes to rapid wear of the part. In large snowdrifts, on slopes and other difficult sections of roads, the car often slips. This causes the wheels to create a lot of mechanical pressure on the ring. The part quickly begins to wear out, and deep grooves form on its surface.
- The big enemy of the friction ring is dampness. There is no escape from it, since snow is water. Corrosion destroys a part made of any material. Aluminum crumbles into fine powder, and the metal becomes overgrown with rust. Only the rubber seal is resistant to moisture, but without the metal part it is of no use.
It is clear that in winter moisture from melted snow will definitely get into the unit. However, during the spring and autumn storage of the snow blower, you must try to protect the machine from dampness.
Self-replacement of the clutch ring on a snow blower
It is impossible to restore the clutch ring using various folk tricks. If a part has worn out to a critical maximum, it only needs to be replaced. There is no other way out. You can do this yourself without contacting customer service. The design principle of many snow blowers is the same, so the procedure for performing repair work also has similar actions:
- Repair work begins with the engine turned off and completely cooled. The spark plug is removed from the engine, and the tank is emptied of any remaining fuel.
- All wheels are removed from the snow blower, and along with them, the stopper pins.
- The next part to dismantle is the gearbox.But not all of it is removed, but only the upper part. There is a pin on the spring clip. It also needs to be removed.
- Now you have reached the right place. First you need to remove the support flange, after which access to the clutch mechanism opens. It is similarly dismantled.
- Now all that remains is to remove the remains of the old clutch ring from the mechanism, install a new part and begin reassembly.
All spare parts that were removed when disassembling the snow blower are put back in their place. Now comes testing of the gearbox for performance.
First of all, fill the tank with fuel and start the engine. It should run for a couple of minutes to warm up. Without picking up the snow, the car is rolled around the yard. The positive results of correctly replacing the clutch ring can be judged by the gear shift. If, when performing these actions, there are no creaks, clicks or other suspicious sounds, then the repair work has been completed correctly.
The video talks about replacing the friction ring on a snow blower:
Making your own clutch ring for a snow blower
The clutch ring is not so expensive that it takes a lot of trouble to make it. The part can be purchased at any specialized store or ordered online. However, there are still craftsmen who, for the sake of this little thing, are ready to spend their time and nerves on making it themselves. It should be noted right away that the part needs to be turned perfectly straight, so you will have to work a lot with a file.
First, find a blank for the disk. It would be better if it was aluminum. Soft metal is easier to process. A disk is cut out of the workpiece according to the outer size of the old part.You won't get a perfect circle when using an angle grinder. The uneven edges of the disk will have to be carefully processed with a file.
The most difficult part when making a part is cutting out the inner hole in the disk to make a ring. As a way out of the situation, you can use a drill. Use a thin drill to drill holes in a circle, as close to each other as possible. The remaining bridges between the holes must be cut off with a sharp chisel. As a result, the internal unnecessary part of the disk will fall out, and the ring will remain with many jagged burrs. So you will have to file them for a long time.
If your efforts are successful, all that remains is to put on the seal. To do this, you need to find a rubber ring of the appropriate diameter, and then pull it onto the machined workpiece. For tight fixation, the sealant can be placed on liquid nails.
Installation and testing of a homemade part follows a similar principle as was done with a factory-made ring. The savings from the work done will be small, but the person can be proud of his skillful hands.
