For a short term fix, Id just use a bolt & lock nut.

If youre confident you can avoid anything that would normally cause a shear, go full diameter and then be careful. If you eat your neighbours cord again, youll break something expensive.

If you think its likely youll need the protection, use a small diameter bolt thatll shear easily. The downside of this is youll elongate the hole if you run this way too long.

Thanks guys, I'm going to buy the correct ones tomorrow. Tonight, its cheap soft offshore machine screws with a DIY groove cut all the way round with a zip wheel. Lined up at where the drive axle shaft and auger pipe would meet. Secured with a Nyloc nut. Hopfully should fail at the groove in the event of a stall.

Now here's the thing, I'd bought this machine years ago from my wifes uncle for a song, and after running it today, and loosing one side/one pin of the auger for a cord tangle, I noticed that the other side had a really bent auger blade. I mean mashed right over. I probably caught a little block of wood today in the backyard. I remember the loud clang and seeing a small piece of 2x4 spit out front.

I straightened it best I could, then removed the "pin". Wouldn't you know, It was just a bolt, not a shear pin. I'm sure it would have sheared with the auger being bent as bad as it was. I find this strange as her uncle was a super meticulous guy. The holes on the auger are mashed way open on one side of each shaft as well.

 

So yes, it's a must to run the right shear pins. Saves a lot of grief. Keep a pack of spares.

 

 

 

cdnpont wrote:

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So yes, it's a must to run the right shear pins. Saves a lot of grief. Keep a pack of spares. 

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 True, true, and true.

cdnpont wrote:

 

I straightened it best I could, then removed the "pin". Wouldn't you know, It was just a bolt, not a shear pin. I'm sure it would have sheared with the auger being bent as bad as it was. I find this strange as her uncle was a super meticulous guy. The holes on the auger are mashed way open on one side of each shaft as well. 

 

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 My first snowblower, an old Sears Craftsman single stage had grade two 1/4 bolts for shear pins. It even had a part number in the manual along with the description. This may be why your blower had a bolt for a shear pin. Your wifes uncle may also have owned a blower with bolts for shear pins in the past. 

Paul

cdnpont wrote:

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The plough came by last evening leaving a mountain of hard snow both sides. The street brigade came out in force, funny, all showing up at the same time Canadian style. 3 blowers, 5 people with shovels. It was nice seeing people work together, the blowers doing everyone's little mountain, the shovel brigade cleaning up. Been too long in seeing this, it was just great! 

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 Good stuff!

The widow next door (not Henry The Eighth's) had a drift up to the front door knob of her house. Heavy snow. We (mostly me) got it done. Made my morning!

a friend who own a small engine shop that is retired, recommended a grade 2 bolt for replacement.