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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 wear out quickly. One of them is the friction ring. The detail seems to be simple, but without it the snow blower will not go. If you wish, you can make a friction ring for a snow blower with your own hands, but it's easier to buy one.
The purpose of the friction ring and the reasons for its wear
In wheeled snow plowing technology, the clutch ring is an important part of the transmission. It is responsible for the rotation of the wheels at the speed set by the gearbox. Usually the ring is made of aluminum alloy, but steel stamping is found. The shape of the part resembles a disc with a fitted rubber seal.
During natural normal operation, the ring will wear out slowly. In case of violation of the rules for using a snow blower, the part quickly fails.
Let's take a look at some of the most common causes of wear:
- When working with snow removal equipment, gears are switched without stopping it. The first load is applied to the rubber seal. The elastic material protects the metal part, but not for long. The rubber seal wears out quickly. Following it, a metal ring is subjected to stress. Over time, it collapses and the snow blower stops.
- Careless handling of the snow blower contributes to the rapid wear of the part. In large snowdrifts, on the rise and other difficult sections of the road, the car often slips. This wheel creates a lot of mechanical pressure on the ring. The part quickly begins to wear out, and deep grooves form on its surface.
- Dampness is a big enemy of the friction ring. There is no escape from it, since snow is water. Corrosion destroys a part made of any material. Aluminum is crumbled with fine powder, and the metal is overgrown with rust. Only the rubber seal does not lend itself to moisture, but without a metal part, it is useless.
It is clear that in winter, moisture from melted snow will surely get into the knot. However, during the spring and autumn storage of the snow blower, you should try to protect the machine from dampness.
Self-replacement of the clutch ring on the snow blower
It is impossible to restore the clutch ring with the help of 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 the service department. The principle of the device of many snow blowers is the same, therefore, the procedure for performing repair work also has similar actions:
- Repair work begins with the engine off and completely cooled down. The spark plug is unscrewed from the engine, and the tank is emptied from the remaining fuel.
- All wheels are removed from the snow blower, and with them the stopper pins.
- The next part to be removed 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 you gain access to the clutch mechanism. It is dismantled in the same way.
- Now it remains to remove the remnants of the old clutch ring from the mechanism, install a new part and proceed to reassembly.
All spare parts that were removed during disassembly of the snow blower are put in their place. Now comes the gearbox test for operability.
The first step is to fill the tank with fuel and start the engine. It should run for a couple of minutes to warm up. Without capturing the snow, they roll the car around the yard. The positive results of the correct replacement of the clutch ring can be judged by the gear shift. If there are no squeaks, clicks and other suspicious sounds when performing these actions, then the repair work was performed correctly.
The video tells about replacing the friction ring on the snow blower:
Self-production of a friction ring for a snow blower
The clutch ring is not so expensive as to suffer from its manufacture. The part can be bought at any specialty store or ordered online. However, the craftsmen who, for the sake of this little thing, are ready to spend their time and nerves on making it independently, have not yet died out. It should be noted right away that the part needs to be cut perfectly flat, so you will have to work a lot with a file.
First, a blank for the disc is found. Better if it is aluminum. Soft metal is easier to work with. A disk is cut out of the workpiece according to the outer size of the old part. A perfect circle when using a grinder will not work. The uneven edges of the disc will need to be filed carefully.
The most difficult part in making a part is cutting an inner hole in the disc to make a ring. As a way out of the situation, you can use a drill. With a thin drill, holes are drilled 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 inner unnecessary part of the disc will fall out, and the ring will remain with many serrated barbs. So they will have to be filed for a long time.
If your efforts are successful, it remains to put on a seal. To do this, you need to find a rubber ring of the appropriate diameter, and then pull it over the machined workpiece. For a tight hold, the seal can be planted on liquid nails.
Installation and testing of a home-made part is carried out in a similar way, as was done with a factory-made ring. The savings from the work performed will turn out to be small, but a person can be proud of his skillful hands.
