That dang snowblower is a maintenance hog!

I've mentioned before that I'm the keeper for the neighbor's snowblower and he lets me use it since I can keep his driveway cleared for his semi-weekly weekend visits. And since I use it, I maintain it. Earlier this winter I replaced the belts and the drive pulley and since then the machine has worked just dandy, even though it hasn't gotten much use for several weeks.

Well this week it snowed and I needed to use it. And it drove just fine but after 5 or 10 minutes the blower quit. Just quit. And I had to park the machine and finish clearing the drive the hard, slow way with a shovel.

Today was another dandy snowstorm and the first chance I had to get the snowblower into the shop to see what was halting the blowing of snow. I had an idea that it was cable related because the cable had gone slack and I couldn't hear the belt engaging when I operated the lever. It took a bit of digging and disassembling but I discovered the cable securing bracket for the blower clutch was broken off the frame.

Crap! There's a bunch of parts to be removed but only 6 bolts that hold the blower portion onto the engine and drive frame. I got everything removed and then bothered the neighbor to help me carry the blower portion out to the truck.

I took it to a young friend that is a very competant welder and he fixed the bracket back onto the blower in no time flat. And then with the neighbor's help again to return the blower out to the shop, I put it all back together.

And it works just fine. I cleared the drive and part of the street and the neighbor's drive too. But it was a dammed hard bit of repair today to get it fixed and I was whupped when it was time to come in for dinner and a rest!