QA42A Refresh
 

Well, I officially joined the "I hope it's not too Late before winter to go over my snowthrower" bandwagon. I started about a week and a half ago and have been trying to do something everyday to keep it moving.

Here is my thrower.
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I think the po had a gravel driveway due to the wear. I always thought this was a bad patch, but turns out it was deformed and worn that way.
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I wondered why the performance was so bad. Turns out the housing was buldged out almost 3/8" where the paddles are. Add to that the bent and wore down paddles and there were gaps of almost 1/2".
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I cut a 2" strip out of the housing and replaced it with a piece of 1/8" steel. I also built up the ends of the paddles and ground them smooth.
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I gapped each paddle to 1/8"-3/16" at its closest point to the housing, I hope that performance it greatly improved!
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Last weekend I stripped most of the parts with a wire wheel. Today I was able to get some primer on most parts.
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I found Almond appliance epoxy spray paint at Ace. I've used appliance paint in the past and it is very hard so I am going to use it inside the thrower housing, on the rotor, and for the chute. I sprayed the chute today to test the color. Here it is with the inside of the runner that still had original paint on it. It's close enough for this guy. :beerchug:
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More updates as I progress

Bill

Looking good :beerchug:

Gear box in good shape? I have both shafts plus the transfer shaft on the thrower if needed :beerchug:

Thanks Jeff! Gearbox feels good, no slop in the shafts and I don't recall it making any funny noises. I'm going to pull it apart and clean it up and put in new oil/grease, I'll find out then if it needs anything.

The transfer shaft is worn a little on the driveshaft side bearing. The bigger problem there is the aluminum shaft holder is worn. It looks like the driveshaft slip joint was not properly lubricated at some point and put excessive side force on the shaft when raising/lower causing the sprocket to eat into the aluminum. I have over an 1/8" of side to side slop. I was thinking of getting some delrin washers to take up the slack and center the sprocket. Thoughts? If I can find the bearings cheaper than $25 each, I'll probably take you up on a new transfer shaft. Otherwise it will wait till next yr. :beerchug:

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Bill

Bill

I get my bearings from Bearings and Drive Unlimited in Souderton. http://www.bduinc.com/ They are on the Old Rt 309 next to Fastenal ( in between the ford dealer and Rt 113 )

I can make an aluminum washer to take up the space too.

Jeff

Thanks Jeff,

I have been there years ago; I'll have to see if I can get there next week to price things out (list is growing). Mark Hellrung also let me know he has them at a much better price than I saw on McMaster if anyone else needs them.

I'd be worried an aluminum washer would gall up the sprocket or bracket when they came in contact at speed. Plus the chain has worn into both sides so I would need 2 to center it. I could be off, but my thinking was the delrin would be slippery on spinning parts yet keep it centered.

Bill

Nice rebuild Bill, should work as new when your finished:beerchug:

Bearings
 

I have had good results with this place
Joe
http://www.thebigbearingstore.com/index.html

Thanks Todd, I hope so!

Joe, my original plan was to only replace the auger bearings. I actually bought greasable auger bearings from them already. I looked but they didn't have the needle bearings, least I couldn't find them.

I pulled the gearbox apart yesterday and found the input shaft retaining clip had come off at some point and the input shaft slid into the box. This explains why I had to slide the drive pulley out to the end of the shaft to line up with the pto when I bought it. Luckily no damage was caused by using it. The shafts look to be in great shape. The large gear was sloppy on the shaft from a worn key that will be replaced with a longer one to snug everything up. The outer input shaft bearing is toast, the rest all seem to be in good shape. They are labeled japan so I guess someone has been in here before to replace the bearings? I'm on a budget with this so the less I have to spend the better. :beerchug:

Bill

Looking good on your progress.

Good work Bill. Looks like the closer clearances you're making will help a lot

Thanks guys! I got the transfer shaft bracket cleaned up today, man that stuff was caked on there! I think the bearings are shot, but the shaft looks ok visually, no apparent grooves or anything. I'll see how new bearings fit on it before I make the call to Jeff for a new one.

Bill

Looking good Bill! How's the driveshaft?

great progress! You have a chance before the heavy stuff comes.

I think there is a state law that does not allow you to use the word "budget" in any restoration threads:) Looks like your right into it no turning back now due to a little thing like money.
Paint looks like a good match to me. I have restored one but never used one. Mine gets a ride on a cart in the parades at local tractor show a couple times a year. Post on here somewhere? Yours seems to have some of the same issues and looks to be in about the same condition.
Keep up the good work on the thrower resto. And wow that's a lot of wire wheeling! But the results will be very nice.
Regards,
Chris

Thanks guys! Jon the driveshaft is in good shape. The po was good about using a grease gun, just not on the splines. I thought the play it had was a bad u-joint but they are both tight, it's a worn key on the transfer shaft end. For some reason all the keys are only 5/8" long when a 3/4-1" key will fit. I'll be picking up new key stock and putting in the longest keys I can fit in each location. Should tighten everything up.
Chris, I checked, I'm "stay at home dad" exempt. It's basically like diplomatic immunity, I can't be prosecuted. :biggrin2: I've looked at your thread a few times in my searches for info. You did a great job on that restore! I've got about 2 hrs with the wire wheel so far, just the housing left, hopefully will get it done tomorrow. I thought about electrolysis, but since the NLA warning labels are intact, I figured this way I could try to save them.

Bill

Someone who knows more about this may be some help here, but on every gearbox that I've had apart the thin (5/16") inner bearing has always been marked "Japan" that's why I didn't think too much about it when the only inner bearings I could find were also marked Japan.

I think the seals and other bearings that I have are made in the US.

Interesting Mark, I just assumed they would have been US made.

I got the housing cleaned up today, going to paint rust converter on it tomorrow so I can finish paint it later in the week.

Bill

I would have thought so too, but it is entirely possible that the ones I've had apart have also been worked on before too.

Anyone know for sure if the original inner bearings were made in Japan?

Mark, I'd say they were made in Japan. I've got a couple boxes apart out in the shop and I just looked. All bearings in them are from Japan and they had the original seals in them so I'd say they've never been apart. As many examples have been sited as having Japan bearings, I think it's safe to assume they all do.

I got to the bearing store the other day that Jeff mentioned and I went on a spree. I got new gearbox bearings/seals, snap rings, transfer shaft bearings, input pulley for 1/2" belt, keystock, and never seize for $75. I thought it was too good to pass up. I got the bearings and seals in the box installed yesterday. I installed the output shaft and maybe because the seals are the tiniest bit thinner, I have 1/16" of end play in the shaft. I'm wondering if I should shim this out? I know that raising and lowering is going to be moving it in/out a lot unless I shim it. Any thoughts?

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I also found a hole in the tube of the transfer shaft end of the driveshaft. After looking at the manual I see they say there is a lube point there. I figured there was supposed to be a zerk there so I measured the hole with a drill bit, 13/64. I ran a 1/4-20 tap in and whadaya know....it had threads already. Need to add a zerk to the list. :beerchug:

Bill

Rut roh, zerks are 1/4-28 NF

Bearings and Drives Unlimited has pretty good pricing :beerchug:

Doh'

Guess I'll run the 1/4-28 tap through and add some loctite. If that doesn't work, I can always close this hole and drill and tap a new one. I've made worse mistakes.

I was surprised by the prices, saved a bunch and I walked out with it!

Bill

Update, I've made pretty good progress. I got the gearbox bearings and seals in, shimmed out the output shaft end play, packed the box with hi temp ep grease and 80-90 oil. Turns nice and smooth now. I fixed and installed a new zerk on the driveshaft and attached it to the gearbox. I painted everything over the weekend and finished up last night. I'm hoping to assemble the bulk of it this weekend, I'll try to grab pics as I go. Of course in the meantime we are supposed to get hit with snow tomorrow. Anywhere between 1-8" depending on who your watching. I spent an hr this evening digging out the O from the back of the shed, taking the deck off and installing the blade. I haven't run it since the middle of summer, but on the 6th chuff it fired up, I love that thing! Here's a pic of my progress, painted parts all over and a sentinel on guard.

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Bill

nice job on the rebuild. Just yesterday I took off the discharge chute on my qa42 and took all the paint off, and am waiting to get some primer and repaint it. Good tip on the appliance paint I was thinking what kind to use. Thanks. Wire wheels aint bad to use, I've got one about 3in in diameter running on a milwaukee angle grinder, works good.

update:
Turns out I got sick last weekend, didn't make much progress at all. This week I got the auger with new greasable bearings in, spins great!. I got the chute and drive gear on. I was going to put the new jackshaft bearings in, but I noticed they didn't have a grease hole like the originals. I went back to the bearing place and will have the correct ones in a few days. Once I get those I can finish up work on the housing. The QA mount is essentially ready to go,
Here are some pics, its starting to look like a snow thrower again.

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Bill

That look really nice Bill. You're not really going to use that are you? :biggrin2:

Nice work, looks great.

No, it's starting to look like a brand new snow thrower! :beerchug:

Wow, it is essentially BRAND NEW!!!! great job on that....

Thanks guys, but I have to admit it is a 5' paint job, the phone pics help hide the imperfections. :biggrin2:

It should work like new when I'm done, all new bearings, seals, chain and repaired housing. I got lucky a little side work came my way and I could splurge on everything. Now if only it would stop raining so I could get the leaves takin care of and the deck off the tractor. :bash2:

Jeff, I would say of course I'm gonna use it, but we all know that now that I have this rebuilt, it won't snow......you guys are welcome. :biggrin2: :biggrin2:

Bill

Bill
If that shiny snow thrower keeps the snow away, we'll do the "dog and pony show" to mine next year :beerchug:
Jeff

Don't know if it will help but I put the plow on my BX the other day. It's warmed up since and raining now. :beerchug:

Very nice Bill!

Where'd you get the stickers? Maple hunter?

LoL Jeff,deal. :beerchug:

Thanks Sam, take all the help we can! :biggrin2:

Thanks Jon, they are the original decals, not perfect but in good shape. I didn't think the warning labels were available anywhere so I masked them off before painting. I saw links in sugar makers thread for the international stickers for the side. I took measurements of their location before I removed them incase I ever put them back on.

Bill

I bought a rattle can of refrigerator paint and did my chute, what a nice job. Thanks. As for the leaves you have to take care of, I had blown some away from my barn hoping the wind would blow them into the field but it didn't happen. I put the blower on the cub, and gave it a test flight, going around the yard, and came up to where the leaves were piled and wondered how the cub and blower would do with those leaves, well, they're all gone now, cut up, and blown away, multi tasking at it's best.

AB, glad you liked the paint, I'm happy with how it turned out too. Hopefully it will last pretty decent. After two small snow storms and lots of rain, I finally got clear enough weather to cut my grass and clean up leaves on Sunday. I pulled the deck off when I was done, but haven't mounted the blower yet.

I did get the correct transfer shaft bearings in and installed the adjuster with a new chain. Everything spins real smooth and there is no play in the trans shaft with the new bearings, I'm very happy about that. Now that it's done and no snow in the near future, I plan to do some maintenance on the tractor before I put the blower on.

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Bill