450 Snowblower

[toyman]

I took a close look at the 450 blower I picked up last weekend. I noticed a lot of grease on the main gear box, so I did a little cleaning and disassembly. Here's what I ended up with.







This is the leaky area. I checked out the parts diagram and it only shows a bearing cartridge a washer and the bolt, no seal. I guess I'll be digging in to the gear box. The front gear box is in great shape, and everything turns free and easy.

[toyman]

Got the gearbox disassembled, cleaned up, new bearings and seals installed and am picking up the necessary super secret and expensive lubricants necessary to put it all back together. (plastilube and some other grease for the other gearbox) I'll be straightening out the blades a bit and I think I'll clean up the rust and shoot a coat of paint on her for next year. Pics to follow.

[toyman]

Here's a few pics.

Shell


Blades - need a little straightening


Gearbox halves all cleaned and ready for reassembly


New Bearings and Seals to keep the grease (obviously with a gold addititive) from leaking out.

[Mountain Heritage]

Great progress so far!!

[toyman]

After I recovered from spending $30 on 16 oz of grease for the blower, I dug right in. CC changed the number/type of grease for the main gearbox. It called for 737-0133 which was Plastilube. Very hard to find info on, aside from it being from Australia and not really available in the states . The part number changed to 737-0300A. I don't know if it's Plastilube or not, but it definitely isn't any less expensive at $15 for 8 oz. The shute gearhousing takes Shell Alvania grease which is also around $15 for 8 oz. The initial trouble started since the main gearbox had a zerk, but the grease comes in a squeeze tube. Not a big issue, but I didn't have a grease gun to mate with it, although since I had the gear box split, I squeezed it all in and then put it back together. The shame is I'll have to spend another $15 for another tube plus another $15-20 for the gun that will shute the grease from a squeeze bottle for future top-offs.

OK - so I have the shute gearhousing on the bench ready to disassemble and then install new seals and grease. It looks to be a bit more complicated than the main gearbox, but I'm sure it will all work out.

I spent some time Sunday pressure washing the main housing, cutting edge, skids, and blades. I also broke out the big hammer and I-beam to straighten the blades. They came out good, and now I need to go over everything with a wire wheel and grinder to get rid of the rust, shoot some primer and color. After I broke most of the carriage bolts that hold the cutting edge on, I ordered new hardware in stainless.

Anyone know a source for blower decals? I could mask the ones I have, but they are going to look pretty bad once I get it painted.

A few pics:



Blades straighened

[truckntran]

Any decent vinyl sign shop should be able to replicate your present ones except maybe the warning decals... Those will have to be printed up, Ask the sign shop if they have equipment to print intricate decals.

However I am sure someone will pop in to tell you where they are available already made...Maybe Maple Leaf decals??

[Matt G.]

They should still be available from your CC dealer:

777-5784 (Label, Cut Finger)
777-5785 (Label, Cut Foot)
777-7451A (Label, Warning)

[toyman]

Thanks Matt. Checking it out right now!

[Mountain Heritage]

So where are the pictures of things all primed and ready for next step???

[toygirl]

Slow down there MH! I just finished rebuilding the Shute gearbox this evening. I'll start the grinding and painting soon. This weekend is out. Taking the wife and kids camping and mt biking. A little R&R. By the way, how's that tiller coming?