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Model 50 Snow Thrower ... Southwest Wisconsin

7K views 69 replies 10 participants last post by  jd_joe 
#1 · (Edited)
Bought this model 50 snow thrower in Minnesota a couple weeks ago.
  • Serial number G050H400561M
  • H in s/n makes it a 1979 manufacture date
  • Unit is in rough shape. Unsure if it will be restored or scrapped. I don't like scrap these early machines but they are expensive to restore and difficult to recoup restoration costs.
  • Sheet metal parts are rusty and damaged. Some of the parts will be reworked for restoration. Some will be replaced with parts from a another parts model 50 I have.
  • Auger is locked ... have not investigated cause.
  • Don't know condition of gear box.
  • Skid shoes are wore but can weld wear material to the shoes to reuse.
  • Cutting edge appears to be in good condition.
  • Mount is oily and needs cleanup but appears to be in good condition.
  • Chute has a plate added to inside ... ??
  • Hydraulic rotator cover is pretty rusty. Unsure of condition of parts under the cover.
Photos show condition.
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#2 ·
Removed the hydraulic chute rotator. This will be restored. If not used on this model 50 it will be added to a model 49 I will be restoring for a 140 H3 tractor. The assembly is in rough shape like the rest of the snow thrower.
  • Cover has significant rust and both flanges that contain the mounting holes are cracked in the 90° bends. They will need weld repair before prepping for paint.
  • Both cables were broke and will need replacement.
  • Don't know how the cable sheaves got bent up. The two outside sheaves I feel I can straighten and reuse. The middle sheave is completely flattened. $27.84 each replacement cost. I found a sheave from an earlier restoration I can use to replace the one that is damaged.
  • Middle sheave is soaking in PB Blaster so I can remove pin.
  • Mounting bracket is heavily pitted fut is solid and can be reused. It is hidden under the cover.
  • AM31362 hydraulic cylinder is used to rotate the chute. Quite a few rust spots on the cylinder rod. I steel wooled the rod before I collapsed the stroke to drain the oil. Unsure of condition of cylinder.
This assembly will be restored and then the cylinder will be evaluated to determine if it needs service.
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#3 · (Edited)
Took the chain cover off the snow thrower. Chain and sprockets are in good condition. There was a stick wedged between auger and shell. Removed the twig.

Bad news. Auger rocks back and forth. So does the driveshaft between gear box and drive sprocket. But the knuckle attached to the gearbox does not move. Stuck a long screwdriver in the knuckle. Doesn't move. Afraid the gearbox is locked up..

Still does not mean I will not restore the snow thrower. I have a gear box on the parts model 50.

Next thing, I think I will remove the mounting bracket. Gearbox is attached to this mount. Then I can go into the gearbox.
 
#5 ·
Bad news. Auger rocks back and forth. So does the driveshaft between gear box and drive sprocket. But the knuckle attached to the gearbox does not move. Stuck a long screwdriver in the knuckle. Doesn't move. Afraid the gearbox is locked up..
Yeah it sounds like it Gabby. Could be the gearbox bearings seized up? Haven't done a blower gearbox but I've rebuilt a couple deck gearboxes. One had bearings that were so bad the cages were coming apart and the shaft would barely turn. The oil was all gone from a leaky seal on the pulley shaft. The gears were still good though so I caught it in time. If I remember correctly it cost about a hundred bucks for all new bearings and seals.

I bet that auger doesn't have the original shear pin. I run a regular 3/16 coarse thread bolt/nut on mine. It shears off easily but it's very easy to replace and cheap insurance against busting anything else.
 
#4 ·
Here are a couple more photos.
  • chain and sprockets are oiled and look pretty good compared to the rest of the snow thrower
  • Right side of the auger hit something hard. Could be what took out the gearbox.
  • Twig that was wedged between auger and shell.
  • removed the shield in front of the impeller. Not worth saving. Bent and broken.
  • Locking coupler on right side bearing looks like it will be a bear to remove. Left side ?
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#6 ·
Auger should have original p/n shear pin. There are 4-5 shear pins in storage holes on the mounting frame. I don't remember seeing pin on the auger.

The mounting frame is very oily so could be input shaft seal leaked causing gearbox failure. Only way I will find out is to tear it apart.

I rebuilt one model 49 gearbox that was used on a gravel drive and wedged a stone. Took some teeth out of one of the gears. Different gearbox from model 50 though.
 
#7 ·
Yesterday I took the Sawzall to the pin on the slide assembly on the chute rotator. All tore apart.
  • Center cable sheave is probably scrap. I was able to press the pin and bushing out. Pin is definitely scrap. (first 2 photos)
  • Third photo shows all the hydraulic rotator parts except 2 hoses and the cables
  • 4th & 5th photos are all the slide assembly parts ... 5th adds AM31362 cylinder. Sheaves have been straightened and are ready for clean up/paint. Bracket also ready for cleanup/paint. The cylinder has rust on the rod. Used steel wool to clean up the rod. Did this to reduce risk of damaging seal. It will also be cleaned up and painted. May need repaint if cylinder is damaged and needs service, For know just cleaning everything to get it ready to install on my model 49.
  • Last photo is the mounting plate and cover. The mounting plate is highly pitted, cover has mucho rust and needs some weld repair. Will use rust reformer on both of these. Never sanded the rust reformer before but will do it on the cover to see if it will improve appearance.
Hopefully today some of the parts will get cleaned up and rust reformer added. I believe 2 days cure time.
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#8 ·
Todd has sandblaster in his shop. He is going to sand blast mounting plate and cover and do some weld repair. When I get the parts back they will be ready for paint. He has done a lot of work for me this week. Need to figure out a way to pay him. He won't accept money. I have an old Miller AC stick welder that does not work properly. He thinks he can fix it. Will probably give it to him. He will allow me to use it if needed. He does not have a stick welder and admits there are situations where stick welders work better than wire feed.
 
#10 ·
Yes it has. From the amount of rust I think it saw a lot of use in salt conditions and not cleaned after use. Shell is not rusted thru but most of the exterior parts have significant rust. No snow over night so maybe today I can get the gearbox off and see why it is locked.
 
#12 ·
The general idea to “clean” a snowblower or plow is to use it to clear the end of the driveway first, then clear the rest of the snow that doesn’t have any salt in it.
 
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#13 ·
The driveway at pick up location was in a wooded area around a lake. The driveway had an incline to get down into the house/garage area and when I was there it was completely ice covered. It did not appear like owner used salt to clear the ice. His wife drove a Toyota car and drove out with ease. I looked in 4wd going and coming out. She did take a run at it where I creeped in and out. Owner had a compact tractor he was using for snow removal. I know it it did not have snow blower but don't remember if blade or just the loader. He still had Deere 400 for sale this snow thrower was used on.

I suspect I will not restore this snow thrower due to its condition but I do have what I believe is a model 46 parts unit. Same attachment with different mounts for 655/755 tractors. It is not as rusty and better condition. Unsure if I can combine the two to make one. Ironically some parts from model 49 will work on this snow thrower and vice versa.
 
#18 ·
Back on topic, was going to go pick up cover and base plate today but had a visit from former co-worker. Tomorrow I will pick up the parts and at least spray them with primer, the cover will probably get powder coated. Base plate is hidden under cover so paint is good enough,
 
#20 ·
You are correct. However the cover is sandblasted and will quickly rust if not protected. Primer should blow off easily if I do end up powder coating the part. Or zip striip will clean the paint off fast.
 
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#21 ·
Yeah I'll say. If it's humid at all after something is blasted you can stand there and watch it rust. If somebody isn't powder coating something after it was blasted it will need extra thick paint, vs something you just prep sanded. A paint gun is a must, to me anyway. A spray bomb won't lay enough volume down and rust will start fairly quickly. The type of paint matters too. Dad was out of enamel for his gun one time after he blasted a flywheel for an old stationary engine so he grabbed a rattle can of flat black barbecue paint to put on it temporarily. He said it was just as rusty the next morning as it would have been without any paint at all. He told me the rust looked a bit different though. Had a fuzzy hazy look to it like frost would. So that's how good barby paint is for protecting something.


will quickly rust if not protected.
 
#22 ·
I use Deere spray paint and primer. It will get a coat of Deere primer.
 
#23 · (Edited)
Brought the cover and base plate home today. Decided to paint both. In process. I have 2nd Covid-19 vaccination tomorrow early afternoon. Kind of ruins a work day. Hope to have those two parts painted tomorrow morning so I can get photos tomorrow night.

Need to do some filing work on the sliding bracket that holds the sheaves. I scoffed it up a little with the sawzall when I had to cut out the center sheave. That bracket and sheaves are the next parts I want to get cleaned up and painted.
 
#24 · (Edited)
I finished painting the cover and have one side of the base plate to finish yet. Will finish paint the base plate tomorrow. Also want to get the sheaves and mounting bracket for the sheaves cleaned tomorrow and sprayed with rust reformer. I forget the cure for rust reformer. Hope to have all pieces painted and assembly back together next week.

Pitting on the cover is visible with one primer coat and 2 coats of Deere yellow. Going to have to live with it.
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#25 ·
Second dose of Covid 19 vaccination knocked me down for a couple days. Up and moving again. Heading to rural property for a project today. Hope to finish painting this base plate tonight.
 
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#26 ·
Air quality alert? Plus 2-4" new snow predicted for this afternoon. Guess I will go hide in the garage and get more of this project done.
 
#28 ·
Finished painting the mounting plate today.

Then cleaned up and primed sheave mounting bracket. Before supper I got first coat of yellow on the inside of the bracket. Heading back out to the garage to get 2nd coat of yellow on the inside surfaces. Will try to get 2 coats on the outside surfaces yet tonight.

I got all three of the sheaves wire brushed and sprayed with rust reformer. Painting those will have to wait till tomorrow.

Only thing left after all above is complete is to paint the cylinder that actuates the chute rotation.

I will be clearing snow tomorrow. Hope to get snow cleared and rest of these parts painted.
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#29 ·
Looking at the base plate where the sheave bracket mounts, the upper leading corner it bent slightly up ward.. I should be able to put the plate in the press and bend the corner down without massacring the paint job.
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#30 ·
Sheave mounting bracket is painted and needs cure time. Sheaves are primed and need two coats of yellow paint. Cylinder gets a coat or two of semi gloss black. Hope to get this all done tomorrow and bolted together Tuesday.
 
#31 ·
Reassembling the chute rotate assembly. Still need to paint the center sheave and the cylinder before I can complete this part of the project.
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Remainder of the snow thrower is still in back of truck. With warmer temperatures this morning I was able to open up the back of the truck and do some more teardown. I removed the short chute, right side skid shoe, and covers over the gearbox. I want to get the mount off the snow thrower to clean it up and see if it can be used to mount the BrandX two stage snow blower I have on a Deere 400. Issue there would be to find a drive shaft to connect snow thrower to tractor.
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Here are the two driveshafts still attached to gearbox on model 50 I am currently tearing down. Knuckles on the input drive shaft are loose. I think it is still useable but will check to see if knuckles are still available. If not from Deere I will take it to a driveshaft repair shop to see if it can be rebuilt.

Surprise. This morning when do more teardown, the gearbox is not locked up. All I can think when I checked it earlier is either the damage covers caused something to bind or held the driveshaft in an angled positioned preventing it from turning. All appears to be good with the gearbox. This complicates making the final decision to scrap out or rebuild the snow blower.
 
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#33 ·
Hello Grandpajay. I got this model 50 from up in your neck of the woods, Afton. PO had a 400 to sell with it. Because of the condition of this snow thrower I am not sure if he every used it. Do you know the length of the driveshaft for the 400?
 
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