Todays Project - What did you do today?

[PixMan]

Off to home as it started snowing again and my snowblower wasn't tossing snow very far. I knew the impeller drive belt was slipping, and thought I knew why. There's a small steel bushing that had popped out, one that puts pressure on the drive clutch bar. I'd found it on the cellar floor near where I store the machine, and knew I'd have to replace it.

Of course the nearby supply store had no parts like that in stock, so I ordered them. I'll cancel the order tomorrow, and here's why:

The bushing is held on by a tiny, very thin C clip. The groove for that c clip is all mashed over, and being a weldment with a 3" long arm on the opposite end there's no way to recut the groove.

Back to my shop. I hatched an idea of making a new bushing that would not require any retaining clip at all! It took me all of 15 minutes to make.




Now here's the original bushing in place, and you can see how there's very little shaft extending beyond the end of the bushing.



My new bushing on a "test fit", I was able to turning it 180º and now the end of my new bushing (303 stainless steel) is flush with the end of the shaft.



I also added a "helper spring" to the clutch mechanism and WOW what a difference! The machine now throws further than ever before, probably better than it ever did when it was a new machine in 2005-2006.