268 Snowblower: Fixer up!
 

I looked back through my started threads..... can't see where I ever had a thread on this. Back in August, I made a trip to see my brother (sirlancelot). While I was out there I met up with Tim (Olds) and picked up a couple 268 snowblowers. (Thanks again Tim!) One for Lance, and one for me. Brought mine back home and put it in the shed. Well.... I'm like any other guy and didn't bother to get it out to work on it until after the snow is melting, but I guess better late than never, right? I had some plans that got canceled for today, so I thought why not work on it. Drug it out and down to the shop and dug in. Need some parts for it, and of course they are NLA. I've got my "feelers" out, but if nothing turns up, I'm sure I can fab an alternative.

Basically, all I did today was put the handles back on, hook up all the controls, and lubricate the trans parts. Took the blower housing off, and pulled the impeller and augers out so I can repair where it's cracked, and fix the impeller. Don't know what the last guy who ran it fed into it, but looks like chunks of ice. (No, it wasn't Tim, lol.) I'll fix the impeller and have it balanced. I balanced the impeller on my 450 blower after the same repair, and I couldn't believe how much smoother it ran. Worth it. Have to fix that cutting edge too! You think the wear edge is bad, you should see the back side. Going to take some time to fix it.

No, I haven't even looked at the engine. At the moment, it does not run, but I don't think there is anything major wrong with it. Even if there is, I'll find another engine for it. Figured I'd repair the chassis first. Engine is NBD.

Here's the pix, just so you can see what I'm seeing.

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Looks well cared for, just used a lot and had a piece or two of something pretty solid ingested in it along the way? How are you going to balance it? Driveshaft shop?:bigthink:

Nice!:beerchug:

It does appear to be well cared for. Although, I don't "care" for some of the care it got, lol. I'll try and get some pics of some of the repairs. Guy did a decent job, but could have done better I think. Letting that scrape edge wear out the housing like it did is one neglect.

On the impeller, all 4 blades look like that. Yes, I have a friend with a trans shop who builds drive lines. He has a balancer. He can do combine choppers too John! Actually, he was one of the first guys to balance a chopper!


Thank ya!

What are you doing working on a walk behind snow blower, isn't that what Cubs with cabs are for? :biggrin2: I look forward to seeing the end result :beerchug:

Lol. Yes, but I'm getting older and lazier. Cab and blower are in the shed, and I don't want to dig them out to put them on. If I can get one more tractor up and going that I have, then the blower and cab are getting mounted to stay on the 1811.

Nah, really, I wanted an IH walk behind. I don't know how much use it will get, but just like everything I have, it will get used. I'll probably use it for the "hard to reach" areas, or just out here at my house just so I can say I used it.


As a note, I now have a 268 blower and a 526 tiller. I just need to find a push mower, and I think I'll have one of each of the walk behind equipment. I've lost count how many implements I have now. Tiller is still at Lance's. I have to get it home. He found it for me. I have such an awesome bro! I have two tractors I picked up for him here, so I guess it's fair, lol. :beerchug:

Years ago I was researching choppers and found some shop in the Midwest area that was doing it. Called and talked to the guy, nice fellow. Claimed to be one of the first to do such. Never sent mine, just lived with it no more than I was using it--it wasn't horrible but it could have used some help. The only shop I knew of here that built drivelines couldn't balance my chopper.

So what HP engine is on that machine? I'll guess 8 at the most. I assume you'll tune it up and get it running. Just wondering how hard those older air cooled ROPE START machines are to crank in freezing weather. I actually had a NOS Briggs 110V starter kit. Don't ask how it wound up this far south. Had everybody here scratching their head WHY such a thing existed. Took a Yankee to educate us on that one!

Yeah, Brian claims to be one of, if not the first to balance a chopper. He's in Terre Haute, Indiana. All-Tran Transmission.

Anywho, yes, 8hp motor. Yeah, when I get done with the chassis stuff, I'll dive into the engine. At the moment, either need to clean out, or find another fuel tank. This one is full of rust. May have a hole in it.... I dunno. Didn't really look. It will get all tuned up and running good. :biggrin2:

I'm sure that ol' 8hp isn't going to be pleasant to start. They did offer an electric start on them. I figure it won't be any harder than any other rope start motor is. All the load disengages, so it's not like you have to roll anything along with starting is, except a jackshaft. :beerchug:

I have a bit of interest in a walk behind blower....
-doesn't take up a lot of space in the garage.
-Wouldn't need to put a thrower on the 147 (has a blade now)
-Wouldn't need to run the 147 at WOT.
-Wouldn't need to buy another cub because once the blade is on the 147 it ain't coming off.
-It would help when the snow gets deep and it doesn't want to be pushed anymore.

BUT

The winters aren't bad enough yet in the 6 years I've lived in this house to necessitate a thrower/blower. So...I'll probably never buy one. :biggrin2:

Daniel, there is nothing wrong with owning something you don't need very often. I have a generator too.... I hope I don't have to use it, but sometimes I do, and it's nice to have! :beerchug: