RJ, it is the roll rin on the rearward side that keeps the shim pack in place that is the issue. I have tried various drift pins, nails, etc in there over the years, but it seems like anything long enough isn't strong enough, at least not for long.
Once the two gears are well mated, all goes well, so I don't think wear is the issue. Visual inspection leads me to the same conclusion.
I'll try to get to my excellent local fasteners store tomorrow (with the remains of the existing pin) to see what they can come up with. Perhaps they'll have some shims for the shaft as well.
Regarding the implement clevis/hitch pins, I found some with a wire arch clip at a surplus outlet a couple of years ago. (When clipped in place, they look like a capital letter D.) These have worked really well holding things in place, are a bit easier to hook up than the typical clevis pin, and have the bonus feature (in my experience) of not going missing when the implement is off the tractor and get moved around.
Darryl RJ Kanary wrote:
Is this the roll pin in the sector gear? If so, the pin is not the issue. The root cause is wear at the keyway in the sector gear and wear of the keyway and key in the sector shaft.A temporary remedy would be new parts but after a few years of hard work you'll be right back where you started from.A larger hole through the sector and shaft is also a stop gap measure. Use of a bolt here will reveal how soft the sector shaft is, again resulting in failure.The longest lasting measure that I have seen is to have a talented weldor secure the cast sector gear to the sector shaft. So far, three years of my less than observant son's operation of my E-20 CA has yet to tear it loose.If it is the roll pin on the rearward side of the sector shaft, a hitch pin for Tractor Supply has proven to be a lasting substitute.{Looks like a big hairpin, similar to those used to secure the attachments on the frame pivot pins. } Grind the very end of it down to a taper to facilitate insertion. Additionally, it makes shim pack adjustments a snap. :)RJ Darryl McMahon wrote:Yeah, baby! That was sweet! After clearing away other more pressing projects and engagements, I finally got a new drive belt on the tractor and tensioned, and the snowblower operational and attached. Then I went after the drifts in the driveway and the snowbanks built up by previous storms. The snowblower chewed through it all like I remember. Very nice! So much better than the plow for this job.Unfortunately, the heavier front attachment did in the steering (again).It had the good grace to wait until I was parking the 'Trak before it popped. I have not been underneath yet, but assume the roll pin has broken (again). No sign of shims/washers on the drive, so they may still be hanging there.I have not yet found an adequate roll pin / drift pin for the job. Most are simply too short, and most have bent or broken after relatively short periods.Does anyone have a specification for that roll pin I can take to a good HW shop and fix it right this time?Thanks in advance, Darryl
-- Darryl McMahon The Emperor's New Hydrogen Economy (in trade paperback and eBook) http://www.econogics.com/TENHE/ Journey to Forever reviews The Emperor's New Hydrogen Economy http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html#tenhe