I'm familiar with the sounds you described. I empathize with your
situation.
There are a few models of front-mount snowthrowers for the ETs. I
have a collection of parts which are supposed to be complete units,
and have learned over the years to keep the collections separate as
they are not identical. I gave a mostly complete one away summer of
2024 to a recent convert to the ETs who I met via an EV ambassador gig
in 2023.
There is a 36" width model, but most I have seen are 40"-42" front
opening. Not much difference in weight. Anyway, it's possible my
experience won't directly translate to your unit.
So far, in the units which I have done drive chain work, they are all
#40 industrial roller chain. Here, I have Princess Auto for
replacement stuff, and higher quality can be found at industrial
bearing shops. In the U.S. I expect hardware stores will have it
(e.g.
https://www.acehardware.com/departments/lawn-and-garden/farm-and-ranch-supplies/farm-equipment-parts/70365).
If your chain broke, replace the whole chain. It's about 50 years
old, right?
If you haven't worked with roller chain, you will need a tool or two
to make that a survivable experience, like a chain breaker, a quality
adjustable pliers for setting the horseshoe securing clip on the
coupler link, and a really fine set of needle nose pliers to deal with
the micro-cotter pin that comes with the half-links.
In my experience, you can replace the chain without tearing down the
whole thing. However, it does try my patience, and I won't do it
again outdoors in a snow storm.
Assuming a warm, dry work space, it's still fiddly work, where you
will have to rotate the auger by hand to take the chain in and over
the top of the auger sprocket to meet the chain end looped over the
motor sprocket. There is a gap where you can work on the chain, but
it is very physically constrained.
You will want some wooden shim wedges to jam the auger in place,
because it's really frustrating to have the auger roll and shed the
almost-connected chain when you are at the side of the beast trying to
put in the coupler link.
I found there isn't enough room to join the chain on the auger
sprocket, as enticing as that looks.
You will want multiple coupler links and a couple of half-links unless
you are much more finger-nimble than me, as the first couple of
tentative approaches will likely fall out of fingers or pliers or
however you are extending your reach. I have found the final securing
clip on the coupler link particularly frustrating.
I also found it handy to have a couple of sacrificial heavy wire coat
hangers to fashion into custom length pickups. If you get them bent
just right, they can slip into the hold in a roller link to help fish
the wayward end back into reach.
Put the extra effort into taking as much slack out of the chain as you
can for the final connection. It will stretch with use, and the chain
noise increases as a result. This is where the half-link may be
especially useful.
I found that loosening the motor mounts to make the final chain
connections, and then levering the motor with a pry bar while
tightening those bolts again helped with tensioning the newly
installed chain.
I hope this helps.
If there is solace to be had here, it's that once you have the chain
properly in place and running correctly, it's probably good for
another 50 years.
My next chore is figuring out why the lift motor went intermittent and
stopped working. The snowthrower is much less useful if locked at one
altitude. Not fuse or fuse holder - my usual suspects. After the
current deep-freeze, I'll get to the DPDT control switch - the toggle
seems physically wobbly.
In the meantime, I have a corded Toro 1800, and it is pretty capable
so long as I keep up with the accumulation. The ET will still earn
its keep widening the street all winter after the municipal plows lose
2 to 4 feet of road width with each snowfall. The ET is overkill for
the driveways I clear, but it shines at clearing the plow-droppings
roadblocks at the bottom of neighbours' driveways.
Darryl
On 2026-01-25 12:59 p.m., Chris Zach via Elec-trak wrote:
So we have a foot plus of super wet super heavy snow. Had the blower
hooked up, it started to do a great job then snap and the motor was
spinning.
Broken chain. Great.
Question 1: Anywhere I can get a new chain or can chains be fixed?
Fortunately I had the dozer blade on the driveway, so I got that
mounted up and....
Boy the dozer blade is mediocre at best for moving snow. Can't do it
uphill, and it doesn't scrape down to the pavement like the blower.
Wondering if I should just hook the dead blower back up and use it as
a scraper.
Any thoughts on how best to move snow with the dozer blade? I've got
the bottom of the driveway down to a thin later of snow. E20, 36 volt
lift, lift is double looped, lift gets a *LOT* of use.
Always the worst time to have things happen.
Chris
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