I have a new Yard Man MTD two stage snow thrower with the typical six forward and two reverse transmission. It has the friction wheel type power train.
Can the transmission be shifted from one forward speed to another on the fly (like an automobile) or should the device be motionless before selecting a different speed? The owner's manual is silent on this subject.
If I interpret your description correctly, the transmission should only be shifted when running, except for shifting speed range, assuming it is a gear change or belt shift. Call customer service at MTD to be sure.
Joe
On the fly shifting will cause faster wear on the internal drive wheel, but due to slippage, nothing real "bad" wll happen except it might change directions faster than you're ready for. Same for shifting speeds, I'd imagine. OTOH, I've never seen an overly worn drive wheel that wasn't aged nearly beyond use anyway so how much the extra wear is turns into anybody's guess, I guess. On mine, I can't shift at all unless I squeeze the clutch anyway so on the fly shifting isn't possible in the first place. Some people don't like it, but I think the rubber drive wheel is great; it allows for smooth starts at all times; no jerky starts.
HTH,
Twayne`
=3D=3D I always have pulled the clutch before shifting...saves the spinning wheel from slipping on the disc and possibly polishing it so that it doesn't retain its grip. Definitely so when shifting into reverse. I often wondered why the manufacturers came up with that rotating wheel on disc arrangement although it does work. =3D=3D
Uh, what clutch? I also have one of those generic MTD 2-stage units, and nothing resembling a clutch on it. I just let off the throttle lever and shift- having only two hands, I can't work all 3 levers at once. Left hand auger drive, right hand wheel power, and shift lever on the 'dashboard' thingie in the middle.
That reminds me- I probably oughta try and fire the thing up tomorrow. Never got around to moving it to the shed last spring, so hopefully a summer in the garage kept the rodents from using it as a nut storehouse again. And since the garage never gets over 100 degrees or so, unlike the metal shed, hopefully the volatiles in the gas didn't all cook off and turn it to sludge. (can't believe the thing doesn't even have a fuel tank shutoff, much less a drain for the tank.)
=3D=3D Well MY 2 stage snowblower has an engagement clutch. =3D=3D
That right hand wheel power lever sounds like what many would choose to call a clutch.
You're right (kind of) some have the belt tightening idler off (near) the drive shaft...and all simplified drives have the drive plate that moves in or out from the friction disk.
Yep and it actually _is_ a clutch. It lifts teh drive puck off the friction wheel thus disengaging the drive shaft from the wheels. That is a definition of a clutch.
Harry K
Duh! Slaps forehead. Now I get it. In my non-gearhead mind, squeeze harder and it goes faster = throttle. But there is also an engine speed control down low on the machine, so the right lever is indeed a normally-open clutch. I'm used to the normally-closed kind, so it didn't sink in. Thank you for being gentle.
It was used back in the early 1900s on the "orient buckboard" -AKA "Waltham" cyclecar.
Every one I've seen has an "engage" lever for both the auger and the wheel drive. Release the wheel-drive "engage" and use that hand to move the shift lever, then grab the "engage" lever again to get moving.
Thanks for the info.
I've no experience with snow throwers, they aren't very popular in my location. We do get the occasional foot or so of snow, so two of my neighbors and I split the cost of a good mid range blower.
That's what I've got. However it is possible to keep the right hand on the drive lever, and shift with the left hand. Because the auger stays engaged until the drive lever is released.
And no air filter.
Shifting from one forward speed to another will not harm the machine. However, don't shift from forward gears to reverse without stopping.
Hank
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