# Pronovost Inverted Blower PTO Shaft question



## Golfpro21 (Jan 9, 2010)

Hello

just wondering if anyone can answer whether or not the pto shaft on a pronovost inverted blower can be turned around, so that the shear bolt and grease nipples are at the tractor end?

We also have a Normand inverted blower and the pto shear bolt is at teh tractor end and not the blower end, which makes it so much easier to change bolts and to grease nipples.

Any insight would be appreciated.


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## RLM (Jan 12, 2006)

I know on our SHoule the tractor dealer reversed the shaft for this reason as well.


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## JD Dave (Mar 20, 2007)

I would just take it off and try it as it only will take you 10 min.


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## Golfpro21 (Jan 9, 2010)

my dealer said the way the pronovost blower is made it is not possible to reverse shaft, I am thinking of getting a second opinion, if that blower gets plugged and blows a shear bolt, it is no fun tast to change, also greasing the nipple is no easy task


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## Neige (Jan 29, 2008)

Golfpro21;1464105 said:


> my dealer said the way the pronovost blower is made it is not possible to reverse shaft, I am thinking of getting a second opinion, if that blower gets plugged and blows a shear bolt, it is no fun tast to change, also greasing the nipple is no easy task


Wait a minuet, there is no way the shear bolt should be in the fan end of the PTO shaft. Do me a favor and take a picture of both ends of your PTO shaft and post them on here.
I want to make sure you got an original PTO shaft. Thumbs Up


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## RAZOR (Dec 19, 2001)

One of my blowers has same Comer 40 series pto shaft and the shear bolt is also on the blower end of te shaft. The strange thing with Golfpro's is that the thicker (outer) part of the driveshaft is to the blower, all of mine have the thicker part towards the tractor. To me it looks like they should have used the larger 60 seriers driveshaft on a blower of that size. My blowers are smaller than his and 2 of them came with the bigger 60 series pto shafts and 1 came with the smaller one for some reason. My owners manual says that there is a label on the outer plastic cover that shows which end goes towards the tractor.


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## RAZOR (Dec 19, 2001)

I just looked in my owners manual and it is hard to understand because it is 1/2 english and 1/2 everthing else.There is a chart and says what In assume is the 40 series is good for 38 hp so if this is the case it is way too small for your tractor, that is even too light for my tractor. I think you have the wrong pto driveshaft.


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## schrader (Dec 4, 2005)

My Normand is on the blower side of the shaft, so is my Lucknow. Why is it hard to change the shear bolt?


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## blowerman (Dec 24, 2007)

schrader;1464407 said:


> My Normand is on the blower side of the shaft, so is my Lucknow. Why is it hard to change the shear bolt?


Just turn it... My Normand is on the tractor side..


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## Neige (Jan 29, 2008)

Here are some pics, the donut side should slide over the fan spine. The shear bolt side you push the in and slide over the tractor spline.


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## Neige (Jan 29, 2008)

schrader;1464407 said:


> My Normand is on the blower side of the shaft, so is my Lucknow. Why is it hard to change the shear bolt?


Because when you do break a shear bolt, you will have to dig out all the snow, then changing the bolt in such a restricted, difficult confined area is a major PITA. Trust me its never any fun changing a shear bolt, but doing it from the blower side is pure hell.


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## RLM (Jan 12, 2006)

Paul, 
"Pure Hell", spoken like someone that has done it at least once . Probably is most likely to fail when your rushing, pushing the blower a little to hard, etc. as well.


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## Neige (Jan 29, 2008)

RLM;1465158 said:


> Paul,
> "Pure Hell", spoken like someone that has done it at least once . Probably is most likely to fail when your rushing, pushing the blower a little to hard, etc. as well.


Pure hell was really from trying to get things unstuck from inside the drum and the fan. We would never have a PTO shaft installed with the shear bolt at the fan side. Just the thought that there are guys with the PTO shaft set up like that sends shivers down my spine. It is totally illogical, nonsensical, and any sales man or service man who tells you that's the way it goes, knows not what he is talking about.


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## Golfpro21 (Jan 9, 2010)

so when my dealer is trelling me that it is the way pronovost blowers are set up, he is full of crap? They claim it had to go on that way
these are the pics i took


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## Neige (Jan 29, 2008)

Golfpro21;1465525 said:


> so when my dealer is trelling me that it is the way pronovost blowers are set up, he is full of crap? They claim it had to go on that way
> these are the pics i took


Well they made a mistake, I will leave it at that. The good news is that its easy to turn around, and you did get the proper PTO shaft. I am going to send Pronovost a link to this page, maybe they will better inform their dealers. It actually makes me think that every blower I sell I should explain how to mount the PTO shaft. Sometimes when you have been doing this for awhile you forget its new to others.


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## Woodenshoe (Oct 30, 2010)

That's like bolting the rim on your truck backwards, at some point you will have to add air to (or at least check the pressure of) the tire  !


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## blowerman (Dec 24, 2007)

Woodenshoe;1465587 said:


> That's like bolting the rim on your truck backwards, at some point you will have to add air to (or at least check the pressure of) the tire  !


Come on! I view it as a simple mistake. Since it will work either way, the bigger issue is showing the customer the easier way to deal with a problem when a bolt breaks.


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## Neige (Jan 29, 2008)

blowerman;1465604 said:


> Come on! I view it as a simple mistake. Since it will work either way, the bigger issue is showing the customer the easier way to deal with a problem when a bolt breaks.


I agree its a simple mistake, but when they insist that's the proper way to install it I begin to wonder. The best would be to drive it down to the dealer jammed with snow and ask for help changing the shear bolt. Oh well at least it is an easy fix, no harm done.


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## Golfpro21 (Jan 9, 2010)

I agree, my 5050 with the Normand blower has the PTO shaft on the other way; so properly, and it is a breeze changing shear bolts.

The 4050 which has the new pronovost blower and the backwards PTO shaft, is my wifes machine. The machine whth this blower is brand new and only been used for two storms, and luckily no shear bolts have been blown, but I can not imagine her having to try and change that bolt, especially if the blower is full of packed snow.

This machine is due to go back to the dealer for a minor warranty issue later this week, and you can be assured I will be demanding that they switch the shaft so that the shear bolt is at teh tractor end.

Thanks to everyone who helped with the problem


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## DaySpring Services (Feb 1, 2005)

My Shoule also has the shear bolt on the blower side. I remember when I broke my first bolt last season it was a pita to replace/find. At the time I didn't even know where the bolt was as this was my first tractor. The blower was packed full and solid as concrete. I ended up having to take the shaft off the tractor to get the holes to line up. It was a royal pain trying to get the pto back on the tractor because the blower was so packed I couldn't spin the augur.


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