QA-36A snow thrower project + want creeper gear CC128

[goony]

I rebuilding/refinishing a really ratty QA-36A snow thrower that I bought a few years ago - I will post a few questions related to my project in this topic shortly.

I'm also looking to buy a creeper gear option to add to my 128 - does anyone know of one for sale (other than eBay, which I am looking/watching right now)?

I live in central Ohio.

Thanks!

[goony]

I've spotted a creeper gear with the following description:

Creeper from 1200 Quiet Line tractor - will work on other models

Does anyone know if this would work on a 128?

Thanks!

[gitractorman]

Yes, it should work just fine in a 128

[goony]

OK, I'll be using this topic as a "progress report" on my project as well as asking questions.
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At this moment, I have a QA-36A all in pieces with the major de-rusting done using a wire brush in a flexible drill shaft and/or 60 and 320 grit sandpaper.

My plan is to spray the rusty stuff with two coats of Loctite Rust Extender spray (the stuff that turns rust black).

The auger has a few serious pits in it, so I am going to use some "Bondo" auto body putty (and sanding smooth) as a filler after the rust stopper coating but before painting. Most of the auger is smooth and unbent, but at the tips there is a little bit of bent metal/nicks.

I'm planning on getting CC "beige" paint at a Tractor Supply Company store. (Hint: set cans in hot water bath 30 minutes before spraying - makes for nicer job and no leftover paint in the can.)

My goal is to have the inside of the housing, auger and chute be very, very smooth with a good coat of paint and then apply a coat of "something very slippery" - silicone spray, cooking spray, WD40, Slip Plate or somesuch.

I broke the belt tensioner threaded assy despite repeated attempts at PB Blaster (rust pentrator spray that works good) and some persuasion with the propane torch; I'm going to have a local machine shop try to make me another.

[BigBill]

Thanks for the tip on heating the TSC paint i'll try it, i use a lot of it. I have a CC snowblower that the housing feels kind of weak. Its an older one from the mid 60's and someday i'll have to reinforce it and put it back in action. I'm just wondering how the single stage blower works?

I used a gravely tractor with a snowblower for many years and i notice after a snow storm while out blowing snow in the early afternoon doing driveways when the late afternoon came the temps started to drop as the daylite fell and it froze up on me. I should of tried PAM back then. It was a two stage and she would throw slush and snow over the tops of the telephone poles. It was the old open side blower with the 1:4 ratio(auger to the fan). I was told the newer 1:10 ratio was better but the older one was an animal. I ran the whole tractor into a 5' snow drift and all i seen was the two handles sticking out and the chute was still sending the snow out. Stupid me I did pop the muffler apart because of the snow and the heat it expanded and the center rolled seam came apart.

Caution: With a snowblower make sure you wear a mask(face protection) so it protects you from breathing in the fine snow.

[goony]

Well, I'm undecided as to which color to go with.

TSC (http://www.tractorsupply.com/) had the Valspar "Cub Cadet Beige" in spray cans for less than $4/ea. which I thought was reasonable, but I'm not sure my QA-36A was originally that color. Well, based on the spray can cap color anyway. Does anyone know if these QA36/42 snow throwers were originally "Cub Cadet Beige"?

The Rustoleum "Professional Grade" white enamel seems like it will be too "white" (kind of like an appliance white) and not the off-white that the original seems to be.

Obviously, this color issue matters not one whit to the actual operation of the unit.

Thanks!

Added: I found my creeper drive... see http://farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic. ... 935#191935

[Paul B]

The 128 would have used IH 935 white. That is what you now find listed as International Harvester White at Case IH, TSC, or others that sell a supposed tractor color match. Cub Cadet beige is probably a match for the white on the new Cub Cadets, and it is more beige than the IH white. ACE hardware sells an Almond in spray cans that is close to what was used on your 128. Keep in mind, that any original white that is on your 128 is now faded, and now looks much "whiter" than what it was originally, so don't try to match what you see now if you want it to look like it originally did.

[BigBill]

My TSC(tractor supply store) has both the International white that matches my cub cadet 108 and my int154 cub and the cub cadet beige which matches my older cub cadets. The international white is a tad lighter in color than the cub cadet beige, its more of an off white.

[goony]

Thanks for the paint info guys!

[goony]

I've finally got around to doing some of the painting... as usual, not enough time to work on this project as I would like.

I had to use rubbing alcohol to remove the residue from the rust neutralizer spray... well, I didn't have to but the surface just didn't feel right before painting.

I am giving two base coats of Rustoleum Professional Gloss White and will then do 1 or 2 coats of the IH White I got from Tractor Supply Co.

Auger got the rust inhibit and then filled in with bondo auto body putty - pain in the butt to sand it all down.

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Two questions on my QA36A:

1) The U-joint/drive shaft thingy seemed to have some sort of gold-colored grease with metallic powder in it that was used by the previous owner... what is that stuff? From what I can tell, the manuals call for old-fashioned multi-purpose grease.

2) My drive pulley measures 4.5 (four and one-half) inches on the outside. Is this a "standard" pulley or is it a smaller one that was put on to make the auger spin faster?

Thanks!

[wdeturck]

a lot of people use a special paint called "Slip Plate" which is made for snow blowers and underside of decks. They will have it or a similar product at TSC.
On the U-joints clean all the old grease off and start with new grease. Grease of different types can cause them to get hard and can't get the new grease where it's needed.

[junkman1946]

Rust-Oleum Antique White rattle cans are pretty close to the original IH"off white". Frank

[Eugene]

I mounted the snowblower on a 125 (hydrostatic drive) CC. The hydro works great on the snowblower.

Purchasing a CC with hydrostatic drive may be the easy solution to reducing the tractor's ground speed.