I have an old Craftsman snowblower (10hp, 32 in. swath) and would like
to change its drive from a track system to tires. I have a small, flat
driveway so the treads are unnecessary and burdensome (and costly - a
new tread is $102). From the little information I can find online (I
don't have an owners' manual) this wouldn't require any internal
modification. However, does anyone know or have an idea if any
external modification is necessary? The shaft comes out to a sprocket
that attached by chain to a larger sprocket/drive wheel assembly.
Could the shaft be used as an axle for the new wheel/tire as is?

klp1 wrote:
I have an old Craftsman snowblower (10hp, 32 in. swath) and would like
to change its drive from a track system to tires. I have a small, flat
driveway so the treads are unnecessary and burdensome (and costly - a
new tread is $102). From the little information I can find online (I
don't have an owners' manual) this wouldn't require any internal
modification. However, does anyone know or have an idea if any
external modification is necessary? The shaft comes out to a sprocket
that attached by chain to a larger sprocket/drive wheel assembly.
Could the shaft be used as an axle for the new wheel/tire as is?

No. Even using small wheels, the rotational speed would be too high.
You would probably have to be almost running to keep up with it.

Harry K

Harry K wrote:

klp1 wrote:
I have an old Craftsman snowblower (10hp, 32 in. swath) and would like
to change its drive from a track system to tires. I have a small, flat
driveway so the treads are unnecessary and burdensome (and costly - a
new tread is $102). From the little information I can find online (I
don't have an owners' manual) this wouldn't require any internal
modification. However, does anyone know or have an idea if any
external modification is necessary? The shaft comes out to a sprocket
that attached by chain to a larger sprocket/drive wheel assembly.
Could the shaft be used as an axle for the new wheel/tire as is?

No. Even using small wheels, the rotational speed would be too high.
You would probably have to be almost running to keep up with it.

What he says...you would need to replace whatever the track runs on w/
an equivalent diameter wheel to keep the same ground speed. Don't have
a clue how these are built, but there has to be a sprocket the track is
running on that's mounted on some sort of axle--replace it.

Thanks to both of you. I'm gonna take a look at Sears to help me (and
a friend) think this through some more. Does the following info change
the answer from either of you? The axle sprocket is about 1/3 the size
of the drive wheel sprocket, so a modification will be getting rid of
that 3:1 gear ratio (or is it 1:3?). Definitely speeding the tire up.
But I also have 6 drive gears so can adjust the speed. Obviously,
until I put a tire on there I don't know if the lower gears will make
me run behind the snowblower or will be tolerable. But, again, does
that info change your answers?
Thanks
Keenan

"klp1" wrote in message
....
The axle sprocket is about 1/3 the size
of the drive wheel sprocket, so a modification will be getting rid of
that 3:1 gear ratio (or is it 1:3?). Definitely speeding the tire up.
But I also have 6 drive gears so can adjust the speed. Obviously,
until I put a tire on there I don't know if the lower gears will make
me run behind the snowblower or will be tolerable.

It may be easier and as cheap to sell what you have and buy what you want.
Even comes with a brand new warranty.

klp1 wrote:
Thanks to both of you. I'm gonna take a look at Sears to help me (and
a friend) think this through some more. Does the following info change
the answer from either of you? The axle sprocket is about 1/3 the size
of the drive wheel sprocket, so a modification will be getting rid of
that 3:1 gear ratio (or is it 1:3?). Definitely speeding the tire up.
But I also have 6 drive gears so can adjust the speed. Obviously,
until I put a tire on there I don't know if the lower gears will make
me run behind the snowblower or will be tolerable. But, again, does
that info change your answers?
Thanks
Keenan

Depends on your gearing. My guess is that it will still be too fast.
You can put it in the lowest gear, see how fast that is then mentally
compute what it would be like 3x faster but only if the wheel is the
same diameter as the current drive sprocket. Remember that the size of
the wheel itself will affect ground speed.

Harry K

Thanks again, everyone. Lots of good info for consideration. You've
been very helfpful.