What would you do if it was yours???

[WANNAKETCHUM]

I have a Jiffy 30 that I've had since 1982. I put a new carb. kit in it a few years ago and it runs like any Jiffy 30 should but here's my problem.....From the time it was new, you had to keep an eye on the allen screw that holds the drill onto the shaft (on the powerhead) or it would work loose. I always carried an allen wrench in my pocket and would check it periodically. I was fishing with a friend one day and he said he would go punch a bunch of new holes...well he comes back about 10 min. later and says, "the auger isn't cutting" I took one look and saw that the bolt was missing from the connecting hole. I had a heck of a time later that evening getting it lined back up because it was about a quarter turn off but the real problem was that the bolt got loose enough that it beat up on the threads on the shaft of the powerhead before it fell out. Well, I got things lined back up and used a bottoming tap of a larger thread size to re- tap the hole so now I have a bolt in place that holds the drill on, but I can't get the drill off from the powerhead now. I don't know if there's some burr in the way or what, but I can't get the drill off from the head. I would like to be able to do so because I would like to set the powerhead on a barrel or something similar and run it prior to the ice season, maybe fine tune the carb. etc. while it's running. Not to mention that it would be easier to store if it wasn't together as a unit.....Any suggestions/help appreciated...WK

[winchester 88]

You might try taking a pair of pipe wrenches to it.
Lay it on the floor and with the bolt removed put one pipe wrench on the shaft and the other on the collar of the head unit and turn them opposite of one another.
It might also help if you worked come penetrating oil into the bolt hole before you start.

Winchester 88

[IceFish4]

Use a torch with a very small rosebud head and put some heat to it.  When it's sufficiently hot, use a couple wedges and push the drill of the shaft.  Be careful to not 1) put too much heat on the shaft and 2) not put too force on the gearbox with the wedges.

[IceRover]

 I would call the Jiffy company and explain what you have here. Find out what they would charge to swap out that shaft. If you agree with their remedy pack that powerhead in a box and ship it off to them. It will most likely come back as good as new and you can go on to bigger and better things. Should only take a week or so. Sometimes it is best to let the professionals take care of the problem and the money is well spent eliminating future aggravation. I have sent my powerhead off to them and it came back like new. They may even have a simple solution for you to carry out. What do you have to lose? Give them a call. You will make the final decision. Good Luck

[WANNAKETCHUM]

Well...Winchester 88 suggests pipe wrenches...that definitley won't work, you can't get a wrench on the shaft because the collar is butted almost against the base. IceRover suggests sending the powerhead off to Jiffy for repair....I would..IF I could get the drill off the powerhead!!! Ice Fish4 suggests heat and I'm going to look into that..my neighbor has torches. But I'm still open to suggestions so keep them coming if ya got em'...WK

[Mainehazmt]

ebay it and get an icegator!

[duck doctor]

ebay it and get an icegator!

Now that is going to make me cry!


First of all:

If you have a cover on your auger, you can fire it up and fine tune it with the two pieces connected. I found that if you try to just fine tune the power head w/out the weight of the shaft, you will have to fine tune it again on the ice.

Secondly:

There is most definately a burr on your shaft.  Go to your auto parts store and buy one of these:



Add some heat and put the fork above the collar on the auger and around the shaft.  You should be able to bang it past the burr and you will not damage anything.

[scavengerj]

WTG duck! I think they are like ball joint pullers or something similar. That would be what I would go with to minimize any damage. Pipe wrenches, if you could even get them on, would probably dig into the metal and cause very nasty grooves. With the pullers, you may not even have to apply any heat. Once I got them apart. I would take a cotton ball or somthing similar and run it around the shaft and inside the bit to see if there were any burrs. Kind of like you'd do for rod guides with a Q-tip. If I found something, I would then take a small hand held grinder, like a Dremel and remove the burrs. Run the tap through again to ensure the threads are clean and you should be good to go. You might even be able to rent the pullers from Auto Zone or one of those places. Pullers would be my first choice.

[dkfry]

Well...Winchester 88 suggests pipe wrenches...that definitley won't work, you can't get a wrench on the shaft because the collar is butted almost against the base. IceRover suggests sending the powerhead off to Jiffy for repair....I would..IF I could get the drill off the powerhead!!! Ice Fish4 suggests heat and I'm going to look into that..my neighbor has torches. But I'm still open to suggestions so keep them coming if ya got em'...WK

Don't take a torch or anything to the auger. If you heat the auger shaft up at the collar you risk heating the tubing up and warping it as well as heating up the shaft that goes into the gearbox and possibly taking the temper out of it. Not to mention the Jiffy augers have teflon thrust bearings which will likely be melted by the heat.

I'm not 100% shure how you Jiffy is but mine has a bolt and a nut that holds the auger onto the powerhead. On mine I replaced that with a Nylon locknut, blur locktite would work as well, this way the bolt will not loosen. In the hole where the bolt head is you could have gotten a bur from retapping or the shaft spinning in it when the bolt fell out. You could try taking a larger drill (Than the Through hole) and chamfering the end of the hole to possibly remove the bur.

I would soak the shaft with penetrating oil such as PB Blaster or similar or even WD-40. Take a wedge (Like for seperating ball joints) and tap on it with a hammer. The powerhead and the shaft should slowly seperate, you may have to shim behind the wedge tool as the shaft comes off. Remove and burs with some emery cloth and a file, put in a new bolt and nylok nut and your set to go.

[cold_feet]

I am not so sure useing Tie Rod fork and banging against an Aluminum houseing is a good idea. More than likely you will break the housing. From what I gather when the bolt slipped and your buddy alowed the shaft to spin it surely created a series of Burrs on one of the shafts. Useing a Rosebud also might create a problem if the gear housing has a seal in it Too much heat will destroy the seal. THere is also a fine line of heat to be uses to allow expansion of outer shaft while the inner shaft does not expand with it. My personal opinipon is instead fo useing a big tourch use a small propane and slowly heat the shaft and first try to get shaft to spin freely, also useing a lubracant.  When you accomplish this then try to work the cutting shaft off the output shaft of the engine. Drain all the gas from the auger so you can flip it upside down and useing a block of wood againt the houseing while solidly supporting the cutter (without cutters on) heat and Lightly tap on wood block with hammer. Pay attention not to jam the shafts again work this both ways till you get it off. Last alternitive to this would be to use a die grinder and cutoff wheel and split the shaft on the Cutter shaft 90% away from bolt hole being carefull not to cut into thee auger head shaft when it is split one side only use a chisle to spread the outer shaft socket and slip off the cutter head Putting the bolt back in will draw the peice tight without hampering the cutters perfomance. Just my thoughts here.

[winchester 88]

 Dose the connection on the powerhead fit over the shaft on the auger or dose the auger shaft have a "cup" on the end that slides up over the drive shaft on the powerhead?

Can you post a picture of the "mess" so we can see it?

 Winchester 88

[Mainehazmt]

I still say sell it!  esp since its an 82 model!   you deserve a new one!   make a new young kid a deal of a lifetime as it still works as is!

[dkfry]

Dose the connection on the powerhead fit over the shaft on the auger or dose the auger shaft have a "cup" on the end that slides up over the drive shaft on the powerhead?

Can you post a picture of the "mess" so we can see it?

 Winchester 88

The output shaft from the gearbox is a solid piece of round bar. The drill assembly is tubular and slips over the output shaft of the powerhead. A bolt goes through to hold the assembly together.

[scavengerj]

Still leaning towards the tie rod puller with a small piece of wood or something else that will fit in the space between it and the powerhead. A few light taps with a mallet should at least start to get the pieces apart. As long as things are done slowly and with care it should work. I'd concentrate on not causing any damage to the powerrhead more then I would the augar. The cost for a puller should be minimal if you can rent it and the rest is just taking care and watch what your doing. Excessive force is to be a last resort.

[holehawg]

I have a Jiffy 30 that I've had since 1982. I put a new carb. kit in it a few years ago and it runs like any Jiffy 30 should but here's my problem.....From the time it was new, you had to keep an eye on the allen screw that holds the drill onto the shaft (on the powerhead) or it would work loose. I always carried an allen wrench in my pocket and would check it periodically. I was fishing with a friend one day and he said he would go punch a bunch of new holes...well he comes back about 10 min. later and says, "the auger isn't cutting" I took one look and saw that the bolt was missing from the connecting hole. I had a heck of a time later that evening getting it lined back up because it was about a quarter turn off but the real problem was that the bolt got loose enough that it beat up on the threads on the shaft of the powerhead before it fell out. Well, I got things lined back up and used a bottoming tap of a larger thread size to re- tap the hole so now I have a bolt in place that holds the drill on, but I can't get the drill off from the powerhead now. I don't know if there's some burr in the way or what, but I can't get the drill off from the head. I would like to be able to do so because I would like to set the powerhead on a barrel or something similar and run it prior to the ice season, maybe fine tune the carb. etc. while it's running. Not to mention that it would be easier to store if it wasn't together as a unit.....Any suggestions/help appreciated...WK

not for nuttin wannaketchum..see ya from northeast pa ..how far from beach lake ? i got a few freinds that are real handy with small engines & welding etc.. plus my son in law has small engine shop near here...(port jervis ny. about half hour ) maybe we can help ya

[winchester 88]

 Where there is a will there is a way!
 From reading your first post, you said that the auger had slipped a quarter turn out of alignment but you were able to get it realigned before you re-drilled it.
 To me this means that the two parts haven't welded together but are just bound up.What did you do to get them realigned before you tapped out the hole?

Winchester 88

[Fish_Tko]

IceGator

[scavengerj]

good observation w88. I'd say that was the problem. There may indeed have been a burr either on the powerhead shaft or inside the auger protion, either of which may have caused the added material to get between the shaft and the auger and caused them to bind. Working things back in the opposite direction that was previously done to align things may be the ticket to getting them apart.

[pike4some]

soak it in tranny fluid that may work. Our maintenance guy did this on something one time and it freed it right up. Not sure if it will work for this though.

[TJG]

As the shaft from the powerhead and the drill are to be the same size
or the auger receiving cup is a tad bigger,  u may have something jammed in there
not just a bur, try turning it the opposite way it screwed up in and keep turning
it 1/4 that way, 1/4 back the other till it comes off. Or tap it off with a piece
of wood or brass punch. Good luck

[pikeking]

Put the blade protector on and let it run on a piece of wood or in a 5gal bucket. The auger bit shouldn't turn when idle unless it's not tuned right. So start it and tune it if the bit turns.

[trapster]

I agree with the tie rod puller giz... I've used them with good results.  I think that it would work well in your situation.  After all, I don't see how the shaft or the collar could be all that bad buggered up.  It that doesn't work just get a bigger hammer. 

[IceFish4]

A good even heat will break it free.  Bear with me here, I'm not talking about bringing it to cherry red.  I'm talking a series of quick blasts to get it up hot.  The goal is to expand the tube about .001" to .0015".  If you put so much heat in that it melts the teflon seal, you have also heated the shaft and expanded that too- thus defeating the purpose.  The wedges will give a steady force on the drill shaft so you can see when the shaft begins to yield to the burr.

I like the penetrating oil idea too.  Your troubleshooting should always go from least destructive to most destructive.  The method that works- wins.  If you do need to cut off the collar, just take the power head and drill to a machine shop and they can turn a new collar and weld it on the drill shaft for less money than a new drill bit.

Regardless of which method works out, make sure you give the freed shaft a touch of Never-seez so you don't run into this issue again.

[amortec]

Find a professional..... maybe an old  one with gray hair &  and a beer gut to help you ! It shouldn't  take more then four or five Beers 

[pizalm]

If you do get it apart and all back to normal, I'd suggest using a PTO pin instead of the allen bolt. Makes taking it apart much easier as well as putting it back together. Not to mention you won't need to worry about losing the allen key. Just get the right diameter pin and it will work just as good as the bolt.

[winchester 88]

I think that we are all curious to hear if you solved the problem and to find out how you went about it in case we have to deal with something of that nature with our own equipment.

Winchester 88

[scavengerj]

Okay, the weekend has passed and we are all waiting to see how things turned out. Hoping that you had good results if you tried any of the ideas becuase we all may find ourselves in the same bind (no pun intended) and may need the same advice 

[duck doctor]

Okay, the weekend has passed and we are all waiting to see how things turned out. Hoping that you had good results if you tried any of the ideas becuase we all may find ourselves in the same bind (no pun intended) and may need the same advice 

Ya, how did you make out?  Hope you did not buy a new auger!

[WANNAKETCHUM]

Ya, how did you make out?  Hope you did not buy a new auger!

Hello all. I didn't get much time to mess with it over the weekend, but I did take the bolt out and juice it up good with "Kroil" penetrating oil and let it set for awhile. I came back later and gently tried to pry the drill off the shaft ( didn't want to get too forcefull ). I then fired up the auger and ran it a bit until it was warmed up and then set the drill point onto a block of unsplit cordwood and ran it thinking that the drill would eventually slip on the shaft and I could maybe work it off the shaft if so....no dice!!! It didn't even budge! My neighbor stopped by and he said he thinks he has a ball-joint fork and he also has torches so we're going to get together soon and gently heat the drill collar while applying a little pressure with the fork and see if we can get it to move. I don't really want to sell it cuz the old gal still runs great but I don't want to ship the whole unit back to Jiffy either if I don't have to... WK

[scavengerj]

Thanks for the update WANNA. Take it easy with the heat and don't rush things. Wish ya' the best of luck! Keep us posted