Sutorbuilt 4M airflow

[shadygrady]

Is there any harm in reversing the rotation of the blower. Original configuration had the blower coupled to the 23hp Koehler via Dodge coupler. I have reworked the configuration to have the blower turned 180 degrees and belt driven. My question is, will this cause damage to the gearing in the blower. I am unsure whether the gears are straight-cut or helical.
Thanks

 

[Shane T]

I'm no expert but I don't see what harm it would do. Seems to me the gears will just be having the load on the opposite side as before. Maybe that's a good thing. Why are you changing to a belt drive. I love my old unit with 23 horse turning a 45 with the Dodge coupler. On a side note I have good memories of fun days on Sauble Beach during my high school years. Lived in Durham and graduated from Hanover.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Straight cut, but that wouldn't matter.

What could matter is if the lobes are "center timed" as most are. That is where the clearance between the lobes is evenly divided between leading and trailing edge of the lobe.

Some blowers are tweeked for higher pressure by minimizing the clearance on the leading edge, rendering them a bit LESS efficient if reversed.

 

[Larry Cobb]

Lee is correct.

All of our Sutorbilt "R" series blowers are center-timed.

It is denoted by a RHC designation in our line.

You would have to check with the supplier of your blower.

Larry

 

[shadygrady]

Thanks guys. I have started and ran it for a short time. Sounds good. It was an older Steamatic machine. No idea of the manufacturer, would they build themselves or would it be private labeled.I did not get an owners manual. Guy was very secretive, the floor wand and uph handpiece are right out of the middle ages. Shane, Ron Werner is from our general area too. We still have an older Cleancare TM3 kicking around town with the Waukesha industrial engine in it. What took you to the USA

 

[shadygrady]

I looked closer and it is a 4MF, serial #246363 and it has 4GHP on the bottom mounts. I searched several sites for info, but did not find anything.

 

[BradFenstermaker]

Rob don't sweat the technical stuff. If it spins free and has adequate vacuum, RUN IT! Sounds like this thing is a great grandpa aged blower anyway. Let it make you money to put back for a new one. JMO

 

[Dale]

Hi guys:

I still rebuild some blowers-blower lobes have only so much space between them and the builder is suposed to split the space evenly. This means it makes no difference which way they run when they are newly timed. Does that change after awhile? I could see how it does,with pressure always on one side. However 16" HG relates to less than 10 lbs. My opinion- try it, if it doe'nt tick,knock-let that baby run!

Sincerely,
Dale

 

[Steve Lawrence]

Do our blowers suck through the same hole no matter which way the lobes turn?

Puzzled in A2.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

No

 

[shadygrady]

Thanks again, actually this blower was made by Fuller, not Gardner-Denver. When I googled using Fuller a installation/spec manual came up.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Old!

 

[hogjowl]

So are you, but you're still useful.

On a good day ...