Champion 400 Blower right or left handed?

[Steven NY]

Hello all,

I have a question about a blower I picked up last week. After researching rebuilding the blower, I wanted to make sure everything was in good working order before putting in into use.  I realized that Champion made them right and left handed. So I am wondering is this a right or left handed blower according to the Champion corporation. I would like to crank it with my left hand, but it seems backwards. At the time I did not think of that and I am sure I can make it work, but would like to know more about what I have. 

This will be set up to work in tandem with an electric blower, but want the hand crank option for power outages and finer heat control. 

Thank you for your help/information,

Steven

 

From what I can find this crank option was not as popular as most seem to have the handle on the other side.

[Steve Sells]

They normally work in both directions

[Steven NY]

Swap the gears and handle side to side?

[anvil]

first ive heard of them making left and right handed blowers. As a lefty myself, thats interesting. Follow standard lefty procedure,turn it around and add a bit more ducting.  

[Steven NY]

The reason I asked about  swapping the gears and handle is the last owner restored and adjusted it about a year before he sold it or so he said. So I have no idea what was done. It does turn smoothly. I have not opened it up to look inside yet, but from what I have seen and learned about cleaning and adjusting the gear boxes on these, the gears and shafts need to go back in the same way they came out. I don't think they can be flipped to work in both directions or can they? I can make it work, I was just wondering if this would be considered right or left hand by Champion. 

[Les L]

The handle is on the opposite side than mine, I wonder if the previous owner put the shaft in backward.

[Kozzy]

Both mine and the museum's have the handle on the side shown in the last photo above.  I haven't yet pulled them apart but I would bet my shoelaces that the shaft can easily be flipped to suit your preference. At least I would have designed it that way were I the original maker.  

[SmithingWitch]

This is odd to see a thread like this as i had just mentioned a left handed 400 in my thread last night. The shaft can be swapped around and unless requested otherwise would typically be shipped right handed and im not sure if left handed blowers were a different casting or just had the shaft turned around as you can easily do that. The reason I wonder if it was a different dedicated casting was the right handed models have an extra standoff where the shaft protrudes for the handle to be able to clear the other bearing caps, but if it turns just fine regardless I may reassemble mine left handed 

[Steven NY]

Hello all, thank you for your comments.

 

Smithingwitch,

I went home last night and checked exactly what you asked about. The standoff is longer on the opposite side of my blower than the side with the handle, so at a glance the casting appears to be the same for both right and left hand configuration. 

Not knowing the history of this blowers work life/rebuild. If it was set up from the factory in this configuration should I be concerned with flipping the shaft due to everything already being worn in? 

As my blower seems to turn smoothly currently with about a revolution of carry through should i just leave well enough alone and adapt my setup to make it work? 

I just want to make sure I do not damage this blower in use.

Thank you,

W

[Les L]

I would pull the shaft and look at it to determine if it could be flipped. Pulling the top cover and looking at the shaft, I don't think you would damage anything.