Servicing a Travis Pellet Stove auger, the hardest part?

[Don2222]

Hello

Trying to do the best possible service for a Travis pellet stove auger. The back comes off easy, the big set screw on the collar comes off easily, and the 4 bolts in the backing plate does not come off easily. The factory RTV needs a putty knife banged in there to split the RTV and pull the plate off. Cleaing the auger and spraying it with "Dry Moly Spray" is a good idea to make it slick. I really do not like the U shape of the bottom part of the auger chute. Round chutes seem to work better. Ok, I put it all back in. I tried making hi temp silicone orange rubber gaskets. One gasket is thick 1/8" and the other is thin 1/32" so next time it would come off easily right? Wrong, if the bolts are tight the auger is hard to move. If the bolts are too loose then the fines come out and air gets in! So RTV is the best way because it stays at the right set point! First, I added tuff oil lubit-8 on the top auger and the bottom for easy turning in the brass bushings. Then I put a fine bead of clear hi temp RTV around the edge of the backing plate and put the auger and backing plate back in. Now the bolts must be just barely finger tight. Any tighter and the auger does not turn freely! This is the real sensitive part! Now the RTV must cure before use so tonight we must use some oil!

If the auger does not turn freely then the flame can be inconsistant or low! This means less heat out!

Anyone else service a Travis auger or a similar one? Is it hard to get it set right?

See pics of Avalon Astoria below:
Pic 1 - None of the 2 gaskets will work!
Pic 2 - Must use RTV!

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Don,

I think you need stiffer gasket material.

Try a car parts place or a plumbing supply place.

 

[Don2222]

Don,

I think you need stiffer gasket material.

Try a car parts place or a plumbing supply place.

Even with no gasket, the same problem exists. The backing plate bolts are either too tight or too loose!

 

[smwilliamson]

The auger shaft is out of alignment if you cannot crank the nuts closed.

 

[Don2222]

The auger shaft is out of alignment if you cannot crank the nuts closed.

There is no way to align the shaft that I can see? Nothing in the Manual or Troubleshooting manual either. What do you suggest?

 

[Don2222]

Hello Scott

I just talked to an Authorized Travis Service Manager and he said there is no alignment adjustments for Travis Augers.

 

[Don2222]

Hello

Well, I couple months ago I purchased a new brass bushing and it came on a new auger backing plate! So I removed the plate and put the old brass bushing and backing plate back in with some nice Lubit-8 on the top and bottom auger bushing. I still cannot tighten the nuts down much but a smigen more than the new backing plate! So I ran the stove all last night and the vibration that developed was gone!

Every stove has it's weak points and now I understand why Travis has a thin coating of RTV all over the auger backing plate. The RTV kept it so the auger would turn freely.

If a new backing plate must be installed, then the 4 mounting holes could be drilled out larger and washers could be used for alignment.

In comparison, the Hudson River Saranac I am working on only had 2 mounting holes for the backing plate and can be tightened down alot more!
The 3 holes are in the middle of the top and bottom of the plate. This may be a better location than all 4 corners like the Travis design has!