Snowblower: Doesn't Throw Snow Far Enough

A worn or stretched auger belt won't spin the auger blades fast enough to throw snow off the pavement. This is why we recommend you replace the auger belt if it’s worn out or stretched. This is an easy repair, however it will vary slightly depending on your exact model. First, remove the belt cover, and then roll the auger belt off the front engine pulley. Next, you'll want to carefully tip the snow blower upwards, which will allow you to gain access to the transmission. Once you've located the transmission, remove the plate covering it. Next, loosen and remove the screw that holds the belt on the auger pulley. Remove the auger spring from the brake bracket, and use a clamp on the drive lever to hold it down. Now you should be able to easily remove the old auger belt. Once the old belt is out of the way, it is time to install a new auger belt around the auger pulley and housing. Put the shoulder screw back into place so the belt will remain in the proper position. Reinstall the auger spring to the brake bracket, and reattach the transmission cover. Carefully put the snow blower back on ground. Reinstall the auger belt over the drive pulley and reinstall the cover.

The auger blade scrapes the snow off the pavement and into the chute. If the blades are damaged it will impact their ability to remove snow from your driveway. To replace a blade, start by removing the belt cover, and remove the auger belt from the drive pulley. Loosen and remove the bolts securing the front roller bracket, and remove the bracket. Unhook the auger drive spring from the idler pulley bracket. Next remove all the bolts that attach the auger housing to the snow blower and separate the two halves. You can safely rest the back part of your snow blower on the handles. It is important to secure the impeller, we recommend using a piece of wood. This will prevent the impeller from moving as you loosen the bolts securing the auger drive pulley. When you remove the hub make sure you are also removing the washer and pulley. Remove the bolts that secure the bearing holders on the auger drive shaft. At this point you should be able to pull the auger assembly out of the auger housing. Remove the bearing holder with the bearing, washer and spacer. Then remove the shear pin and slide off the old auger blade. You can now install a new one in its place. The bushings from the old auger blade can be installed on the new blade, however we often recommend that you install new bushings at this time. This will provide optimum performance, and save you from having to take apart you snow blower just to replace the bushings at a later date. It is now time to put your snow blower back together, starting by reinstalling the shear pin. Then reinstall the spacer, washer, and bearing with the bearing holder. Put the impeller back onto the rear gear box shaft. Next, reinsert the auger assembly back into the housing by aligning the rear gear box shaft into the bearing, and reinstall the bearing holders. Position the pulley hub and the drive pulley with the washer and bolt. Again, secure the impeller with a piece of wood when you are tightening the bolt. Reconnect the two halves of snow bower, and tighten the bolts that hold it together. Reattach the auger drive cable spring to the idler pulley bracket. Next, reattach the front roller bracket to the frame. Then you need to feed the belt back onto the engine drive pulley and reinstall the belt cover. Grease any grease fittings before using your snow blower again.

Shear pins protect your snow blower from major damage. Rocks and chucks of ice could be detrimental to your equipment, and these pins are designed to break if you hit something solid. This ensures your auger and drive system will remain intact. When a shear pin breaks, the blade will just free spin on the drive shaft. Replacing these pins is a simple job. Locate the hole on the auger and line it up with the hole on the drive shaft, you can do this by slowly spinning the auger around until you see the holes line up. Then insert a new shear pin with the cotter pin. Use exact-size shear pins only.

The chute projects the snow in the direction you want to throw the snow. If the chute on your snow blower is clogged it cannot throw snow. To fix this problem you need to turn off your snow blower and clean out the chute with the chute clean-out tool, or a broom. Do not use your hands to clean the chute out.

The paddles rotate on the auger shaft and remove the snow. Over time and with extended use they may become heavily worn or damaged, which can impact their ability to throw snow. We recommend that you check your paddles for damage or wear. Most paddles have a hole near the edge as a wear indicator, and when the hole disappears, it’s time for a new paddle. To replace this part on your snow blower, simply remove the bolts holding them on the auger, remove the old paddle, and replace with a new paddle.