@@GarageGear I live 20 minutes from the Ariens factory. Just yesterday got a 28 deluxe sho. I'll be watching more of your instructions to keep it 💯. Thanks for great content.
Cheers from up north in Nova Scotia! After switching out the pins the unit still wasn't blowing snow but with your handy video, the adjustment did the trick. I'm going to check out your channel for other maintenance tips for the Ariens Classic.
Greetings from Southern PA. This guy JB has great snowblower vids on oil changes...general lubrication and adjustment of parts...how to prep snowblowers for storage...belt replacements...you name it. He and donyboy73 the best on the tube.
My issue was a new belt I do have one of those "cheap" type that can not have the pully altered. I feel mine cant be altered because there's no need to. It was made in 1983 when things were built to last and weighs more than a small car :) I do appreciate all your video and it led me to the right solution since I dont know anything about this kind of stuff. - CHALLENGE ACCEPTED - I am going to put this to the test today and report back. My snow thrower is a beast and I see no other reason than this being the issue. Snow Thrower: 1983 Toro Powershift 624 (Obsolete)
Just wanted to say. Thanks. My blower had been a battle for awhile. I'm not the handiest guy. But after watching your video I dug into it. Was super lose! Went back out today and moved some snow around. I was FULL SENDING it! Thanks for the video. Going to do the prep stuff you talk about too.
I believe in giving thanks where it's due. Thank you for posting this video. I think you may have saved me a couple hundred dollars considering what my local repair shop would charge for pickup/delivery and servicing. My pulley was all the way back which explains why my machine stopped blowing snow last winter. As I don't have a garage, I adjusted the pulley today and could actually feel air blowing out the shoot. Now I almost look forward to winter. 😁
Your a genius. I called the dealer and asked that question you just shown me. Guess what. They said. Its time for a new blower!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My machine is 5 years old. It just didnt throw wet snow when it use to. Your a genius. .its exactly what Ill do to get the powr back
Haha I don’t know about being a genius I’m here to share my knowledge. Don’t buy a new blower. Especially with our current market. A simple tightening of this belt pulley is a total game changer! Thanks for watching Jo-Ann!
Awesome man, I bought a DR Pro-24 a couple years ago and it’s been loose this whole time. I’m no snowblower pro, but I thought it was odd that it would only throw the snow 3-5 feet. There was quite bit of squealing when getting bogged down, as well.. Finally had enough today and found your video. Mine was locked all the way to the right from the factory.... belt just loosely sitting there....no wonder!!! Thanks, DR.... In any case, now it is throwing the wet stuff like 15-20 feet! I’m super stoked! Thanks for the helpful video, man!
Just snowed last week for the first time and my 15 year old blower was throwing 5 feet. Arghhhh. So, I changed the auger/impeller belt and tightened the tensioner AND.....no snow predicted for the next three weeks. Another ARGHHHHHHH! I thought about coaxing a small animal to the front end but then my better judgement took hold. :-) Fingers crossed in 3 weeks!!!!
Thanks for the video. Going to go out to the garage and check my tension now. Just put a new belt on my 18 yr old 8 hp Craftsman. No snow now so can't test it. I did adjust it some. Thanks again.
Great video, pretty sure tho that it shouldn't be too tight, you want some slack. My belt was loose even when pulling the lever, so replaced the belt and it did the trick!
Do you have a video on adjustment of Arien drive and auger cables ? Just picked up a new to me ariens snow blower off a family friend and using your videos to get it set up proper for net winter but I feel like cables hanging are hanging around more than I think it’s should
Hey B I don’t have a specific cable video but they are pretty easy to work on. Look for the thread bolt on the cable. Thread the nut up and twist the bolt up to tighten. Thread everything down to loosen them. The cables should have some slack to them when everything is released. 👍
@@GarageGearthank you sir. I’ve seen one video in different channel that touches on it briefly but doesn’t explain the amount of tension it needs prior to engaging the handle. I’ve got a deluxe 28 sho model so your videos have helped a ton in preparing me to give it a spring cleaning and service
Alaska and Buffalo have to be night and day in not just snowfall but how it feels when cold etc.. Life long AK boy and never been to the east coast yet. All around but there.
Great video! Had no idea! I adjusted and made is slightly tighter. When the snowblower is on and the Anger is not engaged, is it normal that the impeller is turning slightly? When I do engage, the anger and impeller spins like normal. Not sure if it's going to be an issue when in action when the snow comes. I have a 30+ year old craftman.
@@GarageGear i sure will! Just changed the belt for the imppeller (on my own this time) and it seems be a monster🤠. I live in Norway so we get loads of snow ❄️
@@ScandiSledder8000 probably not on all six my friend! You could probably get away with just two on opposite ends of they line up. Ex. North/south or east/west. If they don’t line up then you may want to do all six. No way in hell that thing would ever clog.
Kevlar belts aren't a bad upgrade, if you don't have them yet. Because they use the belt as a clutch, it always gets slipped a little and the Kevlar is pretty durable and tolerates that well.
Thanks for your help! My Deluxe 24 arrived with the auger constantly turning. Very surprised that it got to the customer in that condition. Just released tension by moving the wheel back a quarter inch and double checked the cable. But still haven't had snow to test it yet. Is it possible the impeller will still underperform under load even though they turn normally in non-snow conditions?
Hey Margo I’d have to see it in action. Sounds like you made the right adjustments. If everything is turning normally you should be good. Test it out and see with snow!
Hey Garage Gear.....this video is SUPER helpful. EXACTLY what I needed to fix the distance issue I was seeing. In making the adjustment however, I discovered the tensioner is not spinning. It's stuck in place and over time will clearly cause the below to burn out. Any thoughts? Is it possible that I over tightened the bolt? THANK YOU!!!!!
Hey Billsfan! Could be a few things. Bolt on the pulley could be too tight. Might need some lubrication to get it spinning. If the pulley has a bearing that could be worn out and seized too. Start with the bolt and see if it’s too tight and let me know. Stay awesome my friend!
I check the auger and forward movement before finishing the adjustment. Too much tension leads to the auger and impeller always spinning. This step it critical on my machine.
@Thomas Good point. Also modern blowers have a "safety" brake in them that stops the impeller, too much adjustment can cause that to not work properly.
I’ve been learning a lot from your videos. Thanks for posting them. Can you explain WHY tightening the belt makes it throw farther? The logical explanation would be that loose tension on the belt is causing it to slip on the pulley. If that is the case, then wouldn’t the friction from slipping degrade the belt immediately (when load is applied)? And in that case, tightening the belt to spec should bring slip to zero and thus, achieve the same max throwing distance as factory new. I.e. tightening the belt on an already properly tightened belt won’t make it throw farther. Is my understanding correct?
Hey hindude! Thanks for being a cool fan! It quite simple really. Belts loosen up a little over time. If there is slack the belts slips under load. That’s why pulleys have slots to slide on to tighten them. Move it forward to tighten it up and apply more tension on the loose belt. A little extra tension goes a long way! 👍
Not exactly sure what seems to be the problem. If you want to email me a video of your specific issue perhaps I can help you out that way! Thanks for watching Rich!
Great video, I have an Ariens Class 24 and the bolt that you slide over is in a fixed position and the belt is very loose. What should I do now. Thanks.
Just purchased a new Ariens 24" Classic 2 weeks ago. TL;DR version, the auger belt had a minimum of 1" play in it, and was not properly adjusted at the factory, or dealer. Check your gear, folks!
Rest assured this machine is going to be chucking some snow in a few weeks! 👍 got a carb cleaning video on a smaller snowblower coming up in a few weeks! I know you’re always a fan of those Flint! Stay tuned for that my friend!
i'd like to try and put the rubber paddle upgrade on my 40 yr old ariens, is there a kit i can buy and can it be done by just removing the chute? the guy at the ariens dealer said it puts too much drag on the motor but the guy who does repairs at his house says he does it all the time for customers for $100 bucks.
Hey Steve this video HOW TO MAKE YOUR SNOWBLOWER UNSTOPPABLE WITH AN IMPELLER KIT th-cam.com/video/r_-B3hnLCQc/w-d-xo.html has all the links and information you’ll need! 👍
Question I know you don't want to put too much tension but what are we looking to have as far as play on the auger belt on my Ariens...1/4" play-1/2" ? I only have one auger belt on my St1024. thanks for the detailed video.
Hey Joe! There should be a little bit of play probably between a 1/4 to 1/2(but hard to say for each model). The belt should be loose when the auger handle is disengaged but tight when the auger handle is engaged. Thanks for watching
@@GarageGear Thanks was going to adjust it but there is a chunk out of the belt so I need to replace it. I didn't see a carriage bolt slider adjustment on this machine which I just acquired so maybe when install the new belt I may not need to adjust anything. I also found out on this tecemsuh engine the speed lever at the carbuerator just runs on high when I slide it from rabbit(hi) to Tort ise(low no change always fast.) I'll look into that while waiting for the new belt. I'm in cheektowaga so I know I need to get this thing going my old toro 724 is very long in the tooth.Thanks for your reply.
@@joesuriani371 hey Joe you shouldn’t need to adjust anything once the new belt goes in in your case. As far as the throttle goes I’m at a loss. Let me know what you find out.
@@GarageGear previous owner had a new carb put in by someone but they never adjusted the carb for idler speed had it cranked up. I adjustment and it works as it should now. Just waiting on the belts....Happy New Year. Go Bills.
The Snow blower I bought has the engine speed locked and you cant adjust it, the lever won't move. The snowblower itself works great,easy on gas, starts first pull, throws snow into the upper atmosphere, but I'd like to be able to put it to idle speed at times and I dont like starting a cold engine wide open. Have you run across this yet? I would assume it's to keep the motor at optimum rpm for pollution laws. You should make a video showing how to unlock it.. And thanks for the great info !
@@GarageGear it's not stuck.. it is set from the factory ... since nobody seems to know about this..I'll likely take it apart this summer and maybe post a video of how to 'unlock it'
Is it a valid test to check for slippage of the belt by blocking up the auger and then pulling the starter cord while engaging the auger? Should there be zero slippage and the engine prevented from turning? I had problems with laughably impotent throw on a vintage Troy Bilt 42000 I got recently. I could probably throw it further with my plastic shovel than it was doing, and certainly my electric one stage was more impressive throwing than this gas powered two-stage. Found afterwards that I could override the belt and continue turning the engine just with the recoil starter. Adjusted the belt as the manual indicated but it still couldn't lock it up. The belt seemed old and stretched, so I sized it up and got a replacement based on the measurement, and can now adjust it sufficiently tight to lock it up and prevent it from turning with a reasonable pull on the starter. I was originally looking in two having to do the impeller clearance mod but when I looked at it it didn't seem like there was a whole lot of clearance in it to begin with so maybe the belt was the issue. Hoping for some snow to find out if the replacement belt did the trick and gets it working as it should be now.
Good question winger. I would not block the auger for any reason as this could put unneeded stress on the gearbox and other components. Are you trying to have zero slippage? The belt should be tight but not so tight nothing moves well enough. For me it’s as simple as just adding a little more tightness to the belt when needed. Thanks for watching!
Muyi bueno... very useful.. Am about to save some money for my friend...i believe it's just okay to tighten the auger belt rather than spending $100 on a new belt... Shocking right...it's daylight robbery in 🇳🇴
The question would be why would you adjust the tensioner of the actual drive belt? Wouldn't you adjust the spring on the back first to see if you can get enough tension?
If the end of the controlcable has a spring on it then how will this change anything? As long as the cable is pulled far enough back to engage the spring it won't allow more tension to be applied will it?
Did you do the belt adjustment with the auger handle engaged with a ie. clamp, or NOT engaged? Running into some slippage here, and have already adjusted the wire from the handle to the spring. Belts "shreek" occasionally when under load.
The pulley you adjusted might have a bad bearing. Spin it by hand see if you feel anything. That pulley shouldn’t be turning when the lever isn’t applied.
Hey Gorrila! No they should not. I only bumped up the tightness a little bit. Not all the way! Over time the belts stretch a little and need to be tightened up. Thanks for watching!
Twisted, there’s a specific procedure for adjusting that pulley and cable in the manual. Don’t do it how this guy showed, otherwise you could have a problem with the auger not stopping, excessive belt wear, noise, etc. There is also a procedure to check and set the auger brake so the auger stops, I think within 2 seconds, when the auger lever is released. It’s all a system that works together, and it needs to be adjusted as a system if you think any part of it is wrong.
Installed a home made auger kit this past weekend on my 2020 Ariens Classic 24. Wasn’t that difficult after watching your videos.Just waiting to get a bit of that white stuff to test it out. I notice the two belt system on the video blower. My unit has single auger pulley set up which I have adjusted as per the video. Other than sharing the load over two belts, would I see any performance increase? Also would a double belt be to much for the Ariel AX 9.5 motor?
Hey Rick good question. There are a few reasons why they do the double belts. One is for double the grip and less belt slip. Another reason is if you break a belt you can theoretically still keep going to finish the job. Doesn’t affect the engine at all. My engine is ten years old now without any issues. Thanks for watching
Thanks: think what I’m going to do is wait until the belts need replacing. Then buy the kit which comes with new belts. So far this winter, we have received only one snow fall that required blowing. Been a green winter and yet Dorchester Ontario is only 2 hours west of Buffalo NY… Mother Nature must hate them.
@@GarageGear I’ve been doing some research as to why Ariens says their kit won’t fit on my Classic. The out put of my motor is 3/4” where the kit is for a 1” shaft, as would be your Deluxe’s shaft. Amazon sells a 3/4” to 1” bushing to make the kit work. Do you think it would put too much stress on the motor shaft. Have you had any experience doing this modification?
So, here's my question: I did exactly as you said. There was a LOT of play in the belt, and the bolt was set all the way to the back of the slot (the right, from the vantage point of the rear of the snowblower). So, I adjusted it forward, in increments. Eventually the bolt became slammed all the way to the left. Still a LOT of play. So it got me to wondering: shouldn't the belt tension be checked while someone engages the augur trigger on the handle? Thanks in advance!
Hey manis! It sounds like you need a new belt. The belt should be tight and if your moving it up all the way and there is still play the belt is too loose. I would just get a new one that way you could really send it! Thanks for watching
@@GarageGear Yup, thanks. It's throwing OK, not spectacular. I have two new belts (Ariens Deluxe 24), and hoping I don't have to change them until winter is over. At the rate it's going up here, should be no problem. All we've been getting in recent years is snow changing to rain, or just rain (like, last week). I guess you're in Buffalo? Blessings to you! I'm sure your gear is up to it!
Hi garage gear! hey what part of the hood are you in? I live in Windsor Ridge..... :) In any event - loosened the bolt and the tensioner turned......lubed it up and everything and we were spinning freely. HOWEVER....when I put it in place with the bolt tightened, but loose enough to spin, the tensioner would NOT stay in place on the track - so getting no tension on the belt. When I tighten it to stay in place it won't spin....and I will no doubt burn out the belt pretty quickly...... Perhaps just order a new part? Hey BTW noticed in one of your videos you have a Toro Timemaster. How's that bad boy treating you? Mine is 2 years old and SWEEEEEEEET!!!!
Hey my man! I’m near Lancaster high school. I would recommend getting a new pulley sounds like the pulley bearing is shot. A new one should do the trick. Time master is good. Lots of perks with a wide deck. Done about 15-20 minutes faster than a 21” deck. Only thing I don’t like about it at this point is the heavy clogging in the fall/ spring. That deck does not recycle clippings well enough. Fast machine tho.how do you like yours.
@@GarageGear my TimeMaster is just tremendous. So glad I made the investment.......more than well with it. Better than a rider too I get the steps in still. In fact its kinda like RUNNING to keep up with that beast! :)
Is it possible to convert a Husqvarna lever action chute to a rotary action. I have all Ariens (they are the best imo) but I got a Husqvarna given to me and I don't care for the back -n- forth lever action chute control. Thank you sir..
With a welding torch any thing is possible lol. You would have to mount a gear ring on the bottom and some kind of gear/handle on the side to spin it. Not saying it couldn’t be done but you’ll have some work ahead of you. Thanks for watching another John!
@@GarageGear Thanks my friend! I thought I'd ask, because I thought you converted your father's over to a rotary . Like you, I love tinkering with everything actually that burns gas... Keep up the great work JB.. ! John M
@@johnm9840 oh I did a video last winter on putting a taller chute on. Friend of mine welded a gear ring to the bottom of a taller chute to make it fit.👍
My Mastercraft would not throw at all despite the auger moving. I adjusted the belt tensioner. Still very weak. I thought I would get back at it this summer. What else could be wrong.
Replaced my belts now the auger spins upon startup burning up the brake in a matter of seconds, I adjusted the tension all the back can’t go any farther, any ideas?
I put a new drive and auger belt on and it worked for a day. Now the auger belt seems really lose on the auger belt. I have an older toro 724 model. Doesn’t look like the tensioner pulley can be tightened. Any ideas? Hard to believe the new belt would be lose after a few days of heaven snow. Ani ideas. Do I need a new belt? Can’t seem to see where the tensioner pulley is adjustable.
I’m wondering if you bought a belt that is one size too big. Most pulleys are adjustable. Clean it off really good and see if there is an adjustment slot or hole. If no, then you could attempt to drill a hole further up for the pulley bolt and add tension that way.let me know what you find out.
I have had Toro's with the same problem. The bushing on those wears out. Take the cover off, without engaging the auger push in on the belt while looking down at the big pulley. There is a good chance that it is coming up nearly a quarter of an inch. If it is, you need to replace the bushing.
I have an ariens and my chute gets clogged super easy and fast even when there isn’t much snow. Do you think this should be the first thing I check? Then check the cable in the back? Thanks!
It can’t hurt to check them. Plus try coating the chute inside with some silicone before each use. That helps prevent snow from sticking. Thanks for watching Patton!
@@pnasty32 good question. It can affect it but the ariens design is rock solid and shouldn’t be an issue. Keep us lubricated and everything gets sent right out!
Hey Glitch! Tighter belts yes, a taller chute not so much! But definitely add an impeller kit! That will really help chuck it! Merry Christmas my friend!
So today I ran into an issue. Bought my Ariens Deluxe 28 10/23/2022 and it was delivered 10/28/2022. Used it once. Pulled it out today, started right up, moves forward and in reverse. But as soon as I engage the auger it backfires and shuts down.
@@GarageGear I checked the belts and they are adjusted just right. Gonna drain the carb today when I get off work just to see if I have water in the gas. Love your vids by the way.
2 questions, I have a 2014 compact 24.... I want to upgrade to a double belt... can that be done on this machine.... And also I wanted to put tracks on this thing... do they make tracks for the compact 24?
Hey Zin! I would say you could probably get the double belt pulley and fit it on your model! But I’m not sure if your belt cover would fit the same. Not sure if tracks would fit the compact model. You can plug in your model and serial number on the website to see. That’s a super expensive upgrade tho. It costs more than you can sell the blower for probably. Not to mention how long of an install it might be. Might be better off selling your blower and investing that money in one with tracks. Let me know if you find out if they fit or not. Thanks for watching
My snowblower screams under load and smells like burning rubber, only when throwing snow. Could this be the problem? New snow blower only 2 years old used twice in that time period.
@@GarageGear doing it now thank you! I have DR Pro XL 30. Looks very similar to the Ariens from what I can see, double belts etc, I wonder if they make them for DR.
@@GarageGear I’m finding the augers are engaged the entire time even if the handle isn’t pressed down, should I adjust the clutch pulley so it’s not contacting the belts at all while the handle isn’t depressed?
Well my Columbia 357cc 3 stages 28 inches( 2021).... is bad one..... ni cable adjustable and no pulley adjustment.... when a buy it , I buy it because I think is good one... it is no very bad but... nothing for adjustment, and my oldest one, very cheap was very more power for picth the snow very far away...
Thanks for sharing fabien! Perhaps you could drill some holes to put the pulley bolts in so you could tighten the bolts? Just a thought. Thanks for watching
@@GarageGear Good news, I made a mistake the first time I wanted to adjust the pulley so that my snowblower sends the snow further. I had just unscrewed the bolts that held the pulley thinking that there was space to move the pulley and make the belt tighter. when I unscrewed the bolts I found that I could not move the pulley anymore... and the second time I removed the bolts and the pulley to make another hole and be able to tighten the belt more than I saw that there had another hole for the bolts .... it is only by removing the pulley that we can see that there is a second hole to be able to change the place of the pulley, it advances the pulley 1/4 inch towards the belt and it gives more tension... So with this model.. Columbia snow blower 357cc 28 inch 2021, if you want to adjust the pulley to give more tension, you have to remove it and change the hole bolts.
I had to pull back my snowblowers pully \, as the the augers whern't stoping ,i watched it without the cover on and the pully would turn on its own with the lever up , even when i dissconected the cable , it would still touch the belt and the augers would still turn,so i had to move that pully back just enogh and fine tuned the cable to get the augers to stop .So im not so sure about your thoery lol
I'm having issues with my Ariens 624E. It does not always go as fast as it should in the higher gears. It seems to get worse the colder outside that it is. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
@GarageGear thanks. After watching a few of your videos, I'm convinced that it's the friction plate. Here in Milwaukee, we never can be ready too early for winter.
Sir: Good comment. But - PLEASE - have the user check to insure that the belt has not made too tight. i.e. with the cover off, start the engine and then check to verify that the auger/s is/are not turning with the motor running. If you tighten the belt too much - the auger will not stop. The AUGER MUST stop when the auger lever is released. Also, there is an adjustment procedure for the cable to insure that that adjustment is correct also. Good presenter - sir. Just be complete to avoid personal injury by having the belt too tight.
If they are too tight and you let the eng run without the auger engaged for any amount of time like when you stop to move the car or chat with neighbour, the belts run too tight on eng pulley and burn them in that one spot. This will shorten there life a lot. Follow your manual, don't just listen to YT mechanics with blind faith.
@@GarageGear I do. I have an ariens deluxe 28” sho and a Honda hs1332TAS track machine. I do comparisons between the two snowblowers. Just haven’t had snow in a while.
Wow, this guy is way wrong in what he’s telling you to do. Absolutely do not follow his directions. Ariens has a very specific procedure for adjusting this pulley. What he didn’t show you, is that the cable attached to that pulley lever has a strong spring as part of it, and the cable will pull on the lever then the spring will stretch as the pulley engages with what tension Ariens wants applied. The loose belt shown is pretty much how Ariens wants it to be. This is why the cable adjustment and pulley need to be adjusted together according to the Ariens manual. When that adjustment is done, you also need to check that the auger brake adjustment works correctly by bringing the auger to a stop within the prescribed time after releasing the lever. Do not do just what this guy did without going thru the Ariens procedures. Also, if you do make a change following the manual, it’s very likely your belts are worn and you’d be better of replacing them and check again. The pulley may have been fine where it was. If you change it and later replace the belt, plan on making these adjustments all over again, probably back to where they were from the start when new.
😂 is it safe? Well your blower will not become a WMD. To say he's absolutely wrong is ridiculous. Depending on manual specs....After engaging your auger drive, the tension provided by your cable and spring to your idler pulley should create a 1/2" depression roughly. If you move it too far forward towards your belt then the augers will spin without the auger clutch being engaged. Belts wear down and stretch from normal usage. I run mine a little tighter than what specs call for and it still clears my driveway.
This is the exact method for tensioning the auger belt for my craftsman blower and it cured my problem. The spring tension he speaks of is on the drive belt not the auger belt. The drive belt is always snug but the auger belt has some slack until you engage the handle. As he notes, don’t over tension the auger belt.
My belt is looser than a likkered up pole dancer. No tension adjustment. I also can't see how to get the belt off as steel pins are coming out of the frame and are 1/8 inch off the belt wheel in 3 diff spots. >:O
@@GarageGear Hey. There's actually 4 of these 5 inch long rods. At 2,5,7 and 10 o'clock. They keep the belt from escaping the large driven wheel but I have no idea how they got the belt installed at all. Baffling.
@@GarageGear I think some relative of Houdini works at the MTD plant or these are some sorta memory metal that becomes rubbery when a current is applied or sumpin'. I've swapped out belts on many engines, big and small but this one has me stumped! I've just never seen 4 around a pully assy. nor any way to move them before.
Thumbs up just for pronouncing Ariens correctly. Probably the only guy on YT that does.
Haha thanks IVXX! I’ve heard other pronounce it wrong as well! My great uncle taught me how to pronounce it properly long ago. Thanks for watching 👍
@@GarageGear I live 20 minutes from the Ariens factory. Just yesterday got a 28 deluxe sho. I'll be watching more of your instructions to keep it 💯. Thanks for great content.
@@Ladysman_217 that’s awesome my friend! You should see if they do tours! Sounds like that SHO is gonna be a BEAST! 👍
Saved me a couple hundred bucks and a long day of shoveling, thank you very much! subbed.
Welcome to the tribe Joseph! Glad this helped you out! Thanks for watching!
Cheers from up north in Nova Scotia! After switching out the pins the unit still wasn't blowing snow but with your handy video, the adjustment did the trick. I'm going to check out your channel for other maintenance tips for the Ariens Classic.
Awesome my friend! Plenty to see here!
Greetings from Southern PA. This guy JB has great snowblower vids on oil changes...general lubrication and adjustment of parts...how to prep snowblowers for storage...belt replacements...you name it. He and donyboy73 the best on the tube.
@@frankcastle5294 appreciate the kind words here Frank! You Da MAN!
@@GarageGearMean every word of it JB. Your vids are the absolute best my friend.
My issue was a new belt I do have one of those "cheap" type that can not have the pully altered. I feel mine cant be altered because there's no need to. It was made in 1983 when things were built to last and weighs more than a small car :) I do appreciate all your video and it led me to the right solution since I dont know anything about this kind of stuff.
- CHALLENGE ACCEPTED -
I am going to put this to the test today and report back. My snow thrower is a beast and I see no other reason than this being the issue.
Snow Thrower:
1983 Toro Powershift 624 (Obsolete)
Go for it Vincent! Let me know how it works for you! Thanks for watching!
Just wanted to say. Thanks. My blower had been a battle for awhile. I'm not the handiest guy. But after watching your video I dug into it. Was super lose! Went back out today and moved some snow around. I was FULL SENDING it! Thanks for the video. Going to do the prep stuff you talk about too.
Awesome my friend! Glad these videos are helping you out! Thanks for watching them! 👍
I believe in giving thanks where it's due. Thank you for posting this video. I think you may have saved me a couple hundred dollars considering what my local repair shop would charge for pickup/delivery and servicing. My pulley was all the way back which explains why my machine stopped blowing snow last winter. As I don't have a garage, I adjusted the pulley today and could actually feel air blowing out the shoot. Now I almost look forward to winter. 😁
Oh, that things gonna throw far, my friend. I’m glad that you found the video useful. Stay tuned for more content. When will be upon us soon.
Your a genius. I called the dealer and asked that question you just shown me. Guess what. They said. Its time for a new blower!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My machine is 5 years old. It just didnt throw wet snow when it use to. Your a genius. .its exactly what Ill do to get the powr back
Haha I don’t know about being a genius I’m here to share my knowledge. Don’t buy a new blower. Especially with our current market. A simple tightening of this belt pulley is a total game changer! Thanks for watching Jo-Ann!
Time for a new dealer. 🤨
I always learn from JB's repair vids-I'm going to become a master Ariens mechanic tnkx to you JB!
You already are yale! Have an awesome weekend!
Awesome man, I bought a DR Pro-24 a couple years ago and it’s been loose this whole time. I’m no snowblower pro, but I thought it was odd that it would only throw the snow 3-5 feet. There was quite bit of squealing when getting bogged down, as well.. Finally had enough today and found your video. Mine was locked all the way to the right from the factory.... belt just loosely sitting there....no wonder!!! Thanks, DR.... In any case, now it is throwing the wet stuff like 15-20 feet! I’m super stoked! Thanks for the helpful video, man!
Awesome Justin! I’m glad this video helped you out! It’s amazing what shifting a little bolt can do! Happy snowblowing! Thanks for watching!
This video completely helped me! I had no idea the idler pulley had an adjustment.
Hey hulka yep most do! Glad this video helped you out! Thanks for watching!
Even tells you the size of wrench you need! Excellent Video very helpful!
Thanks for watching aucu !
Just snowed last week for the first time and my 15 year old blower was throwing 5 feet. Arghhhh. So, I changed the auger/impeller belt and tightened the tensioner AND.....no snow predicted for the next three weeks. Another ARGHHHHHHH! I thought about coaxing a small animal to the front end but then my better judgement took hold. :-) Fingers crossed in 3 weeks!!!!
Hahaha you’ll get your chance soon enough Tony! Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the video. Going to go out to the garage and check my tension now. Just put a new belt on my 18 yr old 8 hp Craftsman. No snow now so can't test it. I did adjust it some. Thanks again.
Tighten her up and watch her fly! Happy snowblowing my friend!
Thanks for doing these. I just did the auger kit and holy crap!!
Haha huge difference right? Thanks for being a fan of the channel! 👍
Wow that's easy to do and it came in handy for my snowblower check ✔️ up before the snow tomorrow and this weekend 😃👍👍👍 thanks 👍👍👍
Awesome my friend! Let me know how it throws for you!
Thanks for posting videos. Super helpful tutorials. Will be following !
Awesome Emzy! Won’t let you down! 👍
@@GarageGear no doubt brother
WTF, I needed this video 2 months ago! Thank you man. Colorado is getting dumped on this year.
Haha glad you found the channel my friend. Thanks for watching!
Great video, pretty sure tho that it shouldn't be too tight, you want some slack. My belt was loose even when pulling the lever, so replaced the belt and it did the trick!
Thanks for sharing
Do you have a video on adjustment of Arien drive and auger cables ? Just picked up a new to me ariens snow blower off a family friend and using your videos to get it set up proper for net winter but I feel like cables hanging are hanging around more than I think it’s should
Hey B I don’t have a specific cable video but they are pretty easy to work on. Look for the thread bolt on the cable. Thread the nut up and twist the bolt up to tighten. Thread everything down to loosen them. The cables should have some slack to them when everything is released. 👍
@@GarageGearthank you sir. I’ve seen one video in different channel that touches on it briefly but doesn’t explain the amount of tension it needs prior to engaging the handle. I’ve got a deluxe 28 sho model so your videos have helped a ton in preparing me to give it a spring cleaning and service
Your being a Buffalonian you know snowfall. So do we up here in Simcoe County. Keep up the great content!
ROCK ON skyemac8!! Winter seems to last six months every year in Buffalo! Thanks a lot my friend and will do! Thanks for watching!
Alaska and Buffalo have to be night and day in not just snowfall but how it feels when cold etc.. Life long AK boy and never been to the east coast yet. All around but there.
@@NicholsNarly I’m sure you get quite a bit more than us here in Buffalo! 👍
We just bought a Ariens Deluxe 24" and your vid's have been so helpful!!! Thank You!
You got it Dturn! Glad you found them helpful! Thanks for being a cool fan!
Great video! Had no idea!
I adjusted and made is slightly tighter. When the snowblower is on and the Anger is not engaged, is it normal that the impeller is turning slightly? When I do engage, the anger and impeller spins like normal. Not sure if it's going to be an issue when in action when the snow comes. I have a 30+ year old craftman.
@@dpnap20 the impeller shouldn’t be spinning when it’s not engaged. In that case you may have it a little too tight. Appreciate the positive feedback
I bought an older ariens st1032 and i am now making a imppeller kit after watching your video👍🤠👋
ROCK ON OSKAR! You’re gonna have a BEAST on your hands! Email me a pic when you have a second! I’d like to see it! 👍
@@GarageGear i sure will! Just changed the belt for the imppeller (on my own this time) and it seems be a monster🤠. I live in Norway so we get loads of snow ❄️
@@ScandiSledder8000 awesome my friend! Might want to tell your neighbors to watch out lol!
@@GarageGear its got six impeller blades, do you think i need rubber piceses on all of the impeller blades?
@@ScandiSledder8000 probably not on all six my friend! You could probably get away with just two on opposite ends of they line up. Ex. North/south or east/west. If they don’t line up then you may want to do all six. No way in hell that thing would ever clog.
Ive learned more from you than the salesperson or like lowes or menards the salesperson not familiar with the product
@@larryshipley7645 appreciate you Larry! 👍
Kevlar belts aren't a bad upgrade, if you don't have them yet. Because they use the belt as a clutch, it always gets slipped a little and the Kevlar is pretty durable and tolerates that well.
Thanks for sharing another great tip I337!
Thanks for your help! My Deluxe 24 arrived with the auger constantly turning. Very surprised that it got to the customer in that condition. Just released tension by moving the wheel back a quarter inch and double checked the cable. But still haven't had snow to test it yet. Is it possible the impeller will still underperform under load even though they turn normally in non-snow conditions?
Hey Margo I’d have to see it in action. Sounds like you made the right adjustments. If everything is turning normally you should be good. Test it out and see with snow!
Hey Garage Gear.....this video is SUPER helpful. EXACTLY what I needed to fix the distance issue I was seeing.
In making the adjustment however, I discovered the tensioner is not spinning. It's stuck in place and over time will clearly cause the below to burn out. Any thoughts? Is it possible that I over tightened the bolt? THANK YOU!!!!!
Hey Billsfan! Could be a few things. Bolt on the pulley could be too tight. Might need some lubrication to get it spinning. If the pulley has a bearing that could be worn out and seized too. Start with the bolt and see if it’s too tight and let me know. Stay awesome my friend!
I check the auger and forward movement before finishing the adjustment. Too much tension leads to the auger and impeller always spinning. This step it critical on my machine.
Thanks for sharing Thomas!
@Thomas Good point. Also modern blowers have a "safety" brake in them that stops the impeller, too much adjustment can cause that to not work properly.
@@l337pwnage thanks for sharing bud!
Great video. Thanks. You gave me another thing to add to my “too do” list. Lol
Thanks ED!!! Tighten that belt up a little and SEND THAT SNOW! It’ll take you five minutes tops! Plenty more snowblower content coming you’re way!
I’ve been learning a lot from your videos. Thanks for posting them.
Can you explain WHY tightening the belt makes it throw farther? The logical explanation would be that loose tension on the belt is causing it to slip on the pulley. If that is the case, then wouldn’t the friction from slipping degrade the belt immediately (when load is applied)? And in that case, tightening the belt to spec should bring slip to zero and thus, achieve the same max throwing distance as factory new. I.e. tightening the belt on an already properly tightened belt won’t make it throw farther. Is my understanding correct?
Hey hindude! Thanks for being a cool fan! It quite simple really. Belts loosen up a little over time. If there is slack the belts slips under load. That’s why pulleys have slots to slide on to tighten them. Move it forward to tighten it up and apply more tension on the loose belt. A little extra tension goes a long way! 👍
Hey Pal, Thanks for the information. I'll be sure to check mine out. THANKS.
You got it my friend ! Thanks for watching Ed! Have a good rest of the weekend!
Great video. My new Ariens EFI works good but when I release handle I get a squishy metal sound when brake engages. Same issue?
Not exactly sure what seems to be the problem. If you want to email me a video of your specific issue perhaps I can help you out that way! Thanks for watching Rich!
Awesome video.
Thanks Rammer Ron! Planning on tightening your belts soon? Thanks for watching 👍
Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge.
🌹🌹
You got it Mehrzad! Thanks for watching!
holy cow i havent done this in over 10 years 😵
I bet it would throw a lot farther if you did!
Great simple fix, thanks a lot.
You got it Michael! Thanks for watching!
Great video, I have an Ariens Class 24 and the bolt that you slide over is in a fixed position and the belt is very loose. What should I do now. Thanks.
You try drilling a new bolt hole or buying a new tighter belt. Thanks for watching Vance!
Great video on tightening that blower belt. I’m gonna look to see if you have one on the Ariens 722 single stage snowblower. Thanks for sharing JB!
Hey Jay don’t have one on that blower but the procedures should be pretty similar! If you have any questions just let me know!
JB, I'll let you know! Thanks.
thank you, I needed to see this
Glad this video helped you out Jy! Thanks for watching!
Stay safe today with the impending wind storm, too bad it no cold enough to get some lake effect..❄️❄️
Back at you Gary! I’m sure if it was cold enough we’d be getting dumped on with snow! Lights are already flickering! Lol! Any plans for the weekend?
@@GarageGear no plans, generator is ready to go if needed! Stay safe!! Merry Christmas to you and the GG babe..
@@garydunnjr8176 same here! Stay safe and merry Christmas to you and Paula!
Just purchased a new Ariens 24" Classic 2 weeks ago. TL;DR version, the auger belt had a minimum of 1" play in it, and was not properly adjusted at the factory, or dealer. Check your gear, folks!
Thanks for sharing Rob!
Great video. Thank you!
Thanks a lot Paul! Happy snowblower season to you! Thanks for watching!
good info! 👍👍
Rest assured this machine is going to be chucking some snow in a few weeks! 👍 got a carb cleaning video on a smaller snowblower coming up in a few weeks! I know you’re always a fan of those Flint! Stay tuned for that my friend!
i'm gonna check mine, thnx.
You got it Steve!
Thank you🙏
You got it! Thanks for watching
i'd like to try and put the rubber paddle upgrade on my 40 yr old ariens, is there a kit i can buy and can it be done by just removing the chute? the guy at the ariens dealer said it puts too much drag on the motor but the guy who does repairs at his house says he does it all the time for customers for $100 bucks.
Hey Steve this video HOW TO MAKE YOUR SNOWBLOWER UNSTOPPABLE WITH AN IMPELLER KIT
th-cam.com/video/r_-B3hnLCQc/w-d-xo.html has all the links and information you’ll need! 👍
I love that slot (in the auger belt arm) and if the belt break my advice is to replace with kevlar reinflorced belt
Good thinking! Thanks for watching Kjell!
Question I know you don't want to put too much tension but what are we looking to have as far as play on the auger belt on my Ariens...1/4" play-1/2" ? I only have one auger belt on my St1024. thanks for the detailed video.
Hey Joe! There should be a little bit of play probably between a 1/4 to 1/2(but hard to say for each model). The belt should be loose when the auger handle is disengaged but tight when the auger handle is engaged. Thanks for watching
@@GarageGear Thanks was going to adjust it but there is a chunk out of the belt so I need to replace it. I didn't see a carriage bolt slider adjustment on this machine which I just acquired so maybe when install the new belt I may not need to adjust anything. I also found out on this tecemsuh engine the speed lever at the carbuerator just runs on high when I slide it from rabbit(hi) to Tort ise(low no change always fast.) I'll look into that while waiting for the new belt. I'm in cheektowaga so I know I need to get this thing going my old toro 724 is very long in the tooth.Thanks for your reply.
@@joesuriani371 hey Joe you shouldn’t need to adjust anything once the new belt goes in in your case. As far as the throttle goes I’m at a loss. Let me know what you find out.
@@GarageGear previous owner had a new carb put in by someone but they never adjusted the carb for idler speed had it cranked up. I adjustment and it works as it should now. Just waiting on the belts....Happy New Year. Go Bills.
@@joesuriani371 awesome Joe! Happy new year my friend! Go bills! 👍
The Snow blower I bought has the engine speed locked and you cant adjust it, the lever won't move.
The snowblower itself works great,easy on gas, starts first pull, throws snow into the upper atmosphere, but I'd like to be able to put it to idle speed at times and I dont like starting a cold engine wide open.
Have you run across this yet? I would assume it's to keep the motor at optimum rpm for pollution laws.
You should make a video showing how to unlock it..
And thanks for the great info !
Hey Jamie! Some cheaper model snowblowers have one throttle speed. They don’t have an adjustment lever. What kind of snowblower do you have?
@@GarageGear hello it's a couple of years old now and from costco canada 30"generac with 13 hp engine made by loncin
@@GarageGear it has a pic of turtle and rabbit.. the throttle lever is there you just cant move it
@@jamiehalifax4954 is it stuck or is moving it not even an option.?
@@GarageGear it's not stuck.. it is set from the factory ... since nobody seems to know about this..I'll likely take it apart this summer and maybe post a video of how to 'unlock it'
If you adjust too far, when you release the handle, the auger won’t disengage. Would like to know where the sweet spot is.
Every model is different. You’ll have to play with it a little to get it just right!
Great video.
Thanks for watching grind fest
Is it a valid test to check for slippage of the belt by blocking up the auger and then pulling the starter cord while engaging the auger?
Should there be zero slippage and the engine prevented from turning?
I had problems with laughably impotent throw on a vintage Troy Bilt 42000 I got recently. I could probably throw it further with my plastic shovel than it was doing, and certainly my electric one stage was more impressive throwing than this gas powered two-stage.
Found afterwards that I could override the belt and continue turning the engine just with the recoil starter.
Adjusted the belt as the manual indicated but it still couldn't lock it up. The belt seemed old and stretched, so I sized it up and got a replacement based on the measurement, and can now adjust it sufficiently tight to lock it up and prevent it from turning with a reasonable pull on the starter.
I was originally looking in two having to do the impeller clearance mod but when I looked at it it didn't seem like there was a whole lot of clearance in it to begin with so maybe the belt was the issue.
Hoping for some snow to find out if the replacement belt did the trick and gets it working as it should be now.
Good question winger. I would not block the auger for any reason as this could put unneeded stress on the gearbox and other components. Are you trying to have zero slippage? The belt should be tight but not so tight nothing moves well enough. For me it’s as simple as just adding a little more tightness to the belt when needed. Thanks for watching!
Muyi bueno... very useful..
Am about to save some money for my friend...i believe it's just okay to tighten the auger belt rather than spending $100 on a new belt...
Shocking right...it's daylight robbery in 🇳🇴
$100 for a belt? Wow! Pricey! Tighten her up and you should be good to go! Thanks for watching!
Thank you 👍👍👍👍👍
You got it Fabien! Thanks for watching
I would also check the idler bearing for excessive play while I was in there.
Yes definitely a good thing to do! Thanks for watching Glen!
Great idea Glen! Thanks for sharing!
Great tip 👍 and easy to do. Love your vids!
Definitely an easy step that will make snowblowing better! Thanks for being an awesome fan CM Jones! 👍
The question would be why would you adjust the tensioner of the actual drive belt?
Wouldn't you adjust the spring on the back first to see if you can get enough tension?
For this machine it needed some tension on the pulley. It was set to zero. The handle had enough. Thanks for watching another bud!
If the end of the controlcable has a spring on it then how will this change anything? As long as the cable is pulled far enough back to engage the spring it won't allow more tension to be applied will it?
You can make adjustments there too if needed. Tightening the belt will definitely add more pressure on the impeller. Thanks for watching
Well done
Thank you Garrett! Thanks for watching!
Did you do the belt adjustment with the auger handle engaged with a ie. clamp, or NOT engaged? Running into some slippage here, and have already adjusted the wire from the handle to the spring. Belts "shreek" occasionally when under load.
I made the adjustment with no tension from the handle. Did it loose. Check your belts for wear. Could be time for new ones perhaps!
The pulley you adjusted might have a bad bearing. Spin it by hand see if you feel anything. That pulley shouldn’t be turning when the lever isn’t applied.
Adjusting the roller that tight...will the auger and impeller always turn even with the handle disengaged? Thanks in advance
Hey Gorrila! No they should not. I only bumped up the tightness a little bit. Not all the way! Over time the belts stretch a little and need to be tightened up. Thanks for watching!
Twisted, there’s a specific procedure for adjusting that pulley and cable in the manual. Don’t do it how this guy showed, otherwise you could have a problem with the auger not stopping, excessive belt wear, noise, etc. There is also a procedure to check and set the auger brake so the auger stops, I think within 2 seconds, when the auger lever is released. It’s all a system that works together, and it needs to be adjusted as a system if you think any part of it is wrong.
@@GNX157 Cheers
Installed a home made auger kit this past weekend on my 2020 Ariens Classic 24. Wasn’t that difficult after watching your videos.Just waiting to get a bit of that white stuff to test it out. I notice the two belt system on the video blower. My unit has single auger pulley set up which I have adjusted as per the video. Other than sharing the load over two belts, would I see any performance increase? Also would a double belt be to much for the Ariel AX 9.5 motor?
Hey Rick good question. There are a few reasons why they do the double belts. One is for double the grip and less belt slip. Another reason is if you break a belt you can theoretically still keep going to finish the job. Doesn’t affect the engine at all. My engine is ten years old now without any issues. Thanks for watching
Thanks: think what I’m going to do is wait until the belts need replacing. Then buy the kit which comes with new belts. So far this winter, we have received only one snow fall that required blowing. Been a green winter and yet Dorchester Ontario is only 2 hours west of Buffalo NY… Mother Nature must hate them.
@@rickmuir7616 it’s funny all that snow was gone a week later. Might get an inch tonight. We’ll see.
@@GarageGear I’ve been doing some research as to why Ariens says their kit won’t fit on my Classic. The out put of my motor is 3/4” where the kit is for a 1” shaft, as would be your Deluxe’s shaft. Amazon sells a 3/4” to 1” bushing to make the kit work. Do you think it would put too much stress on the motor shaft. Have you had any experience doing this modification?
@@rickmuir7616 can’t answer that honestly! Have never tried that mod before so I wouldn’t know.
So, here's my question: I did exactly as you said. There was a LOT of play in the belt, and the bolt was set all the way to the back of the slot (the right, from the vantage point of the rear of the snowblower). So, I adjusted it forward, in increments. Eventually the bolt became slammed all the way to the left. Still a LOT of play. So it got me to wondering: shouldn't the belt tension be checked while someone engages the augur trigger on the handle? Thanks in advance!
Hey manis! It sounds like you need a new belt. The belt should be tight and if your moving it up all the way and there is still play the belt is too loose. I would just get a new one that way you could really send it! Thanks for watching
@@GarageGear Yup, thanks. It's throwing OK, not spectacular. I have two new belts (Ariens Deluxe 24), and hoping I don't have to change them until winter is over. At the rate it's going up here, should be no problem. All we've been getting in recent years is snow changing to rain, or just rain (like, last week). I guess you're in Buffalo? Blessings to you! I'm sure your gear is up to it!
@@livenhfree oh yeah I’m in Buffalo. We got our season total in two storms so far lol!
hello can you tell me what belts I need for my Ariens , model 920021 I,m confuse because they are say different numbers, Thank you .John
Hey John you can search your model number and serial number on amazon and match up your belts. They should have them. Thanks for watching
That was some good content!
Thanks for watching Dawson! 👍
@@GarageGear ❤️👍🏻
Hi garage gear! hey what part of the hood are you in? I live in Windsor Ridge..... :) In any event - loosened the bolt and the tensioner turned......lubed it up and everything and we were spinning freely. HOWEVER....when I put it in place with the bolt tightened, but loose enough to spin, the tensioner would NOT stay in place on the track - so getting no tension on the belt. When I tighten it to stay in place it won't spin....and I will no doubt burn out the belt pretty quickly......
Perhaps just order a new part?
Hey BTW noticed in one of your videos you have a Toro Timemaster. How's that bad boy treating you? Mine is 2 years old and SWEEEEEEEET!!!!
Hey my man! I’m near Lancaster high school. I would recommend getting a new pulley sounds like the pulley bearing is shot. A new one should do the trick. Time master is good. Lots of perks with a wide deck. Done about 15-20 minutes faster than a 21” deck. Only thing I don’t like about it at this point is the heavy clogging in the fall/ spring. That deck does not recycle clippings well enough. Fast machine tho.how do you like yours.
@@GarageGear my TimeMaster is just tremendous. So glad I made the investment.......more than well with it. Better than a rider too I get the steps in still. In fact its kinda like RUNNING to keep up with that beast! :)
Bueno, thank you
No problemo! 👍 thanks for watching!
Thanks man
You got it Ben! Thanks for watching!
subscribed
ROCK ON CARL! Thanks for subscribing!
is it the same for a 3 stsge blower ?
I want to say yes as well. Shouldn’t be any different.
Is it possible to convert a Husqvarna lever action chute to a rotary action. I have all Ariens (they are the best imo) but I got a Husqvarna given to me and I don't care for the back -n- forth lever action chute control.
Thank you sir..
With a welding torch any thing is possible lol. You would have to mount a gear ring on the bottom and some kind of gear/handle on the side to spin it. Not saying it couldn’t be done but you’ll have some work ahead of you. Thanks for watching another John!
@@GarageGear Thanks my friend! I thought I'd ask, because I thought you converted your father's over to a rotary . Like you, I love tinkering with everything actually that burns gas...
Keep up the great work JB.. !
John M
@@johnm9840 oh I did a video last winter on putting a taller chute on. Friend of mine welded a gear ring to the bottom of a taller chute to make it fit.👍
My Mastercraft would not throw at all despite the auger moving. I adjusted the belt tensioner. Still very weak. I thought I would get back at it this summer. What else could be wrong.
Hard to say without seeing it in person. What about the cables on the back of the blower? Those tight?
Replaced my belts now the auger spins upon startup burning up the brake in a matter of seconds, I adjusted the tension all the back can’t go any farther, any ideas?
Sounds like the belt you installed is smaller than your previous one. I would double check the sizing
@@GarageGear you are correct, by about a half an inch
Very common sense adjustment that many people are unaware of.
Great vid. 👍
Thanks for the positive feedback Paul! Little steps like this can help out a lot! Thanks for watching!!!👍
I put a new drive and auger belt on and it worked for a day. Now the auger belt seems really lose on the auger belt. I have an older toro 724 model. Doesn’t look like the tensioner pulley can be tightened. Any ideas?
Hard to believe the new belt would be lose after a few days of heaven snow. Ani ideas. Do I need a new belt? Can’t seem to see where the tensioner pulley is adjustable.
I’m wondering if you bought a belt that is one size too big. Most pulleys are adjustable. Clean it off really good and see if there is an adjustment slot or hole. If no, then you could attempt to drill a hole further up for the pulley bolt and add tension that way.let me know what you find out.
I have had Toro's with the same problem. The bushing on those wears out. Take the cover off, without engaging the auger push in on the belt while looking down at the big pulley. There is a good chance that it is coming up nearly a quarter of an inch. If it is, you need to replace the bushing.
@@johnweber6147 thanks for the quick idea.
@@johnweber6147 thank you for sharing John!
@@johnweber6147 thanks. Ended up needing a new belt.your video really helped. Thanks
Also if your machine is old, don't forget about the FRICTION WHEEL and to have a clean FRICTION DISC SURFACE.
Thanks for sharing
I have an ariens and my chute gets clogged super easy and fast even when there isn’t much snow. Do you think this should be the first thing I check? Then check the cable in the back? Thanks!
It can’t hurt to check them. Plus try coating the chute inside with some silicone before each use. That helps prevent snow from sticking. Thanks for watching Patton!
@@GarageGear would the size of the whole where the snow comes out ever affect it? Have you ever heard or seen that in an ariens? Thanks!
@@pnasty32 good question. It can affect it but the ariens design is rock solid and shouldn’t be an issue. Keep us lubricated and everything gets sent right out!
@@GarageGear Product called FLUID FILM works great. Aerosol can,available at most auto parts stores .
GO BILLS!
Hell of a game on Saturday!!! Go BILLS!!!
My snowblower works but only throws 5 feet away do you think a taller chute or tighter belts would make it better?
Hey Glitch! Tighter belts yes, a taller chute not so much! But definitely add an impeller kit! That will really help chuck it! Merry Christmas my friend!
@@GarageGear thank you will definitely try merry Christmas to you too
So today I ran into an issue. Bought my Ariens Deluxe 28 10/23/2022 and it was delivered 10/28/2022. Used it once. Pulled it out today, started right up, moves forward and in reverse. But as soon as I engage the auger it backfires and shuts down.
Check your belts! May be way too tight! Did you let the machine warm up? Thanks for watching!
@@GarageGear I checked the belts and they are adjusted just right. Gonna drain the carb today when I get off work just to see if I have water in the gas. Love your vids by the way.
@@NDColorado2023 sounds like a good plan my friend! Appreciate the positive feedback! 👍
2 questions, I have a 2014 compact 24.... I want to upgrade to a double belt... can that be done on this machine.... And also I wanted to put tracks on this thing... do they make tracks for the compact 24?
Hey Zin! I would say you could probably get the double belt pulley and fit it on your model! But I’m not sure if your belt cover would fit the same.
Not sure if tracks would fit the compact model. You can plug in your model and serial number on the website to see. That’s a super expensive upgrade tho. It costs more than you can sell the blower for probably. Not to mention how long of an install it might be. Might be better off selling your blower and investing that money in one with tracks. Let me know if you find out if they fit or not. Thanks for watching
@@GarageGear Great thanks... I enjoy your vids
@@zinnglanzschriber3810 no problem my friend!
What if one belt is tight and the other is loose on the double belt system
They should be pretty equal. If they seem loose you may want to get a set of new belts.
@@GarageGear they are new belts
@@walleyeheadztackle5415 are they the same size? Is there a big difference?
My snowblower screams under load and smells like burning rubber, only when throwing snow. Could this be the problem? New snow blower only 2 years old used twice in that time period.
Check your belts my friend! That’s all the signs of a belt issue.
@@GarageGear doing it now thank you! I have DR Pro XL 30. Looks very similar to the Ariens from what I can see, double belts etc, I wonder if they make them for DR.
@@the_atomic_punk487 possibly! Let me know what you find.
@@GarageGear I’m finding the augers are engaged the entire time even if the handle isn’t pressed down, should I adjust the clutch pulley so it’s not contacting the belts at all while the handle isn’t depressed?
@@the_atomic_punk487 yes I would make some adjustments
Well my Columbia 357cc 3 stages 28 inches( 2021).... is bad one..... ni cable adjustable and no pulley adjustment.... when a buy it , I buy it because I think is good one... it is no very bad but... nothing for adjustment, and my oldest one, very cheap was very more power for picth the snow very far away...
Thanks for sharing fabien! Perhaps you could drill some holes to put the pulley bolts in so you could tighten the bolts? Just a thought. Thanks for watching
@GarageGear Yes I think this is a good idea.... I m gonna put the bracket on the press drill... 👍👍
@@GarageGear Good news, I made a mistake the first time I wanted to adjust the pulley so that my snowblower sends the snow further. I had just unscrewed the bolts that held the pulley thinking that there was space to move the pulley and make the belt tighter. when I unscrewed the bolts I found that I could not move the pulley anymore... and the second time I removed the bolts and the pulley to make another hole and be able to tighten the belt more than I saw that there had another hole for the bolts .... it is only by removing the pulley that we can see that there is a second hole to be able to change the place of the pulley, it advances the pulley 1/4 inch towards the belt and it gives more tension... So with this model.. Columbia snow blower 357cc 28 inch 2021, if you want to adjust the pulley to give more tension, you have to remove it and change the hole bolts.
I had to pull back my snowblowers pully \, as the the augers whern't stoping ,i watched it without the cover on and the pully would turn on its own with the lever up , even when i dissconected the cable , it would still touch the belt and the augers would still turn,so i had to move that pully back just enogh and fine tuned the cable to get the augers to stop .So im not so sure about your thoery lol
Thanks for sharing
Did the belts burn up for you while spinning with the brake applied? It did for me, didn’t take long
I'm having issues with my Ariens 624E. It does not always go as fast as it should in the higher gears. It seems to get worse the colder outside that it is. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
@@24danrock I would definitely check your cable adjustments and friction disc to make sure they are in order!
@GarageGear thanks. After watching a few of your videos, I'm convinced that it's the friction plate.
Here in Milwaukee, we never can be ready too early for winter.
@@24danrock I hear ya my friend
2022 storm coming on 24 December 22 and my auger is not throwing
Did you check the belts? Let me know if it works.
Sir: Good comment. But - PLEASE - have the user check to insure that the belt has not made too tight. i.e. with the cover off, start the engine and then check to verify that the auger/s is/are not turning with the motor running. If you tighten the belt too much - the auger will not stop. The AUGER MUST stop when the auger lever is released. Also, there is an adjustment procedure for the cable to insure that that adjustment is correct also. Good presenter - sir. Just be complete to avoid personal injury by having the belt too tight.
Thanks for sharing
I have a a Ariens snowblower the tension wheel was a half-inch not 9/16
What year is your ariens Alex? Mines a 2013 with a 9/16.
If they are too tight and you let the eng run without the auger engaged for any amount of time like when you stop to move the car or chat with neighbour, the belts run too tight on eng pulley and burn them in that one spot. This will shorten there life a lot. Follow your manual, don't just listen to YT mechanics with blind faith.
Thanks for watching!
I just bought a Briggs and Stratton snowblower are they any good ? I hope so as I already bought it....
I’ve heard they are good machines! Like any snowblower proper maintenance is key! Thanks for watching!
You need a Honda snowblower
That’s my dream snowblower! Maybe in the future! Those things can really throw it! Do you own a Honda snowblower?
@@GarageGear I do. I have an ariens deluxe 28” sho and a Honda hs1332TAS track machine. I do comparisons between the two snowblowers. Just haven’t had snow in a while.
@@appleztooranges nice my friend! I’ll have to check them out. Thanks for sharing! 👍
You need to step up your game and get a Honda Snowblower brother
Someday
Thanks, the adjustment was way off
Good to go now! 👍
If you tighten it too much the impeller will keep moving.
Thanks for sharing
Thanks. No bueno 😅😅
Thanks for watching👍
oil leak....or sloppy non clean up oil change...just sayin,for all the tips on snow blowers you do...youd think youd degrease it
I’m confused. This video is about tightening a belt. What oil leak are you talking about?
you have decent information, but we could do without the intro nonsense, and the radio rumble voice. Yawn...
Thanks for watching
Wow, this guy is way wrong in what he’s telling you to do. Absolutely do not follow his directions. Ariens has a very specific procedure for adjusting this pulley. What he didn’t show you, is that the cable attached to that pulley lever has a strong spring as part of it, and the cable will pull on the lever then the spring will stretch as the pulley engages with what tension Ariens wants applied. The loose belt shown is pretty much how Ariens wants it to be. This is why the cable adjustment and pulley need to be adjusted together according to the Ariens manual. When that adjustment is done, you also need to check that the auger brake adjustment works correctly by bringing the auger to a stop within the prescribed time after releasing the lever. Do not do just what this guy did without going thru the Ariens procedures. Also, if you do make a change following the manual, it’s very likely your belts are worn and you’d be better of replacing them and check again. The pulley may have been fine where it was. If you change it and later replace the belt, plan on making these adjustments all over again, probably back to where they were from the start when new.
Thanks for taking the time to write this
@@GarageGear so is it safe or not?
😂 is it safe? Well your blower will not become a WMD. To say he's absolutely wrong is ridiculous. Depending on manual specs....After engaging your auger drive, the tension provided by your cable and spring to your idler pulley should create a 1/2" depression roughly. If you move it too far forward towards your belt then the augers will spin without the auger clutch being engaged. Belts wear down and stretch from normal usage. I run mine a little tighter than what specs call for and it still clears my driveway.
This is the exact method for tensioning the auger belt for my craftsman blower and it cured my problem. The spring tension he speaks of is on the drive belt not the auger belt. The drive belt is always snug but the auger belt has some slack until you engage the handle. As he notes, don’t over tension the auger belt.
Yes, using the mechanical engineered belt tensioner to tension belts is dangerous 😂
My belt is looser than a likkered up pole dancer. No tension adjustment. I also can't see how to get the belt off as steel pins are coming out of the frame and are 1/8 inch off the belt wheel in 3 diff spots. >:O
Hahaha hey Rook! Can you drill out a slot to make your tensioner adjustable? Are the pins you are referring to the belt guides?
@@GarageGear Hey. There's actually 4 of these 5 inch long rods. At 2,5,7 and 10 o'clock. They keep the belt from escaping the large driven wheel but I have no idea how they got the belt installed at all. Baffling.
@@ROOKTABULA ok those are the belt guides but how they got the belt I’m not sure. I’d have to see it first hand.
@@GarageGear I think some relative of Houdini works at the MTD plant or these are some sorta memory metal that becomes rubbery when a current is applied or sumpin'. I've swapped out belts on many engines, big and small but this one has me stumped! I've just never seen 4 around a pully assy. nor any way to move them before.