I had the same problem on my Ariens Sno-Tek snow blower. The setup was different but the instructions were in the manual and had it fixed in only a few minutes. Thanks!
Thanks I had this problem during the last snow storm and forgot to try to fix it until I needed it yesterday. Will make this adjustment and maybe replace it with an aftermarket belt since the OEM failed so quickly ! LOL oh and yes I was looking😊
Good job Bruce. we have only had trace amount of snow in Central Ohio. will be 50° Saturday. I'm not complaining thou. Enjoy your get away and the sun. Thanks again -Ray.
Nice! I repaired one of those last season that had the same issue but not as bad. it was too fast in first gear. those machines work so much better when you tinker with the adjustment to get the first gear as slow as possible. set first gear so if you adjust it anymore it will be reverse. it saves belts :-)
Mine was at the limit of its adjustment. I replaced the cable and got back some room to adjust, but not much. Next step is to replace the torsion spring to hopefully get back the rest of the adjustment range. The machine is 14 years old, also MTD.
Hi Bruce Great video. I have a snowblower, some what the same as the one u are using in this Video. My problem is I want it to go faster in reverse . Right now in the first reverse gear it don't go in any direction. In the second reverse gear it backs up but very very very slowly. Is there there a way I can adjust anything to make the machine back up faster. It is a good snowblower I had it for over 10 years, however I never liked how slow it moved in reverse even when it was new. Hope you can help. Thank you.
Yes the adjustment is on the gearshift lever. You should be able to follow the rod down and adjust the slip joint on the shaft so you have a better reverse.
Bruce Pender Thanks for replying so quickly . I will try that. I modified this sucker and and added a turn buckle on the drive cable . It helps when I don't get the traction I think i like to. Some how I think I have fine tune it better in forward drive but however un balance the reverse. I will play around with it some more thanks
Nice video, as the machines get older and things start to wear you have to fool around to get the correct adjustment, it doesn't always happen on the 1st. try. So, my question is how did you know exactly how much to adjust it? Also, I noticed that you have installed an inline gas filter, I do that too cause that little foam thing in the tank isn't much good and carb. problems are the #1 thing people have with those engines. So, for $3 it is well worth it. I also have a suggestion. The stick for cleaning out the discharge chute comes from the factory installed on the back of the intake chute, this prevents snow from sliding off and then you have to keep cleaning it off. I moved the mounting bracket for this to the cross section on the handle bars that is about half way up. Much better place, and I put 2 big aluminum pop rivets in the holes that were left behind, now the snow slides off fine, especially if I put some car wax on the chute to keep it from sticking. Just something I found so good I wanted to share.
W. Gator I threw mine away,honestly. The damn thing never stayed put and rattled like hell. I just jamb my hand down the shute like a man! What the hell! I saw the video where they had to put the blower in the ambulance with the guy because his hand was in the auger. Seriously,I keep a long wooden 2x2 that was actually longer than the original plastic billy club that came with it. I use loose fitting zip tyes and a piece of pvc with end cap also zip tyed to hold the stick on the handle of the blower. I painted the end red so if it ended up falling off,I will spot it before running it over. ( which is what I did with the plastic one)
Scott firman, I put an impellor kit on my blower, made it out of a dump truck mud flap, since then no matter how wet and sloppy the snow is, it doesn't clog the chute. I have done about 10 blowers and it eliminates that clogging as well as makes the blower throw the snow much farther. There are videos showing how it is done. REMEMBER YOU CAN'T PUT YOUR FINGERS WHERE EVER YOU FEEL LIKE PUTTING THEM! Serious trouble could befall you.
W. Gator I saw the video. My concern is the flap freezing to the housing on the blower. Thats the reason for the gap in the first place. I would also worry about imbalance in that impeller. I have been working on these things professionally for years and havent ever seen any need to close that gap to improve the throw. Craftsman have always had a weak throw as opposed to Ariens and Toro. I also dont like the welds on Craftsman. I have had to weld the impellers and frames both. I usually pick the craftsman up for free all the time,then fix them and resell them. The older units are always better than the 1980's and on up. The industry got cheap after that but prices continue to sky rocket on them. I dont have a wish to lose body parts to anything mechanical anyways. I do recommend people spray the insides of their blower with silicone spray to help prevent snow from sticking. If the paint is all comming off inside the housing I spray it with a freah coat of paint,especially the chute. I had to do that every year with an old Ariens I bought. That thing would throw snow in my neighbors driveway all the way across his front lawn. I ended up selling it to him when I "aquired" another blower. Since I worked on them all the time I hardly ever had to use my own blower.
I refurbish old snow blowers as a hobby, I have done 23 since I retired. Right now I have 4 craftsmen, all 10/28 waiting to be done, and I have 7 other ones too, plus, like you said, some have to be scrapped too because of rusted holes and bad welds, cracks from metal fatigue, etc. etc.. I saw the video first on TouTube but instead of buying the kit I decided to make my own. I have done 20 or more machines and the pieces I put on are all the same size and weight, so the imbalance isn't there. Also, the worst time freeze up occurs is when the snow in that gap turns to slush and then collects in the bottom if the second stage, then it turns cold and freezes. Then people try to engage the augers without clearing the ice 1st. this destroys the belt and they think the blower is junk. This kit eliminates this slush because it clears the bucket right down to the metal, there is nothing left to freeze, I even put a kit on my Honda, broke 5 drill bits trying to drill through that hard steel. The only problem I ever had was when I started doing them 1st. I used plastic instead of rubber flaps and they broke but I have never realized any of the fears you have, as the tiger says on Frosted flakes.... T H E Y ' R G R E A T !
You might want to consider the belts being the issue. If you have to adjust your cable banjo tight like that its because the belt is stretched out,I figured that out on mine. The belts may actually look fine,but if they are over 5 years old,you should inspect them really closely.,if the sides are shiny,if the belt has tiny cracks on the back side and if the belts feel soft,not hard,then they are bad. I had to replace both of mine. They were 8 years old but I noticed it wouldnt back up in the second range and would only move if I gave it a bit of help in 1st. I have been working on small engines for 30 years and I hate to say it but the newer belts dont last as long as the old ones did ( surprise, suprise) Looks like you got it all set up anyways. I would worry about stretching that cable as tight as you have it. Check your manual on that,I am positive it shouldnt be that tight. I have seen them break that tight.
I get it. I did just do a brand new one and those cable have a sound the same as these. Thanks though i know that most things on snowblowers aren't made as well as the oldies but they are safer.
The older ones had rods instead of cables and they last the life of the machine, don't stretch and aren't under tension at all times. The shifter is the one under most tension and there is a spring in there that produces this tension. I have gotten the rod shifter and mechanism off similar machines with a rod on the shifter instead of a cable off a machine that I have scrapped and replaced the whole unit. In this case the older stuff last longer and gives less trouble. Oh yel, not fumble fingers, just using a deep socket instead of a short one drove your balance off.
I use automotive belts now, they are built more solid and last a lot longer. I replaced the auger belt on a Yard man the other day and at the automotive place it cost $8.45 tax in and at the snow blower parts shop it was $31.04. And the snow blower one was so slightly built and thin (not narrow) but thin.
I'm having a similar problem. When I put the snowblower in first gear it goes reverse. When I put the snowblower in 6th Gear it goes like it's in 2nd gear. It's really nerve-wracking. I tried to adjust the same adjustment that you did and it did nothing to my Craftsman 8 horsepower snowblower. I mean let me tell you I've tried everything. The problem is when the shifting rod popped off the friction wheel I have to find the right position for the friction wheel on the shaft not tried every virtual spot I just can't find the right spot on a to make it go the way it's supposed to.
Thank you! I watched your video last night, and today I was out snowblowing. Fwd and reverse worked!! Mines a Troybilt but you're video helped!!
Glad it helped You made my day
Thanks again. I'm learning so much from your channel
Thanks for watching
I had the same problem on my Ariens Sno-Tek snow blower. The setup was different but the instructions were in the manual and had it fixed in only a few minutes. Thanks!
Good for you.
Thanks I had this problem during the last snow storm and forgot to try to fix it until I needed it yesterday. Will make this adjustment and maybe replace it with an aftermarket belt since the OEM failed so quickly ! LOL oh and yes I was looking😊
Thanks for the vid, worked wonders for my Craftsman!
Good for you Bill. Congrats
Good job Bruce. we have only had trace amount of snow in Central Ohio. will be 50° Saturday. I'm not complaining thou. Enjoy your get away and the sun. Thanks again -Ray.
+Raymond Campbell Thanks Ray. -18C at home today. +26 (80) here in Mexico
tks bruce
Snowblower Goes Forward When in Reverse
this morning today i had the same problem thanks bruce now i know what to do
All the best in fixing it have fun too.
good video bruce. keep em comin.
+Robert Waid OK. A winter project next week installing a flush mount carpenters vise.
Thank you for that, God Bless you for posting it, I was worried I broke mine.
Thanks for commenting.
NICE! I never would have thought of that!
+navythomas8 Thanks for the comment!!
Thanks for the help!
I hope this helped you!!!
Now i can go fix the same problem with my Troy built thanks for the tip greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!!!
Best of luck on the fix.
i thank you sir for the info it is going to help me a lot
I hope this video helps
Simple and effective. cool
Nice! I repaired one of those last season that had the same issue but not as bad. it was too fast in first gear. those machines work so much better when you tinker with the adjustment to get the first gear as slow as possible. set first gear so if you adjust it anymore it will be reverse. it saves belts :-)
+patthesoundguy There is always something to fix eh!!!
+Bruce Pender don't I know it ;-)
+Bruce Pender just fixing snowblowers for friends and family would keep me busy 24/7 ;-)
nice video , thanks, and yes i was watching HA HA !!
Thanks for watching !!!
Nice video
+Robert Perrigo Thanks Robert
had 8265 snapper 1995 with solid rods and turnbuckles ah the good old days
+dick sdan My old John Deere (Ariens) has that. My first video set years ago
I have an Ariens - about 25 years old. It has the solid rod to engage the traction drive. Hasn't needed adjustment yet.
thank you same problem!
Right on.
Mine was at the limit of its adjustment. I replaced the cable and got back some room to adjust, but not much. Next step is to replace the torsion spring to hopefully get back the rest of the adjustment range. The machine is 14 years old, also MTD.
Thansk
Interesting problem and fix.
+John Strange It sat for most of it's life.
Hi Bruce Great video. I have a snowblower, some what the same as the one u are using in this Video. My problem is I want it to go faster in reverse . Right now in the first reverse gear it don't go in any direction. In the second reverse gear it backs up but very very very slowly. Is there there a way I can adjust anything to make the machine back up faster. It is a good snowblower I had it for over 10 years, however I never liked how slow it moved in reverse even when it was new. Hope you can help. Thank you.
Yes the adjustment is on the gearshift lever. You should be able to follow the rod down and adjust the slip joint on the shaft so you have a better reverse.
Bruce Pender Thanks for replying so quickly . I will try that. I modified this sucker and and added a turn buckle on the drive cable . It helps when I don't get the traction I think i like to. Some how I think I have fine tune it better in forward drive but however un balance the reverse. I will play around with it some more thanks
Nice video, as the machines get older and things start to wear you have to fool around to get the correct adjustment, it doesn't always happen on the 1st. try. So, my question is how did you know exactly how much to adjust it? Also, I noticed that you have installed an inline gas filter, I do that too cause that little foam thing in the tank isn't much good and carb. problems are the #1 thing people have with those engines. So, for $3 it is well worth it. I also have a suggestion. The stick for cleaning out the discharge chute comes from the factory installed on the back of the intake chute, this prevents snow from sliding off and then you have to keep cleaning it off. I moved the mounting bracket for this to the cross section on the handle bars that is about half way up. Much better place, and I put 2 big aluminum pop rivets in the holes that were left behind, now the snow slides off fine, especially if I put some car wax on the chute to keep it from sticking. Just something I found so good I wanted to share.
+W. Gator I got lucky just taking the slack out of the cable
W. Gator I threw mine away,honestly. The damn thing never stayed put and rattled like hell. I just jamb my hand down the shute like a man! What the hell! I saw the video where they had to put the blower in the ambulance with the guy because his hand was in the auger. Seriously,I keep a long wooden 2x2 that was actually longer than the original plastic billy club that came with it. I use loose fitting zip tyes and a piece of pvc with end cap also zip tyed to hold the stick on the handle of the blower. I painted the end red so if it ended up falling off,I will spot it before running it over. ( which is what I did with the plastic one)
Scott firman, I put an impellor kit on my blower, made it out of a dump truck mud flap, since then no matter how wet and sloppy the snow is, it doesn't clog the chute. I have done about 10 blowers and it eliminates that clogging as well as makes the blower throw the snow much farther. There are videos showing how it is done. REMEMBER YOU CAN'T PUT YOUR FINGERS WHERE EVER YOU FEEL LIKE PUTTING THEM! Serious trouble could befall you.
W. Gator I saw the video. My concern is the flap freezing to the housing on the blower. Thats the reason for the gap in the first place. I would also worry about imbalance in that impeller. I have been working on these things professionally for years and havent ever seen any need to close that gap to improve the throw. Craftsman have always had a weak throw as opposed to Ariens and Toro. I also dont like the welds on Craftsman. I have had to weld the impellers and frames both. I usually pick the craftsman up for free all the time,then fix them and resell them. The older units are always better than the 1980's and on up. The industry got cheap after that but prices continue to sky rocket on them. I dont have a wish to lose body parts to anything mechanical anyways. I do recommend people spray the insides of their blower with silicone spray to help prevent snow from sticking. If the paint is all comming off inside the housing I spray it with a freah coat of paint,especially the chute. I had to do that every year with an old Ariens I bought. That thing would throw snow in my neighbors driveway all the way across his front lawn. I ended up selling it to him when I "aquired" another blower. Since I worked on them all the time I hardly ever had to use my own blower.
I refurbish old snow blowers as a hobby, I have done 23 since I retired. Right now I have 4 craftsmen, all 10/28 waiting to be done, and I have 7 other ones too, plus, like you said, some have to be scrapped too because of rusted holes and bad welds, cracks from metal fatigue, etc. etc.. I saw the video first on TouTube but instead of buying the kit I decided to make my own. I have done 20 or more machines and the pieces I put on are all the same size and weight, so the imbalance isn't there. Also, the worst time freeze up occurs is when the snow in that gap turns to slush and then collects in the bottom if the second stage, then it turns cold and freezes. Then people try to engage the augers without clearing the ice 1st. this destroys the belt and they think the blower is junk. This kit eliminates this slush because it clears the bucket right down to the metal, there is nothing left to freeze, I even put a kit on my Honda, broke 5 drill bits trying to drill through that hard steel. The only problem I ever had was when I started doing them 1st. I used plastic instead of rubber flaps and they broke but I have never realized any of the fears you have, as the tiger says on Frosted flakes.... T H E Y ' R G R E A T !
snow blower season is upon you eh. We had a slush storm the other day. Still so mild here.
+Southpaw Davey We have a foot of snow o the ground and -18C this morning
Rain rain and more rain......
Hey! We use the same kneeling pad...lol. Do you still have the floaty keychain that was the handle punch out? lol Cheers my Northern Friend! Zip~
+ZippoVarga We didn't get those. Thanks for commenting. I am in Mexico now.Same as last year. Nice to chat!!!
+Bruce Pender Enjoy your Vacation Bruce!! Great to chat with you as always my Southern Friend..lol. Zip~
+ZippoVarga southern friend got it
+bruce Pender where's your comment on my forward reverse question on my toro
Well it happens just like this. I missed it then it goes below the screen. I get 60 to 70 comments a day I am sorry.
You might want to consider the belts being the issue. If you have to adjust your cable banjo tight like that its because the belt is stretched out,I figured that out on mine. The belts may actually look fine,but if they are over 5 years old,you should inspect them really closely.,if the sides are shiny,if the belt has tiny cracks on the back side and if the belts feel soft,not hard,then they are bad. I had to replace both of mine. They were 8 years old but I noticed it wouldnt back up in the second range and would only move if I gave it a bit of help in 1st. I have been working on small engines for 30 years and I hate to say it but the newer belts dont last as long as the old ones did ( surprise, suprise) Looks like you got it all set up anyways. I would worry about stretching that cable as tight as you have it. Check your manual on that,I am positive it shouldnt be that tight. I have seen them break that tight.
I get it. I did just do a brand new one and those cable have a sound the same as these. Thanks though i know that most things on snowblowers aren't made as well as the oldies but they are safer.
The older ones had rods instead of cables and they last the life of the machine, don't stretch and aren't under tension at all times. The shifter is the one under most tension and there is a spring in there that produces this tension. I have gotten the rod shifter and mechanism off similar machines with a rod on the shifter instead of a cable off a machine that I have scrapped and replaced the whole unit. In this case the older stuff last longer and gives less trouble. Oh yel, not fumble fingers, just using a deep socket instead of a short one drove your balance off.
Both of my own have rods.
scott firman hu
I use automotive belts now, they are built more solid and last a lot longer. I replaced the auger belt on a Yard man the other day and at the automotive place it cost $8.45 tax in and at the snow blower parts shop it was $31.04. And the snow blower one was so slightly built and thin (not narrow) but thin.
Easy enough eh!!☺
+805ROADKING Yes it was easier than I thought.
I'm having a similar problem. When I put the snowblower in first gear it goes reverse. When I put the snowblower in 6th Gear it goes like it's in 2nd gear. It's really nerve-wracking. I tried to adjust the same adjustment that you did and it did nothing to my Craftsman 8 horsepower snowblower. I mean let me tell you I've tried everything. The problem is when the shifting rod popped off the friction wheel I have to find the right position for the friction wheel on the shaft not tried every virtual spot I just can't find the right spot on a to make it go the way it's supposed to.
Is the rubber on the friction disc OK That is all I can offer.
@@BrucesShop of course the rubber on the friction wheel is like new. That's the first thing I looked at.
I understand. But there is know way I can tell what you have looked at.
@@BrucesShop I have looked and tried everything it's very frustrating. Lol .
@@BrucesShop I had the same problem a few years ago . With the same type of snowblower just can remember . What I did to fix it lol ..