Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Hello All

I have a 2005-06' 926dle with the new chute rotation controll . The chute exhibits some strange behaviour. If you move the controll quickly left to right or vice/v,  there may be some backlash of the chute. By this I mean the chute has not locked into position properly. It may lock, but not where you want it to. Chutes gone wild. I took the chute gear assembly apart and it seemed to have to much play between the Chute Gear and the Locking Chute Gear at certain positions. On my unit the problem was worse on the left side. This design, as is, has a very narrow operating tolerance.  I replaced the two washers behind the chute gear (spacers to me)  with a slightly thicker nylon washer and now it operates as it was intended too. I am sure this will vary from unit to unit.  I think Ariens is going to get some calls on this. I don't mind fixing this myself, actually it  was kinda fun to figure it out and get it to work properly. YMMV.  When I was all done perfecting this setup I measured the chute rotation to be aprox. 210 degrees. With a different Chute Gear this could easily be more.

John

Talking design, It look like Ariens is learning by the try and error method.

I explain: Over the years Ariens as try so many differents concepts and sometimes come back to old concepts they used in the past.

Exemple: The blower had 3 blades in the past, then 6, than 3 again, and 4 blades now. The blower diameter is changing all the time: Bigger, smaller, and bigger again (14 inch. now). The chute rotation system is changing every years (almost). Mine is an electric chute (love it), the years before it was a spiral styx, the year after a different system (fast rotation alike the one used this year but slower and it was moved by the force of the snow thrown (bad thing). This year they've come up whit a new system again!!! >>> Too imprecise, move too radically to me. I'll bet they gonna change it next year or two!  It look like they have a lack of ingeneering or something. They try over and over again until they finaly find the right way to built the thing. In the other hand, there is companies who seems to think more before doing something and they seems to have found the way to build their machine. Honda per exemple seems to have found the right concept for their machine. They haven't changes for years exept for details.

In fact Ariens change their concepts so often that I wonder if I would be able to find replacement parts for my electric chute if it breacks after some years. It must be costly to Ariens to have to keep so much differents parts in stock. 

I don't understand the point!

And I had to put spacers too on the dented weel of my electric chute to prevent the electric motor to go too far and spinning at the end of the rotation. The fitting between the body and the xhute was not good!

That was easy to figure out and to correct the problem, but it let an impression of poor conception or no constance in manufacturing!

Mads

Yes, I bet you can search their premises with a fine toothed comb and never find the Ingeneering Department.

Here's the point: Innovate, Automate, or Evaporate.

Ariens does listen to it's customers though......

There were complaints that the frame was too flimsy...they thickened it,  there were minor snow blowby issues 2 years ago...they gave a free baffle to fix it then redesigned the chute, there was perception the auger gear box was too small...the beefed it up, folks wanted a halogen light...they changed that, the chute action was too slow...they changed that, they added standard drift breakers and a shovel to save fingers, people did not like the baler bar on the compact series and they made the change.

Toro on the other hand did not make one change in the last 3 years on their PowerShift models. They did not even have a remote adjustment for the chute pitch...what happened....goodbye marketshare of their "high end" machines. They do make a good
residential model though.

I've have a 926 DLE and have had a hard time getting used to the new chute.  First for some reason the direction is counter intuitive for me.  When I want to turn it left I almost always start by turning it right.  Second I'm always a bit surprised by how quickly it moves.   Third it doesn't seem to work well on hills.  Gravity pulls it out of position before it locks.  I find I have to hold it with one hand before letting go of the control lever.  Somone on the other board suggest checking the adjustments.  I'll check out the owners manual when I have a chance.  I wonder if changing the size of the spacers like IlikeOrange did on his would help it work better on hills?

I just came back from the HD about 3 hours ago. I checked out the next group of Ariens snow machines which were just finished being assembled. There were 5 926LEs and 5 1128LEs. Two of the chute controls were totally botched and did not latch at all.

Only 5 from the entire group latched correctly. A few worked intermittantly.

This new design absolutely works great when assembled correctly but requires competent help that gives a sheet. (of cookies).lol

I was in HD last Friday....looked at an Ariens ...found the chute control did not work properly.  I brought it to the attention of the staffmember.  I suggested that HD should exercise more care when assembling a floor model.  His reply was interesting....HD doesn't do the Ariens assembly....Ariens sends in  local OPE Ariens service personnel to do the job!!!   Interesting!!!  Now, his saying so doesn't make it "the whole truth and nothing but the truth" - but it's an interesting slant on things.

*(:>)*

Newjerseybt: " Ariens does listen to it's customers though......"

It may be the problem!

The Ariens ingeneers are suppose to know what principles is best to built efficient snowblowers than their customers fantasy!

Will they build an efficient reliable chute one day? ..........  May be after having try out every concepts possible!

Would be more profitable to put something on paper prior to try to built it!

My opinion.

 

I think the electric chute was the one to go on whit. At least for some models. It was an argument over the other brands who don't have it and was working well. On the touch of a button you could throw the snow on the target you want.  Fast enough and verry precise to throw the snow exactly were you want it. Especially wen you dont have large area to dispose the snow .... Just like me.  An electric deflector would be a dream!

I plan to install a joystick (like the Honda 928TCD) and add a small electric motor on the deflector cable line to electricaly control the chute AND the deflector...... One day...... Next year maybe.  Seems pretty easy to do. Finding the right equipement for the job will be more difficult though!    But you can count on me to do some thinking before. I wont try 15 differents concepts!

Plugger give that spacer a try. It's an easy fix.

Assembly is not the issue here, although  incorrect assembly will lead improper operation. Even when the unit is assembled correctly the chute can have a mind of its' own. It does work when *fixed*, I like it. A new machine owner should not have to be tweaking  mechanical tolerances to obtain propper performance. You can test your machine with this procedure:

1) Operat the chute controll as if to change chute direction. Hold the controll in the slightly up position (lock disengagged)

2 )try to move the chute while performing the above

Even though the lock in disengagged at this point,  pressure on the controll will (should) hold it in position.

The problem is that at certain points of chute rotation the mating gears become seperated. The lock IS functioning but allows the chute to move. Yes, the chute can move even though it is "locked". As I said before, this design has a very narrow operating tolerance.

On another note I plan to make a ptfe(teflon plastic) collar to fit between the chute and main blower housing. I find my gap to be nearly 1/4 inch! rattle thunder clatter.  Hard to beleive there is that much slop there. Note to Ariens- fit and finish.

John

I  noticed a couple of members from other OPE sites who bought the new Ariens machines are also having difficulties with the new chute design. My neighbor has a new 926LE and it works fine. Maybe the "luck of the draw"?

I sent Ariens a "heads up" E-Mail hinting that a quick easy "fix" may be in order.

I will keep the forum apprised of any updates or of any new information I receive from Ariens.