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

Hi all, first post here.

First off, I'm from Sweden so please bare with (and correct) me if I get the terminology wrong.

I recently bought an Ariens ST504 second-hand and it does a good job but today when I was using it my girlfriend asked me why the rake only turned on one side. Sounded wierd to me as it was throwing snow but sure enough, only one side of the rake was turning. I checked that the shear bolts weren't broken and the rake does not spin freely so the bolts seem intact. It's not at all impossible that only one side has turned all since I bought the machine.

So, I presume there is something wrong with the gear case. Is there some place I can get more details on the interior of the gear case so I know what to expect when/if I open it? Will I need some special tools, gaskets or grease/oil to reassemble the gear case?

Or is the problem likely somewhere else?

All help appreciated

/Ola

Don't split the gearcase. The rake shaft is one piece accross the front of the unit. It's not possible for the shaft itself to turn only on one side. It's more likey one shear bolt has sheared and the end and head of the bolt are still wedged or corroded to the rake tube hole. Remove the shear pin on the side that is not turning and inspect it.

PK

It does sound like it may be a gear case problem, but have you taken those shear bolts out on that side to make sure they are actually broken?

Snowmann wrote:
That makes sense. I tried moving the rake by hand and it "snapped" loose and now rotates freely. Are the shear bolt so easy to break by hand or did I just, as snowman suggests, break som corrosion or a small  piece of an already broken shear bolt.

ofranzen wrote:
It is quite common for the center section of the bolt to remain in place. With the grease it can be hard to find, and sometimes requires a punch to drive it out. The holes in the rake must be aligned.

I buy spare shear pins and tape them to the handlebars so I can't loose them.

I got some new shear pins today and now it works as it should.

Getting this snow thrower is one of the best things I've done. Clearing 3000+ square feet by hand was a bit tough when we get 5-10" snow several times a season.

Thanks for your help

/Ola

Ofranzen,

Glad you got her running!!

I used to hate heavy snowfalls till I gought my 2 stage blower.

Now I look forward to them!!!!

                                        Fred