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

I have a new Simplicity snow thrower that has not yet been used. I was testing the engine and the auger yesteday and everything seemed fine. I ran the auger for about 2 minutes and released the auger handle. After I did this, there was loud grating sound coming from the machine that was alarming. It sounded as if something was seriously wrong with the engine. I then noticed that the auger was engaging on its own and that was what was causing the grating sound.

The dealer told me that the noise and the engagement of the auger was caused by the new belts not yet being seated properly, that this was common, and that the belts would seat properly after the first use of the snow thrower.  Has anyone else had this happen and is the explaination correct?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

tmac

Seriously, that sounds like a load of BS to me. Its NEW - take it back! Have the dealer look at it & have him explain! How can someone diagnose a machine over the phone?!? Or better yet, find another dealer - this person sounds like a schmuck to me with that explanation. He should have offered to come & check it out or pick it up & have his shop check it.

Marty

Sounds like the belt fingers aren't set right. Check you manual. These keep the belt "looped" up around the driver sheave when the belt is declutched.

Also, make sure your auger pulley (driven) brake is engaging when you declutch.

Yeah, a brand new belt is much tackier than a belt that has been run in, especially a raw edge laminated belt (most manuals have a run-in procedure spec'd for the auger drive belt). A few minutes with the auger drive engaged will break-in the belt and make the auger clutch much less sensitive to belt finger mal-adjustment.

The problem really does need to be fixed, so don't ignore it. It is dangerous in this condition.

This is really a 10 minute job. I don't know that I'd go through the trouble of returning the unit over that. Maybe the dealer will do a house call?

PK

Hi,

I just bought Sears Craftsman 5.5HP, 2 stage, electric start, with Tecumseh Snowking engine. I did not open the box yet.

Is this kind of adjustment do require in all new snow thrower? I did not understood the procedure for the adjustment of the belt. Would you explain what to do?

Narenda - there are round, solid "tubes" of sorts that keep the belt routed properly when its slack (disengaged condition). If they are not in the proper position, the belt can come off the pulleys, or have a malady as initially discribed above. Removing the belt cover will give you access to the "fingers" that Snowmann mentions. There is usually a brake pad on the bottom too, make sure it isn't dragging when the belt is engaged - ENGINE OFF PLEASE! Just look down with a flashlight (again, belt cover removed) & make sure the pad isn't touching the BIG pulley with the auger engaged!

Marty

It could also be a problem with the idler wheel that is used to tighten the belt when you engage the auger clutch. If the problem started when you released the handle and you started getting a funny noise and the auger kept turning then the idler wheel may be too tight and is not  letting the belt slip the way it is supposed to when the clutch is let out. If the problem actually occurs when you engage the clutch then the wheel is set too loose and is allowing the belt to slip when it shouldn't.

The adjustment should be in your manual, probably in the changing the auger belt section.

narendra10 wrote:
The procedure should be listed in either the assembly instructions or the "changing the auger belt" instructions.

For a two stage machine there are two belts that are controlled by clutch levers on the handle bar. One belt drives the traction system and hence controls how fast the wheels turn. The other controls the auger/impeller system which is what actually throws the snow somewhere else. Both systems use a clutch but each is different.

In the case of the traction system a rubber edged wheel is pressed against a metal disk. When they touch the wheels start spinning. The location on the metal disk that the wheel touches is controlled by the "speed" leaver, the closer to the centre of the disk the slower you go, the closer to the edge of the disk  the faster you go. If you go past the centre of the disk you are now going in reverse. The whole thing is normally setup at the factory. Your manual should tell you how to adjust for wear and tear.

In the case of the auger/impeller the belt  that connects the pulley on the engine to the pulley on the impeller/auger system, is loose and will slip when the clutch handle is released. When the clutch is engaged a third wheel called an idler is pressed against the belt and causes it to tighten up. This causes the belt to stop slipping and the auger system starts turning. The idler wheel is mounted in a slot that allows a fair amount of adjustment in the wheel's position. This is used to adjust the tension of the belt. The adjustment procedure should be in your manual. With new belts there is a short wear in period which does tend to loosen things a bit. Once the wear in is done you will probably have to adjust the auger/impeller system. It takes about 10 minutes of operation followed by an adjustment and then you're done.

The basic process is as follows:

1. Make sure the engine is OFF, disconnect spark plug;
2. Remove the cover at the front  of the engine so you can work on the pulleys;
3. Make sure the engine is OFF, make sure the spark plug is disconnected, AGAIN;
4. Loosen the locking bolt that the idler is mounted on;
5. Move the wheel so that  the belt is  looser/tighter depending on what is wrong;
6. Manually turn over the engine with the clutch disengaged to ensure it is slipping;
7. Reconnect the spark plug and start the engine;
8. Engage the impeller/auger system and see if it is turning properly. You want the belt  to slip when the handle is not engaged but be solid when the handle is engaged;
   
9. Stop the machine, disconnect the spark plug;
10. If everything was OK, put the cover on, reconnect the spark plug, you're done;
11. If there is still a problem go back to step 3.

Notes

1. There is a certain amount of adjustement that can be done by loosening/tightening the connectors coming from the clutch control handle. If you can get everything working there then do it. The procedure above gives you more leeway but less finer control.
2. If your manual says something different then follow its advice. What I described works for me;
3. You may or may not have to do this with a brand new machine but there is probably some setup tweaking that needs to be done;
4. If you are going to be putting your fingers in places where a running engine would cause problems see steps 1and 3, if you are worried, take the spark plug out..